Tablerock Lake Report

[Bill Babler]

Just a quick note, as I have been on the water everyday on one lake or the other.

Table Rock has gotten very mean for me, on the deep fish. I am just not getting it done out there.

Good 4 hr. trips for me are a dozen to 15 fish and some days I am praying for that many.

Topwater has retaken off and I am doing about as well on the top as anything, and it dosen't seem to have to be very early, they are just coming up from time to time. Mainly Bluff ends.

Had 5 nice smallie keepers day before yesterday on a bluff end. Best fish was around 3 lbs.

The trouble is you just can't fish the top and hope to do any good, you about have to see them blowing up. I believe they are roaming and chasing the shad schools, and just not living anywhere.

I had been shotting some deep trees out there when they blew up in the bright sun all around us. Thankfully I had the fins on the ready.

One of the group, started at 5:30 yesterday, and just drove his boat from spot to spot, looking for blow-ups. He caught 25 with 8 really good keepers, on spoons and fins. Zero when he tried to drop shot.

There are a few guys doing quite well, I understand on deep docks and deep trees.

Had a guest at the lodge report catching lots of quality short fish up to 14 inches on the bluffs, throwing a 1/4 oz slider head with a 4 inch green pumpkin worm, and bouncing it down the face of the bluffs. Don't know how reliable his info. is. He said, Nothing big but really fun fish. Almost all Blacks.

I got a feeling its going to stay tough now until fall. good luck

[DeadHead]

"Thankfully I had the fins on the ready." Uhhhh....Bill, what's a fin? $5?

[DeadHead]

Ok, ok, okkkk...... took all day but I figgered it out myself. Cordell redfin? Where's everybody at when ya need em......? Hellooooo.....?

[Don House]

Guy's, well the morning bite is very slow in all parts of the lake for me, 3- 5 fish at best for right now, I'm not sure if it is because they are not running water in the mornings or that it really is, but also I'm not fishing any top water fish, I'm just going right to the drop shot, need to give the top water a try in the morning..

But once that sun gets up high and hot man it really turns on for me. Seems like after 10:00 am, my deep trees really come to life.. We can jump from Kimberling City to the DAM to just past State Park, about 7 - 15 trees and get into some really good fish, around 20 plus with 5 - 10 keepers all on drop shot.

All of these trees are in the 70 - 100 plus range in the mouths of the bigger creek arms and on the deep flats and come up to 35 - 40 feet tops. Just turn on your electronics and start looking for them. I might find and GPS three new ones a day but they have no fish in them, but I will keep stopping by them and once in a while they are there big time!!!

Night crawlers and plastic both, some days are better for plastic and some days are better for the crawlers.. Some of my deep water docks are still producing some good fish but most have been found out by others and fished to death. Fishing the bigger deep water docks with a lot of cables on them, fish are right on the cables at 35- 40 feet, but can be very hit and miss and really is an afternoon bite when very hot.

If I can figure out how to post a picture I want to show is guy I caught yesterday.. One big Mean Mouth, a little over 5 pounds, thought for a few minutes that I may have broken the state record..

Well found a good scale and well no cookies.. But If I had caught this fish in the spring I would have crushed the record.. Fish had the length but the belly was just not there.. Still will make a great picture for my business cards and one very nice plastic mount!! Took some pictures, used some line for measurements "length and girth", gave her a kiss and watched her swim under my dock..

Does not always happen like this everyday but they are there, just do me a favor, if you find these trees just fish them, enjoy and please put them back so everyone else can enjoy also...

By the way how do you add pictures to this site?? I found how to add attachments but not pictures.. Please someone let me know..

Good Fishing Everyone

Capt. Don House

[Tightline]

Capt Don,your pictures are attachments,you simply hit the browse button and find where on your computer your pictures are at(usually My Documents)or sub folder like (My Pictures)then choose the picture you want and hit the (Add this attachment) button,then you must also hit (add to post) button.Hope this helped.Need more help just PM me.

I'd really like to see that fish!

[Don House]

Ok, lets try this one more time..

Ok finally got it.. Needed to covert to Jpeg file... Enjoy..

Capt. Don

[Tightline]

Nice fish!

Now thats a Smallmouth,Spotted bass mix,right?

And Table rock is one of the few lakes in the country where they cross successfully.

I've caught a few of them myself,but nothing but just shorts and barely keepers.

[Don House]

Tightline, yes it looked to be a Mean Mouth, cross between a Smallie and a Spot.. I have only caught a few myself, so this was a real pleasure. Thanks again for the help in placing this picture on the Board.

Once again just go out and have some fun, fishing will get better like it always does. But if you want sleep in until 8 or 9 or go throw Bill's topwater Red Fin.. Going to give it a try this morning have a group out of Aunts Creek, good place to give it a try, I will let you know how we did.. Until then

Good Fishing Everyone

Capt. Don

[Bill Babler]

Really appreciate it Don. Knew it had to be better than what some of us are doing. I think most of us are trying to work that early bite, and they just are not positioned on the deep spots yet. I am trying to finish, about the time your starting to really catch them. Big Boats and heat are making me crazy. Sounds like I am missing the best bite.

Keep up the good work.

I'm going to have to get out that pick and shovel and dig a little deeper.

[WebFreeman]

Wow. Nice fish Don.