Monday Report

[Doug Weston]

I fished Monday looking for some deep fish. I did not have much luck. I tried several spots and I could find lots of bait on the graph. I tried several different types of spoons as this is a learning experience for me. It seemed that I could not find any activity until I got out to 40 ft or so. I only caught fish on channel swings with the old standby shaky head. These were small KYs and not what I was looking for. It was a bright sunny day and I wanted to learn the spoon. Bill I could not get the fish to come up from the bottom like you said. I only spent about 45 mins on bluff channel swings, to see if I could catch something.

If anyone can help, I will tell you what I found. It seemed to me that the bait was holding tight to where the flats roll off into the channel. Also if I found a little cut, or saddle, that was deep enough there were fish there. I looked and fished the top of humps, and the end of flats but not one single fish. I did have some fish look at my spoon from time to time, but I just couldnt get bit. I held it still, jigged it, jerked it, yanked it, you name it, no takers. I know it was a post fronnt day, but you would think I could catch one, even by mistake. Are these fish in the downstream side of these humps/points? hiding in an eddy or someting? The bait seemed to be there, but I could not get any love on any of my spoons. I threw heavy, light, big, small, jigging spoons, flutter spoons, casted and straight below. I watched some boats catch some in the mouth of Kings river as I was trying to figure it out in the same area.

Are they still on the flat on these post front days? or do they move out to the channel? Ill put the time in to find them, but I'm starting to think I don't own the right spoon, or my technique is somehow flawed. I just think I was around fish and could get no love. I tried the drop shot too, just in case. Any other techniques on days like this? I dragged a jig for a bit in the same areas just to make sure that wouldn't work too.

I have read your posts Bill, but what am I missing?

[motoman]

Quite a conundrum Doug, I've had days like that myself.

-

I'd like to see what develops here too.

[Flippin]

Doug,

I am curious to find out what Bill has to say but I would guess he has specific locations marked for that type of fishing. Without having having those locations it is a big lake and takes a lot of time to find them. I guess that comes with the territory when you are on the lake as many hours as Bill. A pattern would be helpful in eliminating areas of water.

[Doug Weston]

I guess part of the puzzle is, are these locations very specific? or do the fish move around on these flat points, rolloffs, and humps. I actuallly went to some of the places that I can catch drop shot fish in the summer, and looked deeper as per Bill, but no takers. Thing is, I think I am finding lots of bait, and even the "fuzzy line" on the bottom. This fuzzy line was off the bottom in some places. I found lots of activity on the graph 40-50 ft deep, even suspended over deeper water.

[Bill Babler]

If you all are not finding these fish, take a deep breath, put your rods in the rod box and concentrate on your electronics. Follow these main lake flats out from the bank till they plumit into the river channel. Most offten the fish are just about to the break before they fall into the channel.

I will tell you there are fish in the Kings, James, Long Creek, and the main lake on these spots. That 50 ft. range there about is really strong.

The fish look like a blanket or a dark red or black line lying right on the bottom. You have to drop into them and fire them up. Go over the entire flat and just put a gps mark on each spot you find in a 200 yrd. area, and then return and fish each of the marks.

There are plenty of guys finding these fish. Steve and I this weekend saw groups of between 3 and 20 boats fishing locations that held bait and loads of fish. If you are having problems, get out on Saturdays, and just look for the concentrations of boats. As you learn where they are fishing and the type of bottom rolloffs they are on you can find others, as these fish are just solid from Kimberling City to Big M. Not to mention the rivers.

I keep reading about guys graphing lots of fish and bait but not getting them to bite. Not true. If you find them they will bite. You need to do a little more work on how to read your graph correctly. Everything you see is not a fish.

For Cripes Sakes, go out with one of the local guides and learn how to read that graph. Not only will you have a blast, you will learn how to interpet the marks on your machines. House, Beck, Loving, Paige, Prey, Sainato, Webb, Tetrick, Wenners, Oliverson, LaPoint, or the dudes that I have not mentioned that fish deep can get you going. These machines are really remarkable if you know how to read them.

I don't believe these fish will quit, there are just to many of them. Get out and save the shad population from this explosion of White Bass,

[Doug Weston]

Bill thanks for the reply.

I have a Humminbird 997 SI unit. I have spent many hours with this graph. I hired Bill Babler this summer and had a blast. I learned what the fish look like on the 2d graph. I also know what the shad look like on the SI or 3d graph. There is no mistaking the pods of bait with the side imaging. I do understand what you mean though about things on the graph that aren't fish. I know for instance when there are leaves falling in the water you can see many lines on the graph that are just simply leaves floating in the water. These will look like a fish suspended. I think (thats a big word) I am looking in the right areas. They are the same areas you showed me when you took me out this summer. I tried all the way out to the channel. I even had a few fish come up and look at the spoon, but no takers. About a week ago I fished around the old bridge pilings (bridge is gone now) just up from Big M. I caught a couple of keepers in that area doing the same thing. Same depth, 45 ft or so. But even then it was just one or 2 fish, not the whole bottom coming up like you showed on your graph pics (the other post).

Short story is, I'm pretty sure I know how to read the graph. In fact i'm certain of it, but from your pics on the other post it looks like you weren't fishing around pods of bait. Maybe that is what I'm doing wrong. I tried to fish in/around the bait pods, in those depths. Are these fish just waiting on the bottom for some fish to happen by? and do you think the actual spoon makes a huge difference, or is it just location location location? I will be going out again this week to figure this out. I'm determined to figure this out. Bill, you may have another trip in the works...got time? Friday maybe?

[Bill Babler]

There is most generally some fish around or just under the bait, but for the most part we have not been fishing bait pods. Bait is never far, but not necessarly directly over the fish. Most often, all we are seeing is maybe one stick his head up as in one of the graph pic's or better yet that heavy blanket of fish lying directly on the bottom.

There has not been any Whites on the locations we fished this summer up the River Doug. There is however a very nice drag bite on those locations for K's. 3/8th oz. jig or better yet a rig with a watermellon candy cenipede.

They are on the humps flats and in the ditches, mostly main lake from Kimberling City to Big M that are really holding fish. There are fishermen on these locations, but you just have to butt right in and help them. The fish will bite like mad and then just vanish. If you can see them you most often can get them to bite.

If you see guys fishing main lake flats vertically, you are more than welcome to fish. Usually 100 yrds. is a good rule of thumb, but the guide boats or buddies will get right together. Be sure to turn down your electronics so as not to interfear with other fishermen.

I had been fishing a small hump up the Kings, and I pulled onto it on Tuesday. There was a guy on the adjacent flat probably 200 yrds. off and when I flipped down the trolling motor he threw his hands into the air jerked up his motor and blew off. He should have been there Saturday. There were 11 boats setting in a 100 yrd. circle on the same location, jerking one White after the other. There are lots of these places, but the best ones have people fishing them. There are for sure enough whites to go around, so don't get freaked out if more than one fisherman is fishing a flat or hump.

Mid day has been as good as any. just cruise slowly around these flats looking for the ditches and humps and for the blanket on the bottom. If you are lucky, you will see a fish of two stick up his head off the bottom. All the fish we are catching are on the bottom they are not suspended.

I could sit here and give 2 dozen direct locations, but I'm just not going to do that. Finding them is just about as much fun as catching them.

On any Saturday you can run from Campbell Point to Viola or Viola to Eagle Rock and you should just be able to see from the congregations of boats where they are.

Good Luck.