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Bill Babler
Bill Babler

2-6-16 March is Roaring in Like A Lion

February 7th. 2016 Table Rock Lake current fishing report, Branson, Mo.  After flouncing, flogging and generally taking a lesson on humility,  Table Rock has opened her non-forgiving heart early this February.  With water color varying from stained to aqua to clear from lake section to lake section and with surface temps ranging from highs of 59 to lows of 46 this pond is in a very early and very fast transformation.  Last year on this week, we had surface temps of 41 degree and we were in the midst of some fantastic deep structure fishing.  This year the cage door has swung open and the inmates are rushing the bank.

 

 

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Three days of fishing this weekend with Tim and Matt from for far North East has started the ball rolling.  I feel pretty qualified for a full White River report as we fished 3 lake sections in 3 days, hoping to help these guys qualify for the FLW on an up and coming tournament here in mid-April.

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Friday the 4th. found us launching at Old 86 and starting at the Mo/Ark line up LongCreek.  I did not mess with it and started throwing the Alabama Rig from the git go.  They can use it so, lets catch some fish.  First two casts Tim had fish.  We are fishing it right on the bank looking for transitions with shelf near spawning pockets.  Boat in 20 to 35 and one full cast from the bank areas seem to be the best.  Might say its working.  LongCreek was fishing at 48 degrees.  Also had a report from Buster that the crappie are just thick up there.  No quality but lots of bites right on the bank.

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Fished to Big Cow Creek and just had a stellar day with the boys, all our fish were on the rig.  We had close to 18 pounds and 35 plus bass.  Caught some fish on just about every stop and stopped a lot just to show the boys some lake and different water from runnouts to humps to transitions. 

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They caught on fast and could pick them out really well.  We fished, Beardsley, Powerline, Clevenger, Jakes, Jaques, Big and Little Indian, Bergans, Rice Camp, Big and Little Cow, Spring Branch and a dozen or more other locations.  We found water as high as 58 degree in some of the flat pockets across from Cow.

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Saturday the 5th. I picked them up at the dock at Ahoys.  We fished from Lazy Lee's to the Shell Knob bridge just stopping at each location for a dozen casts.  Our numbers today in this lake section were in the 25 range with half that being keeper size fish.  This section is the most colored and really the coolest water.  46 to 51 degree.  We cranked a bit but it is hard to put that Rig down when they are hammering it.

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 Baxter area is starting to clear.  we went in and caught 2 quick keeps on the rig.  I had struggled in there earlier in the week, but by this weekend it is going to be back to normal.

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Sunday the 6th.  Adventure time.  We headed for Eagle Rock and fished from Devils Dive to the mouth of the Kings.  Big, big mixed bag day today with lots of white bass, a walleye and close to 40 bass to the boat with 10 keeps.  Surface temps ranged from 50 to 52.  This is the clearest water on the main lake system.  Whites are on the wind blown flats from Roaring River to Carter Creek. 

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Bass were not a challenge as the bucks have just rushed the banks and the backs of any of the flat creeks.  Roaring, Panther, Owl, Viney, Cedar, Carter.  You could if you want go in with the Varmint and just put the complete wack down on them. 

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Several doubles today.  No quality fish in the backs, best fish were on the transitions going into the pockets.  We caught fish on the Rig, a Rock Crawler and Jerk Bait.

White Bass are just about to get on a rampage as we were in pursuit of the basses, we kept catching these critters.

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Going to be very interesting to see just what this upcoming rain does.  Can it mess things up?  Yep, but they are really getting ready and I think we are headed for one of the best Spring seasons we have had in a spell.  You might also get you a Toothy Critter.

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Come get ya some.

 

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9 minutes ago, Bill Babler said:

Probably going to get totally hammered   Bill Beck just called and said they are calling for 11 inches possible in the area the next 3 days.  of course I have them all booked, after today

Cheese and crackers. That's close to 2011 worthy. So much for clear water.

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1 hour ago, DChance said:

11 inches!!!??? Will that turn the lake worthless and flooded again?

It will jump up for sure. High water in spring is not the worst thing, if you can get on the lake. 2008, for example. Just in terms of fishing. Total mess in other aspects.

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Forecast  is showing on weather.com between 3 and 5 inches thru Saturday for Blue Eye.  Weather Underground is showing about the same deal, depending if it stalls.  What they all seem to be showing is 100% chance for Tuesday thru Thursday and still 60 plus percent for Friday and Saturday.  MSN and the Weather Channel are saying close to 7 inches thru Saturday.  What ever the deal, it is going to rain.  I do believe that.

I think anything over 5 is the worst case, that will probably not happen.  Like I said, I might qualify for a Weather Forecaster Position, cause I just don't know.

I'd rather talk about catchin Big Basses.

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5 hours ago, 96 CHAMP said:

I would like to get into those whites, how long do you think they will be running, and will all this rain coming have a impact on them?

Champ, it is just now getting started.   The fish we caught were not near where they were headed.  They were just out on the windy flats having a feast and gearing up.  Let me tell you  some nice places to look right now.

If you are up the White River and the wind is blowing on the flat just above Rock Creek between there and Owl Creek, they really stage in that area in the flat windy coves.  You can troll these locations with a shad rap or a flicker shad until you find them or see them on the graph.  They blacked me out the other day.  Look of the flat across from Roaring River from the bank out to the channel.  Be careful here as it is quite shallow and there are a ton of obstructions on it.  Also the flat just below Panther Creek between there and Owl will hold whites this time of the year.  Just inside Roaring River the flat on your left is a big pocket before you turn to go on up the river if the wind is blowing in there, hang on.  A pretty secrete place is the small shallow flat and swim beach area from the Corps ramp at Eagle Rock to the bridge.  This small area can just completely fill with white bass if there is a wind blowing into the pocket at this time of the year.

There are so many other spots out there, you just got to look.  Good Luck

 

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Great info, Bill. Thanks for sharing.

As for the rain, you guys need to quit worrying, go get you some brightly colored 3/8-ounce War Eagle spinnerbaits --- anything from chartreuse/white to coleslaw with double white willows, depending on how muddy it gets --- and go find yourself a good runoff. Make sure you spool up with at least 17-pound mono. This ain't finesse fishing.

Your favorite squarebill crank will work in these runoff areas, too.

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