I Truly Wish It Would Have Been You

[Bill Babler]

Table Rock Lake Current Fishing Report Mid-Lake 4-15-20

Fat Jaw got me started.

Got started this morning pretty early for me in this cold weather.  Launched out of Baxter at 7:30 and fished till 2.  Little hazy at first then the wind swept in about 8:30 and it got super bright and windy.  Surface temps this morning 56.1 when I launched and the water is kind of a green tea color with visibility about 4-5 ft.

After these last few cold nights I almost didn't go but thought maybe the same jerk bait fish I caught Easter morning would be hanging around.  Started on that 50 yrd. point stretch that I caught most of them on Sunday.  I also almost went to Taney.  First 20 minutes I threw the Megabass in pearl and had zero bites.  I could see some fish relating to the bottom and I moved out from about 20' to 30'.  

Nothing on the jerk bait but I continued to see fish not on the bottom,but maybe a foot off and suspended.  I pulled back out on the  point boat in 20' and picked up the Pig Sticker 1/2 oz. in GPO with a Reaction Smallie Beaver on it and chunked it up into I'm guessing maybe 8 to 10 feet.  Big Brown fish caught it, then another and another and another.

  I lost count but I think it was about 15 to 20 straight throws with a keeper.either a jaw or a K.

 As the haze lifted, the sky brightened and I never caught another SM.

 K's continued to bite like they were at the last supper.

Another 4 plus Toad brown fish.

Continued to catch fish just drifting around this point in the wind by then, bout 9:30.  I was not catching them every cast but I was kind of shocked at some point when I didn't get a bite.  I left them biting.

Pulled back to a really similar interior gravel point going into a big deep spawning pocket put the boat in 20 and there they were again.  Cast after cast on the Pig Sticker.  I tried a jerk bait and a Keitech and I could catch one on it but it was just not the deal, they wanted it on the bottom.

They thought the Pig Sticker was Food.

Next location same type deal but I only caught two on it.  One nice K and the other a solid LM on a Megabass.

Caught a few on a stick bait and a swim bait but it was just not the deal.

Next spot same similar gravel run and it was totally Ri Dick U Lating.  Every throw was a 15 to 17 inch K on the jig.  I bet I didn't catch 5 short fish all morning and I'm just spit balling but probably 50 plus keeps.  That is super conservative, as the real number is not a number, it is nonsense.

About 1:30 pulled back on the original location and caught 5 more in 5 casts and put it on the trailer.

They were just inhaling the jig.

I've had great days here catching really big fish.  I've had days catching literally hundreds on a drop shot, but I have never had a day on a jig like today.  They wanted nothing swimming or really cranking as I threw a Rock Crawler to try and get them to eat it.  I would catch one on a jig, pick up the jerk bait and throw it.  Nothing.  I would pick up the swim bait and throw it. Nothing.  I would pick up the Rock Crawler and throw it.  Nada.  I would pick up the jig and throw it up there and "Thump there she is."  These fish were totally packed full of crayfish.  I don't think I caught a single one that didn't have at least one in its throat.  And these were monster craws.

Two big SM over 4 were the champs of the day, but just the sheer numbers of quality K's was something to always remember  I'm going to say the best 5 at just under 17 pounds, so not a tournament bag but for sure the kind of day that keeps up getting up early and going back out.

Best K of the Day.

Only Bummer of the day was I lost 2 very large walleye right at the boat.  I had my net out but both had the jig back deep and both cut the 10 lb. line before I could get them in the net.  Man would that have made a day catching supper too.

I get to fish a lot and I'll catch them good again.  Probably not like today but I wish one of you all could have had this day.  I was going to say I wish my son would have, he loves to fish a jig, but he would not have hung in there for that many fish.  He is a 2-3 hr. guy even if they are tearing it up on a Redfih, he just won't fish that long.

The rest of this week and into next might be record breaking, so if you can get out there and enjoy it, by all means do.

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[dtrs5kprs]

Great report.

Did we get a craw hatch, maybe?

[Hunter53]

You are killing me Bill. We were supposed to be down there for 2 weeks starting Friday but this stupid virus screwed that up. Wife's work says if she travels out of state she had to quarantine for 2 weeks after getting back. We are NOT happy about not being able to come down.

[Quillback]

Great day Bill!  I had a good day myself, but they were all shad chasers.

[Steve McBasser]

Awesome report Bill.... thanks for sharing.

[m&m]

Bill, great pictures of healthy fish. Gotta love throwing a jig. 
 

Mike

[Brian D]

Catching those kinds of numbers and quality for me would be a dream. I’m glad to hear you had a blast ant thanks for sharing. 

[dpitt]

You woulda had an MLF challenge cup   Great report thanks for posting

[Bill Babler]

After looking a little at facebook and reading what Quill had to say along with speaking with a few others, I think yesterday was just a fish feeding fest lake wide.  Just about everyone that dangled a lure in the right place and maybe not so right got bit yesterday and got bit a bunch.

Everyone also  said that the fish were really running quality size.  Not a ton of giants yesterday, but almost all 15 plus inch fish.

Seemed like they were really grouped up on staging locations and feeding heavy.  Same type day today so its probably going to continue.  Brian D. would have tickled me pink if it would have been you.  Kind of like finding a bunch of mushrooms, those days are silly especially when they are all 2 plus pounders.

Good Luck

[Bill Babler]

Headed for Lake O. this morning to distance at Turkey/Deer camp.  Will post some on the Lake O. forum as we are going to crappie fish and do some jug fishing for blue cats.  Probably be gone a week and then when I get home we will see if the State and the Taney County bans have lifted.  I think Becky wants to reopen the Lodge if so on April 24th.   If she opens I will start guiding again that weekend.

If you need lodging for a quick get a way she is still going to distance at the Lodge with breakfast times and you can always go fishing with me.  Table Rock is really starting to stir and of course Taney has had thousands of fish dumped plus lots of trophy's showing up  and nobody playing with them.

Good Luck