Greetings!

[SKMO]

Hey everyone. Just registered about a week ago. Great forum. I am sure this place will be rockin' during the coming months.

I live near Shell Knob on the Kings River arm of Table Rock. Been fishing this part of the lake since 1989 and know it pretty intimately from the Baxter area and on west including all of Kings River, and White River around Campbell Point area, Big M, Eagle Rock and Holiday Island. I usually only fish the east part of the lake in the Winter or when I have a hot SM tip. Also fish some in the James. I probably get on the Rock at least 75 times/year. In the last couple weeks I've made a couple trips up Long Creek after the crappie. Drive a 20' Skeeter and usually chase bass but am an opportunist and also pursue crappie, white bass, walleye, bluegill or whatever I think may be cooperating that day.

In any case glad I found the website and forum and I'll try to help anyone with "West End" questions should they arise.

[Bill Butts]

usually chase bass but am an opportunist and also pursue crappie, white bass, walleye, bluegill or whatever I think may be cooperating that day.

In any case glad I found the website and forum and I'll try to help anyone with "West End" questions should they arise.

SKMO,

Welcome to the Forum.

Your fishing reports from the areas you fish will be greatly appreciated by many.

My question is how often do you encounter Hybrid Stripers when fishing for Whites up in the White River arm? It is known that some Hybrids slip through Beaver Dam when they are very small, but of course grow just as well in Table Rock. Last fall, I heard that the AR Fish & Game even shocked up quite a few large Hybrids (10-15# class), in the upper river that is mostly trout fishing, and gave them to some fishermen.

I have to wonder how often they do that.

I also understand the Kings River has an excellent run of Whites. I've accessed it from the mouth in a boat, but don't know any lower river public access points. Can you offer any advice?

Thanks.

[SKMO]

My question is how often do you encounter Hybrid Stripers when fishing for Whites up in the White River arm? It is known that some Hybrids slip through Beaver Dam when they are very small, but of course grow just as well in Table Rock. Last fall, I heard that the AR Fish & Game even shocked up quite a few large Hybrids (10-15# class), in the upper river that is mostly trout fishing, and gave them to some fishermen.

I have to wonder how often they do that.

-----------------------

Bill -

I'll try to do my best answering you questions and will split them into 2 posts (hybrids in White & Kings Access)

First the hybrids in the upper white:

I only get up there and chase the whites 2-3 times/year. I go there after the Kings run starts to fizzle in late April. Seems they hang in there a bit longer (week or 2) than the Kings, my theory being the upper White is usually a few degrees colder than Kings due to tailwater discharge and perhaps the colder water has them a bit delayed. Who knows.

To answer your question about the hybrids I have never encounterd one, have not spoken to anyone personally who has, yet have heard the same rumor. My guess is that it is a very limited fishery with just a few fish getting through the turbines without becoming chum, or over the spillway. That said it is a FACT that the current AR STRIPER record comes from below Beaver dam in the White River, weighing in at 64# 8oz. As I remember it, guide Jeff Fletcher was out with some white bass clients and saw the fish in a river pool somewhere in the White River between the dam and MO state line. Had a bass rod in the boat and finally caught it on a rogue if I remember correctly. This was April 2000. Interesting to think that technically this fish could have swam to the dam at Branson and become the MO record in a lake "without" stripers.

I have heard of two bona fide reports of medium sized stripers caught in TR in the Eagle Rock/Big M Marina area, but these were definitely flukes. Obviously there are a few that get past the dam and reside in TR but I would guess very few.

All that said, the VERY best source of info to answer your question would be the Fletchers at Devil's Dive. Google on "Devils Dive Resort Table Rock" and you will find their contact information. I think J.D. Fletcher opened the resort soon after TR became a lake. It is located near the MO/AR line near the community of Holiday Island AR on the White. He and his son Jeff have been tourney fisherman and guides for many years. They wrote the book on fishing the extreme upper end of TR on the White and are well thought of in the area.

My knowledge of Hybrids is therefore Zero but these guys would know.

I can tell you from personal experience that the white fishing can be very good in the Holiday Island area. Leatherwood Creek and Butler Hollow Creek can both draw a run when there is a flow from these drainages, and the main stem river channel will have a lot of fish hugging the undercut banks.

[SKMO]

Your fishing reports from the areas you fish will be greatly appreciated by many.

My question is how often do you encounter Hybrid Stripers when fishing for Whites up in the White River arm? It is known that some Hybrids slip through Beaver Dam when they are very small, but of course grow just as well in Table Rock. Last fall, I heard that the AR Fish & Game even shocked up quite a few large Hybrids (10-15# class), in the upper river that is mostly trout fishing, and gave them to some fishermen.

I have to wonder how often they do that.

I also understand the Kings River has an excellent run of Whites. I've accessed it from the mouth in a boat, but don't know any lower river public access points. Can you offer any advice?

--------------

I think I can help more here….

The Kings has an Excellent run of large white bass. The state record used to be from here back in the 70’s, I know the guy whose wife actually caught it. I think the last few records were set and broken in the James but I think the Kings is a very similar fishery and has the potential to reclaim the record should the current 5-06 record white pig from the James ever be surpassed.

Geographics: At NORMAL 915 pool the Kings can be ran in a bass boat to within sight of the AR line. At normal SPRING levels you can get into AR a bit in a glass boat. At current levels I think you can get within eyesight of the 86 bridge but will hit a shoal about 1/3 mile downstream.

The Kings is normally about 19 miles long from the mouth at Shell Knob to the state line. The accesses for the Kings are:

1) Shell Knob Bridge – Does not require Corps permit, I think it is actually deeded to Barry county. Busy spot that can hold maybe 25-30 rigs when it overflows. Currently 1 good ramp lane. This is technically not in Kings but about a mile from mouth and good spot to launch for very upper Kings. Good dock.

2) Viola Boat Dock – A Corps ramp about 5 mile up the river accessed from Hwy 39. Good ramp but currently no dock due to low lake level. This is most busy and popular ramp on the Kings.

3) Sweetwater – On the west side of the Kings river. An old Corps campground that they decided to close but still has ramp. 7 miles up river, needs to be accessed from community of Golden off 86 hwy. Not sure how the ramp is, seems last time I noticed it was good 4WD launching on gravel, ramp was high and dry.

4) Hickory Hollow Resort (the old Akin’ Back Resort). About 14 miles from the Kings/White confluence and 9 mile from Viola. You can find them on Google easy enough and they are very nice people, $2 to launch and well worth it WHEN the lake is at more normal pool. I have heard it is dicey for larger boats right now, but this is definitely the best (only) place to put in for fishing the upper Kings if you want to avoid the 9+ mile run from Viola. Call before trying to launch there at today’s lake level.

White Bass Fishing: I have tried everything and my most consistant success for big whites has always been in the mid arm area, Sweetwater to Jakie branch. Trolling shad raps, back when I had a boat I could troll with. Current 225 Yamaha does not work so well. I can offer very specific locations if anyone wants to PM me, but I have caught a ton of hogs trolling within sight of Sweetwater.

Now if you are a white bass guru and want to give me a lesson on how to park on them in midarm in Spring and cast and catch them I am up for that but have not had much luck, even when I have them pinpointed. The mid-arm Kings bite usually starts in Mid Feb so with the weather this year this action could be going at any time.

I have caught nice fish in the deeper holes in the very upper arm on occasion, Blue Hole, Dollar Hole, Big Dog, etc. Seems like every year gets a little harder. I have also gone way up the river to Hwy 86 and beyond and caught lots of fish, just usually not the pigs but instead fish up to 1.5#. I know guys who consistantly caught larger fish up the river several years ago, but not anymore with any consistency.

The exception to this “smaller fish up the river” observation is if you are willing to stay till dark and beyond, you (or at least ME) will catch some nicer fish (around 2-3#) if you are far enough upriver to be in the current. Normally this is into AR but with the current lake levels this will probably be in MO this year.

Currently good bank fishing in Dollar Hole for Crappie, Walleye, and probably very soon for whites. Anyone interested I can give directions to this remote access.

All 4 now, tight lines.