Owl Creek to Beaver town

[5bites]

We got down to our friends cabin Friday night but to late to fish. Our family is very very grateful they let us use it.

I stayed up to late so we got on the water late around 930am and decided to start in owl creek flipping bushes. We caught a few but nothing crazy. At least one came on an isolated standing tree. I saw a good one chasing either a shad or perch behind a dock in the shade very shallow but couldn't catch it. Then the thunder started...

So we ran real quick to a walleye gitn spot and first drop with a spoon I caught a 25.5", and that was it lol. After that the lightning ran us of. I don't like taking chances with my boys in the boat. So back to the cabin for grilled burgers and brats.

Thst evening we went back out around 430 and ran down to beaver town just to take a look. We made it to the bridge and the current was pretty strong and the water temp was 52 degrees! Obviously beaver was getting rid of some water. We took a few pics and ran down stream a little, maybe a mile to where the channel cuts back across to the west side. We tried flipping bushes in this area on both sides of the creek with no luck really. 75 degrees here. Then off to the MO/ARK line and fished more bushes. Water temp was 82 degrees here. So that's a 30 degree swing! Again little action but a few and my son caught one on a spook. This was on the flat pocket on the west side right at the line with the long point with bushes. I expected them to be there with the current etc but nope. With all the trash in the water I decided to head back before it got dark and hit the walleye spot again. Nothing. In a few weeks I think they'll be there.

Sunday we got out again later than I wanted at 7 but it was plenty foggy so it didn't matter I guess. I started with a Ned at the mouth of a pocket and no luck. When the fog lifted I ran just past roaring river to flip bushes because I freakin like flipping bushes ok! And I'm hard headed. There were fish schooling here but they were up and down so quick it was difficult to get on them. Anyway into the bushes I went and started catching fish finally. It wasn't until I started pitching back in the deeper harder to get to thicker stuff that I started getting bit. The thicker and darker shaded the better, so be brave about it and use good line. I lost a good one way back in it on an actual willow tree. That fish was buried and in the darkest place it could be and was my biggest bite all weekend. I pulled it over quite a bit but then it came of on a limb that surprised me but that part of this type of fishing. It still stung though lol. One thing I learned is I really need to go down the lake marking legitimate willow trees. There is tons and tons of buck brush but few willows comparatively. I'm sure it gets better further down lake. For some reason I've just never put a whole lot of time on it at Table Rock.

Anyway I noticed the traffic picking up so I went up the creek and caught several on a shad colored h20 square bill. The bigger sized one. I actually caught two at once which was pretty cool. They even had a third following them. While in the creek I started pitching isolated lay downs and they were loaded! I caught 5-6 of a single tree.

After this it was getting hot and my wife was getting uncomfortable. When we hit main lake it was insane with traffic and stupidity. Jet skies slowing down in front of me without even knowing I was around, a pontoon turning right while pulling a kid in front of me. I was gonna hit the walleye spot one last time but I was a nervous wreck and just wanted to get my family off the water. I was welcomed to a teenager sun bathing on the courtesy dock with her top undone, people drinking wading around the ramp so I couldn't even beach the boat. Finally we told my boys to close their eyes and I went to the dock and the girl that thought she was blessing the world got an earful. I'll have to pick and choose when I use the ramp I guess.

Anyway despite that it was a great weekend. I wish I could have had a more productive Saturday but there's little I can do about the weather.

The smaller fish was 14.75". Sorry I'm not better looking.

[rangerman]

For only one eye being that big you couldn't be to disappointed! Lol.

[5bites]

For only one eye being that big you couldn't be to disappointed! Lol.

No doubt! So far that's my biggest. The thing hit on the drop. I didn't jig once. I thought man they're here! Then after some furious jigging he was it lol.

[derekburleson]

No doubt! So far that's my biggest. The thing hit on the drop. I didn't jig once. I thought man they're here! Then after some furious jigging he was it lol.

We hit a similar stretch of the lake Saturday afternoon following the rain. Put in on what was basically a solid pile of debris at the Holiday Island ramp. Hot and humid as heck.Landed one on a frog with a few more missed blowups....Then kept throwing it because I rarely do and when it's an option on TR or Beaver it sure is a bunch of fun...Then a few decent fish on the ned, the biggest fish flipping, and my lady caught a couple nice crappie, 2 short walleye, and some spots on a Flicker Shad. I was looking for willows too but didn't want to run too far and get into boat traffic. Regardless of the quality we caught, I love having TR fairly close even when Beaver is 10 minutes from my house.

[Quillback]

That is one big walleye.

You did a heckuva a lot better than Muddy Water and I did yesterday, we fished hard for a grand total of 3 bass.

[Bill Babler]

Very nice picture of the boys on the bridge, that is the best keeper you got for the trip.

[5bites]

We hit a similar stretch of the lake Saturday afternoon following the rain. Put in on what was basically a solid pile of debris at the Holiday Island ramp. Hot and humid as heck.Landed one on a frog with a few more missed blowups....Then kept throwing it because I rarely do and when it's an option on TR or Beaver it sure is a bunch of fun...Then a few decent fish on the ned, the biggest fish flipping, and my lady caught a couple nice crappie, 2 short walleye, and some spots on a Flicker Shad. I was looking for willows too but didn't want to run too far and get into boat traffic. Regardless of the quality we caught, I love having TR fairly close even when Beaver is 10 minutes from my house.

I'm definitely jealous then. An hour and a half isn't to far but it could be closer lol.

What was the water temp at the ramp? On the south side of the island it was 75ish and at the state line it was 82. When I say it was 75ish I mean it was 67-75 actually because it changed that much in a 100yd stretch due to the current. That was the first time I've been up there when they were releasing water I believe. I hope to hit that right this summer.

[5bites]

Very nice picture of the boys on the bridge, that is the best keeper you got for the trip.

Absolutely. I tried to get them to jump in at Beaver but they declined lol. It was a much needed good weekend.

As if we don't have enough people in a 20' bass boat our lab is becoming quit the boat dog. She does really well and we are extending her times in the boat. I think she was in it about 7 hours Sunday with a few swims of course.

[Fish24/7]

good reports, did someone say pitching and flipping?!

i like pitching , ok let's be honest, I'm addicted to it!

5bites, glad you stuck with your pitching bite.

it's not bull headed, it's what you like to do ,so have fun doing it!

when flip'n and pitching I put my boat in the gnarliest stuff I can find all the time

so what if it get's scraped and scratched, I'm after big bites!

[derekburleson]

84 was the highest I saw.