A-Riggin The White River 2-14-14

[Bill Babler]

Last couple of days have been a better bite for me and mine. I have been on the water from Baxter to Holiday Island and for sure my best bite currently has been from Point 22 up the lake.

Guys, I have been just covered with emails about fishing patterns and locations. I don't mean not to get back with you as soon as possible, but we are really busy here at the Lodge and also guiding and there is just not enough hours in the day and I apologize for not responding to everyone.

The last 3 days or so we have been averaging about a dozen fish per day with most being really nice LM in the 2.5 to 4.5 category. In 4 days of fishing last week, we did not catch one K or Jaw, all LM. I have no idea where those K's are since they ran out of the deep guts, they have just eluded me.

Don't think it has been real good in the James or Kimberling City to the dam area, as lots of my buddies have been struggling in those locations. We will see today what the tournament weighs in and will know more.

This deep A-Rig bite for me is yielding about 15 to 16 pounds per day and by golly I even had a couple of jerkbait fish the other day.

Key locations for us have been the long sloping runnouts on either secondary mainlake points or main lake channel points. I have not caught a fish off a bluffend and I'm guessing its my fault. I am not seeing any suspended out there either. Everything is coming off some kind of a chunk rock gravel mix combo with my boat setting in the channel and throwing the A-Rig into about 15' of water and crawling it back to the channel break. If I'm not bumping bottom on occasion I'm not getting bit.

I am also using very small baits on the rig, Paddle tail swimming minnows. I have had a couple of clients using way to big of baits and they are not catching as good. I have told them to let me switch those bigger baits and most have wanted to throw their own junk. Does not take them long to switch.

One of my buddies said he has been getting pushed a bunch and swiped. He was fishing 5 and 6 inch baits, I told him to size down and it worked. His hookups were much better.

Also my clients have been trying to set the hook on the Rig like they were worm fishing. WRONG. Just keep reeling and winding thru the bite, and you will hook up way better. There is no reason to set the hook, you will feel the weight of the fish and he is on it. Also if he misses it and you keep a steady retrieve he will take it again. Just keep reeling.

Right now, if I was not out there everyday either guiding or fishing, it would be impossible for me to take someone. It is still hard for me to take someones hard earned money with the way this bite is. If you are guiding every minute you spend on the water is extremely important, especially this time of the year.

We are seeing tournament bags that are toping 20 pounds, but our local tournament fisherman are not a representative group of people that just want a fun day on the water. Not by a long shot right now.

All 3 of my clients this week have been good fisherman, but it takes something special right now. You have to keep your concentration at peak level if its you first or last cast and that is hard to do. Most guys fish pretty good for about 1 hr. the second hour is tougher and then if its slow its really hard for them. The guy that can enjoy the outdoors no matter what and be the bait on every cast all day is going to do ok.

My guy Thursday was a regular and a very good fisherman. We had a pretty nice bag and he wanted to try a stickbait right at the end of the day. I told him to hop up on the front and run the trolling motor and I would fish the back behind him as there are really not that many fish up. I told him to fish slow and just turn the head of the Megabass from side to side. To move it but not move it. He is a very good stickbait fisherman. I caught two very nice keepers behind him and he did not catch any. He easily made 3 casts to my one and I told him and told him but he just could not slow it down, was just not possible.

He caught them decent on the Rig, but the 36 degree water on a stickbait was just to slow of a presentation for his style of fishing. At the end of the day he asked me how many people would have caught those stickbait fish I said the normal cast of guides down here and some locals. And of course Buster, but even for me it was a commitment in patients.

That of course being the key for February 38 degree water temps.

Good Luck

[Quillback]

Thanks for the report, good to hear they are a least showing a little interest in the jerker.

[Phil Lilley]

Pics?

[dtrs5kprs]

Well that is something at least. A hard day for a few is better than watching it continue to freeze solid.

[willyfish]

A report like that needs to be printed and hung on the fridge so everyone can read and learn a trick or two.

[Macsimus]

What a great fishing report. I've been fishing at Table Rock 4 times so I am a complete noob when it comes to fishing it. Would someone mind telling me what a 'runout' is?

[Sore Thumbs]

I believe it's the same as a flat.

[dtrs5kprs]

What a great fishing report. I've been fishing at Table Rock 4 times so I am a complete noob when it comes to fishing it. Would someone mind telling me what a 'runout' is?

Bill might mean something else, but I think of them as the long, tapering points that "run out" to the main channel, or a major channel (like at the mouth of the Indians at Baxter).

[fishingaddiction]

Thanks for taking the time to post a very good detailed report Bill. Good to hear you're catching a few.

[Macsimus]

I believe it's the same as a flat.

Bill might mean something else, but I think of them as the long, tapering points that "run out" to the main channel, or a major channel (like at the mouth of the Indians at Baxter).

Thanks gents!