Bass Fishing Report For Table Rock Lake

[Bill Babler]

Extreme ammount of help this weekend on the Rock. With two wonderful days of warm temps and clouds on and off with a rain drop or two, the fishermen were really after them. Water temps at 70 degree and just abit cloudy to off color.

Topwater bite on the upper white river section, still seems to be the deal, early and late. Lots of youngsters being caught chasing shad about the size of a crappie jig. Wonder what they would really bite????

Dam area report is sketchy. Pretty much got to be a fisherman right now to get any kind of a respectable set of fish. Lots of casts out there between nips. Without a doubt the shakey head is by far the best bet for what I have seen. Fish this bait up pretty close out to about 20' on stair-step or chunk rock 45 degree banks. Goes without saying wind will make all the difference. Several threads about the food you place on the head already out there. Just think 4 inch and natural and you got it.

Blade bite is on one minute and off the next at the dam. If you get some wind and cloud cover, you can get a bite or three. On flat water, not so much. Lots of blade and crankbait fish have been in the ends of the steeper pockets on the channel banks, or the last deep cut in the backs of the pockets. Very hit and miss and you can also fish this area with the head.

Jig bite has been slow. I have been throwing it just to keep out of the way of my clients and they have totally smoked me with the head.

Mid-Lake section, from Kimberling City to Campbell Point has been I'm going to say fair to good. Lots and Lots of fishermen in this area, and on weekends its hard to find a place to light your spook.

I can catch a nice bag in the 15 to 18 pound range if I take my time. Cannot do it with the clients, I'm very sorry to say. Can catch a several fish per location on a dropshot with some nice walleye showing up at Baxter. These eyes have been under 20' and one of my guides even had a limit of K's at 15 ft. on the drop shot. Also some very nice K's being caught up there on a drop shot.

Eric Olliverson had a great day Friday with 16 fish and a very nice 6 pounder on a fin, fishing timber. Buster caught them good Saturday on the sammy, same type of locations. and most of the other guides helping us also had fish on the dropshot.

Back to my statement about me being able to catch a good bag. I have right at 140 cedar tops in my GPS system. If I can line up perfectly and work the bait just right I can catch one for about every 10 trees I fish. Full size spook for me has been best. The big 3 hooker. Of these 140 cedars, I have caught fish out of everyone of them for them to be marked. Not everyone always has a fish. Not everyone gets fished correctly. Fishing cedars is a complete art. I fish everyday and I will mess up about 30% of the time and ruin the tree for the morning. You have to get it right. Champ 188 is probably one of the best we have on this board, it is his deal and he has worked at it over the years. Will guarantee you he still will mess up a good precentage of them. You get it right however and you get a good old goodin.

Fishing cedars is kind of like fishing docks. Hit the angles and the shady. Know how far the limbs reach. Beaware of the wind and take your time with boat position. Not to close but get the correct angle to work your bait correctly through the top of the tree. Take a chill pill. Fish the bait from past the tree, thru the tree and then beyond. "Be the Bait."

Fish it as realistic as you can. When you leave that tree make a note what you wish you would have done to have fished it better.

There are some big ones in the trees right now, but getting them out is Mano-e-Mano You against the fish. Tip!! Fish will win most of the time.

Good Luck

[denjac]

Had my bites yesterday on the same pattern just no hookups with the good uns. Got short lined and the bigger blacks just come up and suck on it . it was painful for me and my partner, with few sshorts and fewer keepers. And I left the areas I had that held fish and looked for greener pastures. I was amazed at how many boats were out there, it was crazy.

[Martin]

You absolutely CANNOT get a detailed report like that, for a specific lake (let alone specific areas of that lake), anywhere in the country. If you can, let me know. I won't go there anyway... Sure had alot of boats in Moo Slough this weekend. They'd run in, and then run out. Hard to catch a fish when on plane.

Thanks Bill and Denjac for the report. I got lazy and just went junk trolling yesterday afternoon (Hellbender with Roostertail) and brought home a good white bass dinner. A couple of 16's and a couple of 17's.... They do pull yer string ! Took about 80 minutes.

[buddygr53]

i too fished sat, kimberling city to dam had a few blow ups on top water, wife done well on the blade, as that is all she will throw, had 3 keeps

[Champ188]

Fine report indeed, Bill. And thanks for the kind words, although the only part I'll say is 100% right is that I mess up my share of trees, too. If there is one key element to share about what I've learned, it's something that Bill told me several years ago: Most days you get one shot with that Fin or Spook. Miss your cast even a few inches one way or another and like Bill said, that tree is done for at least a couple of hours and probably for the day. Gotta be accurate and none of us are capable of that 100% of the time.

[Guest Buck Creek Mike]

Fine report indeed, Bill. And thanks for the kind words, although the only part I'll say is 100% right is that I mess up my share of trees, too. If there is one key element to share about what I've learned, it's something that Bill told me several years ago: Most days you get one shot with that Fin or Spook. Miss your cast even a few inches one way or another and like Bill said, that tree is done for at least a couple of hours and probably for the day. Gotta be accurate and none of us are capable of that 100% of the time.

Do the cedars you guys are referrencing stick up above the surface? Do you mess it up by getting the bait hung up on the tree?

[Champ188]

Mike, I fish both visible and submerged cedars. Don't let the fact that a tree is sticking up deter you from fishing it as long as it's in the type of area the fish happen to be using at the time. On a weekend,there's a chance someone has already messed it up or actually caught the fish. Later in the day it gets, the more likely that is. But it only takes a couple of minutes to try it. I catch a lot of fish out of visible trees.