Kimberling City and Shell Knob report

[Bill Babler]

Fished taney on Sat and Sun, but the boys had great days on the rock this weekend. Very little traffic and lots and lots of quality fish.

Tim Paige guided out of Kimberling and fished from K City to Aunts Creek and reported over 20 fish on his trip, using plum chomper drop shot worms in about 24 to 32 ft of water off the main lake gravel points and midlake humps.

He said he saw almost every fish they caught and would just slowly use the trolling motor to cruse over the area, untill he saw a fish and then would tell his customers to drop. This really works. I absolutely love to look for fish in this manner.

It reminds me of the movie topgun. Do you remember when there were 2 blimps on the radar screen and then the russian migs split and there were 4. Sometimes you only see 1 or 2 fish but when you drop, the screen will light up. If the fish are really close together, they will read as one and you really don't know how many there are until they break apart.

This can also be a tactic that will backfire big time as if the fish are hanging right on the bottom, you can't see them and will pass over thinking there is no one at home. But we will do what we will do, its a lot more sexy to say drop and have someone bow up and say man, how can you do that!

The Knob was very good on Sunday, and Buster guided up on the old home spots.

He grilled me good before he went up, but didn't need me as they bite every where he went, on the drop shot. Same situation as with Tim, he saw all the fish they caught and said he really had a screen full at about every stop.

Buster also reported lots of topwater whites at Shell Knob, but his clients were bass fisherman and not interested in the whites. He said they were blowing up in small schools off all the major lake points from Campbell Point to Carter Creek.

T. Paige reported that the fish in the dam area were indeed on their midsummer patterns and were deep and hard to come by. Check out Don's post on summer fish and you will have an idea where and how. Deep, Suspended, Prussured and tough.

I'll stay up the White River, if I have an option.

[vernon]

Bill

Thanks to you and the guys for all of the great information provided on this site. My brother and I were down in Kimberling the third week in May and really did well utilizing the tips that we gathered on this site. More big smallmouth (6 over 4 pounds) than ever before, 3 blacks over 5 and a BUNCH of really nice others. A truly memorable spring trip. My wife and I are headed back down (Shell Knob this time) on Wednesday the 14th to fish thru Sunday the 18th. Was glad to hear you say that the whites were cooperating as she really loves to catch those things (like I don't!). While I've had some success on the Kentuckies drop shotting now thru fall, I've never come close to mastering the electronics the way you guys describe. I've got a Garmin 178C on the console and a 250C on the bow. In your opinion, are these units sufficient for the type of structure fishing that you guys are doing? If so, I must not be getting them adjusted properly as I've never been able to see a fish approach my bait (that's on the rare occasions that I can actually see the bait). I'm determined to become more proficient at this type of fishing and would greatly appreciate any input that you or any of the other subject matter experts might be able to provide. I know it's probably difficult to describe what you're doing or how to best utilize electronics in writing but I'm wide open and appreciative of any advice. Again, thanks to you and all the others that contribute to this site. I only can get to Table Rock 4 or 5 times a year but I check this site everyday - guess I'm living vicariously thru y'all! Can't wait till next week. Thanks again.

[Bill Babler]

I have had no experence with garmin electronics, so can't really say. I know Hank Parker says they are the bomb. Here are some tips that will help.

Set you sensitivity to the maximum you can achieve without distortion from your trolling motor, usually 96 percent. Set your grayline at 100 percent and knock out the top 10 feet. Set your ping speed at max. and your chart speed at minimum and see what that does.

Never run more than 1 unit at a time, I don't care if your tranducers are at different freqency levels, it dosen't work good enough for me.

No one and I mean no one runs anything here but Lowrance. X15 and X17 I can see a 1lb. line and a 256oz micro jig on mine. A drop shot looks like a submarine. I can see fish move on the bait and tell exactly when they will bite. The only time I can't is if they are tight to cover or on the bottom.Good luck. Appreciate the kind words. If I can be of further help, give me a call at 1-800-544-0257

[Phil Lilley]

For you guys who haven't clicked Bill's B&B link - here's his livingroom. You must go visit sometime.

[Cpt_DJ]

Man I never get tired of reading these reports and I cant wait to get on the water!....Bill - just to clarify on the adjustments of the graph, doesn't the chart speed need to be set at the highest level? Please keep the reports coming!

DJ

[Bill Babler]

I have never tried it at full chart speed, it may be better, The Lowrance boys told me a slow chart speed and a high ping speed causes the lcr to have the ability to build images at a slower rate to more define the targets. The higher chart speed moves thru the traget zone at too rapid of a rate to build a defined image.

This is for depths of under 100 ft. The higher chart speed reading I was told by the Lowrance boys, was for greater depths where the image is so deep, it must read it quickly or it will be gone. The diffenation and I know I miss spelled it, will not be as good at the greater depths, with the high moving chart.

I will move the chart to max speed and see if it increases my images. If it would, I would be able to see the innards on the targets.

You must also remember, though even your screen is up to 10 inches wide, you are only looking at about 1 inch on the right hand side. For the most part the rest of the screen is old news.

[Bill Babler]

Fished my chart speed at wide open this morning. For the life of me I could see no difference in the target size or shape. I don't know what this means, but slow and fast the picture was the same.

I could still see everything just as before. There is so much we don't know about this stuff it is unbelieveable, after all the years we have used it.

If you run a split screen on a 2X and a 4X zoom you can see more of the critters that are down there, sometimes.

It's fun playing with the electronics just to keep tweeking it.

[Cpt_DJ]

Thanks Bill for the info.....I am new to this type of fishing, still working with it and trying to learn it....I have the X85 and am told it will work fine....can't wait to get out there and better learn this method. Once I get that warm feeling about it, I plan to upgrade graphs....thanks again!

DJ

[LWW]

Bill,

Can you tell me why you turn the "Grayline" all the way up to the max. It seems to just wash out the picture to me. And also that wouldn't be any different in your opinion to turning the "Colorline" up on the color graphs would it?

I really appreciate your tips on fishing with these units. This weekend I am installing an LMS 332C in my console and moving my Eagle Fish Elite 480 to the to the bow. The fish better watch out!

Also, Bill I really like your B&B. Steve Parot built that for you didn't he. He built our cabin in Shell Knob. Over Memorial day I overheard my dad recommending you to some new Table Rock visitors, and I asked him how he knew you? He told me he met you when you came by our cabin in Shell Knob to see some of the work Steve was doing. I then told him how much you have helped me in learning how to fish this lake, which indirectly led to his 6lb 10oz big boy the weekend before. Small world.

Thanks for everything Bill!

LWW

[vernon]

Bill

Thanks ever so much for the speedy and detailed response to my questions regarding electronics. I could hardly believe how easy you made it sound by the simple way that you described the adjustments. Judging by the other replies, it seems I'm not alone in starving for information about this type of fishing. All of the other input is most interesting as well. Thanks again for your unselfish assistance and efforts to ensure that myself and others can have a more successful and pleasurable experience. If you're sure you don't mind, I might take you up on your offer to give you a call next week if I have other questions or maybe just to let you know how it's going. I can't wait to get started with the new advice - you and this site are the greatest!