Had a weekend fishing trip with a longtime fishing buddy this past weekend. His birthday is the first week of January, so we kind of have a tradition of going fishing together the first week of January together. This year, we went on a trip to Taneycomo/Table Rock in Missouri. Neither of us had ever fished Taneycomo for bass, it's mainly considered a trout lake, although it's a connecting body of water with current between Bull Shoals and Table Rock, so it's more of a slow to moderate river. Fairly clear water and tons of grass, it took some learning to do much. 

Friday we got on the water around noon and didn't get a bite for the first couple hours. Once we did, figured out the outside bends with jerkbaits and A-rigs were the deal.

 

Saturday they weren't generating, and the bite was tough. We ran up the lake hoping to run into a big brown trout. Jon had missed his only 2 bites the day before, so I was happy to see him get on the board first.

Then we poked back into a small creek mouth and he found our first trout of the trip, it was small but it was a brown, his second he'd ever caught, so we were pretty excited about it.

We ran about 12 miles to the dam and fished our way back. It took 6 hours before I got my first bite, then I caught another my next cast, both on the Rig, so I stuck with it the rest of the afternoon but they were much smaller. Finally got a 3ish pound fish. They were so short and thick from that lake.

With about 3 hours left, we decided to hop up to Table Rock and see how the bite was there. I caught small largemouth my first 2 cast with a Ned rig off the boat ramp while Jon was untangling his rods. We jumped across the cove to a channel swing bank and I caught a nice 4 pounder on the Ned.

I tried swimming a grub and got a couple spots and a little smallmouth off the same bank before we called it a night.

Sunday morning we went back to Table Rock around Kimberling City. I believe it was my 3rd cast of the morning I caught our first fish.

Not 10 cast later, I caught another, both on a Berkley Stunna 112+1, the only jerkbait I fished all weekend.

Then Jon scored on a Vision 110

The sun came out and the wind started blowing and the bites got scarce. A cold front pushed in and killed the jerkbait bite. After a couple hours, I finally tricked a nice smallmouth to eat the Stunna after only a few other dinks.

With less than 2 hours left before we had to leave, we went to a bluff with trees to change it up. I started dropping on trees and fish I was marking with a Flat Worm. For the rest of the morning, I doubt there was 5 minutes between fish and a lot of fish on consecutive drops, it was nuts. A lot of them were 8-12 inch spots, but it was still fun and way different than what I'm use to catching them 20-60 feet deep.

Late post. Got out New Years Eve for a couple of hours in CT

Water temp was 40 degrees and fished from 22-29 FOW

Hard bottom transitions with rock

Caught them on swimbaits, hair, blades and spoons 

 

 

On 1/8/2022 at 8:54 PM, TnRiver46 said:

I only got 3 bites today (2 I believe from the same fish) in like 6 hours but one of them was sure worth it! I was in my buddy’s boat, the air was about 21 degrees when we launched. I boated a small fish early with a damiki armor shad, then things went quiet for some time. After getting somewhat lulled to sleep, I got a hard hit. I had my drag loose from catching bluegill and perch the day before. Between that and being half asleep, l lost that one. I locked my drag down and cast right back out to the same spot and got slammed again. This time I set hard and hooked the fish, then clicked over to backreel and enjoyed the fight. When it first jumped we both swore it was 2 feet long, I was shaking like a leaf. Once I got the fish out of the net I realized it wasn’t quite as huge as we expected, but still a beauty. 4.34 lbs and about 20.5 inches. Got some shakey release video, I had fish slime all over my phone and thought I would drop it for sure. 

 

 

Great job and she’s a beauty 

5 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Had a weekend fishing trip with a longtime fishing buddy this past weekend. His birthday is the first week of January, so we kind of have a tradition of going fishing together the first week of January together. This year, we went on a trip to Taneycomo/Table Rock in Missouri. Neither of us had ever fished Taneycomo for bass, it's mainly considered a trout lake, although it's a connecting body of water with current between Bull Shoals and Table Rock, so it's more of a slow to moderate river. Fairly clear water and tons of grass, it took some learning to do much. 

Friday we got on the water around noon and didn't get a bite for the first couple hours. Once we did, figured out the outside bends with jerkbaits and A-rigs were the deal.

 

Saturday they weren't generating, and the bite was tough. We ran up the lake hoping to run into a big brown trout. Jon had missed his only 2 bites the day before, so I was happy to see him get on the board first.

Then we poked back into a small creek mouth and he found our first trout of the trip, it was small but it was a brown, his second he'd ever caught, so we were pretty excited about it.

We ran about 12 miles to the dam and fished our way back. It took 6 hours before I got my first bite, then I caught another my next cast, both on the Rig, so I stuck with it the rest of the afternoon but they were much smaller. Finally got a 3ish pound fish. They were so short and thick from that lake.

With about 3 hours left, we decided to hop up to Table Rock and see how the bite was there. I caught small largemouth my first 2 cast with a Ned rig off the boat ramp while Jon was untangling his rods. We jumped across the cove to a channel swing bank and I caught a nice 4 pounder on the Ned.

I tried swimming a grub and got a couple spots and a little smallmouth off the same bank before we called it a night.

Sunday morning we went back to Table Rock around Kimberling City. I believe it was my 3rd cast of the morning I caught our first fish.

Not 10 cast later, I caught another, both on a Berkley Stunna 112+1, the only jerkbait I fished all weekend.

Then Jon scored on a Vision 110

The sun came out and the wind started blowing and the bites got scarce. A cold front pushed in and killed the jerkbait bite. After a couple hours, I finally tricked a nice smallmouth to eat the Stunna after only a few other dinks.

With less than 2 hours left before we had to leave, we went to a bluff with trees to change it up. I started dropping on trees and fish I was marking with a Flat Worm. For the rest of the morning, I doubt there was 5 minutes between fish and a lot of fish on consecutive drops, it was nuts. A lot of them were 8-12 inch spots, but it was still fun and way different than what I'm use to catching them 20-60 feet deep.

Looks like you guys had a great trip. ?

I haven't fished much lately, and haven't caught much (except drum) when I have so it's been a while since I posted in this thread.

 

I had about an hour and a half before dark. It was sunny, a little chilly, and very windy. I tried my usual spots on this pond, but got nothing. Since it didn't look like I was going to catch anything I decided to make it a practice session for pitching, skipping around the docks, and casting into the wind. I decided to give the deepest part of the pond a shot right before I left, and I caught one. It was a dink, but I'm on the board in '22.

 

I got it on a jig, which is a lure I intend to use more this year. I always say that, but I never do it. Maybe this will be the year it happens.

Caught 5 Spots and a LM today on the Ned and MB 110 +2 fishing humps. It's was a slow bite as we had a heavy rain last night that took the water clarity from 6' to 2' and the water temp dropped 5 degrees from last Thursday. 

11 hours ago, GreenPig said:

Caught 5 Spots and a LM today on the Ned and MB 110 +2 fishing humps. It's was a slow bite as we had a heavy rain last night that took the water clarity from 6' to 2' and the water temp dropped 5 degrees from last Thursday. 

Catching bass in the morning. Watching your team beat Alabama for the NC in the evening. Sounds like a good day.

Well, COVID shut my movie down so I found a bass pro, a lake, and a bass. Choke Canyon, TX. Nice.

32 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

Well, COVID shut my movie down so I found a bass pro, a lake, and a bass. Choke Canyon, TX. Nice.

Nice.You acting or producing?

16 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Nice.You acting or producing?

Sound Engineering. I'm the reason you hear what the actors are saying ?

16 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

Sound Engineering. I'm the reason you hear what the actors are saying ?

I hear ya brother. Very cool.

25 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

Sound Engineering. I'm the reason you hear what the actors are saying ?

Awesome, what movies have you worked on?

Still on my 2022 jerkbait grind, definitely gaining a lot of confidence over the past two weeks. Today was the first ones with any decent size to them. Managed a 3lb 11oz and a 3lb 9oz on the Rapala Shadow Rap Shad I found last week. Got a mess of tilapia on it, as well. Also managed a 4lb 10oz on a Toledo gold One Knocker, biggest of the year so far. No giants yet but 2022 is still young, just happy to be getting decent quality fish early into my jerkbait venture.

20 hours ago, HaydenS said:

Awesome, what movies have you worked on?

This is actually my first movie...most of my prior work is for Investigation Discovery true crime series

First fish of the year!

Partner had one go 3.

Finally got the winter to cooperate and stuck my first double digit of the year! Ole girl smashed the jerkbait on a 5 second pause. 25” and 10.52 lbs! Cheers y’all! 

3 minutes ago, TravisVirginiaAngler said:

Finally got the winter to cooperate and stuck my first double digit of the year! Ole girl smashed the jerkbait on a 5 second pause. 25” and 10.52 lbs! Cheers y’all! 

Awesome fish!  I bet that was a lot of fun!

Getting stir crazy so decided to do some ice fishing. First time I’ve fished on the Saginaw bay and solo boot.  Went out of the east side.  Started in 3 fow and Spuded out to 8 fow. There was 4-6 inches of ice and I probably ended up a 1-1.5 miles out.   No fish and didn’t even mark any on the flasher.  Nice day though.  Ran tip ups and fished for perch.  After the shanty left I was the only out. Didn’t die so that’s good. 
 

About 2-3 more months I could be possibly pulling bass from this area 

Well. I drove from San Antonio to Dallas and back today. Picked up microphones for work later. And took a detour to Lake Whitney in Central Texas. I have never seen so much topwater action in winter, lord have mercy. It sounded like someone throwing bowling balls into the lake about every 5-10 seconds. I would have done...things...to have my little Jon boat at the State Park boat ramp today. But alas, this is a work trip. 1.6 and 3.5 pounders today. The big one swam off with my mini fish grips in her mouth...I was about to release her and was changing my grip when she thrashed hard and took off. Lesson learned: Never fish on a work trip.

Got a couple this morning on a black strike king double bladed spinnerbait.

16 hours ago, TravisVirginiaAngler said:

Finally got the winter to cooperate and stuck my first double digit of the year!

You expect to catch more ? In Virginia ? Crikey !

8 hours ago, scaleface said:

You expect to catch more ? In Virginia ? Crikey !

1000% yes. At least 1 more!

Couldn't pass up a chance for a 3 generation trip before my daughter headed back to college. Fortunately the spots and even a couple LM were interested in Neds, tubes, and a jig. Water temp 53*.

 

Pops with his first one.

 

Kids always gotta show us up 

 

Double hookup.

 

Looks like this guy finally passed something that had to be quite uncomfortable.

 

Great day out there and the cooperative fish were just a bonus.

 

Another post I saw yesterday about worms mentioned the zman fattyz and reinvigorated my obsession with them; so I had to make sure they could still catch fish. First spot of the year was a chunk. Catch a couple smaller fish after but nothing really picture worthy 

 

 

What a fun day. Colder than gee whiz but oh well. @galyonj joined me to fish in my boat while my buddy Craig and his son fished near by in their boat. The fish were fairly cooperative, we got decent numbers and size. Water temp 51. I caught one on my x zone slammer on a jig head, my jig keeper was a little bulky for the bait but it worked immediately. The rest were captured on damiki armor shad on our boat and TRD in Craig’s boat (two of the pics are duplicate of the same fish just different angles)

I hate that we didn't capture the epic battle I had with that stick.