Kings River Bass & Crappie

[SKMO]

Went out about Noon today and fished 4 hrs upstream of Viola where I put in. I got kind of beat beat up on the main lake the last couple trips and figured I'd get beat up in some new scenery and in places I am used to the abuse.

Had my 17 yr old Daughter who is a real good Sport as far as humoring me goes. She is pretty darn good on a spinning outfit and causes minimal problems,. She can outcast me on a 12# spinning rig but then I hate spinning rigs, Her biggest problem as far as I can see it that she won't head to the shore to pee so this limits our trips to about 4 hours. She caught a 16" LM and two barely short LM, plus a legal crappie on a small white spinerbait. I caught a 15.01 legal LM, a 18 LM and 6 shorts on a crank. Overall a super-nice afternoon as we saw a lot of eagles and one Osprey that followed us all afternoon. Fished transition banks only and caught at least one fish everywhere we stopped. Temps ran a fraction up or down from 50 no matter where were went, we did not get past Jakie.

Talked to 3 different boatloads of crappie hunters while out there. Bite seems to be on and off. Minnow danglers do good one day on the deep trees, jig guys do good on the upper river mud another. Concensus seems to be we (they) need colder water to pattern the things.

As far as Viola RAMP goes... this is going to be a world-class mess this Spring. The Corps has put back in a T-configured dock right on the edge of the two-lane ramp. The T section end of the dock effectively turns it into a 1-lane ramp as the T blocks usage of the near lane.

I cannot figure out why in the heck they put the perpendicular T-section on the end anyway. Makes it impossible to easily and quickly dock and moor and in this case the T blocks the use of one lane of the ramp.

If they don't get this fixed before white bass/crappie season in March this will be the most screwed up ramp on the entire lake. Guarentee that.

Call or write the Corps if you have an interest in using the Viola ramp this Spring.

[champ187xr6]

How far up from Viola did you go? Was there any trash floating?

Thanks

[bassman1308]

skmo: is it muddy above jakies or just colored ? i might run up kings tuesday, if i get to go. love to throw crankbaits. i'm still catching some jig fish below the bridge ( 3 keepers out of 15 bass last wednesday ) but i have to work the jig so slow it can get somewhat boring. i guess its like you changing scenery.

[SKMO]

skmo: is it muddy above jakies or just colored ? i might run up kings tuesday, if i get to go. love to throw crankbaits. i'm still catching some jig fish below the bridge ( 3 keepers out of 15 bass last wednesday ) but i have to work the jig so slow it can get somewhat boring. i guess its like you changing scenery.

I went as far as Jakie. There is some dangerous trash but not very much. It's more of a problem early in the AM if it has been calm all night. After some wind most gets pushed to shore. As usual though they can show up about anwhere and any time so you still need to be alert.

I would not call it "muddy" anywhere now. Dingy or off-color would probably be a better description. Probably 3' visability. I would expect it to actually be more clear up around Blue Hole. Once the Kings River runnng in from AR runs clear the extreme upper und usually gets more clear then the plug of muddy water moving down the lake.

[Ham]

Why aren't the ramps on TR steeper? It is hard to launch a bigger boat on TR without getting your rear tires wet. I'm used to ramps that allow you to float the boat off without drowning your truck.

[SKMO]

Why aren't the ramps on TR steeper? It is hard to launch a bigger boat on TR without getting your rear tires wet. I'm used to ramps that allow you to float the boat off without drowning your truck.

Seems like they pretty much just poured the ramps on the existing grade. Some of them are steeper than others. Campbell Point is bad flat, Mill Creek has a pretty decent grade.

[Cajunangler]

I agree greatly with th comment about awful ramps on the lake. I have to crawl through my suburban to keep from swimming when I launch. With the terrain around th lake you would have thought they could have made the ramps more user friendly.

On another similar subject, are there any public (and by public I mean free) launch sites on the lake. I have only been fishing here for a couple of years and during some of my earlier trips I would launch at the Kimberling City public access. Well, since the big time tournanments started they have altered that ramp with electronic gates and a $5 fee. How can they change (legally) a free access to a pay access if the launch was built with taxpayer money? Since I don't know if that is the case, anyone with the answer feel free to enlighten me. As well as let me know where any other free launches exist.

[SKMO]

Cajun - Off the top of my head I can think of a few: The Shell Knob Bridge (operated by Barry County I think). It's a good double ramp but limited parking during busy season. There is also a ramp just upstream of the Cape Fair Bridge, on the east bank. This is some kind of neighborhood association ramp I have used a couple times. Decent ramp and if you don't park correctly some old f*rt comes down and puts a nastygram under your wiper about learning how to park better. Also one in AR SE of Blue eye where Cricket Creek and Long Creek split. This is just a gravel ramp but actually OK and can put the 20' Skeeter in w/no problem. Theres a gravel ramp in Wooley Creek. There are probably several more I don't know about.

Most better ramps are Corps ramps that they charge I think $3/day, or I just buy a season pass for $30 (I think it is 30). To me all the Corps ramps are OK and I have never not been able to launch, just need to realize that individual ramp angles change with the different water levels and trailer in and out accordingly. I don't mind crawling out of my window into the bed of the truck as long as I can "get 'er done" on and off.

I have heard people say that if a neighborhood or community ramp exists they cannot prevent you from using it, but I am not sure if this is true. But it would explain the Cape Fair ramp I mentioned.

[snagged in outlet 3]

Hey Cajun.

There is a free ramp down the road from the state park. If you went past the state park when coming from the dam it's either the first or second road on your right. Some of the guys on here might know the name. Hope this helps.

SIO3

[Cajunangler]

Thanks for the options.