Table Rock Lake Fishing Report April 22, 2010

[Bill Babler]

The bite is on and I mean big time. I have fished most areas of the Lake this week and here is what I am seeing first hand.

Longcreek Area; Water temps in low 60's

Bass on Beds and staging off cove and bluffends. Some dragging is available 16 to 24 ft. Best fish are coming topwater over bluffends of pole timber. Swimming a grey or smoke grub is catching very nice K's.

Big Cedar to Kimberling City; Water temps low 60's

Topwater is off the "Hook" early or when there is a breeze or cloud cover. Lots of bedding fish. Bluffends, pole timber and 45 degree rock banks are producing LM and K's. Flat gravel is producing lots of quality SMJ's. Topwater, is working even on slick water, aslong as there is cloud cover. Grub swimming is very good. Usually suspects, on the grubs.

Kimberling City to Twin Rivers on the White River; Water temps low 60's

Extremely good topwater bite very similar to BC to KC with the exception there is some water that is available to drag a rig, due to no moss. Also in this area a shaky head is on fire using a chomper shaky head worm in brown pruple laminant.

Bottom fish are small in the under 12 ft. area, with lots of bites. Deeper fish in the 20 to 30 ft. area are nicer size with fewer bites.

Twin Rivers to Eagle Rock; Water temps low 60's

Topwater as good as it gets early off the flats and major lake points. Very nice LM,SMJ's and K's are avialable all pre-spawn and full of eggs. Drag bite is good on your choice of draggy stuff in natural color soft plastics same locations, and into the coves. Bottom fish are running very small, but lots of em.

River Systems Kings and James; Water temps mid 60's

Same as above only at times a good jig and spinnerbait bite shallow on the wind.

Another good tactic is the floating worm, which is deadly during the period, along with a senko.

On another note, be very careful with the topwater stuff, as both Beck and I have accidents today. He had a client after telling him over a dozen times not to swing fish in the boat, swin a fish in and land in on the his own ankle. All 3 sets of trebles sank in to the hilt with the fish still on the bait flouncing and a jerking. Major disaster.

I had after telling a client over 30 times in two days, not to swing a fish into the boat with a redfin in its mouth swing one in. A 14 inch K, hit the back rest of my new Champions passenger seat and the hooks tore out 3 major holes in the seat back. That seat is bargain priced at $360.00. He never said so much as I'm sorry. I worked for free today.

This Redfin has 1 number 2 cutting point Owner Rooster tail on the rear, and 2 diachi No. 4 deathtraps on the body. It will cut you to pieces. It will bury a 1/2 inch past the barb in your hand,arm or leg before you feel it stick you. It will tear your boat to pieces if you are not careful, be careful with these vicious hooks.

Pictured is my Table Rock Tackle Box for the next 3 or 4 weeks, only other bait I even use is a fish Dr.

Good Luck

[Jason Essary]

Ok Bill, have to ask. Do you like the jointed reds or the full body better? Sorry to hear about the seat.

[denjac]

Looks like a good couple of days! Who caught the 2 on 1 redfin? Weird year, skipped over 1 bite right into the others. You might find out if you can what the name of the material on the seats is called if they will tell you. I bet it is called Flotilla, I can get it for around $15 bucks a yard.

[snakem]

The bite is on and I mean big time. I have fished most areas of the Lake this week and here is what I am seeing first hand.

Longcreek Area; Water temps in low 60's

Bass on Beds and staging off cove and bluffends. Some dragging is available 16 to 24 ft. Best fish are coming topwater over bluffends of pole timber. Swimming a grey or smoke grub is catching very nice K's.

Big Cedar to Kimberling City; Water temps low 60's

Topwater is off the "Hook" early or when there is a breeze or cloud cover. Lots of bedding fish. Bluffends, pole timber and 45 degree rock banks are producing LM and K's. Flat gravel is producing lots of quality SMJ's. Topwater, is working even on slick water, aslong as there is cloud cover. Grub swimming is very good. Usually suspects, on the grubs.

Kimberling City to Twin Rivers on the White River; Water temps low 60's

Extremely good topwater bite very similar to BC to KC with the exception there is some water that is available to drag a rig, due to no moss. Also in this area a shaky head is on fire using a chomper shaky head worm in brown pruple laminant.

Bottom fish are small in the under 12 ft. area, with lots of bites. Deeper fish in the 20 to 30 ft. area are nicer size with fewer bites.

Twin Rivers to Eagle Rock; Water temps low 60's

Topwater as good as it gets early off the flats and major lake points. Very nice LM,SMJ's and K's are avialable all pre-spawn and full of eggs. Drag bite is good on your choice of draggy stuff in natural color soft plastics same locations, and into the coves. Bottom fish are running very small, but lots of em.

River Systems Kings and James; Water temps mid 60's

Same as above only at times a good jig and spinnerbait bite shallow on the wind.

Another good tactic is the floating worm, which is deadly during the period, along with a senko.

On another note, be very careful with the topwater stuff, as both Beck and I have accidents today. He had a client after telling him over a dozen times not to swing fish in the boat, swin a fish in and land in on the his own ankle. All 3 sets of trebles sank in to the hilt with the fish still on the bait flouncing and a jerking. Major disaster.

I had after telling a client over 30 times in two days, not to swing a fish into the boat with a redfin in its mouth swing one in. A 14 inch K, hit the back rest of my new Champions passenger seat and the hooks tore out 3 major holes in the seat back. That seat is bargain priced at $360.00. He never said so much as I'm sorry. I worked for free today.

This Redfin has 1 number 2 cutting point Owner Rooster tail on the rear, and 2 diachi No. 4 deathtraps on the body. It will cut you to pieces. It will bury a 1/2 inch past the barb in your hand,arm or leg before you feel it stick you. It will tear your boat to pieces if you are not careful, be careful with these vicious hooks.

Pictured is my Table Rock Tackle Box for the next 3 or 4 weeks, only other bait I even use is a fish Dr.

Good Luck

Great report there Bill,Sorry about the seat.I've been do'ing real well on the spook this week,not much today on the fluke though.Had 3 nice lm on the spook .put in at aunts and went to baxter thats were they were at 4 me.watch those hooks,they are soooo sharp.

Snakem Out.

[Quillback]

Thanks for the report Bill! Great pics of some quality fish!

[arsenal1477]

Great report! Thanks! I just hope this major cold front doesnt kill all of the good fishing when I come down there on Tuesday.

[MOBass]

Thank you for the great information as always. My sympathy on the boat seat. I'll be using your post as education for my daughter this evening as we will be fishing the KAST touranment out of Mill Creek tomorrow (weather willing). Net is already in the boat since I don't cotton to reaching in the mouth of an angery fish with a bunch of trebles swinging around. I'll be taking some heavy braid (for the line around the shank trick) and a boo boo kit in case something goes bad wrong.

[fozzype]

Bill,

Have to agree on the hooks, they are mean. I foul hooked several short fish on the LC Sammy yesterday with Diachi # 4 . As for you seats, I would just fix all the seats. The vinyl that comes in ALL new boats is not the quality you can buy after market. I had the same thing happen and had all my seats in my boat done for under $300. Heck that was even with some flashy colors that were extra. Try Becky at 425-7145, see did an awesome, (way better than factory) on my seats.

Brett

[jay bird]

Use the red fin on Striper in Beaver and it is a great bait, but even after netting one you feel like you are playing russian roulette trying to get one unhooked.

[Okiedog]

Bill,

How do you fish the redfin? jerk it?, wake it? steady crank? all of the above?

thanks,

Okiedog

oh, and PS, thanks for taking the time to have the Jerkbait seminar last Feb at the conservation center, really appreciated it.