March 20th. Fishing Report for Table Rock Lake

March 20, 2010 – 10:36 am

Shell Knob, Mo.  Started the day with Dave and Jim, to fish a 1/2 day of Stickbait fishing.  Air temps at the start were in the low 30’s with Table Rock Lake surface temps at 46 chilly degrees.

Today we used a  “Spro  McStick in Blue Bandit.”  This is a very versatile, stickbait suspending in the 8 ft. range and with the dark blue back and the light columbia blue side, melting into cream, it is a very good color for bright clear water days.

Not quite so many fish today, but still in the neighborhood of 2o to the boat mostly on the McStick.  Did however catch 3 on a Jewell Football Jig.

Areas targeted were from Campbell Point on the White River to point 22 at the mouth of the Kings.  This would be considered the mid-lake section of Table Rock Lake.

4th. fish of the day was this absolute “TOAD, SMALLMOUTH BASS.”  Dave captured this 4 plus pound beauty up the Mill Creek are adjacent to Basin Hollow on Table Rock Lake.

Table Rock Lake-Huge Smallmouth Bass-White River Outfitters Guide Service

Dave’s next good one was taken just about midway between the Shell Knob bridge and Campbell  point , again on the Spro McStick.

White River Outfitters Client Dave Wiebengay with a very nice Table Rock Lake Largemouth

By Bill | Posted in Fishing the Spro McStick Jerkbait | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Current Fishing Report Table Rock Lake-Kings River Arm

March 20, 2010 – 10:19 am

3-19-2010-Shell Knob, Missouri Fishing Report:

Meanmouth Bass caught on the Kings River, Table Rock Lake

Two very good days on Thursday the 18th. and Friday the 19th.  Guided Fishing out of Shell Knob.  Area fished was Campbell Point to Eagle Rock on the White River and Twin Rivers to Royal Point on the Kings River.

Table Rock Lake Spotted Bass caught near Eagle Rock, Missouri

Don Gable was the guy on Thursday.  It is my really great honor to take a fisherman of his caliber.  He is probably in the top 2 or 3 percent of Fishermen I have ever guided.  It really shows, as he just lets the fishing come to him in a very relaxed manner.

Early season cool water dictates the stickbait, and the Blue Bandit Spro McStick has just been “Lights Out.”  We Presented the bait on long casts to bluffends, transition banks, and channel swings in the White and Kings River.  The bait was fished on 8 pound test Fluracarbon, and worked to a suspending depth of about 8 ft.

Table Rock lake Bass caught near Shell Knob, Mo

Presentation was to either reel or jerk the bait to the proper depth and then give the bait a series of either two or three twitches and let it sit.  Up to 20 seconds between twitches.  All the strikes came as the bait sat motionless after the twitches.

30+ fish to the boat with about a dozen keepers up to a dandy 3 pound Meanmouth, ie cross between a Spotted Bass and a Smallmouth.

Table Rock Lake Meanmouth Bass caught with White River Outfitters Guide Service

Table Rock Lake Fishing Guide Bill Babler with a Kings River Spotted Bass

March and April are multispecies months, and this 19 inch Walleye also became a sore lipped victim of the stickbait.

19" Walleye, caught and released on Table Rock Lake, near Shell Knob, Mo

By Bill | Posted in Kings River Guide Service, Shell Knob Guided Fishing | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

Orvis Dry Fly Fishing

March 12, 2010 – 4:56 pm

Dry Fly Rainbow

“Midge’s and Dry’s OH My!”

Guided Lower taneycomo till just after noon today with Dave and Nick.  Did really well downtown Branson on Jigs and Spoons.    After letting the boys off, I decided to head into the restricted zone and see what was shakin.  Did not take me long to spot lots of midging trout on the West side from the Tennis courts thru Fall Creek.

Ozark Anglers Dry Fly Trout Fishing

Hooked up an irrisstable dry in size 16 and swung a size 16 red zebra midge as the dropper about 18 inches under the dry.  This creates a very nice tandem, using the dry not only for a fish taker, but also as an indicator.

Used a 9′ Orvis Zero G, in 6wt. with Orvis HyFlote Leader to the dry fly.  Used 2 pound test fluracarbon to the dropper, as it helps it sink.

Orvis Dry Fly Fishing

Only fished a couple of hours, but caught and released about 20 rainbows up the 17 inches, with 8 fish coming on the dry and the rest on the midge dropper.

Orvis Dry Irrisstable Cadis

Zebra Midge

Really fantastic fishing.  Being a White River Tailrace, we do not get very much dry fly activity, as the fish tend to look down.  With a very nice midge hatch coming off however, it change their vantage point, allowing me to present the dry to fish chasing midges to the surface.

Dry Fly Midge Tandem dropper Rig

By Bill | Posted in Dry Fly Fishing | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Fly and Spincast Fishing on Upper Lake Taneycomo

March 7, 2010 – 11:22 am

Rainbow Trout on Spincast Equipment

Cold Weather Rainbow

Restricted Zone Trout

Nice Hen Rainbow

Three very good trips last week, one in very cold conditions, and the other a very nice Saturday with temps in the low 50’s.

Lots of trout to be caught in Downtown Branson by either jig or bait fishing and the restricted zone was also very good on one generator.

Very good artificial fishing using a 1/8 Sculpin jig casting to the rocky shoreline just below Branson.  For those not so enthusiastic, just sitting back drifting bait or egg patterns on a spinning rod, will catch lots of quality Rainbow Trout.

In the Fly Fishing Zone yesterday Jim and Dave Wells caught trout on every drift during their half day trip.  Starting at the Andy Williams House and drifting scuds under strike indicators we averaged about a dozen strikes per drift.  Would like to say we hooked a dozen fish per drift, but most often, about 1/2 that, which is really good.

Did use a tandem from time to time with either 2 size 14 scuds, or a stimulator fly a size 12 micro jig in pink, with the scud trailing about 18 inches.  Best fish were all taken on the scud, but the stimulator was probably the best pattern for numbers of fish.

Jim drifting a tandem, did catch two trout on one line late in the morning, comming up with one on the stimulator and one on the scud.  Pretty neat stuff, catchin them two at a time.

17 inch Taneycomo Rainbow Trout

9ft. 5 wt. rods with a 4X leader, to a 6X tippet, was the setup.  Drifting the flys about 9 ft. deep on 1 generator.

Beautiful Colored Rainbow Trout

Fly Fishing double. Two Rainbows on at once

By Bill | Posted in Fly Fishing for Rainbow Trout, Orvis Fly Fishing | Tagged | Comments (2)

Bull Shoals Spring Bass Fishing

March 2, 2010 – 10:16 am

Bull Shoals Smallmouth Bass

Bill Beck and I hit the mid-lake section of Bull Shoals yesterday at about daylight, launching out of Tucker Hollow.  With simi-clear water conditions and surface temps in the 42 degree to 44 degree range it was classic Stickbaiting conditions.

Reports had been good about catching Largemouth Bass in the major Creeks, on transition swing banks at the rear end of some of these major pockets. 

We were looking for locations where the channel swings in toward the bank with deep water and where the channel starts to swing away from the bank and causes the water to shallow up in a big hurry.  Some of these locations were bottom depth of more than 50 ft. but within casting distance of  water shallowing into the teens.

Bull Shoals Lake Largemouth Bass

Baits being presented were proto-type and custom painted suspending megabass, and spro McStick suspending stickbaits.  In this water temperature we wanted the bait to ride netural or have a very slight sink.

Baits were fished on 8# test fluracarbon and 8# test Maxi mono in moss green.

Action occured quickly on our first location, with a very nice Smallmouth Bass hitting the suspender.  Presentation, was two or three rapid jerks and a pause of up to 1 minute.  All our presentations were taken on the pause.  Due to the extreme cold water, we let the bait soak and it seemed to work out really well for us.

In  our mornings trip we caught 6 Largemouth Bass, 1 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Spotted Bass and 2 Huge Crappie.  Our best 5 bass were at 19 pounds and we had a 7 1/2 pounder to anchor the string.

Strikes were not slow swim-offs, but were really very hard, which suprised us due to the cold water.

Bill’s Hog Mama, Trophy  7 1/2# Largemouth Bass belted the bait as it suspended in 15ft. of water.

7 1/2 # Trophy Largemouth Bass

By Bill | Posted in Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Guide Service, Bull Shoals lake Bass Fishing, Spring Time Bass Fishing on Bull Shoals Lake, Stickbait Fishing on Bull Shoals Lake | Tagged | Comments (0)

Taneycomo Jig Fishing for Rainbow Trout

February 4, 2010 – 10:38 am

Being a fishing Guide and living in Branson, Missouri gives me a lot of chances to try different Trout Fishng techniques.  A very effective method of catching Rainbow Trout is by using a straight line jig in the 1/32nd. to 1/8th. oz range.  Working the jig in short hops off the bottom.  A good rod has a very fast tip and usually is at least 6.5 to 7 ft. in length.  Line size is usually 2 to 4 pound test and is best in either green or moss color.  Fluracarbon is also a very nice alternative, and cast and sinks well, using the straight line jig method.  Jig colors in Green, Sculpin, Brown, Ginger and Black simulate small aquatic animals such as the sculpin in varing color phases.  Seam lines eddies and current breaks are very nice places to fish the straight line Jig.

Jigs can also be fished under a small float or strike Indicator.  Using the float as a measurment of depth and maintaining the jig at that depth is deadly.  Very small jigs can be used in the 1/256 oz. range and in fly fishing measurments as small as size 14.  Rods for float jig fishing are usuall 7 to 10 ft. in length with a reel that has the ability to handle 6pound test line.  Depending on the depth of the water, a good rule of thumb is to have your leader from your float to the jig at least as deep as the water you are fishing.  Small carrot floats come in a varity of sizes and are most often used as the strike indicator.  Run you line thru the float to a Sampo swivel.  Peg the float directly above the swivel, using the swivel for weight to help throw the light rig.  I usually use a No. 5 Sampo.  Run a leader of fluracarbon from the float to the fly in either 2 or 4 pound test, depending on the size of the jig.  Extremely small size 12 and 14 jigs should use the lighter line.  Fish the jig near the bottom on a drag free drift.  By this I mean to keep any wake or current off the float, letting it drift freely.  Enough slack must be removed however to allow a hook set.  This is where the longer rods really come into play.  Bites and quick.  As the float goes under, sweep the rod upward in an even motion, not a quick snap or jerk.  Fish the jig and float in the same locations as stated above for the straight line jig.

Good Luck

By Bill | Posted in Jig Fishing for Rainbow Trout | Tagged | Comments (0)

Phil and Bill Show on Upper Taneycomo

January 21, 2010 – 7:52 pm

 

Phil can catch them on a jig

January 21 2010
Phil and I attempted to shoot some video on Upper Taneycomo today. Got a new FLIP Camera and am playing with it to keep you all on the cutting edge of what we are doing.

My day consisted of 3 difference methods of Rainbow Trout Fishing. First with a flyrod, using a nympth under a strike indicator. 2nd. Same rig only on a 10′6″ spinning rod, and third a straight line jig. Phil just fished a 1/16th. oz jig. We fished about 2 hrs. and caught in the neighborhood of 20 very nice Trout.

Nice Fish on a Sculpin 1/16th. oz Jig

Hopfully we will get the video up tomorrow, on the Home Page, wish me luck.

By Bill | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Winter Taneycomo Trout January 16th 2010

January 21, 2010 – 11:20 am

Rainbow in Spawning Colors

Couple of January trips after the snow, but it was still pretty cool on Upper Taneycomo.  The Rainbow Trout Fishing was very hot however.

South West Power is lowering Beaver Lake by 7ft. starting today and Table Rock is expected to rise a couple of feet due to the influx of the Beaver Lake Water.

Two turbines have been running and that make for great drift Jig Fishing.  As you can see some very nice Rainbows to the boat fishing mostly Micro Jigs in Pink with a Chrome head.  Trying some new rods in lengths of up to 11 ft. to help keep the jigs working at optum levels.

Weather is suspose to be really nice to normal in the mid-40’s to 60’s, so it would be a fantastic time to come down and get some of these brightly colored bows.

18" Hen Rainbow

By Bill | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments (0)

Winter Fishing Table Rock Lake

December 1, 2009 – 6:51 pm
Flathead Catfish 17 Pounds

Flathead Catfish 17 Pounds

Shell Knob, Mo.  The Beckster and I hit the water at the Knob at 11 AM this morning, looking to keep the deep bite going.  Really didn’t take us long to find these fish.  The lake is just full of White Bass and mixed in are tons of Cats and K’s.  We found the White’s just full and a bulging with both threadfin shad and crayfish.

These fish are not hard to find.  Just put the boat in the river channel and move it toward the flats or long points, really at almost anywhere on the lake.  We found them today in 36 to 52 ft.   They are really hugging the bottom until you get them fired and then they fill the entire water column.

Surface temps in the Shell Knob area today at 56.6.  We caught 175 White Bass, 35 K’s and a 17 pound Flathead Catfish.  Had several Whites in the 4 pound range with lots in the 2.5 to 3.5 pound range.  We released everything over 2 pounds and tried to just keep two limits of males in the Pound to Pound and a half range.

Fish are not only feeding on threadfin shad, but also crayfish.  Caught everything we did on 1/2 oz jigging spoons.  Bill likes the Wareagle, and I am very fond of the Real Image.

Very seldom can we guarantee fish on Table Rock, but now is one of those times.  We are on the Whites if that is your fancy, give us a call and we can really, “Hook you up.”

Bottom Heavy with Fish

Bottom Heavy with Fish

Fish Fired off the Bottom

Fish Fired off the Bottom

Released Female

Released Female

DSC_0016

Large Female White Bass Released

Large Female White Bass Released

1/2 oz. Jigging Spoons in White and Chartruse

1/2 oz. Jigging Spoons in White and Chartruse

4 Pound White Bass Released

4 Pound White Bass Released

By Bill | Posted in White Bass Fishing | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

Richard Neil and a Great Smallmouth

November 24, 2009 – 12:41 pm

November action on Table Rock Lake has been very good on the Bass fronts, with very nice Spotted Bass and Smallmouth being caught on windy pea-gravel banks using either a small 3/8th oz. Chomper Jig in PBJ and a Watermellon Candy twin tail trailer or a C-rig with either a Candy or a Green Pumpkin cenipede.

Richard Neil with a very nice Smallmouth Bass

Richard Neil with a very nice Smallmouth Bass

By Bill | Posted in Bass Fishing, Table Rock Lake | Tagged | Comments (0)

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