Holy Spots!

[sholder02]

Took my brother and cousin out yesterday. I was hoping to accidentally catch some walleye. I rigged them up with night crawlers to drag on the bottom as we drifted along. I used the same bait except on a drop shot. I don't know jack about walleye fishing on Table Rock other than what I pick up from time to time on this board. I fished everything that seemed "walleye-ish" to no avail...except for Kentucky's.

I bet I caught 30-40 spots between 9:30-2:30. We were fishing around Big M and Devil's Backbone from 12'-40'. Later on that evening, we tried to catch some crappie. Fished jigs tipped with minnows over brush piles...caught spots. Fished deep trees over 60' of water...caught more spots.

Not one largemouth, crappie, or walleye. I figured by the law of large numbers, we would have picked up something else...especially using live bait. To make matters worse, out of all those fish, a grand total of "0" were keepers.

They're either all stunted or we're going to have a lot of footballs swimming around in a few more years.

[Jason Essary]

Been catching a lot of them also. Sucks they r all short but in the next couple years look out.

[Feathers and Fins]

My "Holy Grail" spot for the lake is this forum and specifically reviewing RPS reports before going when it comes to walleye or Bablers reports for General Fish. I kid you not either of their New and Old reports is worth more to me than any one spot could ever be. Both give you a good idea from reading years past a pattern the fish should be in and the places to look.

One thing about this forum that is so different than many others, is the reports are accurate, honest and insightful. The guys making them know the lake from a lot of trial and error and enjoy helping others get fish. From RPS last reports I would be hitting the White River Arm and working it over pretty hard from Houseman to Holiday Island marina, I would be trolling from 12 to 25fow or spooning timber maybe even dropping minnows down on it or pulling a crawler. That information is rare to find and if its coming from RPS its golden and should be listened too.

[Quillback]

There's a bunch of spots in that area for sure, but there are some good ones also. I'm surprised you did not get a keeper or 2 out of all those fish. Really weird you did not get any other species on the crawlers.

[Quillback]

Been catching a lot of them also. Sucks they r all short but in the next couple years look out.

That's what I've been thinking that in a couple of years there's going to be an explosion of big spots, but I've been thinking that the last couple of years. They're fat, and they're healthy but the number of keepers overall is not what you'd expect. If this fall is like last year, the bigger spots will start getting active once the water cools down.

[RSBreth]

Those Spots make for a fun day when fishing with newbies or kids - but in a tournament it's frustrating when you catch one after another cookie cutter sub-legal Spots. Been there. Sometimes you can just pound a spot long enough to weed through all the small ones and start getting those 16" footballs, but often it's just one 12" or maybe 13" Spot forever.

[Champ188]

Wonder if MDC should consider reducing the 15-inch limit on them to encourage some limited harvest? Oklahoma has gone to no creel or size limits on spots statewide (unless superseded by individual lake regs) and Arkansas has taken the length limit off spots on Beaver. No regulations are worth the paper they're written on unless there is some controlled harvest.

[abkeenan]

Wonder if MDC should consider reducing the 15-inch limit on them to encourage some limited harvest? Oklahoma has gone to no creel or size limits on spots statewide (unless superseded by individual lake regs) and Arkansas has taken the length limit off spots on Beaver. No regulations are worth the paper they're written on unless there is some controlled harvest.

I'd agree with that. Spots seem to be taking over this lake, at least on my end near the dam. Its a rarity when I hook into a LM. I'm sure Bill and the guides will disagree because those little 13" boogers save their bacon on blistering summer days when the going is tough. But I will leave it up to MDC to decide as they know more than we ever could.

[Alex Heitman]

If you guys want some bigger spots they are there. Caught lots of 16-17 inchers but they were way up in the dock slips with the drop shot. If there was a boat lift it was even better. Trouble is after you hook them you have to fight them until they are tired and better have a long net or you will never get the fish in the boat.

[*T*]

Haven't been to lake in a bit but it seems like LM & SM bite earlier in year, spring & early summer, was also excellent, both legal & sub-legal. Their populations appear to also be flourishing. Also shad population is strong. Is there bad news here or just good?