Table Rock Lake Fishing Report 1-16-12

[Bill Babler]

Well it looks like the new year is off to a fish catching start. Just a quicky on what seems to be taking place on this beautiful Monday Morning

Air Temp 62 degree

Lake wide surface temps vary from a high 0f 51 to a low of 44

Water Clarity is good to extremely clear depending on lake area you are fishing. River arms on Winter color and very good aqual marine. Main lake Shell Knob to Long Creek is Clear.

Crappie seem to have slowed down a mite and moved deeper. Where 2 weeks ago they were under 10', it seem lake wide they have dropped to 10 to 20 ft. River arms being the best with the dock bite having slowed down considerably.

Dam area all three species of Black Bass would be considered fair on either a dock bite on a spoon or a jig bite. There is also a spoon bite in the deep cove mouths and guts.

1/2 oz jigging spoon in either chrome, chartruse or white seem to be getting very good attention.

From Point 9 up the bite is fair in the James and White Rivers on either a stickbait or a A-Rig off the bluffend points and on the channel swings and secondary points

Both the James and Kings Rivers and any of the major creeks up the White River are fishing very well on an A-Rig, Stickbait or a Wart. Some of the major creeks up the white are excellent on the wart. Color is of your choice.

Fished the KIngs last week to the tune of 20 keeps and 35 fish using the above mentioned fodder. Trip was from 7 AM till about 1 PM, but not a bite after 11 AM. Caught all my fish off 5 spots, and blanked on at least a dozen other locations. Seem to have to have lots of bait present.

Water temps at the mouth of the Kings and up the White is in the 48-51 range and if you can get a bit of wind, slow rolling a wihte spinnerbait is also very very good.

Fish seem to be very active and last week I saw several shad being pushed to the surface. Bass are still jumping when hooked so the water temps are keeping them feeding alot and very active.

Good Luck

[dtrs5kprs]

Thanks much, even if it does make me wish I were somewhere else. I was sure that A Rig would be a guide favorite with all those hooks flapping around .

[techo]

Thanks for the report. Not sure I have the talent to fish the A rig

[NuB2TR]

I think we should have an "A-Rig Only" tournament in Aunt's Creek. That's where all the fish are......

[Bimmer]

I'm kicking myself right now for winterizing the boat. Sunday is due to hit near 67 degrees! Oh the HORROR!...the horror!

[Champ188]

Nice report, Bill. Water temps up to 51 ... you don't see that every January.

[dtrs5kprs]

Has the lake warmed up, or just not cooled down?

[Cajunangler]

dtrs5kprs, the lake just hasn't cooled as much as previous years. We have had above average temps and far less nights in the 20's and below to bring the overall temp down. Every time we have a cold front it is followed by several days of moderate to above average temps.

And Bimmer, what do you mean you "winterized" your boat? I know I summerize mine when the hot weather gets hear and I start hitting rivers but it is rarely too cold here to completely eliminate fishing for any extended periods in the winter. There is always short stretches of colder than average days but at least our lakes don't usually become solid like the poor folks up north.

I too got out on MK day and had fun fighting the wind. I caught 6 with 5 good keeper sized but should have landed another 4 or 5 that struck at my offerings. Still a great day to go in mid January and not have to wear several layers of clothing.

[techo]

  On 1/19/2012 at 2:34 AM, NuB2TR said:

I think we should have an "A-Rig Only" tournament in Aunt's Creek. That's where all the fish are......

Here we go......LOL

[tracman86]

I am planning to come down tomorrow morning don't get to fish table rock much. Was thinking about fishing the James river arm will probably put in at cape fair. Any tips hints or suggestions would be much appreciated