4-12-15 Table Rock Report Equipment Matters To Me.

[Bill Babler]

White River Outfitters Guide Service 4-12-15 Baxter to Shell Knob White River Main lake Table Rock Lake Current fishing report.

Guys and Gals, I have truly had one great week on Table Rock. Most of it due to the time of the year and the wonderful clients I have been blessed with this week, but also to preparation and the finest fishing equipment that I can personally put together to help these clients fish without flaw and to both "See and be the Bait."

As most of you know, I have touted Falcon Rods for the past 25 yrs. and I truly believe I would not be in the position that I am without being able to use this type of quality equipment. Putting this type of gear in my clients hands has helped them to not only land more fish, but for my fishing application, which a lot of the time is extreme finesses, to feel bites and have the ability to throw small baits a long distance and fish in comfort due to the extreme light weight of my gear.

As you have heard me say many times, "Your first cast and your last cast needs to be fished with the same enthusiasm." My Falcon gear makes this possible.

I have had a bunch of ladies this week, along with some very good fishermen from the North. These northern walleye anglers that fish light stuff just flat could not believe the performance of my gear, and everyone of them that put a hand on it, wanted it. As we all know, I am anal as H-E-double K about it.

Here is what is going on. Surface temps early mostly main lake White River are starting the day in the mid-50's and reaching upper 50's pushing 60 by days end. Most of the lake is an Aqua Marine but clearing fast. Fish are staging just about everywhere and there are beds. Lots better ways to catch them than the beds however.

Dam area reports from Buster Loving and Chris Tetrick are very good. Buster is catching fish on a tube off the main lake gravel runnouts in 20 ft. with the boat sitting in 30' to35' He is a master at this technique. Chris is fishing a stick bait, your choice. He is fishing the main lake channel swings and also the cove mouths. He is sitting the boat in about the same depth as Buster, and is just wacking very nice K's with this method. Talked to Phil Stone for just a minute and he was also in the dam area and having a good day fishing the Varmint. Did not get the depth, but did get on gravel.

From Kimberling City to the mouth of the Kings Bill Beck and I are doing about the same. My normal day has been 25 fish, give or take, with just a butt load of big keeps and some nice fish pushing kicker size. My ladies have way out fished the guys. and I will show you why in a sec.

I have been targeting flat spawning pockets with long runnouts at the mouth. There are not only suspended fish but also fish on the bottom. They are just hovering waiting to come in. Heard one of the Elite guys today, say while spawning is in their minds, feeding is the number one thought right now, and that is what I'm seeing.

I am still catching some fish on a Rock Crawler, but the majority are coming on a Wobblehead, a Varmint, a grub, and a stickbait.

There has been a very nice mix of Largemouth, Small Jaws, and K's, so everyone has had a Rock 3 Slam.

The ladies have been catching them on a grub, a wobblehead, and the best has been the Varmint. Reason is they can throw these small baits a mile keeping them in the strike zone longer and with the touch they have it has not even been close. You put the right tool in the right hand and Katy Bar the Door.

I am using a Falcon Cara CS-3 17ML for the Grub Swimming This is a 7' Split Grip and is equipped with a Shimano Stradic spooled with 5# maxima. We are throwing a 1/4 oz Gami grub with a Keitech 2.8 Fat on it and the gals can just throw it a country mile.

On the Varmint, I am using a Falcon Cara CS-4MS 7' Split also using 5# Maxi. We are throwing fishing the Varmint on the 1/8th. oz. head, and again they can throw it and feel it. Perfect combo for what we are doing.

On the wobble head, I'm throwing both it and the R. Crawler on a Falcon Cara CCM-4-17MS. Split Micro. You can throw it either bait out of sight using 12 pound Invesx. The long cast keep this bait on the bottom the greatest distance and the rod lets you know every rock it crawls over. It is very quick thru the tip, but soft in the mid section, a great rod for this application, or cranking the wobblehead. it also fishes a fin better than any casting rod I have ever seen.

On the heaver stuff right now I'm using the McClelland Signature MMC-7-176 I'm fishing either a big jig or a swimbait right now on it and it is also one of my A-Rig Rods. It is a 7'6" tele rod and it is also a micro, with extreme light wt.

All of the fine rods are either paired with Lews, Daiwa, or Shimano reels,. making the most of light weight and quality drag systems.

Keep your equipment buttered up and get out there, this deal is fixin to break loose.

Good Luck

[Quillback]

Thanks Bill for a great report and the great info you are providing. It makes me want to get back out there.

[big c]

appreciate the report and thanks for the rod/line info!!

[Sore Thumbs]

Nice report

[Nitro 750]

Thanks for the great info, you can learn so much on this site!!!! Thanks again Bill for the report!!!

[Jtram201]

Great report Bill. Wish I could get out and try some of these things now but I just can't now.

I keep checking the Bull Shoals forum but not much being passed or told. I know Bull is 12+ up now. Wish that forum had as much traffic as this one.

Keep fishing and posting folks I enjoy reading all the stuff going on and hopefully soon I will be able to participate more

[96 CHAMP]

Well today was the first time I have used the swing jig and I was very impressed with it, I found them near spawning pockets, but out near and around the points and I do believe they were hungry, some places it was one after another, caught some very nice fish, biggest was on a jig satuday evening, I would say well

Over 4# but I did not weigh it, caught some good fish on other banks with a shakey head with zoom shakey tail. I went and fished a couple places on main lake pockets I like to go to but usually would not go to in the blowing wind, I used the swing jig hear. The bait is so versatile, it makes fishing in the wind so much easier in my opinion. Going to give it another round tomorrow before heading home. Thanks for all the tips and advice guys!!!

[Pepe]

Everywhere we fished between SK bridge and Campbell Point, today, we picked up green slime when we drug a bait. Are you guys seeing that?

[dtrs5kprs]

Ladies and kids will just crush grown men who "know" how to fish with the little rig. They just throw it and don't overfish it. Perfect.

Would have pestered some tonight, but a trailer tire had other plans...

[mixermarkb]

Ok, I while I confess I still think my older GLX and the 3 NRX rods I have are more sensitive (and probably more fragile) in my hands than the Falcons I have, I wanted to join in the Falcon love with a quick story. Last week, I was fishing Bull with my 8 year old. We were getting ready to go in because he was bored. I was a bit frustrated, and grabbed a handful of rods off the deck, dropped them in the locker, and shut the lid, while I was trying to help him get his stuff ready to run.

CRUNCH.

About 12" of my Cara Reaction 6'5" jerkbait rod was still out of the box on the deck, while the rest of it was inside the box.

One email to falcon explaining to them what I had done, $80 and the logo section hacksawed off of the $200+ Rod packed into a small padded envelope and returned to Tulsa, and I have a new rod headed my way.

New $200 rod for $80 shipped is pretty hard to beat, since the breakage was totally my own stupid fault, and I'll put the Cara Reaction rods up against any rods I've ever felt for moving baits.

Top Shelf for sure.