Viola Area Bass Fishing

[spbubba]

I am brand new to fishing Tablerock. I am going to spend the week of March 17-24 at tablerock. I will be staying next to the Viola public use area. Planning on bringing a variety of Jerkbaits, craw colored wigglewarts and football jigs. What else should I bring ? What areas on the west end are good prespawn areas? Is there a good tackle shop at that end of lake?

[dtrs5kprs]

Kings River is usually pretty good that time of year. Don't forget a blade and a square bill. Some of the better shallow water is from Viola ramp on up towards Arkansas, especially if there is a little color and some wind. The cuts and coves up there are small enough you can fish a few to rule out the shallow bite, then still have time left to look at bluff ends, first few boat lengths either side of points into pockets, rock transition banks on the river. If that is still a no go, there should be some that are in a different stage if you run to Shell Knob and head either up the White, or down it towards Campbell/MillCr/Big Cr.

Dragging a FB, smoke grub, or rig on the inside gravel turns out to 30' or so can sometimes be good up there. Sticks and blades on the same places if there is a lot of wind. It can be a little "aimless" if you are used to fishing shallow.

[Champ188]

A couple of things to keep in mind ... if we get a big rain beforehand, you're hosed as far as fishing the Kings. It will turn to chocolate-milk mud. If that happens, do as dtrs5kprs suggested and go to Shell Knob, then either turn left up the White or right down the White toward the main lake. The other is to take extreme care running the Kings, especially from Viola upriver. The lake is about 10 feet below normal level and there is a LOT of stuff to hit and ruin a trip.

Not trying to be a downer. You should have a good trip and catch a lot of fish that time of year. Just don't put down roots in muddy water. There are lots of other areas that will not be muddy. And use some common sense in running the Kings. Have fun!

[chub minnow]

There's a couple different place to get tackle in Shell Knob. Jug 'n Plug, in the plaza, has most everything you'll need and the grocery store - Country Fresh, I think (we still call it Rima's) has a good selection of Bass Pro and War Eagle baits.

[spbubba]

I am grateful for the helpful information. In my fishing experience 12-15 ft is deep water and 2 ft visibility is clear water. I am excited about learning some new tricks in new surroundings. I will add some war eagle spinnerbaits and a couple boxes of squarebills to my packing list. I am currently covered with 12" of snow and expecting another 9-12 inches. Talk about spring fever. Any other input would be great.

[dtrs5kprs]

Champ makes a good point about pool level. If we don't get some water the Kings may fish pretty small. Some of those cuts won't be very long. Flip side is the fish should be bunched up.

Back ends of the rivers (any of them) are not good places to cut points or run flats the way folks do when running the lake. Too many people take chances and do that in the lake anyway. Study a map ahead of time, use your graph, and run the channels and you should be reasonably ok. Take it easy going back into the cuts and creeks. There is a lot of big old wood in some places.

If we do get a lot of rain, the floaters can be a bigger problem up there than the mud. That would be a good time to trailer up to Shell Knob, or over to H ramp at Big/Little Indian junction. Both are reasonably close for Viola.

[Bill Babler]

You guys can have all of that Kings River you want. I feel like I'm completely surrounded up there. That river can fish extremely small. It is nothing like the James. At times In March, the wart bite can be the best on the lake up there and if the water is clean a jerkbait is the deal.

I remember a few years ago Beck and I were Jerkbaiting about that time and I posted something and the next day, you could not get into the ramp at Viola or Sweetwater. Just a little to crowded for me.

If you have a choice put in at SK. the area from SK to Baxter and on to point 9 is at its best during March. Lots of stagging fish in front of the major spawing pockets, and Big and Little Indian are always just on fire that time of the year. Not to mention Big Creek. "Champ will get me for that one." He and Donna call that area Home Base North.

Good Luck

[huntest]

Bill, not sure what you mean by SK...?

[dtrs5kprs]

You guys can have all of that Kings River you want. I feel like I'm completely surrounded up there. That river can fish extremely small. It is nothing like the James. At times In March, the wart bite can be the best on the lake up there and if the water is clean a jerkbait is the deal.

I remember a few years ago Beck and I were Jerkbaiting about that time and I posted something and the next day, you could not get into the ramp at Viola or Sweetwater. Just a little to crowded for me.

If you have a choice put in at SK. the area from SK to Baxter and on to point 9 is at its best during March. Lots of stagging fish in front of the major spawing pockets, and Big and Little Indian are always just on fire that time of the year. Not to mention Big Creek. "Champ will get me for that one." He and Donna call that area Home Base North.

Good Luck

No doubt about the crowds. Will be worse with less water. I'll be looking for them from Baxter back to the Cows, as usual. Lake definitely has better size.

Huntest...SK is Shell Knob, with less typing.

[Champ188]

No bass in Big Creek nor anywhere near there. They all picked up and moved to Aunts Creek. Honest. Would I lie?