Table Rock Lake Fishing Report May 24Th. 2011

[Bill Babler]

White River Outfitters Guide Service

May 24 2011 Current Table Rock Lake Fishing Report

Bill Babler

Welcome to Rainy Season and Smallmouth Central. Surface temps on the Rock have fallen and risen like an elevator in the Empire State Building. Temp as of today was 66 degree. Down from 10 days ago when it was 75. Water clarity at the dam is very good in the 6 to 10 ft. range, staining as you proceed up any of the river arms. Level as of this writing approaching 933. Fishing is off the charts.

Table Rock is very safe to navigate, with very little floating material from Pt. 22 to the Dam on the White River and Point 12 up the James to the dam.

Fish have remained for the most part on the old bank line, with schooling action in the coves early and some LM being taken up shallow and in the bush line.

Spotted bass and Jaws have however remained where they were before all the waterworks.

Personally I have never had a Spring approaching this for quality Jaws, and nither has most of the guides. All of us are catching numbers and very good quality.

Chompers Watermellon green/Red flex tube and the Green Pumpkin/Pepper are both catching very good strings of Jaws and K's. Most all these fish are in the 28 to 32 ft. of water range.

Fish the gravel runnouts, or where they used to be dragging and hoppng the tube. Most all of us are using a 3/8th. tube jig inside the shell.

If you can find a ramp, get in and get ya some.

[bamkelty]

White River Outfitters Guide Service

May 24 2011 Current Table Rock Lake Fishing Report

Bill Babler

Welcome to Rainy Season and Smallmouth Central. Surface temps on the Rock have fallen and risen like an elevator in the Empire State Building. Temp as of today was 66 degree. Down from 10 days ago when it was 75. Water clarity at the dam is very good in the 6 to 10 ft. range, staining as you proceed up any of the river arms. Level as of this writing approaching 933. Fishing is off the charts.

Table Rock is very safe to navigate, with very little floating material from Pt. 22 to the Dam on the White River and Point 12 up the James to the dam.

Fish have remained for the most part on the old bank line, with schooling action in the coves early and some LM being taken up shallow and in the bush line.

Spotted bass and Jaws have however remained where they were before all the waterworks.

Personally I have never had a Spring approaching this for quality Jaws, and nither has most of the guides. All of us are catching numbers and very good quality.

Chompers Watermellon green/Red flex tube and the Green Pumpkin/Pepper are both catching very good strings of Jaws and K's. Most all these fish are in the 28 to 32 ft. of water range.

Fish the gravel runnouts, or where they used to be dragging and hoppng the tube. Most all of us are using a 3/8th. tube jig inside the shell.

If you can find a ramp, get in and get ya some.

[bamkelty]

Got out today and had a rough time we had our boat in about 30ft of water casting to the flooded tree tops. Guess we were in top of the fish? We were in the dam areas main lake points casting shaky head worms. So was depth our problem or are we fishing the wrong areas. Also are fish taking spinnerbaits at all? Also where is a good topwater location? Thanks!

[Champ188]

Great report, Bill. Them be some fine brown fish.

[Guest]

Bill,

that was the best day of smallmouth fishingthat I've ever seen.

She's been talking about her big fish ever since.

We sure had a lot of fun. The best wedding anniversary.

Bill is a class act and truly a professional.

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

Thanks for the report Bill. Hope things hold out until I can get my boat on the water Friday.

bw

[Bill Babler]

Yesterday in the dam area;

Bill Beck trip 30 fish with 12 solid keeps

Chris Tetrick 26 fish with 12 keeps

Buster Lovng 30 fish with 15 keeps

Bill Babler in the Baxter/ Aunts Creek 30 fish 15 keeps

None of us could hit the bank with a rifle shot. If you can hit the bush line you are to close. They are way out on the gravel rolloffs. put the boat off the extemly flat points in 32 to 38 for Jaws and deeper for K's. I'm not on the LM as you can tell by my derby results this last weekend. Could not get the Jaw bite in the wind, but if I can get on these long runouts, that is the ticket. Best LM bite however has been reported to be up the White and James river off the points in 24 to 34 on a FB Jig.

Good Luck

[smbasser]

Had the opportunity to fish w/ Bill last week on a guide trip and the man is in a class of his own. I fish Table Rock quite a bit already but learned alot of new things from Mr. Babler and caught some good fish as well. Anyone that has an opportunity to go fish w/ him, I highly recommend it. Thanks Bill

[kyled]

Bill, I first want to say thanks for being such an awesome resource to us fisherman who still have a lot to learn. Do you think it makes a difference how you rig your tube (ie tube jighead, weedless, texas rig with worm weight)? Do you have a preference? I have never fished the tube much any advice would be helpful. If anyone else has experience and would be kind enough to share their thoughts it would be appreciated as well.

[Darron Cooper]

Bill, I first want to say thanks for being such an awesome resource to us fisherman who still have a lot to learn. Do you think it makes a difference how you rig your tube (ie tube jighead, weedless, texas rig with worm weight)? Do you have a preference? I have never fished the tube much any advice would be helpful. If anyone else has experience and would be kind enough to share their thoughts it would be appreciated as well.

When I fished with Bill we used a 3/8 jig head and he pulled the tube over the head of the jig so you couldnt see any of the jighead. Just worked it on the bottom with reg hook (not weedless). We did thrown the centipede fish doctors with a split shot rig (carolina). I dont think we ever got hung up so I wouldnt go weedless.