Tablerock - the new guy (well almost new)

[tandrle]

I have been there 2 times once about 20 years ago early spring did well on bass but it was just me.  Last year I took my family down the kids like to do it all, water sports and fishing.  We will be the Z520 pulling tubes during the day and fishing in the AM/PM.  We stayed near Emerald bay last year but chose to move up to Indian point this year.  I was able to find some bass in the morning down there last year but the action was not fast enough to keep the kids excited so we fished bluegills in the evening.  I spent 2 hours baiting hooks they had a blast.  What I would like to do is find them that type experience (similar) with other species.  Would like to find some Crappies if possible, definitely some Bass (I found an early AM topwater last year).  Any pointers you all have to excite the kids would be great.  I can go all day and locate fish but the kids expect to have them already located before we try the spot I am sure you all know the drill.  Would love to see their eyes with an 8 lber like I found 20 years ago down there.  We will be there starting June 13... 

 

Thanks for any input you have to help me locate options.   

[Quillback]

I'd stick to the gills if the kids are happy catching them.  Crappie are very tough on this lake, I would not even think fishing for them with young kids.  

If it was me, I would have them fish night crawler chunks on gravel - they won't get hung up all the time and you should be able to get a mix of species.  

[tandrle]

What about Bass options where they could pull a bunch of Kentucky or something.  They are 10/13 now and I would like to show them more than just bluegills.  

[bferg]

Drop shot a live night crawler on a gravel point is probably you best bet to find some spots.  Use your graphs to try to find fish and drop it on them....

[Bill Babler]

This is Table Rock Lake, there is not a bunch of anything anywhere.  This lake is not stocked with the exception of spoonbill by MDC.  Arkansas stocks some walleye up the Kings and White River, and that is a ways from Indian Point.

Drop shotting a crawler on years when the lake level is at 915 or there abouts is good if you can find the fish.  On high water flood years like this it is super sketchy as the fish tend to scatter and not school as much during daylight hours.  Today we found fish from 10' to 40' but not loads of fish in any certain location, they were just scattered in the water column.  Everything we found today was suspended, and on gravel, which is hard to  see with the lake being this high.

Fishing early the bite was fantastic on both topwater and using a small swim bait, keeping the boat mostly in 30'.  Early and I mean early 0500 to 0700 there was a great topwater bite if you could find it.  White bass blew up on us several times and could have been caught on the small 2.8 inch swim baits or the topwater, but we avoided them.  Fun to catch but like turning loose a porky pine.  The white bass this year have been blowing up most every morning lake wide, even in the dam area.  Look in the mouth of the bigger coves to see them surfacing

Depending on the child and his or her age, Table Rock for the most part is not a kid friendly lake unless they are patient and know about fishing, in that fishing is fishing and at times not catching.  Some handle this way better than others with girls handling it about 50 times better than boys.

There are some very good guides working the Indian Point Dam area.  Hire one for a morning and see what they are doing.  Tell them what you want to accomplish with the kids and tell them if they are on kid friendly fish you want to go, and if not you don't.  If ones says maybe we can get them into fish, don't go with him, find another one and give him a call asking the same question.

I'll tell you right now I am not on kid friendly fish as I'm not on drop shot fish.  I can get bit from 5 to 7 by fish  that a 12 year old can catch but at 7 or 8 the fish pull the plug and it gets wicked.  

Deal could change in 10 days when you get here, but right now it is somewhat big boy fishing.

You want to take them and catch some really nice fish to eat book a trip out of Lilley's for trout.  The trout are kid friendly and make lasting memories and they eat really well too if your in a mind for fish.

Good Luck

 

 

[MickinMO]

I'd go past Shell Knob to Big M or Eagle Rock area. Troll or drift (drift sock if wind is right alignment with cove) jigs with 3" grubs or roadrunners in big coves or small tributary arms like Roaring River. When sun goes down tie up to trees in large coves nearest the main lake you can get and use minnows under a bait light.

[dblades]

9 hours ago, MickinMO said:

I'd go past Shell Knob to Big M or Eagle Rock area. Troll or drift (drift sock if wind is right alignment with cove) jigs with 3" grubs or roadrunners in big coves or small tributary arms like Roaring River. When sun goes down tie up to trees in large coves nearest the main lake you can get and use minnows under a bait light.

Good luck finding a tree...

[MickinMO]

1 hour ago, dblades said:

Good luck finding a tree...

Ok, just go into the trees

[tandrle]

Thanks for the insight thus far, sounds like Crappies will be tough that time of year and that is ok we may dip a minnow if we feel like it. I would really like to get the on some schooling bass, let them catch something bigger than a gill.  

 

What does the water look like right now? is there a lot of debris in it? Looks to be down about 2 feet from its high, although I do not understand why it is holding steady and not dropping with there being little rain over the last 7-10 days.    

[OldmanCRS]

 Im surprised Super Dave hasnt chimed in by now. If I was going to be taking my child fishing down on The Rock I would tie on a Ned Rig and let them have at it. I dont know of a better bait for a child, wife, mother in law or anyone who is just getting into fishing. They can cast it or just let it drag behind the boat, ITS GONNA CATCH FISH PERIOD