Excellent Friday In The Rain

[rps]

On Wednesday I went to Mecca to buy a stick to replace my handmade I broke. Bought a Falcon Cara T7 Reaction Jerk Bait Special. Love it for topwater too.

Thursday I visited Mountain Home and had the little nit picks with the new boat fixed or adjusted.

Today I was out before the rain and the fish were still biting when I came in at 3:00. Put between 35 and 40 in the boat, had another 10 or 12 come unbuttoned, and many missed strikes. 8 total keepers. All fish on top water - see the picture below. I was in 450 feet of water throwing shallow and the fish bit somewhere in between.

Third photo was the smallest = barely measured. Fourth photo was largest = 19 inches and close to 4 pounds. Didn't take pictures of the last two but they were closer to 3 than 4.

The fish preferred a quiet walk after a twitch and pause start.

[Champ188]

That's a darn good day. What species of topwater plug is that?

[dtrs5kprs]

Looks like that flat sided Norman bait...flat dollar, top dollar, something like that. Guess we know what BPS won't have next week, may have to send Wife to the Olathe store before we leave.

How does it throw? Looked at one and passed b/c I thought it would throw like a potato chip.

[rps]

It is a Bill Norman Top Dollar. Pluses: cheap (4.99), splashes as it walks erratically (reminds me of a gunfish), shad profile minuses: every so often the flat side causes it to sky or curve in unexpected directions, cheap hooks (if you look at the picture you notice I replace the front treble with a VMC Barbarian and the rear treble with a feathered Gamakatsu) This is not the first big number day I've had with the bait.

[Cajunangler]

Looks like a good outing. I guess you would be in the top 10% of T Rock anglers that can actually catch a limit of keeper sized fish. That puts you in a very special group according to some folks.

Not trying to over analyze your post but were you in 450 feet or 45 feet of water? Just curious?

I'll probably be on the lake tomorrow with all of the ocean dwelling vessels. I don't plan of fishing any but rather letting the family enjoy a few hours in the sun.

Thanks for the reoprt.

[rps]

I wrote 450 on purpose. I had my tongue wedged firmly over on one side next to my cheek. I am not about to take sides in a deep versus shallow debate.

Actually, I had my boat in 20 to 45 feet of water all day, but I was throwing the bait to work cover on steep sided banks and bluffs on outside bends. The pattern is about a week old and holding up. No great big fish, but the action is good.

BTW: Limit days are not common place to me. TR gives sometimes, but she always humbles me soon after.

[Jackie D]

I would have to agree yesterday and today was two of the best days of topwater fishing I have had on Table rock. The big smallmouth fell victim to topwater today. The youngster caught this nice spot on drop shot and it nearly pulled the rod out of his hand. He will be hooked for life after the fight this fish gave him. He caught so many he went and set down in the seat and his mom ask him what was wrong and he said he had to let his hand rest, it was hurting from fighting so many fish....now that is a good thing to hear on a guide trip.

[Chris_Fish]

Is the topwater bite lasting all day, or does it die down after the first few hours of sun? I'm heading down today, but won't get there until around 10am, and wasn't planning on trying topwater, but I might if it has been working that late. Thanks!

[Quillback]

Nice bunch of fish!

[foreverteachable]

Nice fish there and glad you got out. I love catching bass on topwater baits. the Silver Heddon Tiny torpedo is a good bet as well for smallies and the occasional pike. I always wanted to catch trout on top water and think that is a big reason why I finally got into fly fishing. Last week i caught a few bass and pike and today hit the schroon river and caught some pretty rainbows. I got a few on a dry fly and the rest on an orange, black and squirrel tail streamer. Thanks for posting the pics of the bass and have a good one.