Homer Sloan Derby

[Bill Babler]

21# for first place. Husband wife team. Brush pile fish.  Had a 7.59 and a 5 plus. Biggin was big bass. 
2nd. 18 pounds. 
5th. 16.5 pounds. Free entry for next year. 
 

I had 5 this morning. Might have weighed 15. All jig fish. 

[Quillback]

21# is impressive.

[Champ188]

16 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

21# for first place. Husband wife team. Brush pile fish.  Had a 7.59 and a 5 plus. Biggin was big bass. 
2nd. 18 pounds. 
5th. 16.5 pounds. Free entry for next year. 
 

I had 5 this morning. Might have weighed 15. All jig fish. 

You would've been right there in the check line. 

[frankie2969]

That's really impressive. We're fishing Chargers T this weekend, My wife went down and fished with her brother yesterday. They had 3 only 1 keeper. Drop shot all day. Keeper was a line burner. I unfortunately, still have a job and couldn't go. I wonder if they were throwing glide baits? What ever it was that impressive.

[frankie2969]

I guess I need to read these before I respond. Jigs on Brush Piles. Still impressive.

[Bill Babler]

I only had 5 and the HS derby is a 6 fish limit. 
Still durn impressive weights  

Here is a caveat, I fished Monday and had a very small 5 fish limit. About 5 keeps seems to be my number.  I’m guessing I had 11 pounds.  I would have really stunk it up Saturday.

Again, yesterday’s 15 pounds wouldn’t have got me squat. 

The reason I did better yesterday was I got some great area info.  It worked. 

I fished a big worm and a  jig around piles yesterday in under 15’ to catch them so there you have it. 

Guys and gals, there are a lot of good fish shallow. Derby winning fish.  Yes, you can fish deep and catch some K’s but there is a better mouse trap right now, and not so much brush piles.  

Gravel chunk rock mix with some wind if you can find it.  Boat in the 20’ range, more than a full cast from the bank. Bait hitting in 8-10’.

Top early if you’re lucky but then jig and either a shaky head or Texas worm. I was using an 11” GP on the piles.  Jig was better. 3/8-1/2-7/8. 

Question,  If they’re snapping at the glide bait what about a Magdraft?  I might have to try it. 






 

[frankie2969]

Bill, can you pm me with area info?

[Bill Babler]

I just put it all in the post above.  Table Rock is never a single spot or location.

It’s a depth first and foremost and it’s also a feature. If I were to fish today would most likely not fish a single location I fished yesterday. 

Softball to volleyball chunk with gravel mix with boat in 20’ plus range  bait landing in 8’ to 10’ water.  Maybe shallower in the river arms depending on color. 

Perfect range for a Spro RK Crawler if you chose to take that path.  I also believe with the water in the 70’s a fast moving bait is still just fine. 

I was going to throw a hardhead some but was to lazy to drag one out. It might have been the best deal. 


 

[frankie2969]

Ok, I thought you were talking about a specific location. Thanks for the info.

[Champ188]

Frankie, think on this for just a minute ... why would Bill give up specific locations that he has spent a lifetime locating? You can study maps until you're old and gray, but you don't know if a spot is worth a hoot until you fish it a few times. That's a lot of work when you consider the hundreds of spots that Bill has on this lake. And I promise you that in 25 years of living here, I've never heard a single complaint from anyone of poaching spots by Bill Babler or his late brother-from-another-mother Bill Beck. Those guys did it right ... they've both spent eons of time on the water doing the inglorious and never-ending job of finding new stuff to fish.

Frankie, take what Bill has told ya for gospel and go see if you can apply it to the areas you like to fish. You won't find info like he just gave anywhere else on the internet. I promise. And best wishes in your tournament.