Just Kicking and Stewing

[Bill Babler]

Lots of really good thoughts here.  Bobby, we all have followed you this Summer and you are going to have to drop the newbie roll soon as you have equated yourself extremely well in the dam area on days rivaling or even beating the full time guides fishing that area.  I for one look forward to reading your fishing exploits and want to know your good and bad days, so thanks for posting everything.

Boat traffic is still heavy between Baxter and Campbell Point and yesterday the shad were just swimming with it, it had no effect on them.  As for generation, the pattern has remained the same for most of the last month.  Off in the morning and running in late afternoon.

After over 26 yrs. here of full time guiding, this looks just exactly like late September to me.  Shad come up and the fish go to Mars.  We had almost a week of 56 to 59 degree nights here and that dropped the surface temps 10 degree.  Really similar to what we would see in late September and I'm thinking that made the move.  I don't think it effects jig fish that much, we had two on it yesterday and just threw it for a few minutes, but it did move the deep fish.   It also gave them as Bobby can attest a very sour attitude.

Thanks all, we appreciate all your thoughts.

[Champ188]

Here's my 2 cents' worth (actual worth is probably half of that 😁).

As our lake has aged, it has lost a lot of cover to decay (wood) and seen much of its structure soften or lose its sharper edges (siltation). I believe this has led to a growing population of fish that have become nomadic ---- i.e., they roam around with the baitfish. And when the thermocline begins to break up, baitfish scatter and so do the bass. Like Bill is saying, this is a situation that normally happens in September but seems to have come earlier than normal this year due to cooler nighttime temps.

This is why that even though they are getting harder to find by the day, I like to seek out areas that still have the right combination of structure and cover to hold fish. These are more apt to be "resident" fish rather than nomads just swimming thru while following the shad. Understand that these fish are not nearly as numerous as the nomads, so you have to be thorough and committed to what you're doing when fishing these areas.

In a nutshell, I'm not as gifted as Bill and others when it comes to sniffing out these roaming schools, so I try to find the ones that are sitting still and letting the food come to them.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts and ideas in this thread . 

[Quillback]

I was looking through my notes, which helped me remember last September at the end of the month when the fish were very tough to get.  They were scattered out deep with some chasing shad on top but could never find them schooled up and when you did find a few they'd move.  The shad were all over the place, but were small and the fish would not touch big baits.  I remember getting a few on a Kastmaster and some on finesse sized top waters.  It was frustrating.

My one cent (Champ's two cents are worth double my thoughts 😄), are that the shad are plentiful, but scattered and all over the place so the bass get scattered chasing them.  

Tough time to be a guide, Bill, you have my sympathy.

Come on November!

 

[Champ188]

This is why I like the far ends of the river arms in the fall … at least I have them hemmed in to a degree. 😁

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Jerry Rapp said:

has there been a reduction in hydro power generation?  

i don't really have an answer for that.  i do know that for this time of the year and given the drought conditions, that we are still just barely under 915.

bo

[Smithvillesteve]

Very interesting thread here. I dont get to fish TR as much as i would like to. But i do know that highland reservoirs can be challenging. Heck, bass fishing can be challenging, period!! I also really respect the takes of Bill Babler, Bo, Champ and others on here. And if Bill is struggling then nobody is doing well!! Sometimes i just think its karma. Bill you been killing them most of the summer! You got on a pattern and been catching 50-100 bass in 4 hr trips! That is amazing! The fish have said enough of that. Our time to win!! I do love the fact that this challenge is driving you crazy and you are attacking it with all you got. You are a tough competitor Bill!!! Love the info you put out. 

[m&m]

All, this is one of the best threads on here. I appreciate the information provided by those I consider knowledgeable. It seems that the two things I don’t like to do (fish >30’ deep and night fishing) are the two things that have the best chance of catching numbers of fish. But I keep fishing anyway because I love it!

Mike

[Bill Babler]

Here is the deal and don't get me wrong, James said it best.  There are still fish to be caught if you have the ability to do so.  "ie"  Night time and Jig fish with some in the trees.  For my day to day life as a guide especially if I have multiple clients even up to 3 there are just some things that I or they struggle with.  Most of that is casting and presenting a bait correctly.  I know a lot of you are going to say that's fishing, but on the White River in the Summer with the folks that do not get the chance to fish as much as most of us do, they struggle with this.

We are honored to be able to take folks of all ages and abilities and there is nothing that is the equalizer better than the drop shot with either real or live bait, it is a difference maker.  Usually we hold onto this bite till late September and at that time our died in the wool fishermen are back and our families are headed back to the real world and it's not a problem.  This year it came early.

The deep bite also arrived early and with a total vengeance that as I've said the sheer numbers from the middle of May till last week were staggering, along with the size of the fish.  Good golly we were swimming a Keitech to them in July.

I don't think these fish will reassemble now, I think they will just be their nomadic self's and move into the Fall feed, perhaps in the next 3 weeks.  You can bet we will  try and keep our eye on them and keep you posted if we get her figured out.

Good Luck

 

 

[Phil Lilley]

Trout are biting on my lake just fine...  

[Seth Clarkson]

4 hours ago, m&m said:

All, this is one of the best threads on here. I appreciate the information provided by those I consider knowledgeable. It seems that the two things I don’t like to do (fish >30’ deep and night fishing) are the two things that have the best chance of catching numbers of fish. But I keep fishing anyway because I love it!

Mike

I just wanted to second what Mike said previously on how appreciative we are for you guys that have more experience and are willing to share the knowledge as well as have open discussions about how it can still be challenging. I have mainly fished Bull Shoals this year, but most all of this info is still relevant to me, at least for attempting to pattern fish on a trip during this time frame.