Trip To Table Rock 6-11 May

[TAIKEN]

Hey guys,

Me and the wife will be coming to Table Rock for the second week of May. We will staying out of Stillwaters Resort. What are some local lures/plastics that I need to stock up on. Line sizes as well and general areas to focus on, not asking for anybodys honey hole or anything. I will be coming from South Texas, and would really love to get my wife on some Smallmouth.

You guys have a great forum and thanks in advance for any help you can give.

[Bill Babler]

Real simple deal. 7' spinning rod spooled with 6 pound Maxi. 1/4 oz gamagatsu jig head and either a 4 inch chompers singletail smoke pepper grub or a Yamamoto 4 inch smoke grub.

6'6" baitcaster spooled with 12 to 15 pound Maxi and a Zarra Spook Jr. You chose the color. I like clear and Christmas Tree.

7' spinning rod with a 2500 series spinning reel spooled with 8 pound Maxi and a Chompers Green Pumpkin Tube on a 3/8th. or 1/4 oz tube head.

Fish all these baits on the flat gravel runnouts in and around the dam early and late. Put the spook right on the bank at daylight and just before dark. Set the boat in 25 and swim the grub and work the tube in the same locations once the sun hits the water. Swim the grub slower than slow letting it scrape the bottom on the way back to the boat. When you bring it up to recast it should come straight up.

Either drag or hop the tube in the same locations. Smallmouth here love flat gravel Points, flats and pockets and wind.

Good Luck

[Jason Essary]

I would take Bills advise. Cant go wrong with those.

[dtrs5kprs]

Spot on but might add a brown & purple or PBJ FB jig. About 3/4oz.

We could see that bite earlier if it continues to be warm. Same places as Bill noted.

[TAIKEN]

Thanks for the responses guys, If I get the itch to find some LM, should I look in the same spots or totally change up.

Thanks agian Bill for the in-depth detail, much appreciated.

[dtrs5kprs]

Thanks for the responses guys, If I get the itch to find some LM, should I look in the same spots or totally change up.

Thanks agian Bill for the in-depth detail, much appreciated.

Spooks chuggers and redfin on bluff ends and swing banks with cedars.

[brianetz1]

Real simple deal. 7' spinning rod spooled with 6 pound Maxi. 1/4 oz gamagatsu jig head and either a 4 inch chompers singletail smoke pepper grub or a Yamamoto 4 inch smoke grub.

6'6" baitcaster spooled with 12 to 15 pound Maxi and a Zarra Spook Jr. You chose the color. I like clear and Christmas Tree.

7' spinning rod with a 2500 series spinning reel spooled with 8 pound Maxi and a Chompers Green Pumpkin Tube on a 3/8th. or 1/4 oz tube head.

Fish all these baits on the flat gravel runnouts in and around the dam early and late. Put the spook right on the bank at daylight and just before dark. Set the boat in 25 and swim the grub and work the tube in the same locations once the sun hits the water. Swim the grub slower than slow letting it scrape the bottom on the way back to the boat. When you bring it up to recast it should come straight up.

Either drag or hop the tube in the same locations. Smallmouth here love flat gravel Points, flats and pockets and wind.

Good Luck

great advice.

You have helped me in the past when we have been going down to the rock.

man i wish there was someone like you in the LOTO forum. Going down there later this week and would love to have similar advice from someone over there. Posted a similar question over there and all i hear is crickets.

Those of us who only get out a couple of times a year really appreciate people like you giving us helpful hints so that we don't spend too much time fishing dead water, but don't realize it because we aren't down there all the time.

Thanks again for all the help you and others have given in the past.

[mrcold]

I guess there's no need for my yearly "We'll be there x through x, what do I do" post now. Thanks Bill, and to the OP for saving me some typing!

Who am I kidding, I have to at least mention it. We'll be down there from 5/7-5/11. I know what to do to catch fish finally, after being down there every year since 2005 now. Though I still haven't even managed a 4+ lb. fish. Can anyone tell me how to catch a guaranteed 5+ fish?

Seriously, though, last year was the most productive year we've had since I've been coming down there. My big fish is waiting, I can feel it.

[rps]

You want a guaranteed 4+ fish? We all do.

The people who catch the big fish seem to be beginners or those who learn to fish one bait really well. He fishes jigs, I fish top water, She fishes Ned rigs, and Howard ( we all know a Howard, right?) fishes ... crappie jigs.

serious answer - this time of year, if you want a 4+, fish a top water early and late and a grub in between. When you get bored swim a plastic on a jig head.

[dtrs5kprs]

I guess there's no need for my yearly "We'll be there x through x, what do I do" post now. Thanks Bill, and to the OP for saving me some typing!

Who am I kidding, I have to at least mention it. We'll be down there from 5/7-5/11. I know what to do to catch fish finally, after being down there every year since 2005 now. Though I still haven't even managed a 4+ lb. fish. Can anyone tell me how to catch a guaranteed 5+ fish?

Seriously, though, last year was the most productive year we've had since I've been coming down there. My big fish is waiting, I can feel it.

My bets on a good one would be a redfin on a bluff end / swing end / swing with wood / or runout point. Alabama rig in same places, especially if they have tops with a lot of water over them and shad present. Shad swimbait like a 4" or 5" storm, same places. Looking for long skinny blacks that need to feed.

Also wouldn't push the issue. That is how I ended up having a one keeper and few bites day this week. Do what you know and like and big ones will eventually come. If possible focus on the area from Joe Bald and James River mouth back to the dam.