12-19-13 James River Arm Table Rock Lake Report

[Bill Babler]

Current Fishing report on the James River White River Outfitters Guide Service

With weather closing in I thought I had better make a run up the James to several of the crappie docks I like to fish and also check on the deep fish. I am usually up there before now, but this weather has kept me in the Dry and Cozy.

Got on the water at Aunts Creek at 0730 with the surface temps at 48.4 and headed up river. Checked 6 docks and caught a total of 8 crappie out of them with 4 really nice 12 inch keepers. Water is a very clear up in the Campers area to the mouth at Point 9.

About 0830 with the crappie not doing as I wished, I headed for the bass cuts and it was more than on. Best depth for me today was 40' on the bottom. Did catch some worming and up suspended all around very small threadfin shad. Fished the first location for 2 hrs. and just decided to more, they were still just hammering the grub or a spoon, whatever I put down there.

Went around to a very similar cut and started it again at the same depth. In this draw the fish were as shallow as 27' and almost all had their bellies extended with crawdads either coming out their vent or puking them up.

Around the docks the bluegill are just thick just under the floats so they have not gone deep up the James yet.

Had a total of 60 K's and one nice LM with 30 plus 16 to 18 inch keeps. That's the way it is suspose to be this time of the year,

On the way in I saw a bunch of gulls diving on shad in the middle of Aunts Creek. There were 17 loons mixed in it was quite a site.

Good Luck

[Quillback]

Wow, that's a great day! It gives me inspiration, I just love those big spots!

[merc1997 Bo]

nice trip. i had too many other things to do today to go again.

bo

[Bill Babler]

Look at that Real Image Cabelas Jigging spoon. If you can find a better looking spoon, you will have to show it to me. In the Winter when the threadfin shad are this size it is a complete identical match for size and color. If you touch a fish with that Death Trap he is coming to the boat.

[bluebasser86]

Look at that Real Image Cabelas Jigging spoon. If you can find a better looking spoon, you will have to show it to me. In the Winter when the threadfin shad are this size it is a complete identical match for size and color. If you touch a fish with that Death Trap he is coming to the boat.

Bill, If you've never seen the spoons they carry at Academy you may want to check them out. They're the best size/shape comparison to a small threadfin shad I've ever seen. They aren't quite as realistic colored as the Cabela's but pretty dang good. Just another option for you to consider. I've had good success with them down there in my limited time down there lately.

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/wahoo-jig-n-shad-1-oz-jigging-spoon/pid-505144?color=Silver+Shad&N=4294963665+97009187

[merc1997 Bo]

as far as spoons go, i am much more interested in the falling action than a realistic color. do you really think a bass can see all that detail at 60 ft.??? it is pretty darn dark at that depth in table rock. that is why i just use three basic colors, white, silver, and chartreuse. what i use on a particular day depends on the sun and water clarity. kentuckies some times have a real like for the chartreuse, even in clear water with the sun out. it is just my opinion and many years of fishing that i believe those realistic colors catch more fisherman than they do fish.

bo

[Old plug]

I can relate a story here that points out just how little the color means in some cases like BO is describing . Many years ago I was fishing on eagle lake ontario with a indian guide. We were fishing for walleye. This guide had a 3/4 ball headed unpainted lead jig on a outfit not much larger than a crappie outfit with about 8 lb test line. This jig had nothing on it it was just a bare hook. He proceeded to boat a lot of walleye just raising that jig off the bottom about 6 inches and banging it back down. I have never forgotten that. And to this day I have times when I fish ledges and such I will bang that a jig( dressed not plain) from one ledge to the next. With a spoon it is stiil drawing fish by sound but the sink rate and flutter play a large role in the attractiveness as well.

[Pepe]

Hard to argue with Bill's pictures and results.

[DeadHead]

Hard to argue with Bill's pictures and results.

Agreed!

DeadHead

[Sore Thumbs]

Once again merc talking down to someone. People are here to get advice, not be demeaned. C'mon man? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2