Fished today, from Kimberling to Shell Knob

[Bill Babler]

Started on the Rock at 6:30 am and fished from Kimberling to just above Shell Knob.

Found the fishing extremely tough. Had 12 fish with 4 keepers and three of the keepers were caught on a spoon. Two of them I saw chasing and threw the spoon 5 miles to catch them. The other 1, I saw a suspended fish while traveling between two points and dropped the spoon and caught him.

The rest of the fish, including the other keeper were caught on a football jig, in the 30ft. range on mid-lake humps in the White river arm.

Really tough, let us know if you did better today or how you did this weekend.

Most of the guides still say they are locked in at 26ft. I caught some at that depth, but sure didn't get rich.

I will be out in the same area giving it another chance on the morrow.

[Fishin' Freak]

I fished Sat, Sun, and Monday mornings this weekend and had pretty good luck between Joe Bald and Campbell Pt. on carolina rigged french fries and drop shot rigs. Sat. morning I caught 8 fish with 4 keepers, Sunday was 10 fish with 3 keepers and Monday was 6 fish no keepers. I do feel the fishing got tougher as the weekend went along. Main lake humps and gravel points is where we caught fish. Sat. the fish were locked in at 27 feet--Sunday we had better luck in 30-32 feet and Monday was random--fish caught anywhere from 24 to 32 feet. Hopefully now that the lake traffic is going to be slowing down the fishing will pick up. A couple big tournaments the next two weekends--Heartland Elite and BASS Elite--maybe these guys will help show us where some of the bigger fish are right now--up the James?????

[Bill Babler]

Freak, Thanks alot. If there are lots of people wanting info and only a couple of us posting it just dosen't work out. People that ask for info, need to come back and make posts about their trips, good or bad as in reality they are all a blessing.

Again, keep that bait wet.

[Rastus]

Bill,

Thanks for the reports. I load up the boat and head to Table Rock today. I'm leaving around 1:00 PM so I'll check this site before I leave....if anyone has anything to add I'd appreciate it.

I'm hoping with this cooler weather that has moved in that things will really improve while we're there. I especially hope for a little bit of topwater action.

With the current moon phase, how do you think the night fishing will be and how long after dark does it take for the fish to turn on?

Thanks,

Ken

[Fishin' Freak]

Rastus,

As for the bite after dark. Sat. morning the bite for me didn't really start till around 9:30 in the morning and I fished until 11:30 catching fish up till then. Sunday and Monday the bite was on right at sun up and shut off pretty quick after (by 8:00 or 8:30) for us anyway. Hope this helps some.

[Rastus]

Thanks for the information. Leaving later than I thought...

Ken

[Bill Babler]

Freak, you were right on until today. We were out there at daylight and just didn't do anything on the flat slick until about 9:30. Beck and Paige were out on TR also and the same report as mine.

We had 24 fish with 10 really solid keepers from 9:30 till about 1, and I believe thay would have continued to bite had we stayed out.

I'm still in that KCity to the Knob location and the fish came suspended in the 26ft. range, but not on the bottom. The rascals had floated out to about 40 but were mantaining at the thermocline. I saw every fish we caught eat the drop shot worm.

My client couldn't believe how the graph worked, he was from KC and said he manley fished Truman and lake O.

It was to the point were I would tell him to raise or lower a couple of feet, and here they came. Lots of fun, especially if you have never caught deep water fish.

I think I should go to work as a salesman for Lowrance. Nice day on the rock and the wind never did blow and the sky was high. Just got lucky.

[Fishin' Freak]

Bill,

What graph do you have? I just purchased a LCX-17M and love it. I am still trying to get it set the way I want it (sensitivity, gray line ect.) but so far I am very impressed. Were you fishing main lake points or humps?

[Bill Babler]

I'm using a X15, the old Black and White Unit and I still like it better than the color. I have looked at the 17, and the 111 and also have a 330c in the dash which is color and I can't see it at all with polorized glasses on.

I am just not thrilled with the color units, as in the bright sun with glasses on, I for some reason just can't seem to see them as clearly as I would like.

All of our fish came from well off shore, mostly on the smaller midlake humps, I was out in the middle all day.

Seen lots of singles chasing on top in 100 plus foot of water, usually just out of casting distance.

There seems to be alot of fish being caught off the deep docks and deep cables. Most coming from the forward stalls in the shade. Most of the cable fish are suspended on the dock or bouy cables at 26ft. over gosh only knows how deep. Seems that at least 50 ft. is the best.

Drop shot or a white spoon is working the best. A few walleye are comeing off the deep docks in the stalls also. You can fish any stall you want as long as you don't touch the docks. Don't let dock owners frighten you off, just pitch it up there and let it fall or swim back to you.

If you get out on the docks or hold the dock to position your boat, this is considered trespass and you can be arrested if they throw a stink, so just don't touch the docks.

[Martin]

Question for Bill or anybody actually. This morning and last Sunday morning I'm marking a ton of good sized fish hanging at 80 to 95 feet over 154 feet of water. (Between Kimberling and point 5). These are clearly fish, not trees. I'm running a Lowrance 110c and these VERY deep fish seem to be relating to shad schools that are at or near 35 to 45 feet. My question is, what do you think these fish are?

Last Saturday morning we had an exceptional day in the same spot, catching big Whites. (Trolling). Then Sunday all the bait was right where they were Saturday but the fish had gone ultra deep. You may think I'm crazy but I'm thinking that those deep fish might be Whites.

Any ideas...??