Take Rock

[Fishrman]

Fished from Shell Knob to kings to Campbell point and back caught 4 with 3 keepers water temp was 43-45. All caught on rc jerk in French pearl. Nothing big.. seems all I can do is catch between 3-10 fish per outing. Getting disgusted but that is fishing... guess that is why I go back

[Quillback]

Wasn't it really windy out on the lake yesterday? I know for myself, if it is really windy this time of year, it makes it tough to fish the slow stuff.

Only piece of advice I have, is if you catch a fish, you want to work that area real hard, they've been grouped up lately and if you catch one, there should be more around. I'd work a Ned to follow up on those jerk bait fish or maybe a grub if you don't like to fish the Ned. I'd work it real slow, drag it and shake it, in 10-20 FOW. You can also get a few vertical fishing it if you see fish or shad on the sonar. Just pull it off the bottom an inch or so and gently shake it (the Ned).

Maybe pick up some 3/16 oz heads for the windy days, I fished that size Friday in the wind and caught fish on it.

If I'm telling you stuff you already know, my apologies.

Keep hammering at them, this time of year your next cast can get you a biggun.

[Bill Babler]

When these deep fish scatter it seems for some reason they really pick certain locations, and they are not the same year to year. And yes Quill you are right. You almost have to run a Honey Hole circuit. Even when I'm doing well, I am hitting location after location with zero's and then wham, I'll catch several on maybe at 50 yrd. stretch. The day I did so well last week I ran each location with a sticker, A-Rig and a Varmint.

Fished one stretch for about an hour and came back on my way back past it and caught them again. I had hit 3 or 4 other "hot spots." that were not so hot, as a matter of fact zero's.

Lots of times here that does not work. You get one good pass and then better not bother it, but early season like this after the Winter dispersal for some reason they will refill and continue to load on very small areas of bank. North-South-East-West, Rock-Chunk-Gravel, wind or no wind it does not matter. They pick a location and it is like a bell cow, they will start using it, and others will follow. I have seen these locations filled with bait and have seen them look like the Sahara.

Does not mean they are going to stay there, they can be gone the next day, but if they are on a stretch where you catch multiple fish, odds are you better hit it several times during your day. You can also look for identical stretches just like it and it does not mean a hoot. They are on a certain piece and the next place you find them might be a total opposite. Makes for pretty tough fishing.

Fisherman is as good as there is on this board, but for some reason this time of the year, you just have to turn the boat off on the right location, and it may not be the first dozen you pick.

[Bill Babler]

You know, I was not thinking the other day I made a quick run into the little Indian at Baxter. Fish, was that you in that light colored Stratos setting over the trees over that deep pocket above the highline?

Thought it might have been Sullivan, but did not remember the color of his Stratos or even if he still had one. Who ever it was had been there before and knew how to fish Table Rock cause I was going to look there before I saw the Stratos sitting on it.

Did not register with me or I would have stopped and Howdyed. Ran back inside there and had 3 on that main lake point on a megabass, but they were nothing to brag about. I was kind of looking for some deep fish in there, but had heard they were gone.

I did not find any deep ones in either the Big or Little Indian up there.

I only fished about an hour that day as Becky had Honey do's for me but it was just so nice I had to run out for a minute.

I stopped on some deep trees in there and they did have some fish setting about 5' over the tops in about 35' over 70'. Soon as my grub was 20' below the boat they would just dive for the branches, and completely run to the base of the trees. Swam a grub thru the tops, ran an A-Rig over them and dropped a grub vertical to them. NADA!!! Ran like mice in a Milk Barn.

You can go out on those trees 12 months out of the year and there are always fish there, always. Some days they will start up as the bait starts down, other days they will sit right there and wait for it to get to them and other days they will run like H-E double K.

[Fishrman]

Nope wasnt me mine is black and yellow, but I know the guy you saw and he is pretty good up there watched him a month ago catch several right in front of me doing something I've never seen. He knows how to find them. Really nice guy.

[fishingaddiction]

This time of year can be very frustrating, but when you happen to hit the right conditions at the right time it can be magic. Thanks for the report, Hope you get them big time soon.