Wow... Table Rock Lake Shell Knob Current Fishing Report

[Bill Babler]

March 27th. 2013 Whiteriver Outfitters

If you plan to launch at Viola, bring a buddy. The ramp is really flat at this level, 911.8 and you just about have to get your front tires in the water for a splash entry.

Rough week as far as cancellations for us guide types, I should have had a double trout trip today but folks could not get here from back East. That put me in the frame of mind to just do my own thing, and that I did.

Hit the Viola Ramp at 6:44 with the air temp at the ramp a balmy 17 degrees. Surface water on a very nice color was just under 42 degree. Visibility about 6'.

Didn't go far to start as the first point I pulled on I caught 13 fish. Mostly bucks, but I did have 1 keeper LM and one keeper K. Everything on a French Pearl vision 110 megabass. This has for me been my best sticker of late.

Talk about getting started the right way. I just caught a entire days worth of fish on my first stop. Only deal was my rod kept icing, and one thing or the other happened and I snapped off my favorite $26.00 stickier. Oh Well.

Next location up the river I dragged out the A-Rig on a bluffend. Caught 3 keepers here, 2 LM and 1 really nice K.

Decided to run the river abit and did not have to go far to get to pretty colored up water, just above Kings River Beach. Stopped on a gravel transition and slow rolled a crankbait in Chartruse Peral. I'm just on fire as I caught 8 here with 1 keep. Surface temp was 46.8 in the stained water. Ventured up past the Blue Hole and the water really cleared up and got just Ice Cold. Caught 1 more nice Keeper LM here but the water was 39.9 and that was it. Fished up here almost to the 86 bridge for 2 hrs. and just the one.

Moved back down past Royal Point and by now, it was Noon and the lake was getting pretty crowded. Starting hitting main lake points, both bluffends and flat gravel. Did not seem to matter as I kept catching a fish or two off each one. Ended up almost back to the mouth of the Kings and stopped on a bluffend, with the boat in 65 ft. Tossed the A-Rig just off the break and started catching them most every cast.

Not gona say the number here, but it again was like "Where have you guys been?"

I still have not caught any big fish about 4 pounds seems to max me out, but I had a solid bag today, pushing 20 lbs.

When you get to fish when and where you want it makes a difference. Just one of those special days for me. Sorry the clients missed out. I am booked the rest of the week, and of course it will not even come close to how they bit today.

Did have some really nice picks of crankbait and stickbait fish, but for somereason it said the file was to big and would not load. I'll try to put them on my site.

Good Luck

[Feathers and Fins]

Bad Bill no donut lol.

Nice report and congrats

[duckydoty]

Great report Bill. Love the pictures. That is the hardest thing for my reports is downsizing all the pictures.

[abkeenan]

Awesome report Bill. Pics always make it that much better. Can't wait to get down there and get on the water Friday morning.

[dtrs5kprs]

Not one thing wrong except for the missing stickbait. That will definitely make you show your sad face for a bit.

Bill, would love your best guess/opinion...since we are behind in terms of temp, fish having not yet (today notwithstanding) moved up/in, am thinking we could see a really big April. Thoughts?

[swelbo1]

Bill, what baits Are you having the best luck with on your a-rig. I have been using the blue back herring and the sexy shad Strike King 3.5 in swim baits down here. Heading there this coming Monday.

[Quillback]

Very nice Bill!

[Bill Babler]

You never know about this deal. We might have a great April, or they may just flat Bum Rush the bank and scatter. Sometimes when the Boys start looking for the Girls, it can get tough. Right now it is Staging and gettin ready time and they are setting as of yesterday where then should be. Can move or not bite at anytime however and I was just there when it happened yesterday. Hope it works today out of the James River, but I heard it was tough as nails up there yesterday. Hard to figure.

To tell you the truth and I might get shot here, but I don't really think the baits on the A-Rig matter that much. I have 30 of them each with a different bait from Swimming Flukes, to Expensive Castaic Shad. To tell you the real deal my favorite is the bootailed swimming minnows and use the regular minnows for the teaser. 5 of these baits cost a buck all together, so that is a pretty reasonable setup. I have dyed some tails and some I have not. Cannot see the difference but I keep trying to help.

Good Luck

[trytofish]

See you Friday!

Awesome report Bill. Pics always make it that much better. Can't wait to get down there and get on the water Friday morning.

[magicwormman]

Great reports Bill!!! That's what I like about you.............not afraid to share your knowledge and experiences.