1-19-15 Shell Knob And The Varmint Table Rock Lake Report

[Bill Babler]

Splashed in at the Knob at 07:30 and had quite a bit of help at the ramp. Looked like about 2 dozen rigs. Wanted to check a couple of creek channels to see about deep fish so headed down stream on a beautiful but chilly 33 degree morning.

Surface temps at the kick-off were 43 degree and the water is very clear with visibility to I'm guessing between 12' and 15' No breeze, just the right kind of a morning for the deep bite.



Did not find it but I did find the creek channels full of Gizzard Shad.



Thought at first they might be White's, but snagged 3 and never had a bump on the 1/2 oz. spoon.



On the slick water I then had only a couple of choices, being the stupid rig and the Varmint. Tossed the rig a few times and caught 2 and lost one big puller, did not see it so have no idea.

Started on the Varmint on a chunk rock interior point with the boat in about 30' of water and a full cast off the bank.



Fished it on a slack line with a 1/8th. oz head and they would just load and load and load on it. Fished only 2 locations from 0800 till I saw Champ, around Noon and it was silly.





Lots of short fish with a 15" to 16" every forth or fifth cast. Not going to guess the number, but I was busy.



Spoke to James and he brought a curse on me. Only 2 more in the next 2 hrs. Ran up the lake above the Kings and Quill was plying his trade in that area. Always good to see him. Quill I caught on really nice LM in that timbered main lake pocket on a Rig and that was it for me.



I fished 4 locations this morning and caught fish off 3. Had the Table Rock slam and also caught 2 off a Stain Reaction Plus when the wind puffed up a bit. All the Varmint fish were just spitting crayfish. Had several small craw's that were under an inch spit into the boat. I know nothing about the cycle of crayfish reproduction, but those sure could not have been very old.



Surface temp at the ramp when I cam in a 3 was 47.7.

Good Luck

[dtrs5kprs]

You are just killing me...

[motoman]

You are just killing me...

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You and I both!

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(Great report and pix bill..........takes me away from my cubicle for a couple minutes:-)

[kdc]

sounds like a great day wish I would have been off work to enjoy it

[gatorbitu]

Nice report....and great pics to go along with it! Thank you.

[dtrs5kprs]

BTW...that little rock bank Bill shot a pic of is just a textbook place for the little rig. Kind of a boring looking place, maybe a spot where other folks will run wart or a stick a little then move on.

[Guest]

Those are some beautiful fish. Cold water crawdad eaters!

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Never thought crawfish were active in cold water. Guess I always thought they were the hibernating type. Interesting information, thanks for sharing.

[Ham]

Never thought crawfish were active in cold water. Guess I always thought they were the hibernating type. Interesting information, thanks for sharing.

Lots of different crawfish species. I'm sure some get less active in cold water, but I've gathered them for bait before when I was having to break the ice to dip them up and they would still swim fast enough to avoid the dip net in water that was in the 30's.

[Ham]

BTW...that little rock bank Bill shot a pic of is just a textbook place for the little rig. Kind of a boring looking place, maybe a spot where other folks will run wart or a stick a little then move on.

Tell the truth Dave. You're counting and sorting the rocks in the photo. Lol