Beginner Advice

[ozarkgunner]

Are sic

[abkeenan]

I Fish from 5-9:30 am in the summer. After that you might as well hang it up. A small drop shot worm such as a yamamoto cut tail will also work very well. If you are not night fishing with large black spinnerbaits and black jigs you have not lived. Night fishing is great on table rock. Sometimes I fish 2 am- 9am.

x 2 on this. I usually get out on the lake around 5AM and fish til around 9-10ish when the Lake Gnats come out on the water and the fishing usually starts to dwindle on bites anyways. After that it is time to join the Lake Gnats with the family on the pontoon and whatnot. Then will go back out around 7-8pm'ish after dinner and fish into the night.

[flyman]

I live near Highlandville. I have been putting in at Indian Point and Aunts Creek. Cape Fair isn't too far for me but I have not put in there yet. I'm still just kind of exploring. I'll need to become more familiar with that area. I would love to give that a shot for sure. I love to night fish. Thanks for all the pointers. Much appreciated!

[ozarkgunner]

Put in at Bridgeport ( it's likely the closest place to highlandville anyways) and run up the lake (turn right) into the dirty water where the river comes into the lake. It's a nice place for numbers of bass in the summer. It is also too skinny for the bigger ski boats. If you are in highlandville I would also take a trip down to k dock on bullshoals. It's the same distance as table rock and offers some different fishing opportunities. You have not live however until you have fished stockton. 50 fish days are rare on the rock but par for the course on stockton. Stockton has one of the highest bass populations around this years. It is just loaded with 14-16 inch blacks.

[ozarkgunner]

I misread your post. I thought you said you bought a house down on the rock. I see now its just a boat. I would focus on the best areas of table rock if I was trailering. I put in at joe bald and run up to Baxter a lot. My folks have a place near Indian point but the action is better by Baxter and aunts creek. I would also consider a trip to kdock with a guide like bill Beck. You may never go back to table rock again. There are a lot less boats on bull shoals. I live in springfield and prefer to fish Stockton, pomme , lake of the ozarks, bull shoals , and Truman before table rock. I still hit the rock 15 times a year but it is a tough lake to fish compared to the others. A gold star day on the rock is average on the other lakes. By the way, there are NO bass in taneycomos creeks and back waters. Anyone who said they catch 5 lb bass there on a regular basis is fully of it.

I'm posting by I phone so pardon the grammar.

[flyman]

Don't sweat the grammar. I'm on my phone too. Man, a house boat would be cool. I have a long ways before I could afford that! Just a bass tracker for me. We are so fortunate to have so many fishing opportunities around. I sure look forward to exploring all of them. I have fished pretty much all of the area rivers and streams. I'll always love canoeing and camping on a bank. One of my favorite things to do. I have always wanted to fish the lakes but couldn't afford a boat until now. I'm as happy as a pig in mud. Thanks for all your suggestions. I fully intend to fish all those places. Would love to get into walleye too down at Bull Shoals. Heck, if it swims I like to catch it! Thanks again bud. Lots of great info and suggestions.

[shellcracker311]

I Have been having decent luck lately on the topwater bite. Everyone talks a lot about the refin, but my favorite is the spook or sammy in a chartreuse shad color. Quillback is right about hanging it up at 9:30 though. Cloudy days with a lil chopwill help alot.

[flyman]

I'm double posting the question from another thread but does the topwater bite last all summer? Those micky jr's look interesting. Just got some spooks and pop r's to try on saturday. I saw some shad skipping and a few surface bites. I tried for a little bit but no luck. I think I got there just a tad too late. I'll be trying again this week.

[ozarkgunner]

It will last all summer in some places but will not be as strong. I suggest a Sammy over a fin if you know how to walk the dog. A bass tracker will get in tight spots not hit by glass rigs.

[2 in a boat]

x 2 on this. I usually get out on the lake around 5AM and fish til around 9-10ish when the Lake Gnats come out on the water and the fishing usually starts to dwindle on bites anyways. After that it is time to join the Lake Gnats with the family on the pontoon and whatnot. Then will go back out around 7-8pm'ish after dinner and fish into the night.

Ditto. If you can't beat them, join them. But that would make you a Jayhawk abkeenan. You know it's your pic, I can't lay off it. lol