Mid Lake Suggestions...

[AAD]

Hello all, I enjoy reading all the posts and seeing the pics that get posted.

Set to come down the 22nd for a week of TRL fishing and fun...

We stay midlake near Kimb City by point 7. I see plenty of posts concerning the river arms and around the dam area, but wondered about mid lake, say in the Schooner Creek/Cow Creek areas. We do hit the Mill Creek and Joe Bald areas often during our week, but was wanting more places to try.

Myself and DanoP love getting info from this forum. If you see a deep V Tracker Targa with a 115 Merc and single power pole, be sure to stop by and introduce yourself.

Thanks and good fishing....

[Bill Babler]

Mid lake is really classified from about Pt. 9 to point 23, and here is what is going on from the Mouth of the James to the Mouth of the Kings River.

Surface temps starting each morning in the 77 degree range and right now staying pretty close to that. Surface temps had been up to 80, but have backed of somewhat. We had 55 degrees air temperature at the Lodge this morning and really need a hooded sweat shirt for travel on the lake. These cool nights are keeping the surface temps down. Going to warm up though. Water is a perfect color with probably 8-10 ft. of visibility on the white plate test.

Getting started early now is a key to your success. There remains a very good top water bite before the sun hits the water. You can approach this 4 different ways now, depending on the type of fish your going for and how many you wish to catch.

1. Big water schooling bite. This is mainly K's with some Jaw's, and if your alert you will see them off the major flats and cove mouths chasing shad. This can be a very good numbers bite.

2 Bank bite in front of the bushes. This bite is mostly a LM bite with a Jaw or two thrown in depending on your lake section. This bite would work mid lake. Feed your favorite TW bait in front or thru the flooded bushes and work it our. Not as many bites, but a much better chance of catching larger fish.

4 Early morning tree bite. The LM and some very nice K's are now starting to suspend in the Cedar Trees and in the pole timber, you can work this bite, best with a spook or a fin. Another low numbers big fish bite.

5 White Bass Bite. Mostly traveling and watching for surfacing fish. They have been off the flats on most lake sections Mid-Lake, but they are hardly ever in the same area two days in a row. Mouth of the James, Goat Island and the flat across from Baxter are good locations for this type of action.

When the fish go down and it is usually as soon as the sun hits the water, so if your out at 0500 you have at least 2 hrs. of solid top water. Then look for the same fish right now on the bottom in 28 to 36 foot. These fish are holding off the ridges and runnouts on most of the major lake flats from Lazy Lee's past point 7 to above Campbell Point. Drop shot.

If your not that much of a top water chaser there has also been a very good early tube or finess drag bite in front of the flooded bushes. I'm using a green pumpkin tube or a green pumpkin candy zoom fish dr. As the sun rises continue to get deeper. Fish have pretty much kept to the bottom out to about 36 and I know they will eat a hula grub or a jig in the same locations.

If your into catfish or big bluegills I've been catching some on the same locations using live bait rigs.

Hope this helps, Good Luck

[flyman]

That is great instruction. Thanks, Bill! Useful information for me too. I'm a local beginner.

[jmes]

Very nice report

[danop69]

Bill, thanks for the awesome report! It will help us a ton. We will probably try a little of all of those patterns. We are actually staying at Lazy Lee's so the info is right up our alley. Can't wait too get there Saturday! If you see us out shoot over and say hello! I will be sure to let you guys know how it's goin and post some pics!

Thanks again and good fishin!

Dan

[jerry241]

Bill

Your posts continue to amaze me as a local but complete newbie to TR I look at your reports every time I see one. The detailed info you share is awesome and just wanted to take a moment and say thanks again.....

[huntest]

Bill you seemed to have switched your focus from Long Creek / Dam / KC area to "Mouth of the James to the Mouth of the Kings River" area.

Why the recent shift and what factors influence you to make these location changes?

thanks

[Bill Babler]

Bill you seemed to have switched your focus from Long Creek / Dam / KC area to "Mouth of the James to the Mouth of the Kings River" area.

Why the recent shift and what factors influence you to make these location changes?

thanks

I pretty much fish the entire lake this time of the year, depending on the location of my clients and where I presume to get the best bite judging from the fishing ability of my days fishermen.

Yes, fishing ability does matter to me when selecting a lake section. With the price of fuel right now I am very concerned about how much running that I do with both my truck and boat, as it all comes out of the bottom line, but knowing my clients before the trip and having some idea of their ability and the time they spend on the water is knowledge that helps me concentrate their best efforts on a lake section that bodes well with their experience.

For instance the bush pattern of which I speak is a great pattern, along with a dock pattern. There are certain lake sections that are producing this bite better than others. I would love to fish this type of pattern, but can rarely, due to the precision casting it takes to make these types of presentations. Most people just don't fish that much. Being hung up in a bush or banging a top water bait off a dock time after time is not going to lead to success. I must put the clients into the best position for success that I can. ie, the open water bite of which I speak. Most times your not going to catch the bigger fish doing this, but you will get "Blazing Hard Hitting Action."

Where I'm meeting folks or the resort they are staying at is also a factor. Resorts that recommend me don't want me dragging their clients to other lake sections and catching fish. That will only make that client book a different resort in the future. What boat the client has is also a factor. If they have a small boat and cannot travel far from their lodging, I'm going to show them locations that they can get to.

I'm not going to say I do it more than any other guide on the lake but I will say Pete Wenners and I probably fish a greater portion of the lake than any others. Capt. Rick gets around pretty good also. I probably fish the Eagle Rock to Campbell Point area more than any other guide by far. Of course that is home to me with a Lake House at Shell Knob.

Due to high fuel and lots of trips from our Lodge at Old 86, I have been fishing the dam area lots this year. It has really held up nicely, but the dam can go to heck in a handbasket faster than any other lake section. The pressure here is just tremendous. A couple of mornings ago, at 0500 I had to settle for my 6th. spot as there were already fisherman on my first 5 choices. The bite also die's quicker in the morning at the dam. Usually due to water clarity and boat traffic, and just plain fishing traffic.

Typical week right now is 1 day trout- 3 days dam, 1 day Baxter and 2 days Knob. OOPPS. That did not leave me a day off. guess I'll just have to wait for Winter.

Good Luck

[huntest]

thank you for the great information

[jmes]

Thanks for the information that helps clear things up for alot of people