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[Flysmallie]

11 minutes ago, Bill Babler said:

If your after a small jaw try the following pts.  The trick will be for you to keep your boat deep enough and you will have trouble with this.  Emerald Pt.   The is on the N. Side of Clevenger Island going East right in front of High Dive.  There are two islands, drag a jig 1/2 oz. or a C-rig out that ridge.  Start at 20' and drag out to 50'

Emerald Pt. itself, with the condo's.  Fish in front of the condos out and keep the boat in 35'.  Jake's point, immediately to the North same deal.

Old 86 camp ground point, across the lake .  Drag the point out East and then it bears North.  If our boat is under 30' you will not get bit.  Lots of places on that ridge also.

Flat point just South of the Branson Belle, drag it out toward the Island, again keeping the boat in 20 plus.

  Try this for your Small Jaw and if you are not successful we will try and get you on a deep K bite.

On another note this lake has a huge population of Gizzard Shad and they are simply lake wide right now.  They are surfacing in the morning and hanging deep after first light.  They surface jump and swim with nothing bothering them, so it may be these you are seeing on the surface and on your electronics.  They will get as big, and I mean 1.5 pound class so if you are not used to seeing them they will fool you.

Good Luck

If you catch one you owe Bill a cheeseburger. A good one. 

[murdok]

Fished till ten tonight my buddy that’s with me caught a 17” smally late this afternoon I’m bout 12 hrs fishing and 1 fish in the bout.we got to more days no giving up. Thanks for all yalls help and you guys got an exceptionally beautiful fishery wish I had time to see it all

[Hunter53]

Murdok: read what Bill has posted and follow it to a T!  He is one of if not the best  guides on the lake!

When Bill said flat gravel; he means long flatter points with the small gravely rock. 

Hardest thing for me when I am down is to stay out deep enough. Being from Nebraska and our shallow lakes it doesn’t seem right to be that far off the bank. LOL

[murdok]

Well I had the worst fish catching 4 days of my life but had an absolute wonderful time. This place is beautiful beyond belief. I finally found a few fish today and ended up with 7 spots. I stayed deep with jig, c-rig, and Ned rig. Got away from the bank after the first day. Would love to come back one day don’t know when that will happen. Would prefer to come at time with a little less recreational boat traffic. I bet this place can be good in sept-oct plus the leaves will be changing and adding to the beauty. Thank you fellas so much for your help. If not for y’all i’d a been my ole south ms bank beater the whole trip and not caught nothing. Did not get my small mouth I wanted but o well i’m Not going home with any regrets. 

[Quillback]

Good for you on having a good time, that it what is important.  This is a tough time of year to fish the Rock as far as catching numbers of fish.

If you do come back for a fall trip, I would wait until at least mid-October, fishing can be really tough in September.  

[Bill Babler]

I saw that also Jeff.  YEP,  if you come in September or October you will be into a nice leaf color change with a chance for some isolated snow fall😃

Not really Murdok, just joking.  September here is hot and I mean temperature.  Leaves are usually early to mid November for the best colors.  Last year our prettiest day here at the Lodge and Becky keeps track for the leaf peepers was November 16.

Last week of October those Jaws will start munching, but not where you might think   They are still in that 20 Foot  plus range inhaling 3/4 oz football jigs.

Come back and give it a try.

[MoCarp]

A float trip will hook you for life... just sayin😉

[Hunter53]

Murdok; make a trip back in the spring. Last 2 weeks of April are usually always good. You WILL catch smallies that time of year on gravel and they will be shallower.