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Posted

I'm planning on coming down to Table Rock in about a month. Never fished the lake before (normally fish LOZ, Pomme, and Truman). I've been on here and other sites reading and gathering as much info as possible.

I'm not sure where to start. Looked a lot at the Shell Knob area and the Long Creek area. I'd prefer to throw a jerkbait and wiggle wart if the conditions allow. Never fished for smallmouth much - so the Long Creek area intrigues me (also closer to stuff to take the wife to in the evenings). I've also heard that the Upper White warms faster and is a good place to start in early spring (but it's a little farther off the beaten path). I've looked into some cabins in Shell Knob too.

Anyway - just looking for some advice on where might be the best place to go at this time of year (assuming weather conditions are normal).

Posted

Table Rock is a little different....and I don't know why. I fished Rainy Lake for about ten years. It is a deep clear lake too. I even did a little guiding and won some tournaments. I also fished Alaska pretty hard, a different situation there though.

I fished Table Rock hard for a year with limited success. I would highly recommend grabbing a guide for a half day. There are a bunch on here with great reputations. It will make the vacation way more enjoyable. Bill Babler is well known for his jerk bait skill and is even giving a seminar on the technique. Don House, Bill Beck, Eric Prey and a bunch I am missing would be great too.

Tim Carpenter

Posted

Anyway - just looking for some advice on where might be the best place to go at this time of year (assuming weather conditions are normal).

Welp, can only tell you one thing... They won't be normal...Prolly snow...

Set the hook first, ask questions later...

Posted

Beginning or end of March? Last spring I spent a lot of time in the Kings,caught a bunch of good ones .Dont let the weather scare you,seems like the nasty,cold,windy and overcast rainy days produce the best for me. March sure can change from beginning to end but you are in the right place here on Ozark Anglers,best fishing forum on the web by far.Keep your eye on the fishing reports , I assure you they are accurate.If my memory serves me correctly we got into the walleye pretty good one day in March.Good luck and let us know how you do.

Posted

Eureka Springs, with all its attractions for wife and family, is on the upper end of Table Rock. Many excellent and quaint places to stay. Good ramps at Holiday Island (15 minutes from Eureka) and Eagle Rock (25 minutes from downtown) plus you can book one of the guides who post here and fish the Kings or Shell Knob with less than 45 minutes of driving.

Posted

I'm planning on coming in early March. We actually got married in Eureka Springs, been back several times since. Hadn't thought about that being so close. Is the Kings as clear as the White or is there some more color to it?

Posted

To answer your question: That depends. If there has been recent rain (not snow melt) the Kings tends to color until the runoff reduces. Once the runoff ceases, the river is only marginally more colored than the White. Of course the gully washers of the last two Springs colored the White as well as the Kings.

Personally, I don't like to fish cold, dirty water - never have done much good - so in the Spring I'll head where the water is clearer.

Can't speak for lower lake - it has been many years since I fished down there - but early March offers options at the upper end. The winter walleye run above Beaver doesn't end until the last part of the month. The jerk bait fishing in the Eagle Rock to Big M section is outstanding, and places like Butler Creek, Owl Creek, Panther Creek, and Rock Creek offer some good blade bait fishing from time to time. Best of all, the water up here is outstanding wiggle wart territory.

If I had the money I'd hire someone to show me that section of the lake on the first day.

Posted

The key is water temp!!!

Find coves with 55 or better and fish the gravel areas near the mouths. They will be hovering in 20 to 30 foot of water in a prespawn stage. Lots of big smallies with this tactic.

"May success follow your every cast." - Trav P. Johnson

Posted

JBrant, targeting the White River that time of year is never a bad idea. As water and air temps start to warm in March our bass ride the water column, from deep to shallow. Due to the lack so much of depth and it being a real river channel. Fishing from "Lets say", the mouth of Roaring River to the Arkansas Line Just below Holiday Island is a very natural early season location for fish to start getting active.

Unlike most times of the year, where direct sunlight is your enemy, early season bass just love a light breeze and warm sunlight on the water. Really does not matter to me the surface temps at the beginning of the day, just so they are warming how ever slightly throughout your time on the water.

Suspending stickbaits and jigs work extremely well up the White at this time. Windy sunlite banks along the river channel will have fish activly rising in the water column. These fish may not necessarly be on the bank. Not uncommon at all to have your boat positioned in extremely deep water, targeting travel channels along these windy sundrenched locations. If pole timber is present place your boat on the outside of the timber and cast to the bank, usually a full cast, depending on the lake level. Work your suspender from the bank completely thru the trees. Most generally the strike will be about half way back to the boat. Lucky Craft, Spro, Rapala, Smithwick, and Megabass make jerkbaits that are fish catchers that time of year anywhere on the Rock. Best colors are usually Table Rock Shad, Tennessee Shad, Silver Blue Back, Silver Black Back. Or most all of the handpainted custom colors most include large quanities of purple.

Someone pointed out targeting large cove mouths, excellent places to look either suspended or on the bottom for prespawners.

In a nutshell however, where ever you choose to stay in mid March on the Rock, you should be in for a great time. Good Luck

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