March 26Th. Table Rock Lake Bass Fishing Report

[roadrunner]

Steve,

I couldn't agree more with your post. I was thinking the exact same thing! Just because you make a lot of money doesn't mean you don't

work your tail off to get it. It also doesn't mean I don't deserve to fish Table Rock whenever I want and as much as I want. Thank god for all of

these young people working hard and making their fair share, without these people the guiding and hotel industry around table rock would

be gone! And lastly $150,000 a year is really not that much after our government takes its share!

[lv2fish]

Good for those making good money, 20 years Army - not much in the bank but it was a good career.. Finally got my first bass boat at 59. Fishing the main lake area around the dam, I am finding fish scattered, best fishing morning and evening with bluebird skies, mainly on shallow main lake points with wiggle warts (green pumpkin) and some sexy shad crackbaits. Water 63-64 degrees. A few on green pumpkin fat albert 5" grubs..hope for some overcast the next few days..

[Bill Babler]

Bill-- Usually truly enjoy your posts, and maybe I have it wrong, but aren't the guiding and lodging industry kept healthy by folks with good paying jobs, disposable income, vacation time and many times payed for by profitable corporations. If we had no well-off people that liked to bass fish, wouldn't certain businesses shrivel up and die? We want enough fisherman to fill the year's schedule, but not enough to beat us to our favorite fishing hole or disturb, what is perceived as, our own personal playground?? I'm kind of confused.

Poor writing style got me here. What I was trying to say is that there are more people than ever with disposable income. Now at a much younger age than we ever were. Through educations and just the times we live in they have the capibility to do as they please.

For most of us growing up in the 70's and 80's in our 20's and 30's money was always an issue. Right now for lots of young folks it is not. They have it to buy boats come stay at our lodge and fish in the middle of the week.

Also never said these young folks don't work long hours and work hard for their chips. I know my son does.

As for a hundred and fifty G's not being that much. This ole fishin guide and his retired school teacher wife have never sniffed that kind of rareafied air.

Don't be grudge any of them, Just puts a lot more folks on the locations I want to fish.

They are welcome to be here, I don't own the lake, except for one small bluffend up at Shell Knob.

[Nolan_Whaley]

If you live close to Table Rock Lake, you are lucky. I feel this way. It's a big sprawling, well used lake, and based on reports, is fishing as well as it ever has... especially when you consider the pressure it gets. Yep, we have a bunch of tournaments, and vacation folks, and all those folks are spending money HERE that makes it possible for a bunch of jobs, that some places would love to have.

I know i complain about lake traffic as well, but it's time to get creative. We live in the middle of a TON of great lakes and rivers. If you can't find a fishing hole, you aren't looking. The other lakes just don't have a Bill Babler hand feeding instructions on how to fish them. Thanks to Bill for tons of useful info, and y'all stay away from Stockton lake.. that's my own personal get away.. lol

BTW, i grew up in the OK panhandle, and water was a foreign substance... This is heaven.

[steveearle]

.......Now, if we want to have the conversation about the "pleasure boaters" who have no manners, no experience, no regard for safety, no appreciation for the dangers of big water, and 100% ignorance of all boating laws....... then I'm in.

[riverfish]

now if we are on a good bite and it starts raining do we go in? or if it gets dark and the fish are tearing your pole out of you hand do we go in? if you got nice breeze is blowin and the fish are biting and a 25ft cobalt comes by throwin you 2 or 3 foot rollers and then passes on do we go in? the point that im trying to make is that these are all part of the conditions that we have to learn how to fish in no matter how many people are on the water. you know if i had the money to fish a ton of days a year with no regaurd of money i probably would do so but i dont. therefore when i do get the opportunity to go i have to adapt to the conditions no matter what they may be. do you think that the weekenders are going to stay home just because there is a big derby goin on so that the tourney men can get the most and the best bites that THEY can find? i dont think so im not . i am one who lives and works near the lake and in the summertime i see the tourists come in and think alright good check this week and then go out fishin on the weekend and curse the very same people i was glad to see come in to my place of work. if i stop and think about it i can start to see the selfishness but then again i guess we all get that way sometimes. after all my favorite holliday is labor day and i think we all know what that means

[Fishin Hodge]

The day in which we live. I am 28 years old nad feel very blessed to have what I do, an old wore out 2000 Basscat Cougar, seats tore all to heck, no reel seets to sit in for fishing, and a 10 year old X-15 on the front, but if I had a picture of her when I was 14 I would have swore I could never ask for more. I have a little jealousy from time to time when a freind that doesn't really fish that much pulls up in a new rig, with side imaging, radio, hydraulic jackplate, and 24K gold trimmed wheels. The truth of the matter is almost all of us are spoiled with all the blessings we given.

Now on to the solution, the only thing I can think of is we put a dam at every possible location and flood as much earth as possible so we all have our own little spot. Joking...... sort of. Or maybe I can just build a little pond someday.

[flipper]

Well ,I quess maybe I gave the wrong impression here. I was bitchin about the Tournaments. I don't care what kind ,brand, or paint on anyones rig. I got an old Winner bass boat that is scuffed and bruised but I still catch fish out of it. Havn't got much in it and owes me nothin. I am absolutely fed up with the touneys and the "players" TOTAL lack of respect for the fishery and the common ordinary guy fishing for the pure pleasure of God's great outdoors and wild life. I know these bring alot of revenue to the area and sort of respect that , BUT this many @ this time of year..imho.................................. W R O N G!!!!

[dtrs5kprs]

The day in which we live. I am 28 years old nad feel very blessed to have what I do, an old wore out 2000 Basscat Cougar, seats tore all to heck, no reel seets to sit in for fishing, and a 10 year old X-15 on the front, but if I had a picture of her when I was 14 I would have swore I could never ask for more. I have a little jealousy from time to time when a freind that doesn't really fish that much pulls up in a new rig, with side imaging, radio, hydraulic jackplate, and 24K gold trimmed wheels. The truth of the matter is almost all of us are spoiled with all the blessings we given.

Now on to the solution, the only thing I can think of is we put a dam at every possible location and flood as much earth as possible so we all have our own little spot. Joking...... sort of. Or maybe I can just build a little pond someday.

Be nice to that X15 and she'll be nice to you. Put a new one on my '05 Ranger when I ordered it (to blank looks) and wish I'd kept the one I sold with the boat before that.

We are just getting a little taste of daily life at LOZ due to the uptick in populations and size. It too shall pass.

[GNSfishing]

.......Now, if we want to have the conversation about the "pleasure boaters" who have no manners, no experience, no regard for safety, no appreciation for the dangers of big water, and 100% ignorance of all boating laws....... then I'm in.

I will agree with your statement about the majority of pleasure boaters. There are a few fishermen who also needs the training course that is required for a group of people born after January 1, 1984, must successfully complete a boating safety education course to legally operate any vessel on the lakes of Missouri, including personal watercraft. It would not hurt any of us to take that training. I have had a boat and operated one since 1972 but that does not mean I know all of the safety rules of do's and don'ts of boat operation. I say everyone should be required to go through the safety course and pass the course given by the Highway patrol. There is a course online which covers the same topics. Have you ever been running meeting a boat and wonder which way to turn, right or left to avoid the on-coming water craft, should steer to the right if possible. Real respect and common courtesy to your fellow boaters would go a long ways to curing boating problems on our lakes, fishermen and pleasure boaters alike.