2 Hr. Morning trip SK

[Bill Babler]

Steven and I hit it for 3 hours this morning. Before he headed back to KC. Only 3 boats at the ramp when we launched and the same at 9 when we pulled out. 

Water is really clearing at Shell Knob with probably 7 to 10 ft. Of visibility. Surface temps this morning at 82 degree. 

Fished from SK to Carter Creek and we had 4 on a jig, one on a flutter spoon that was chasing and 2 on a drop shot. Only 2 keepers, one on the jig and the other on the flutter spoon. 

The flutter spoon fish was a dandy 18” K no picture, but I did catch this total toad of a Small Jaw on a jig.  

He was by far my biggest smallmouth of the year. Picture doesn’t do him justice he was black/brown with deep green stripes. Simply beautiful fish. 

Becky had French Toast and Sausage ready by 9:20 so it was a great morning on the water with the boy. 

Still way to hard and if he had not been here I would have left the boat in the storage unit. 

Back up North to place the towers we put together last week 

Good Luck. 

 

 

 

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

We fished yesterday around Aunts to KC. Topwater bright and early was pretty good on a really shallow point, we were throwing walking baits up in 8" of water, the boat was only in 3-4'. They were hitting my buddies lighter color sexy dog really well.  I was throwing a black one knocker and never got a sniff. His had a more suttle rattle.  Other than that we just fished flutter spoons and its funny you said you caught one chasing it, because almost everyone we caught was on the retrieve in, they were really biting weird yesterday.  The fish were just loaded under docks but not biting very well. Most docks seemed like the fish were only 5-10 deep over really deep water, and right in the middle of the dock so it was tough to get a bait to them. 

The bite wasnt that good around KC so we went all the way to Cape Fair and had much better luck. And bait fish were everywhere which we didnt see mid lake. 

 

[Bill Babler]

Early the White is loaded above the Kings River bank to bank with Gizzard Shad on the surface. 

[Quillback]

Nice jaw Bill!

[Bassin4fun]

13 hours ago, aarchdale@coresleep.com said:

We fished yesterday around Aunts to KC. Topwater bright and early was pretty good on a really shallow point, we were throwing walking baits up in 8" of water, the boat was only in 3-4'. They were hitting my buddies lighter color sexy dog really well.  I was throwing a black one knocker and never got a sniff. His had a more suttle rattle.  Other than that we just fished flutter spoons and its funny you said you caught one chasing it, because almost everyone we caught was on the retrieve in, they were really biting weird yesterday.  The fish were just loaded under docks but not biting very well. Most docks seemed like the fish were only 5-10 deep over really deep water, and right in the middle of the dock so it was tough to get a bait to them. 

The bite wasnt that good around KC so we went all the way to Cape Fair and had much better luck. And bait fish were everywhere which we didnt see mid lake. 

 

Yeah, I fished up in Flat Creek and James Rivers arms Fri-Sun this past weekend. Bait was everywhere. Mostly smaller balls...but did see some larger plumes on the graph. The fishing was pretty good in those areas all 3 mornings.

[Champ188]

On 8/28/2022 at 3:33 PM, Bill Babler said:

The flutter spoon fish was a dandy 18” K no picture, but I did catch this total toad of a Small Jaw on a jig. He was by far my biggest smallmouth of the year. Picture doesn’t do him justice he was black/brown with deep green stripes. Simply beautiful fish. 

Gorgeous fish, indeed. Bo would've been very happy to see that beauty in the river (and probably would have claimed it was one of his River Smallmouth Enhancement Program lower-lake transfers). Good man. May God rest his soul.  

[Bill Babler]

James, I thought the same thing. (Scary). 

The biggest Jaw ever for me was caught just across from Big M Marina over 20 years ago so that 6 plus pound fish kind of blew his theory. 

Didn’t weigh the fish pictured, but he was a whisker either side of 4 pounds. 

It’s getting pretty close to deep jig strolling time around KC for those big brown fish. Again Bo comes to mind, as he hated strolling.  Personally I love it.  

Do miss him, he was our Table Rock Fishinwrench 


 

[Steve McBasser]

That is a beautiful smallie for sure Bill....

 

[Champ188]

20 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

It’s getting pretty close to deep jig strolling time around KC for those big brown fish. Again Bo comes to mind, as he hated strolling.  Personally I love it.  

Do miss him, he was our Table Rock Fishinwrench 

Bo never waited for an invitation to speak his mind --- and rarely do I --- so we were bound to clash at times. But from those clashes was born a mutual respect for one another that progressed to a friendship. Can't ask for more from an internet forum. 

As for being the Fishinwrench of TR, you nailed it shut there. Great analogy. 

Your gal Donna says congrats on the big jaw, although I did detect a slight tone of envy in her voice.

Nothing wrong with strolling for those mid- to lower-lake smallies as long as you aren't doing it in a derby. That's where I'm with Bo and call it shady. We might all briefly allow boat movement to move our lures at times, but if you're doing so intentionally as many guys do this time of year, it's trolling. 

Other opinions? C'mon guys, fishing and forum activity are both slow. Let's discuss this. 

 

[Quillback]

Sure is a lot of question about what constitutes trolling as far as a bass tournament.  A lot of rules will say "no trolling", but that leaves a lot open to interpretation.  

I rarely fish tourneys, but if I did, and I planned on doing some "strolling" or "dragging", then I'd clear it with the TD and get an understanding of what was allowed.