Table Rock fishing/guides etc !!!

mymomisbecky · 12-24-06, 07:03 PM

merry xmas board members

Just wantedt o see if any of you folks routinely fish table rock in southern missouri. I am going for our yearly golf trip down there for a week and decided to stay a couple of extra days with my brother and father for some table rock fishing.
We are bringing my boat (19 foot nitro, 150 hp merc) but probably looking to hire a guide for the first day, just to get a better feel for the lake etc. 2nd and 3rd day we will use my boat, and ill be guiding.
Can anyone recommend some decent ideas and spots to try for the end of march, beginning of april. Im just looking to get some general ideas for that time of year, as far as lure selection, etc. Generally in Iowa that time of year, we are looking at water temps in the upper 40s, guessing 55 ish down there. so shallow spawning areas with my grandads noodle should work etc.
Any info or recommendation on guides would be great.
Thanks
Ryan
aka mmib

JB · 12-24-06, 07:10 PM

If I were you , I 'd just put in every day and watch for guides that leave marina's with clients...they won't go too far and be on fish, plus it will save you 300 bucks or so.

skeeter944 · 12-24-06, 07:24 PM

i agree with jb,follow the guides around and do what they do. you will have the convience of fishing out of your boat with your gear.

Christopherkeene9 · 12-24-06, 10:40 PM

Guys I gonna have to say don't do that. That's their livelihood and is poor sportsman conduct. Alot of guys do that down here in the salt and its really sad the things people do to catch fish.

BPACA · 12-25-06, 12:37 PM

yeah...don't fish the crap out of a guides spot....only time to do it is if you are in a tournament and they are not in it....other than that don't pressure their holes.....On tablerock in the spring bass are gonna be in the pre spawn mode down there...so you are still lookin at points and bridges with a drosphot....cranks can be really good like a wiggle wart...a good football jig around the cyprus trees in the deeper water can get some big spots .....light line is the key on this lake unless you are in the arms...main lake area can be as clear as 35 feet down where you can see the bottom and every pebble on it.....I have seen it that clear....60 feet of water is not a unsual depth at catching bass on the lake....they can spawn there in 15 to 16 feet of water and the bigger ones typically do....

in plastics and jigs watermellon red and watermellon are always good...pbnj jigs and spidergrubs also are standards....drosphotting is good too....

we used 4lb line last time we were down there and my pops got a 4lb spotted bass on a dropshot rig....60 feet of water..in the summer...there is a ton of fish and you will have fun if you figure out the depth..

BPACA · 12-25-06, 12:39 PM

by the way you don't need a guide down there....just idle around the drops and turn up your sensitivity and find some brushpiles....300 dollars is not worth it to have them sit you up on a hole they always fish with every client and you won't spend that much on gas....

BPACA · 12-26-06, 09:09 AM

Here is what a guy who lives down there had to say

I fish table rock alot, and I live in NWA. So, welcome neighbor! First, its not that complicated. Table Rock has a tremendous amount of fish in it. Healthy populations of all 3 species and not all go deep in the winter. You can catch a few deep on a drop shot as mentioned and they will likely be some magnum spots. I've seen 25lb bags of spots brought in doing just that. If you just wanna catch some fish.....get ya a crankin' rod and some wiggle warts, find some 45 degree sloping banks with some wind on 'em and parallel the banks. Crawfish colors and red patterns! Also get some jerkbaits, rogues, luckycraft, etc etc, whatever you like. Get a few shallow runners and a few deep ones. Go to the same type banks and parallel them. If you've never fished a jerkbait, just cast, run it down a ways and pause it. Find a cadence, typical is a jerk jerk pause. Pause the bait for various lengths of time til you get bit. Most times they'll hit it while its motionless. If none of the above works you can try a 3/4 oz. football head jig. Table Rock is notorious for brown with purple flash, most guys use a twin tail grub as a trailer. Also netbait makes a paca chunk thats awesome. Dont know where you live in NWA but 2 great places to find some help are Hook Line and Sinker in Rogers, AR and Table Rock Tackle in Kimberling City, MO. Hope I can post that here. All these will work on Beaver also. Good luck and if you have any questions feel free to send me a message.
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mymomisbecky · 12-26-06, 11:13 AM

Thanks a ton for the information. Im definately going to be getting some maps and doing some research prior to the trip. We decided to NOT go with a guide. Ive been fishing long enough, I hope to I can put us on fish.
Ive got a 334c on the console, so my electronics shouldnt hold me back at least.
Tough thing is, im fishing with a couple of folks (bro and dad) that dont fish but a couple times a year so teaching them to dropshot accurately in an hour or two may not be the easiest feat.. They can probably handle cranks, etc, but the dropshot and certain other things I wont even try.
Thanks again, very much, fantastic information thusfar.

BPACA · 12-26-06, 04:19 PM

dropshot is easier than cranking and stuff in my opinion....just have them throw it out...dip it over the side on the schoolers and shake shake shake....that's all it takes...

mymomisbecky · 12-26-06, 04:21 PM

well, im used to dropshotting more shallow lakes, where my bell sinker is steadied on the bottom with the line tight. It takes more than a 2 time a year fisherman to figure out the line being tight, sinker on the bottom etc.
but if you are fishing 60 ft and only fishing 10 feet in the middle of the column, yeah i guess that wouldnt be bad at all

ToPwAt'R GuY · 12-26-06, 09:16 PM

I fish table rock a few times a year and have to say that day in and day out spinnerbaits flat out produce here. Every time out I've caught at least 20 a day. Bring a wide variety with you and fish the points. I hope you have a successful trip.

BPACA · 12-26-06, 11:27 PM

Your joking right? Man I don't know where you are fishing on T Rock..I imagine the arms because the water is as clear as a glass of ice water.....maybe on a windy day in late spring but the water is as clear as can be sometimes....bring some ledge busters or something....I could see it...but shallow spinnerbaiting is probably when they are really active...Jay yelas used spinners in a tourney down there and did well a couple of years ago....he was using a berkley spinner with clear plastic blades...IDK if they make them any more....A good color for spinnerbaits on the lake is a dark green with green blades....it's crazy but it's a secret color.

12-24-06, 07:03 PM	#1
mymomisbecky BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Des MOines, IA Posts: 336	Table Rock fishing/guides etc !!! merry xmas board members Just wantedt o see if any of you folks routinely fish table rock in southern missouri. I am going for our yearly golf trip down there for a week and decided to stay a couple of extra days with my brother and father for some table rock fishing. We are bringing my boat (19 foot nitro, 150 hp merc) but probably looking to hire a guide for the first day, just to get a better feel for the lake etc. 2nd and 3rd day we will use my boat, and ill be guiding. Can anyone recommend some decent ideas and spots to try for the end of march, beginning of april. Im just looking to get some general ideas for that time of year, as far as lure selection, etc. Generally in Iowa that time of year, we are looking at water temps in the upper 40s, guessing 55 ish down there. so shallow spawning areas with my grandads noodle should work etc. Any info or recommendation on guides would be great. Thanks Ryan aka mmib

12-24-06, 07:10 PM	#2
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	If I were you , I 'd just put in every day and watch for guides that leave marina's with clients...they won't go too far and be on fish, plus it will save you 300 bucks or so.

12-24-06, 07:24 PM	#3
skeeter944 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Somewhere in South Carolina Posts: 2,377	i agree with jb,follow the guides around and do what they do. you will have the convience of fishing out of your boat with your gear.

12-24-06, 10:40 PM	#4
Christopherkeene9 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Oviedo, Fla Posts: 2,270	Guys I gonna have to say don't do that. That's their livelihood and is poor sportsman conduct. Alot of guys do that down here in the salt and its really sad the things people do to catch fish.

12-25-06, 12:37 PM	#5
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	yeah...don't fish the crap out of a guides spot....only time to do it is if you are in a tournament and they are not in it....other than that don't pressure their holes.....On tablerock in the spring bass are gonna be in the pre spawn mode down there...so you are still lookin at points and bridges with a drosphot....cranks can be really good like a wiggle wart...a good football jig around the cyprus trees in the deeper water can get some big spots .....light line is the key on this lake unless you are in the arms...main lake area can be as clear as 35 feet down where you can see the bottom and every pebble on it.....I have seen it that clear....60 feet of water is not a unsual depth at catching bass on the lake....they can spawn there in 15 to 16 feet of water and the bigger ones typically do.... in plastics and jigs watermellon red and watermellon are always good...pbnj jigs and spidergrubs also are standards....drosphotting is good too.... we used 4lb line last time we were down there and my pops got a 4lb spotted bass on a dropshot rig....60 feet of water..in the summer...there is a ton of fish and you will have fun if you figure out the depth..

12-25-06, 12:39 PM	#6
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	by the way you don't need a guide down there....just idle around the drops and turn up your sensitivity and find some brushpiles....300 dollars is not worth it to have them sit you up on a hole they always fish with every client and you won't spend that much on gas....

12-26-06, 09:09 AM	#7
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	Here is what a guy who lives down there had to say I fish table rock alot, and I live in NWA. So, welcome neighbor! First, its not that complicated. Table Rock has a tremendous amount of fish in it. Healthy populations of all 3 species and not all go deep in the winter. You can catch a few deep on a drop shot as mentioned and they will likely be some magnum spots. I've seen 25lb bags of spots brought in doing just that. If you just wanna catch some fish.....get ya a crankin' rod and some wiggle warts, find some 45 degree sloping banks with some wind on 'em and parallel the banks. Crawfish colors and red patterns! Also get some jerkbaits, rogues, luckycraft, etc etc, whatever you like. Get a few shallow runners and a few deep ones. Go to the same type banks and parallel them. If you've never fished a jerkbait, just cast, run it down a ways and pause it. Find a cadence, typical is a jerk jerk pause. Pause the bait for various lengths of time til you get bit. Most times they'll hit it while its motionless. If none of the above works you can try a 3/4 oz. football head jig. Table Rock is notorious for brown with purple flash, most guys use a twin tail grub as a trailer. Also netbait makes a paca chunk thats awesome. Dont know where you live in NWA but 2 great places to find some help are Hook Line and Sinker in Rogers, AR and Table Rock Tackle in Kimberling City, MO. Hope I can post that here. All these will work on Beaver also. Good luck and if you have any questions feel free to send me a message. Back to top

12-26-06, 11:13 AM	#8
mymomisbecky BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Des MOines, IA Posts: 336	Thanks a ton for the information. Im definately going to be getting some maps and doing some research prior to the trip. We decided to NOT go with a guide. Ive been fishing long enough, I hope to I can put us on fish. Ive got a 334c on the console, so my electronics shouldnt hold me back at least. Tough thing is, im fishing with a couple of folks (bro and dad) that dont fish but a couple times a year so teaching them to dropshot accurately in an hour or two may not be the easiest feat.. They can probably handle cranks, etc, but the dropshot and certain other things I wont even try. Thanks again, very much, fantastic information thusfar.

12-26-06, 04:19 PM	#9
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	dropshot is easier than cranking and stuff in my opinion....just have them throw it out...dip it over the side on the schoolers and shake shake shake....that's all it takes...

12-26-06, 04:21 PM	#10
mymomisbecky BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Des MOines, IA Posts: 336	well, im used to dropshotting more shallow lakes, where my bell sinker is steadied on the bottom with the line tight. It takes more than a 2 time a year fisherman to figure out the line being tight, sinker on the bottom etc. but if you are fishing 60 ft and only fishing 10 feet in the middle of the column, yeah i guess that wouldnt be bad at all

12-26-06, 09:16 PM	#11
ToPwAt'R GuY BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: missouri Posts: 930	I fish table rock a few times a year and have to say that day in and day out spinnerbaits flat out produce here. Every time out I've caught at least 20 a day. Bring a wide variety with you and fish the points. I hope you have a successful trip.

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12-26-06, 11:27 PM	#12
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	Your joking right? Man I don't know where you are fishing on T Rock..I imagine the arms because the water is as clear as a glass of ice water.....maybe on a windy day in late spring but the water is as clear as can be sometimes....bring some ledge busters or something....I could see it...but shallow spinnerbaiting is probably when they are really active...Jay yelas used spinners in a tourney down there and did well a couple of years ago....he was using a berkley spinner with clear plastic blades...IDK if they make them any more....A good color for spinnerbaits on the lake is a dark green with green blades....it's crazy but it's a secret color.