JERK & STICK BAIT TECHNIQUES

[Bill Babler]

Can't wait to read your piece. A bunch of the older guys are around that can tell you of stickbait fishing here in the early 60's. Rick Holmgren, Dan, Langley out of Shell Knob. J.D. Fletcher out of Devil's Dive up the White, Charlie Cambell, Bobby Tindle, Stacy King, Ralph at Kings Harbor, And many, many more.

I do know that one of the largest selections of homemade sinking and suspending stickbaits were a collection that burned at the Campbell Point Marina, I believe in the late 60's or early 70's.

Many of these baits were impossible to find and hard to get. Most of the bodies were imported as floaters, and then transformed and modified. I know they leased the baits per day just like you would a rental boat with a very hefty deposit in case of damage or loss. The bait was about as much as the boat, to hear the ole boy's talk. I believe if you lost one, even though you had to pay for it, you never got another and were black balled.

You might contact Tom Koob out of Shell Knob also as he is a very good historian on the region, and I would bet he would have some juicy info.

Great Stuff. I may be showing my age, and being nostalgic, but I just love that type of information.

Appreciate you RS

[Ham]

I've been interested in this technique for quite awhile. It really doesn't get cold enough or rather stay cold enough for me to have a TR like situation occur. I have some questions regarding how weather relates to trying the susp jerkbait.

Do ya'll prefer cloudy days over a bluebird day ?

Do ya'll want some wind more than no wind?

What weather conditions would make ya'll forget about even trying it if water temp and time of year were right?

[Bill Babler]

Ham, for the most part we are wanting wind and most diffently sunshine. Water temp is not really a factor and the fish will eat the bait in extremely cold water as long as it trys to increase a few degrees throughout the day.

For example SK and I threw the bait for 6 hrs. today and only had one fish on a very cloudy flat smooth day. During this past week in the sun and wind, everyone was having them eat the bait. When we started today the air was 27 and the water 43.7 When we stopped the missery, the air was 38 and the water 42.1 flat on breeze, We had a horrible day. Hope others did better.

We did devote about 90minutes to walleye, but they didn't like us either.

If we would have had the least ammount of wind and a slightly warming surface temp. they would have bit, reguardless of the water temperature

[SKMO]

When the water is cold (below 50) I like sun. And I always like some wind, anytime on this lake unless it gets so windy I cannot fish deep (35'+) spots when that is what I am wanting to do.

Seems like cloudy days would be good but if it is flat calm it can be a bugger.

I would definitely disagree with Bill on our fishing foray today. He indicated we had little to no sucess.

I would have to disagree with him on this, and I would have said: "All the bites I had were very light. So Light as to be undetictable".

I must have had 20-30 bites today but I never felt a one of them!

[CMAC]

Can't wait to read your piece. A bunch of the older guys are around that can tell you of stickbait fishing here in the early 60's. Rick Holmgren, Dan, Langley out of Shell Knob. J.D. Fletcher out of Devil's Dive up the White, Charlie Cambell, Bobby Tindle, Stacy King, Ralph at Kings Harbor, And many, many more. /quote]

You speak of a very interesting time frame of Table Rock history, not mention one of my favorite topics, which reminds me of great stories and loads of information one of my college professors would share with me after class. We developed a great relationship because we shared two passions, fishing and golf.

Anyway, he belonged to the Campbell Point Bass Club and would tell stories of the quality and quantity of bass they caught. Plus he had proof, he gave me countless bass club newsletters dating back to this time period with names of teams and individuals and their respective weights and ranks. Also included in the newsletter was the trophy list of anglers and their creel. Some of these newsletters are so old (old to me) you cannot even handle them for fear of tearing.

Just an interesting piece of the white river history I thought I would share. In my collection, I am the proud owner of a the ugliest spinner bait known to man. I believe they called it the "Rat" or that is what my professor called it, chartruese in color; the whole thing including the blades and would catch fish in the clearist of water, so I am told.

Sorry to get of the stickbait subject, but I had a memory flash back. I am sure he had plenty of stickbaits wrapped with the wire led. I know my father-in-law does. He use to take his pocket knife and cut wedges in the bill to get them to dive deeper.

[Bill Babler]

CMAC, Whould there be anyway possible for you to post abit of any of those news letters or tournament results.

The history of fishing the Rock would be a very interesting topic to everyone.

It sounds like you have pieces that would be very interesting to the Ralph Foster Museum, for history of the region. I know I would go anywhere to read such pieces.

Extemely exciting post. Thanks

[Phil Lilley]

CMAC- if you need any help scanning or posting this information, please let me know... I'll help in any way I can.

[CMAC]

Lilley,

You got an email address or would you rather me post here?

The information is not as old as I originally thought (1975) but dates back to 1965. It's old to me.....

thanks,

[Phil Lilley]

phil-at-lilleyslanding.com

[ckjacks]

Sorry to stick my nose in here at the end.... What about the Rapala Count Down? Does anyone use it?

Also, where do you guys use them? I'm taking it that in the winter/early spring you cast them on the points. How deep we typically talking here?

Haven't really used this technique, but it sounds like I should be.