5/28/20 Baxter Area - Big Indian Launch

[whiteley.matt]

Launched around 6 from the Big Indian (H Highway) launch across from Baxter.  No issues and the parking lot is very easy to launch from.  Only issue could be accessing it if the lake raises much more.  The water was maybe 10" from going over the road that leads to the ramp.  

Topwater bite was very good for the first couple hours.  Fish were chasing shad from the shoreline all the way out to 100'.  We had a problem getting them on the hooks.  I think we only landed 5 or 6 fish on topwater and easily had over 50 blowups.  I tried just letting the spook set to see if that made a difference.  Had several blowup on it just sitting dead in the water and no hook up.  It was still alot of fun and was fast and furious action while it lasted.  There were several 5+ lb fish that came up out of the water chasing shad so there were some good fish mixed in.

The rest of the day we flipped jigs into the jungle for a bit, threw ned, small swimbaits, weightless fluke, wacky rigged senko, jerkbait and spinnerbait.  Was pretty slow overall, just a few fish here and there.  the jerkbait was the bait that seemed to work the best.  We kept noticing suspended fish out in the main guts in the back of coves and creeks.  Starting throwing a jerkbait and they were eating it.  Most of the fish caught on jerkbait were largemouth.  Never caught anything with any size though.

Ended with over 20 total fish with 6 keepers and lots of near misses.  No fish pics, nothing to special to show there.  There is a pic of shoreline at Baxter and then a sycamore tree full of herring nests that were all full of babies. (I think they were herrings)  I believe we counted 11 nests

    

[Bill Babler]

Launched the same location at 0500 and I was the 7th. rig in the lot.  You can get about 20 in that lot and tomorrow you had better get there before 0400 if you want a place to park.  From what I'm hearing there are 3 small derby's tomorrow and that will pretty much take care of Cow and Mill Creek.  Do'n't think they will be at H. but none the less I'm trouting  tomorrow and back to H on Sunday.

Bite with totally stupid this morning from Baxter toward Point 9 with fish in front of the bushes willing to catch the Keitech on the fall.  I'm guessing well over 30 keepers but nothing over 2.75 pounds.  About 50/50 jaws and K's.

I never saw a fish chase this morning but once you hooked one a boat load would follow it in.  The hooked fish would spit shad and craws along side the boat and his buddies would swallow them as soon as they came out of his mouth.  Kind or grose but pretty neat.  Only caught 2 on topwater, and it was hard to throw where I was fishing due to small debris on the water in chopped up grass and leafs.  Wake bait was out of the question and a spook and yellow magic would still get crud on the rear hook after a few head turns.

The Keitech in 2.8 and 3.3 if fished correctly along with the ned has revolutionized the way we bass fish on the Rock for the past at least 7 yrs.   That small swim bait is a total monster right now and you can simply catch all you want to catch on it.

I'm lighting it right in front of the bushes 7 to 10 ft.  right now and quickly picking up my slack to let it fall on a tight line.  I'm fishing a 1/4 oz. head and letting it drop to the bottom and then slow winding it back to the boat and that today was in 20' to  35' depending on the lake location.  When I am ready for another cast the bait is usually coming straight up so, I mean reel and pull it slow.

I'm fishing it on 5 lb. Maxi and 6 lb. Excel with about the same result.  The Maxi cast further and the longer the cast the more time the bait can spend in the strike zone so that is important.

I'm not going to say if your can't get bit on a swim bait right now you should take up golf, but it is pretty durn close and has been for 2 months.  

I did try and power fish a bit with a buzz bait and a blade but, no luck and I was getting a little twitchy being that close to the bank so I  retreated.

Good Luck

[fozzype]

how do you get to h highway ramp

[Royal Blue]

1 hour ago, Bill Babler said:

Launched the same location at 0500 and I was the 7th. rig in the lot.  You can get about 20 in that lot and tomorrow you had better get there before 0400 if you want a place to park.  From what I'm hearing there are 3 small derby's tomorrow and that will pretty much take care of Cow and Mill Creek.  Do'n't think they will be at H. but none the less I'm trouting  tomorrow and back to H on Sunday.

Bite with totally stupid this morning from Baxter toward Point 9 with fish in front of the bushes willing to catch the Keitech on the fall.  I'm guessing well over 30 keepers but nothing over 2.75 pounds.  About 50/50 jaws and K's.

I never saw a fish chase this morning but once you hooked one a boat load would follow it in.  The hooked fish would spit shad and craws along side the boat and his buddies would swallow them as soon as they came out of his mouth.  Kind or grose but pretty neat.  Only caught 2 on topwater, and it was hard to throw where I was fishing due to small debris on the water in chopped up grass and leafs.  Wake bait was out of the question and a spook and yellow magic would still get crud on the rear hook after a few head turns.

The Keitech in 2.8 and 3.3 if fished correctly along with the ned has revolutionized the way we bass fish on the Rock for the past at least 7 yrs.   That small swim bait is a total monster right now and you can simply catch all you want to catch on it.

I'm lighting it right in front of the bushes 7 to 10 ft.  right now and quickly picking up my slack to let it fall on a tight line.  I'm fishing a 1/4 oz. head and letting it drop to the bottom and then slow winding it back to the boat and that today was in 20' to  35' depending on the lake location.  When I am ready for another cast the bait is usually coming straight up so, I mean reel and pull it slow.

I'm fishing it on 5 lb. Maxi and 6 lb. Excel with about the same result.  The Maxi cast further and the longer the cast the more time the bait can spend in the strike zone so that is important.

I'm not going to say if your can't get bit on a swim bait right now you should take up golf, but it is pretty durn close and has been for 2 months.  

I did try and power fish a bit with a buzz bait and a blade but, no luck and I was getting a little twitchy being that close to the bank so I  retreated.

Good Luck

Are you still using the keitech head for your swimbaits?

[Bill Babler]

Both Big Bite and Keitech.  

H. hwy ramp is on 39 hwy between Shell Knob and 86 hwy Carr Lane.  Go down H for 6 miles and when it starts to go into the lake, take a right and follow that small Black top around to the launch.

Got a feeling it will be packed in the morning far prior to sunrise.