The Big M 07/19/2014

[merc1997 Bo]

i did check the mill creek results, and 14 lb. won, and they also had a 7.80. as always, there is someone that figures them out.

as in the case of eagle rock, i have never been able to do much catching around there when there is a current running. the lower end of the lake is different though.

guess that is why it is called fishing and not catching .

bo

[Quillback]

7.8 is an impressive fish for this time of year.

[merc1997 Bo]

7.8 is impressive anytime of the year on table rock anymore.

bo

[Champ188]

7.8 is impressive anytime of the year on table rock anymore.

bo

Got that right. Maybe the big fish will fully bounce back from that virus in the years to come. Maybe not.

[rps]

Gentlemen, unless my understanding of science is mistaken, neither TR nor Bull will ever be as good for size as they were in the 60's and 70's.

When highland lakes are first flooded, the clear water supplied by the rivers and streams becomes filled with debris and the shores, even if cleared, have trash limbs, grass, and any variety of objects to provide cover. In the nutrient rich situation created the fish population explodes and grows very rapidly. New lakes experience lesser fishing pressure as it takes years, even for the locals, to learn the places and patterns.

As access points increase, tourist trade strengthens, and the water clears itself of debris and cover, those classes from the first several years feed well on subsequent year classes. It is because of that time period that we later see huge strings of huge fish. Eventually disease or old age culls those initial classes. Every class after that point is on the same footing and swims in the same highland reservoir (lesser nutrient) water. Once in a while, years like 2008 and 2010 change that fact with high water that lasts through the spawn and beyond, but those two years need to be well in the past (10 years or more) before they will have a real effect on size. Even then those year classes will never enjoy the big bully status of the first three years' classes after impoundment.

Now if my understanding is wrong or too simplistic, I am sure the real experts - fish biologists and fishery management staff - will set me straight.

[Feathers and Fins]

Randy that is Basic "man made reservoir 101" Shame on you for pointing it out lol

[merc1997 Bo]

some of what you say is true to an extent. table rock is still very short of bass compared to before the fish kill. we are improving however. i do believe that we still have some big bass in the rock, but they have become open water feeders, as pointed out by the lack of cover in the lake any longer. in the lake was not fairly fertile, then we would not have the amount of shad and crawdads that we do.

i do believe with some stocking programs, we could see a big increase in available numbers of bass, but catching might still be a bit on the hard side because as i stated earlier, we have forced bass to become open water feeders.

case in point, look at the numbers of bigger bass caught when the conditions favor the umbrella rig. i caught several over 5 lbs. during the period of march through may, but all from fishing at night. those same bass, are now suspended following shad. if not, they would show up on structure somewhere and be accessible to be caught.

with all that said, big bass fishing in table rock will never be like it used to be.

bo

[Quillback]

I heard so many of those stories of how good TR was back in the early 60's from my dad and grandpa. I wish I had a time machine.

[Feathers and Fins]

Do any of you guys take the time to go out and set brush piles and create structure?

[Quillback]

Not me. There's more brush piles in that area than a guy can fish in a day. Somebody is putting them out there.