Back from our trip to TR

[Hunter53]

We are back home from our trip to TR. This spring was definitely different than normal for us. We caught some fish but nothing like we normally do this time of year down there.

The only fairly consistent thing I could find was fishing the inside part of bluff ends with a jerk bait. Used a Matt Shad colored vision 110. Other than the jerk bait it was a fish here and there on the Ned. I did catch fish on the jerk bait in other areas while Michele fished the Ned but the bite on the jerk bait wasn't as consistent as on the bluff ends. Caught 3 nice walleyes up the white on the jerk bait also. They are still swimming for you walleye guys.

I will say the amount of BIG boats out already on the weekends was kind of disappointing. And the amount of big tournaments in the time we were there had us shaking our heads.

We had a great time as always though.

We do really love TR and will be back in June with some friends for a week and again in October for a week.

With that said we booked a camp spot at Bull Shoals for our 2 week trip next spring to try and get away from all the traffic and see what we think of Bull.

[magicwormman]

I think you will be happy with your decision to stay on the Bull. Less boats and more fish = a great vacation. There are + and - for both lakes but if I were a little younger, I would live close to the bull. It's just a bit far to the Drs. and Hospitals

[Bill Babler]

I'm really fortunate living where I live, I can be at Tucker in under 30 minutes at Diamond in 45 and at K dock in about 30 minutes.  Bull fishes a little different than TR but you can figure it out pretty fast.  One thing on Bull that you don't see as much is fish really like the small pockets and bluff cuts over there, much more than TR.  For sure way less traffic and at times a better bite with more critters snapping at your baits.

Also look at the long runnout points with buck brush on them.  You can also fish the flats where they meet the channel and if there is a cove present either side of the flat as it relates to the cove channel dumping into the main White River channel.  Bluffends can be a thing of beauty on Bull with both bass and walleye suspended off them.  There are multiple in the Horseshoe bend area that hold bass year around and if your timing is good you will get a smile from a walleye suspended out there with the green fish.

They just love them some jerk bait.

Good Luck down there and you can always PM me for info on that end.  Much below Diamond and I don't go down there a lot, only a couple of times a year.

[Hunter53]

Thanks a bunch Bill.  We are staying at White River State park below the dam.  Hopefully we can get something figured out on the lower end  but we have no problem making a run too. I am sure we will run a LONG way up lake just to see the lake at least a time or two.

 

[vernon]

Hey Hunter, it didn't occur to me that it was you until a few minutes afterwards but that was my brother and me that spoke briefly to you and your wife Monday or Tuesday evening by the Kimberling Inn boat dock.  We were in the silver and blue Ranger with the silver G2.  

About the time we got just past the boat dock I said to my brother, "I've seen that boat somewhere before."  However, it took a couple more minutes for my feeble mind to process the data and realize that "somewhere" was actually the photos that you had posted on OA a couple months ago.

I'm a little partial to blue myself but that's one beautiful boat you guys have there and it's even prettier in person!  

I had hoped we might see you again during the week but we ended up spending most of the remainder of our time up between Baxter and Big Creek in order to escape the slime monster around Kimberling.

We might very well see you again next spring at  Bull too.  If our remaining three trips to Table Rock this year prove to be as overrun with tournaments and pleasure boats as last week (and there's certainly no reason to believe otherwise) I'm pretty sure that we're gonna reluctantly finally make the move to the southeast too.

Accommodations and nostalgia have kept us coming back long after we first started talking about maybe being better off over that way but the amount of traffic is really beginning to effect our attitudes and that's just too counterproductive to continue to ignore.

I hope you're able to keep ol' blue sufficiently wet the rest of this year up Nebraska way - she's definitely gonna stand out in Husker land that's for sure!

 

[Hunter53]

You have a sharp boat as well Vernon.  Wish I had known that was you; would have visited more for sure. If you do go to Bull next year let us know and if we are there at the same time we should all get together for supper sometime.

 

[vernon]

21 minutes ago, Hunter53 said:

You have a sharp boat as well Vernon.  Wish I had known that was you; would have visited more for sure. If you do go to Bull next year let us know and if we are there at the same time we should all get together for supper sometime.

 

Thanks - if only my overworked/underutilized brain could process information a little bit quicker........

I will definitely keep that in mind for next year.  Lord knows it'll take me most if not all of the rest of the year to move the whole thing through the thinking stage but I'll be sure and let you know.

We used to go over there quite a bit years ago and I've always loved that lake.  Accommodations and amenities are certainly lacking compared to Table Rock but I think that's what we're actually looking for these days.  A little back to the future might be just what we need.

We always stayed down near the dam area and had great success fishing the Jimmy and Howard creek arms.  

As for a long boat ride, I can't think of a better place to go.  I've broken in probably a half dozen new motors on that lake and you can do it in a single day if you've got the stamina!  It's like driving cross country on the interstate - just set the cruise control and enjoy the scenery and solitude.

[Hunter53]

We are going to stay in the white river state park just below the dam. If you are camping it looks to be a really nice park. They have a bunch of spots that have full hookups including sewer. They did say they get reserved pretty far in advance for that time of year.

Does appear that there isn't a lot to do there besides fish. We have done the Branson thing enough while at TR that just fishing is great with us as that is our main thing to do anyhow. We do like to go out to eat in the evenings so we will have to find some places. Obviously Gastons will be on our list of places to try.

[skeeter]

18 hours ago, Hunter53 said:

 

I will say the amount of BIG boats out already on the weekends was kind of disappointing. And the amount of big tournaments in the time we were there had us shaking our heads.

 

Hunter, you are far from being alone in this. 

Reduction in the numbers of "Regatta Permits" issued by the Water Division of the Highway Patrol for TR during a short, crowded time period and the apparently money-driven MDC resistance to installing "catch, measure, photograph and release at boatside" regulations during the Spawning Season for ALL anglers on ALL Lakes  (same as they have on State streams) needs some serious re-thinking.  

There, I said it, let the slings and arrows commence.  Don't care anymore, it needs saying. 

Glad you had a good time otherwise on your trip. 

[Royal Blue]

Hunter, you'll be close enough to Mountain Home that you'll find a bunch of good places to eat over there as well.