It’s that time again – time for another Table Rock Lake Fishing Guide Report. Fishing has been great on Table Rock Lake this month! After months of low water, the spring rain has caused the lake to rise in the past couple weeks. The surface temperature of the lake has risen to the mid 60’s and the Bass are on the move!
I have had lots of success this month catching Smallmouth and Spotted Bass. Smallmouth are in the spawn and pre-spawn stages – creating and sitting on beds in dam area of the lake and can be taken using Ned Baits and grubs. Many of the beds are in deeper water (10 feet or more) due to the recent rise in lake levels.
The Spotted Bass are now starting to show up in the same areas as they prepare to spawn as well. Guide trips have resulted in large egg laden Spotted Bass being taken in ten to twenty feet of water using Ned Baits and drop shot rigs.
On cloudy days or early mornings, some are being taking on Wake baits fished slowly around docks.
In the James River arm of the lake, fish are being caught on jigs and creature baits on the flats located in the creeks.
Small cuts along main lake banks have been producing as the lake level continues to rise. These fish are usually located near a spawning cove and will soon be heading in to spawn.
In the last three days there has been a large amount of rain in the Ozarks. This has resulted in the lake rising quickly and will continue to cause the lake to rise as water finds its way into the lake. This will also affect the water clarity in the James River Arm significantly. Current forecasts call for three days of clear skies and more rain. Though this may disrupt the spawn somewhat, the fishing should be good as the water rises and covers some of the brush and other cover that grew when the water was down last summer.
If you are planning a trip with your boat to the lake, be aware that there will be a lot of logs and debris floating down the rivers. These logs can be hard to spot as they often float just below the surface.
Lots of things going on in the lake area this spring. Great time to plan a vacation!
Thanks for visiting the website and blog!
Glenn Rosser, USCG Licensed Table Rock Lake Fishing Guide
