WookieeJedi Posted April 23, 2012 Posted April 23, 2012 I'm going to be up at Big Cedar in the next couple of weeks, and if anyone has some pointers for fishing the area around the Lodge, it would be appreciated. I will be using their kayaks, so I won't have my fishfinder. I also will be paddling with my kids, so we aren't going to go much more than 6 miles from the lodge. I usually make a day trip or two into AR since I maintain a license there, but this time I want to give Table Rock a try. Any general info you might have about water temp, fish patterns, etc. will help too. And if stripers are doing anything around there, I'm all ears. Thanks. Quote
Bass_Fanatic Posted April 23, 2012 Posted April 23, 2012 I stayed there years ago...we fished a place called Dogwood Creek and caught alot of trout. It was pretty fun. Also, there is two ponds that you can go to that is stocked full of trout. They are pretty close by, I just dont remember the name of the place, but it is a blast for the kids. I think you pay per hour or per fish, but it was alot of fun for me as I was only about 10 at the time that we went. Quote
WookieeJedi Posted April 23, 2012 Author Posted April 23, 2012 I know the trout ponds of which you speak, they are about 8 miles up the road from the lodge. Dogwood Creek is now part of the Dogwood Canyon facility, They want a lot of $$$ just to walk into that place. We stop at a place or two in AR on the way up and fish for trout, I will probably have 20 fish to clean when we get there. This trip will be my first time to try out the lake. This will be my third trip up there this year, and I have yet to bass fish there. Gotta fix that. Quote
Super User eyedabassman Posted April 24, 2012 Super User Posted April 24, 2012 Google Pete Wenners fishing guide! He does a nice weekly video on were the bass are biting on the rock and what to use. He does a new video every Thur.! I have fished with Pete many times and he may be the best on the Rock! I too will be down there May 18 to the 26 but it is to talk to some builders! Or google hooked on bass. 1 Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted April 24, 2012 Global Moderator Posted April 24, 2012 Last time we stayed at Big Cedar it was very close to this time of year. I did really well on the bank just right across from their big dock on shakeyheads, actually caught a limit in the 14-15 pound range right there with a 5lb kicker on a wiggle wart. The cove that it's in has good fishing and so does the bluff bank on either side of the mouth of the cove. Shakeyheads, football jigs, swimming grubs, and wiggle warts should all be good. 1 Quote
WookieeJedi Posted April 24, 2012 Author Posted April 24, 2012 Thanks, fellas. I'll be sure to check out Pete Wimmers before I go. It's also good to know there's some decent bass fishing right there. Quote
Quillback Posted April 25, 2012 Posted April 25, 2012 No stripers in TR, except for a few that may have come over the dam from Beaver a couple of years ago during the floods. You can make the trip over to Beaver and launch at one of the Corps parks near the dam, if you go at daylight or in the evening you might come across some hybrids/stripers surface feeding, but it's hit or miss, especially from a kayak. Ozarkanglers.com has a Table Rock forum with reports and there's archived stuff their also, if you did a search on "Big Cedar" I'm sure you'd get some info. 1 Quote
WookieeJedi Posted April 25, 2012 Author Posted April 25, 2012 No stripers on a lake like that? That's practically sinful. I just always assumed they were in there. I'm headed over to Ozarkanglers right now. Quote
Quillback Posted April 25, 2012 Posted April 25, 2012 I think the TR locals are happy to not have stripers, not a popular fish with some of the dedicated black bass folks. I think Big Cedar is near the dam, supposedly good smallie fishing in the dam area. I haven't fished it myself, but the locals are always talking about dragging tubes and grubs. A local who is an experienced TR fisherman tells me that mustard is a great tube color for smallies in TR. Cotton Cordell Redfins are a great surface bait for TR, they can be a pain because many of them won't run straight out of the box, the hooks are lousy, and to get them to wake correctly you have to keep your rod tip high, but if the surface bite is on the bass will eat them up. I'd also have some Rebel Pop-r's, Zara Spooks, Sammies, and Gunfish. Quote
WookieeJedi Posted April 26, 2012 Author Posted April 26, 2012 There were not many posts about the area at Ozarkanglers, but they did have some very good embellished maps of it. It looks like a good place for this time of year. Quote
Quillback Posted April 26, 2012 Posted April 26, 2012 Good post on that forum today, title is "Trip to Table Rock 6 -11 May." One of the guides who has fished that lake for years has some good tips. Quote
WookieeJedi Posted April 26, 2012 Author Posted April 26, 2012 That was a good link, I wasn't even thinking about smallmouth. The dam is a short paddle from where I will be. I already have all those lures they listed too. I might just take my LJ Hotlips out there. It has been a long time since I got into some smallmouth action. Quote
WookieeJedi Posted May 1, 2012 Author Posted May 1, 2012 Just in case y'all were wondering, the SM on TR are after small crawfish: Had to switch to small 2" plastic craws on carolina rig on 6# line. The area down by the dam is good, and also right in the Big Cedar cove. The bank opposite the marina and down in front of the resort in front of the tall foot bridge. Bluebird day not a problem so long as the wind keeps up a little. 1 Quote
Super User eyedabassman Posted May 2, 2012 Super User Posted May 2, 2012 Just in case y'all were wondering, the SM on TR are after small crawfish: Had to switch to small 2" plastic craws on carolina rig on 6# line. The area down by the dam is good, and also right in the Big Cedar cove. The bank opposite the marina and down in front of the resort in front of the tall foot bridge. Bluebird day not a problem so long as the wind keeps up a little. Yep the wind on the Rock is key to fishing if not overcast! Good job! I will be down on the Rock ( Kimberling City ) two weeks from this Sat. Quote
WookieeJedi Posted May 2, 2012 Author Posted May 2, 2012 I hope you hit them this hard. It was my best day in a good while, on a new lake too. This afternoon I was just murdering them. Mostly SM, with some spots thrown in. Most of the fish were dinks, but every 5 or 6 was a good fish, especially when I downsized the craw and put it on a carolina rig with a short leader. I got one at least 4 today, by far my PB smallie. A lot of fish came to the boat puking crawfish. I really miss SM fishing, I'm gonna hafta do a Buffalo float soon now. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted May 2, 2012 Global Moderator Posted May 2, 2012 Hope they are still biting like that when I'm down there in a couple weeks . Sounds like you're getting them pretty good! Quote
Super User eyedabassman Posted May 2, 2012 Super User Posted May 2, 2012 Hope they are still biting like that when I'm down there in a couple weeks . Sounds like you're getting them pretty good! When are you going? I will be there May 18 to the 26. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted May 2, 2012 Global Moderator Posted May 2, 2012 I'll be at Big Cedar with my wife May 20-22 for our anniversary. Quote
Super User eyedabassman Posted May 2, 2012 Super User Posted May 2, 2012 I will be staying in Branson but I will be down in Kimberling City to talk to about 5 builders. We have land in Fisher Creek and we want to build ASAP.Not sure if I will get to fish! I will not have my boat with me! This trip is about finding a good builder! Quote
Quillback Posted May 3, 2012 Posted May 3, 2012 Glad to hear you got into the smallies, they are a blast! Quote
WookieeJedi Posted May 4, 2012 Author Posted May 4, 2012 Some of the lures that caught 'em this week on TR: The 2" crawfish in motor oil/green flake did the most damage on SM. I rigged it carolina on a 8" to 10" leader and used a light red offset worm hook, and T-hooked the craw, I used 6# flouroclear P-line. That rig prob'ly got 30 fish. Half my strikes were on the fall from the initial cast, or just when I first moved it. The cranks got some fish off some fairly sheer drops just off the bank. Remember, I am paddling, so I fish along the way to where I'm going. I was using the light 10-footer, so no fish-finder, I just tossed the jig out if the bank looked interesting. If I found a good drop, I tossed the crank to it. The purple ghost Xrap caught the most fish doing that. The big BPS crank and the DT did all of their damage in the Big Cedar cove area. Mostly dink largemouth, and a few SM and spots. I used both the Yum craw and an avacado/red flake grub for my jig setup, depending on the rod I was using. The craw got a fish off one drop along the shoreline, and the grub didn't get anything until I got offshore in the dam area. It got a few, but the small craw did so well, I left the grub sitting there. The Jr. Zara got a few on top in the late evening. Sorry I don't have more pics, I took that one pic of the fish with the craw, and it got me so off my spot I didn't try to take any more. That wind was keeping the fish going, but it was also kicking I disagree. Next time, I'm bringing the bigger boat, and the anchor. I'm glad Big Cedar has a nice hot tub right there at the lodge. I was hurtin' for certain. Quote
WookieeJedi Posted May 4, 2012 Author Posted May 4, 2012 The icing on the cake: My littles swept the Lodge pond fishing tournament on Thursday. My oldest won his age group, and my next two finished 1-2 in their age group. My big girl also scored the biggest fish and only bass. She got it in the last minute of the event, but she's not one to pump her fist and shout. 1 Quote
Super User eyedabassman Posted May 5, 2012 Super User Posted May 5, 2012 Jedi, cool, it is all about the kids!!!! I am glad you had a good trip.What was the big fish when you where down there???? Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.