Top water Tiger's

[Bill Babler]

WRO Guide Service  Table Rock Lake Report 6-2-21.  Shell Knob

Richard with a really nice 15.5 inch smallmouth

Nothing big, but just jaw after jaw on the top water junk. 

Started this morning running a bit late due to the weather, 0700.  Picked up Mike, Dave and Rich at Mike's dock, right by  Play Port. 

Launched at the bridge and in that mile stretch I noticed quite a bit of top water, and why not. Talk about the perfect drawn up in the book guide top water day. 

Even though there were quite a few chasers up stream I decided to head for some of the long gravel run outs between Campbell Point and Baxter

It was sinful what these 3 clowns  did to our bass. I've been guiding them since 95 I can call them anything, especially after today. Mike is lucker than a leprechaun to begin with so it didn't surprise me. 

What did was the amount of tiger stripped jaws, that just crushed the redfin and the surge shad. 

We fished A total of 3 just three flat points in 5 hrs. The guys said they thought we had about 15 doubles or triples on those points.  Just stupid good and when one would come in on the hook 1/2 Dozen would be following. 

Never had a fish over 2.5 lbs but the amount of 15-17 inch jaws was probably my all time best on top water for small mouth

Maybe had 18 K's but the jaw numbers would be silly to write down.

How I got out of this without looking like I had been in a fight with a porcupine from all those hooks is hard to believe. 

Just a fantasy day on the Rock with 3 of my longest, and best clients and friends. 

Good Luck

 

[merc1997 Bo]

awesome!

bo

 

[DavidB]

What a great trip!  Makes me even more eager for our next trip to beautiful Table Rock.

[Bill Babler]

These 3 guys are retired and have been that way for the past 15 yrs.  They live in Texas and really fish continuously from Texas to Mexico to Florida.   You name it they have caught them there.  Mike has a nice place at Shell Knob and I have been taking them for years

They have caught 1000’s of Table Rock bass and many times that around North And South America.  

Dave told me as far as they know that is the best day they ever had fishing anywhere.  Period.

To put this in perspective all 3 of these guys have caught a LM over 13 pounds, on their adventures.

We have caught more many times with this group, as I said they’re lucky as a 4 leaf clover and can fish on top of that.  

Deal is we had a unreal top water bite to fish that were for the most part just there, not chasing much, just post spawn sitting there looking for a meal  

Smallmouth just hit top water different, I don’t care what size they are. They hit it totally pissed. 

On the strikes they were calling “Spot.”  Or “that’s a LM.”   Or better yet. “ That’s a brown one!”  I mean you could tell the difference every time in sheer aggression.

Those 2 pounders would just smash it and then pull drag.  What a day, I was more than blessed.

Surface temps 67 degree, with water color dark ice tea.  They would take a 1/2 oz. Dixie Jet out of your hand, but why fish sub surface when they were trying to break your top water junk. 

Good Luck. Get out there NOW
 

 

 

[nhornback]

Bill, 

Is this the look of the structure you're referring to when you say, "long gravel run outs"? 

Just a clueless fisherman trying to better understand the lingo you guys all reference. 

Thanks!

NH

[Bill Babler]

No, that’s way to steep where you dropped the pin. Where we caught them yesterday was on the long gravel in front of spawning cove mouth’s. Boat in 30’,   100 to 200 yards off the bank. 
Right now there are loads of fish either on the bottom or suspended at depth at the 22’ mark. On cloudy days like yesterday they were thru the entire water column. 
Today I would have sucked as I’m hearing with the high sky and calm they were all on the bottom 22 to 26 feet. 
Hope this helps. 
Good Luck

[nhornback]

Thanks for the reply, Bill

So the 'long gravel run outs' you're referencing are like a 'do nothing' gravel bank with a very gradual slope that lead into a pocket? Still confused I guess (go figure) 

Thanks in advance for your knowledge, appreciate all the detailed posts you give to help guys like me