Info-Table Rock Lake

johnnie crain outdoors · Mon Dec 02, 2002 8:25 am

Calling All Pro Staff-
A member of our bass club is heading to a big tournament in lkate March on Table Rock Lake, Missouri. He would like to ask our pro staff about the lake at that time of year. They will headquarter at Kimberling City and fish from there.
Questions/.
What type areas are bass mostly using in March.
Would the fish most likely be using main lake points etc, shallow coves, rock shorelines, secondary coves, pea gravel, rock bluffs?
Which are some top producing baits to try:
crankbaits, minnow jerk baits, spinnerbaits, jigs, worms etc.
Good colors?
Prime locations within reach of Kimberling City I.E. James River arm.
Any navigational hazards.
All suggestions would be appreciated, I put him on this web site and he likes it so I hope we can all chip in a little and help. I have relayed my information to him and he will be coming to my house to mark maps, compare notes, etc. He usually is my competition, but I always like to help anyone I can in any way. Need your help guys. Johnnie Crain Iowa Pro Staff.
I could use e-mail for this conversation, but the information might help others along the way, so that's why I went with the post. Thanks in advance, JC

johnnie crain outdoors · Sat Dec 07, 2002 6:52 am

No bites on this post? Guess I'll put in my two cents worth.
Dorsey, when fishing able Rock in March there are a couple ways to go, being from Iowa you're not going to like this first technique, but if you are to compete with the good ole' boys from Missouri, here's what you'll have to do. You will need some Suspending Rogue Minnow baits, both shallow and deep divers, colors include Clown, shad and baby bass. You will need to locate either main lake bluff ends with chunk rock close to the main lake channel or chunk rock at the first break inside major coves. You just can't beat the suspension baits on southern Mo. lakes in early spring. Cast them right against the chunk rocks, rip the bait down and wait, rip and wait over and over till you get the lure back to the boat. Actually it's not as bad as it sounds, cause you will catch some fish, maybe some big fish. Table Rock has some lunkers. The other technique you will like better, a jig and pig tossed right up on the same chunk rock, ease it into the way and slowly swim it back to the boat. A large green Gene Larew Fat Tube is also effective fished the same way. Slow rolling large spinnerbaits is another technique worth trying, but unless you are comfortable fishing a spinnerbait far away from the boat and close to the bottom, forget it. Use 1/2 or larger spinnerbaits in pearl, white or grey colors with silver willow leaf blades.
The James River is a great starting point, this entire creek arm holds fish, but my best luck has come from the upper reaches of the arm where Flat Creek enters the James, don't overlook the bridge area at flat creek, fish the rip rapped points with whichever bait seems to work. Aunt's Creek is another good area, especially for big bass, fish the main arm and the very end of the creek, where smaller creeks enter Aunt's creek. The last creek at the end of Aunt's creek has an underwater ledge on the left side as you enter, de-tune a small crankbait to run to the left and the bait may run up under the ledge and catch some big fish, you'll have to cast parallel to accomplish this. Hope this helps, good luck, and I'll be marking maps for you soon. Johnnie Crain Iowa Pro Staff.

6.54BASS · Post by **6.54BASS** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 4:41 am

I fishe from the same area in October at the Tracker owners tournament, I went up lake and fished the bluffs. I did ask a guide (Mike Webb) about later times. The best suggestion I got was to fish a drop shot off the bluffs (the conditions should be pretty close to the same as when I was there). I used a Zoom finesse worm (Watermelon Candy, Pumpkin Seed) in about 30-40 feet of water. Granted, we only caught two in two days of fishing, but... The winners caught big limits both days on the same thing. I guess it just boils down to location, location, location! I also threw Crankbaits in the timber with no luck, but was told by others that should have worked as well. Being from Nebraska, we don't fish much deep water, which leaves a pretty steep learning curve. If you would like more info, please let me know, I would be happy to tell you where I was fishing. Hope this helps.

Bryan

johnnie crain outdoors · Sun Dec 08, 2002 8:23 pm

6.54bass, thanks for the info, will pass it along. It's bound to help, the angler going to Table Rock doesn't fish much deep water either, mostly river fishing, that's why I'm steering him into river and creek arms, fits his style better. Again, THANKS, Johnnie Crain Iowa Pro Staff

6.54BASS · Post by **6.54BASS** » Mon Dec 09, 2002 3:56 am

I just hope I can help in some way. All I can really offer is what I sent, it is a really nice lake, just wish my outcome was better! I can say that if he is staying at Kimberling Inn, that it is a real nice place and the staff was fantastic!

6.54BASS · Post by **6.54BASS** » Mon Dec 09, 2002 3:59 am

One other word of warning, when they cut off the trees, some of them are pretty close to the surface on some of the points and in some of the creeks (I did hit one, fortunately I was going slow at the time).

johnnie crain outdoors · Tue Dec 10, 2002 5:03 am

6.54
Thanks for the input, guys like you make it easier on us guys accepting the responcibilty of putting someone else on fish, now if I could just put myself on fish!
Where were you fishing on the big lake? Johnnie Crain Iowa Pro Staff.

6.54BASS · Post by **6.54BASS** » Wed Dec 11, 2002 4:39 am

Johnnie,
I was about 4 miles or so up lake from the bridge, there is a state park we were directly across from (off the bluff). It was right next to a point with lots of wood cover, I sure bet in the spring it would be a real hot spot. A couple of other guys caught some nice fish off the banks with wiggle warts and others with white spinner baits.

johnnie crain outdoors · Wed Dec 11, 2002 5:02 am

Papillion, thanks for the advise, will pass it on, I know Wiggle Warts are hard to beat on Table Rock, Thanks again, Johnnie Crain, Iowa Pro Staff.

Don House · Post by **Don House** » Thu Dec 19, 2002 7:20 pm

Well guys here is my 2 cents worth hope you don't mind... I spend alot of time on TRock live down there a big chunk of the year..
I really like the James river area, but I try to find other places like up the around Indian creek area, and around long creek (DAM Area) that time of year, bigger blacks are brought in from up there most on these baits and of course the good old jerkbait ( Luckey craft model Aurora Black and Table Rock Shad) James is good don't get me wrong but it gets really crowded up there fast...

Last year according to my log book, in March and April most of the tournaments that I fished and recorded were taken on small pig and jigs, (Brown and purple with small brown or same color craw. Fishing Bluff walls and underwater legdes the one in Aunts creeks is really good.

Also in my tournaments we used drop shot rigs with small Fish Doctors and trick worms, (Watermelon and red flake / Watermelon and Cotton Candy). Another good one of these baits that time of year is a good old grub on a dart head, both of these I will fishing on the long sloping gravel points Primary and secondary both work at that time.

Remember Light line is the key, leave those 7Ft flippin sticks at home, I really like my 6.5 foot BPS Medium spinning rod with 6 pound mono green BPS line nothing more than that, I will rig at least 4 with all of these baits, and go fishing... Tell your friend to give me an email address I go down there all year long and fish but I start tournament fishing there in late Feb so maybe I can give him some more help from my tournament in Feb and March...

I Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.. EAT SLEEP FISH