Table Rock Report (This week)

[Don House]

Well been taking a few morning and then some afternoon trips out this week. Morning trips are slow but still catching a few bass, a lot of shorts and a few keeper mixed in around Kimberling City Area up to the Dam. And of course by now everyone knows about the white bass bite going on, some days good some days slow but still a lot of fun.. Just look for the boats by the DAM. White and Chart spoons depth changes every day.. Get up early you have about an hour per day to get them and then they are gone.

Still having troubles finding a top water bite, anyone out there having any luck at all with this?? All I can find are these really small spots chasing shad early and that is it.

Afternoon trips have been really strange most are from 4:00pm to 8:00pm so stay in the A/C and sleep for the mid afternoon, was up around Big Cedar a few nights ago, stunk bad, not very many bites but all that we caught came on spoons in deep water trees, but very slow in that area. Maybe some of those Big Cedar Guides will speak up and tell us what is going on in my backyard?

Moved to Kimberling City for the next afternoon and had a blast, found two new trees loaded with fish, drop shot and spoons were the ticket in and around 60 - 80 feet, fish are suspended right in the tops of the trees in 30 - 45 feet on the big flats around the main channels.

Spoons were producing the bigger keepers but we could only get three or four to bite, but boy they were really nice fish. After that we go back to the drop shot and pick off a few more then move to the next spot and start all over again. That day we were hitting about 5-7 trees just looking for fish, drop a spoon down nothing comes up move on to the next one. But when you find the right one, fish will come up like mad, seems like the whole school is in that one tree.

And Yes boat traffic was really bad but by 5:00pm or so they went in for dinner and things calmed down a bit.

Hope that helps some of you out, go fishing and have some fun..

Good Fishing Everyone

[rps]

I've fished three mornings in the last seven days. I've spooked, run the new wake bait, and popped with a Chug Bug. The longest fish on topwater might have measured 12 inches. And you are right. Most of those I have caught on top are spotted bass busy busting tiny baitfish.

I am going out again in the morning. If I figure out how to change the pattern, I will let you know.

rps

[Bill Babler]

Have not been on the Table Rock fourm in the past couple of weeks, simply because there are easier pickins.

Did find my way onto the pond for 3 trips this week.

Kind of a general lake report but not real specific, as I have not been out as much as Don or some of the other boys that are hitting the rock everyday.

Went out of Shell Knob, BIG SUPRISE!!!! IF you work things right and are out by 5:30 there is kind of a 20 to 30 minute window of topwater action. Bluffends with pole timber. You got to be quick. I will make about 10 throws per spot and run like a jack rabbit to the next point.

Fish are on the bottom at the Knob. 25 to 35 off the flat rolloffs. Good morning fishing at the knob, with the drop shot is 18 to 22 fish for the boat, not counting the gravy you may pick off the top.

That little purple worm is catchen just as good, maybe, probably a little better than the crawlers. Don't know why.

Baxter area also a target this week and the fishing is not nearly as good. No topwater action viewed even though I was out early. Fish more suspended here with 35 ft being a good depth. Not as much action on the flats as bluffends, again with a little pole timber. I am starting on the bottom at 35 ft. and them keeping the clients at that depth and moving as far out as 70 ft. maintaining the 35 ft. to the bait mark. 8 to 12 fish is just about doing all of us in this area. Don't know about Don and Rick, They have been working hard and are probably doing better.

Campbell Point to Shell Knob Bridge area does have topwater action early, again off the bluffends and the timbered channel bank coves. 1 day this week, I had one client and we saw some big blacks chasing on top. He threw his fin at one and immediatly hooked up. I saw my oportunity and did the same.

Both fish jumped and both were over 5 lbs. He was doing everything right with the fish, and it came unbuttoned. As soon as it did, a big K grabbed the fin and I bet jumped 5 times, and came off. During this wild action, I was cranking in my trophy and it swam past the front of the boat with my rod bent in an arch. There were at least a dozen keeper K's swimming with the black. It was pulling straight away and it came off. We both threw back out and hooked up again with the K's in front of the boat. You won't believe this, but they both came off. Nether one of us suck that bad, it was just a nightmare.

Couldn't get another bite on the fin, so we started with spoons. He immediatly hooked up and that fish also came off right under the boat. About that time I saw them on the graph right under the boat and dropped the spoon and bang, I had one. Felt really wierd and heavy and was going in circles, and I reeled up. Looked down, and I had two keeper K's on the spoon, one on the main hook and one on the stinger hook, up the line. Guess What? The top fish dove and the bottom fish headed up and they both came off. They were only 5 ft. under the boat.

Tons of fish in the area but they would not bite any of our vertical junk, so I flopped out a FB Jig and felt a tap. Bowed up will all my might and I put all 200 in it. My reel went Zip Zip and I felt the tug, tug, tug, NOTHING!!!

Ended the day up there with 8 short fish and a whole bunch of whould have, should have, could have's

Long Creek to Kimberling today and the fishing was pretty good. Glad Don spilled the beans on the whites, but I think everyone already knew. Don, Rick, Buster, and Tim Paige have been doing as well as anyone on these fish, but it is getting so crowded that I believe Don and Tim are getting fed up with it. As Don said the window is very short, and the huge crowds don't help. 46 boats this Am and maybe 25 fish caught, with Beck, Buster and I catching 3/4 of em. I weighed 3 over 4lbs. 48 feet suspended over 130 ft.

Fishing in the dam area was fair this morning after the white maylay. 35 ft. on the bottom and also suspended on the major lake points. I was fishing a purple dropshot worm and my clients were fishing crawlers. I had to switch them as the purple worm, as it was just smacking the crawlers. Strange.

Beck was the same, with the artificial doing the best.

Back on the whites, they are extremely hard to catch at that depth, with just a swat or a slack line as the spoon drops, you really have to watch. Clients just flat had a hard time with them. The guides can catch them and hand the rods back to women and children, but it can be really frustrating for the once a year type fisherman, to try and sna-foo these deep fish.

No matter how fast or slow it gets, you have to be a line watcher and be ready. Most of our clients just can't maintain that level of concentration for the period of time it takes to catch these fish. In August on Table Rock, you have to be a fisherman. It really helps.

Most believe the full moon is holding the bite down. We will see, seems too be tapering off.

Cape Fair to Aunts Creek seems to be pretty rough. Quite a few topwater attacks at daylight, and I said attacks, not hookups. The fish will blow on the bait and miss. I believe on purpose. At this stage of the year they have seen it all. Fish area a bit shallower 20 to 35 on the bottom. Shakey head and the Football jig seem to get you bit a little.

[Phil Lilley]

Gezzz... where else are you going to find fishing reports in AUGUST for Table Rock like THESE?!?!?!

Thanks, Guys!!

We need to put Bill and Don on our Christmas list!

[Don House]

Well, lets see for Christmas, I want a new 21 foot boat, new truck wrapped like Mr. Webb's, a lot of tackle, man we go through tackle, 3 or 4 new hot spots on both TR and Taney that never get found, a 40k job from Dec - Feb, blessings for all of my friends and family, peace and good will to all. Well that should do! How about you Bill, I'm sure you can add a few more things... Well Back at it this morning,

Good Fishing everyone..

Capt. Don

[Bill Babler]

Ditto, on everything but the job.

Good luck

[rps]

Actually, that was a modest want list. Can't help you with any of it.

As I said in the last post, I went topwater hunting this morning. I said I would report any success. A large mixed school of spotted and largemouth spent nearly an hour chopping shad off Point 25 this morning. They were after small shad and difficult to catch until I tried a fluke. Caught 7 including two keepers. Nice change from earlier this week.

Later in the morning, while trolling for walleye, I had my first double in a long time.

[Don House]

rps, thanks for the report! I will give that a try.. I have a late day today a chat group that did not want to get up early? But I'm going up the white on Monday for a full day and will try that one. Looking forward to a little top water action in the am.. Then I will go drag football jig's and shakey jigs on the bottom as Bill explained.. Let you guys know if we do any good..

Good Fishing everyone..

Capt. Don

[bassman1308]

Well, lets see for Christmas, I want a new 21 foot boat, new truck wrapped like Mr. Webb's, a lot of tackle, man we go through tackle, 3 or 4 new hot spots on both TR and Taney that never get found, a 40k job from Dec - Feb, blessings for all of my friends and family, peace and good will to all. Well that should do! How about you Bill, I'm sure you can add a few more things... Well Back at it this morning,

Good Fishing everyone..

Capt. Don

Don: i think everything you wish for is possible except the 3 or 4 hot spots on tr / taney that never get found. lol

[J.E.]

Well, lets see for Christmas, I want a new 21 foot boat, new truck wrapped like Mr. Webb's, a lot of tackle, man we go through tackle, 3 or 4 new hot spots on both TR and Taney that never get found, a 40k job from Dec - Feb, blessings for all of my friends and family, peace and good will to all. Well that should do! How about you Bill, I'm sure you can add a few more things... Well Back at it this morning,

Good Fishing everyone..

Capt. Don

Don,

I did not see a hat on your list?????