Table RockTOPWATER

BY: ERIC PREY - TRL Fishing Guide

Spook, his ability to catch fish on Table Rock with a walking bait is still discussed today. Walking baits are a great choice throughout the top water season. Once an angler learns to “walk the dog”, the proper way to work a walking bait, it can be fished around standing timber, boat docks and even wide-open flats.

• Wake Baits: Surge Shad, Red Fin and other wake baits have a short-lived season but when they are working, they are dynamite. Wake Baits are most effective for about a month after the spawn when bass are looking for larger shad to help their post spawn recovery. Wake baits are effective both shallow and deep, around boat docks, standing timer and other cover where bass wait to ambush gizzard shad. In addition to the short season, wake baits are best when there is light or no wind.

• Poppers and Chuggers: Pop-R’s, Skitter Pops and other cup faced popping lures are great when fish are shallow feeding on spawning bluegill or shad. The loud splashing action and ability to pause the lure to draw strikes next to cover make poppers great to throw around laydowns, flooded brush, and shallow boat docks. Poppers are also very easy to use and can be used effectively on spinning and casting gear.

• Prop Baits: Whopper Ploppers, Choppos and other prop baits have become extremely popular in recent years. One reason is how easy they are to use, cast it out and reel it is really all you need to do. Prop baits work throughout the top water season but shine in the fall when bigger bass chase bluegill along steep bluff walls and ledge banks.

• Buzz Baits: Often overlooked on Table Rock most anglers opt for other top waters instead of buzz bait. The wire frame lures are great around shallow cover like stumps and laydowns, the single hook and surface skimming design will come over shallow cover that other baits will hang up on.

Locations vary for top water fishing; some days you’ll see fish surfacing all over the place, other days you won’t see a ripple, rest assured the fish are still there, ready to feed. Here are some of the best locations to find and catch top water bass on Table Rock.

• Flats: Flat banks can be intimidating; big open areas seeming void of cover make it hard to figure out where to start casting. Watch for fish and shad near the surface first, if they’re chasing shad throw your lure in front of the school and work it back. Nothing on the surface?

No problem, find stumps, rocks or other subtle cover that will hold fish and cast to it. Lastly, look at areas where the flat rolls off into a river or creek channel, fish will hold in the deeper water of roll offs and move up to feed.

• Standing timber: Large stands of timber can hold fish but look for sparse groups of trees to hold more fish. A single flooded cedar tree can hold more fish than a group of pole timber so work it thoroughly to be effective.

• Boat docks: Docks hold a ton of fish year-round, throughout the summer fish will hold in the shade just under dock floats making a top water an extremely effective offering. Cast to corners, ends and empty slips to be effective.

• Shallow wood: Stumps, bushes and laydowns are great bass habitat. Cast lures as close to the cover as possible and make sure to hit the shady spots to be effective.

The top water bite on Table Rock is one of the best times of the year to fish. Early during post spawn, the bite can last all day and as summer comes on strong early in the morning and just before sunset are your best times to fish. Pick up your favorite surface lure and watch for schooling fish over the next few months and you won’t be disappointed,