Fished today, from Kimberling to Shell Knob

[LWW]

For anyone that can't make it to the weigh in, but would like to keep up with the tourny.

Log on to this link each day at 3:00 to follow the Bassmaster Real Time Leaderboard. It will post the weight of each Angler as they come accross the stage as well as provide alot of other notables.

http://espn.winnercomm.com/lb/632/default.asp

www.bassmaster.com provides alot of other coverage that might be of interest as well.

Enjoy! I can't wait to see the action Live!

[Bill Babler]

Boy's I guided today for Lilleys' on Tablerock out of State Park. I really go my come-uppance. It probably was one of the slowest days I have ever had on the rock. Bright and completely flat extremely clear water, it was brutal.

Tournament boys were fogged in so didn't see them start to run until after 8am.

Snowden pulled in on me, with-in 30 yrds. and started to drop shot, I could have told him not to waste his time as we were really sucking it up.

My toatl for the 4 hr. trip was 5 bass and several gills. 3 of the bass were the right kind, and anyone would have loved them.

2 out of deep trees and 1 in 41 ft. off pt. 5.

I cannot tell you the respect I will have for anyone with a limit of fish, as it is perhaps the toughest body of water in the mid-west as we speak, expecially under this type of condition.

[Bill Babler]

From the looks and all the long faces at the weighin today, it was plain to see that Tablerock was kicking some major BASS butt.

Skeet Reese a SoCal product was the top chucker today with 15.10 out of Long Creek, all LM.

Kevin Shore with 14.01 worth of Ky's was second and number 10 was KVD with 11.04

Believe it or not even Byron Velvick caught some fish and is in 11th. with 10lbs. of KY's. He should be with about 6 guide trips under his belt. He will have to win just to pay the guide fee's.

Only 12 limits were weighed in out of a possible 102 and 21 of the pro's skunked.

50th. place is the cut for Saturday and today 50th.place was 3.13 Expected cut is 6.25 lbs. So you that have struggled on the rock don't feel bad.

To make the cut in a major tournament after two days, you only need 2 keepers.

Ike, had only 3, but he thinks he's on them for the morrow. If you haven't been to a BASS event, all I can say is go. It is a spectecule you won't forget. Lots and Lots of info, these guys don't mind telling you the truth and what they are doing.

I am not expecting Reese to hang in there tomorrow as I just don't believe that bite will hold but we'll see.

Kind of a dark horse is Shaw Grisgby with 9lbs. I spoke to his amature today and he thinks Shaw may be loaded for the weekend. Both he and his amature had fantastic smalljaws.

The bite was very slow, and most of the pro's think they may have fished to fast. They think 3 or 4 spots should be fished and fished well in a 8 hour period and thats it.

Lets see how it plays out tomorrow.

Projected 4 day total for the winner may be under 40lbs. If it's nasty on the weekend, this will go up and I mean way up.

Without a doubt, this is the hardest pond these boys fish all year and they kind of think that Tablerock in September seperates the men from the boy's.

They have to have a cloudy windy weatherey day instead of bluebird and flat, as it was today. There is just flat, no reaction bite.

[SD bass hunter]

Hey if anybody is going to head out on saturday I would love to ride with you. I will help pay for gas.

My boat is in the shop and this will be my first national BASS event.

I am very interested in tournament fishing and the minor details that make the pros better than the rest of us. I would also like to see there time managment skills while they are on the water.

[Bill Babler]

If any of you guys want to learn how to fish Tablerock in Sept. Follow some the guys catching them deep. This is so important it isn't even funny.

3 of 4 of these top western fisherman caught 12 to 15 keepers yesterday and 20 to 40 short fish. I will tell you now that is just plain killer.

KVD has only been catching about 4 or a limit aday and that is fine if they are the right kind, but if you follow him you won't learn as much as some dude, catching 50 fish aday.

It would be very easy to pick up locations and techniques.

I think they may catch them today, it is just abit different out there this morning, and I believe they may have gotten off on time. Could be another 15lb. bag, but I think one of the deep boys will have it.

Also heard even starting late that there was a pretty fair LM topwater bite after they got out of the soup. Some guys feel if they had started on time the LM would have hit on top pretty good, we will see today, as you can bet some will be working the top.

[Fishin' Freak]

Bill,

I will not be able to get out on the water till Sunday. I am going to be at the weight in Sat. though. If I am correct the field will be cut to 12 by Sunday is that correct? How many of these deep guys are fishing from K-City to say the Campbell PT area? Which guys in the top 15 or so are fishing deep that would be good to follow. I want to follow KVD but he probably not fishing deep structure. Any help would be apprecitated. Thanks!

[Bill Babler]

From what I can make of things most of the group fished all the flats and rolloff from Kimberling City to Big Creek, that I have been telling you guys about all year.

There were at least 40 tournament boats between Pt. 5 and Campbell Pt. on the flats where they dump into the channel and all the humps in that main lake area. Wonder Why? We might have discussed that on this thread in 2006, You think?

Bill Lowen, fished the James today as rumor has it, he is in a very tenious 1st.

Todd Faircloth, I am told was in the White River flats group, and said he caught over 15 keepers and tons of shorts. If you are wanting to learn Tablerock and don't follow this guy, you have a head problem. less than a lb. out of the lead. He has caught 40 keepers in two days. WOW.

Bill Smith is in third, and I frankly can't believe he is still in there although he said he was here multiple times this summer. He has been really consistant, and if he catches 10 lbs. tomorrow, I may be a beliver.

First day leader Skeet Reese is in 4th, and believes he is dead in the water, as he has flat caught all his keepers, he said he is going back to the same spot, so we'll see.

KVD is fishing the dam and had 7 bites today. A local guide followed him and said he never left the Indian Creek area all day.

8th is Shaw Grigsby with a great limit of fish and he says he will do it again, that they are there.

Weather calls for hot,hot and windy tomorrow. As soon as there are clouds, like on Sunday, KVD might explode on the smallies but for now, look for either Faircloth or Grigsby to maby be 1,2 tomorrow, with KVD right in there as he is going to catch a limit in a bath tub if he needs too.

If Smith is still in the top 5 or 6 come sunday, he might be a factor.

A couple of guys reported catching topwater fish all day in numbers that were unbelieveable maby 50 fish on top each. Chasers in the cove mouths. Most suspended in 100 plus feet of water. Man does that throw these guys for a loop!

Fishing was a bit better today and 9lbs. made the cut. That is 4.5 per day guys, not much.

Come to the weigh-in and see have 50 of the best fishermen in the world do on your home lake tomorrow.

48lbs. is the projected winner of the 4 day even after today. If it gets nasty on Sunday, someone will have a 20 lb. bag, and it may be KVD.

[Fishin' Freak]

Bill,

What does Faircloth's boat look like? I will follow him Sunday more than likely. Thanks a bunch for the added info. i have been following it on the BASS website but i appreciate your first hand info.

[WebFreeman]

I much prefer Bill's report to what's on espn. This is pretty ccol.

[Bill Babler]

Guys, 100 percent of the stuff, I am getting is not coming off the Stage. It is fishermans talk to each other and at get togethers after the day. Just a little inside stuff that probably isn't being put on the main BASS thread.

I am also not giving away any of the real sweet stuff these guys are talking about or the exact locations, as that just would not be fair.

Lots of stuff on the BASS site is just plain talk and nothing more. I hope I can get over to Kimberling today to keep the news coming, but the lodge is booked full and I have guide trips on Taney.

Todd Faircloth Bright REd Skeeter TX 1663 AB

Shaw Grigsby Blue /Silver Citgo FL 7034 MZ

Kevin Short Pink and Pink Peepers Baits

KVD Black/Red butt Tracker Boats Big KVD on the side.

You can see all the boats on wwwbasmaster.com Hottest Rigs

Another couple of guys to really watch, aare Ish. Monroe, he had a great bag yesterday, and Iam sure if they don't completely vanish, he will do it again. And the Peepers Pink boat of Kevin Short. Only had 4 yesterday, but he knows how to deep fish. 15 lbs. will be a monster day. If someone has that in the top 20 they could lead this thing. I believe Ish and Kevin are in the White River flats group, but dont' know for sure. I know Ike is and he has been at Red Barn and is going BAck. This is really fun.