I spent the last week at Big Ceder Lodge on Table Rock Lake near Branson Missouri. We went to several shows and the local amusement park Silver Dollar City and took a cave tour but the highlights for me was fishing with guide Eric Prey on Table Rock, fishing the Long Creek Marina bank in the mornings while my family slept in and going to the mother ship Bass Pro Shops in Spring Field Missouri. I caught Large Mouth, Small Mouth, Kentucky Spotted Bass, Mean Mouth and White Bass.
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What an awesome trip.
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Thanks for the report. Brings back memories as I haven’t been to Branson, Table Rock or the original BPS since 1981. Personally it was already too touristy for me so I doubt I’ll ever go back. Always nice to get some fishing in on vacation. Any reason you fished that far down on the Reservoir? What was the water temps? My recollection is that it fishes far better in early Spring in the warmer water further north (James River) and west (White River).
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I grew up in St. Louis and my mom worked with a lady, who with her sister had a little shop in Branson. Back then, Branson had one stoplight, two stop signs, and about 250 people. Table Rock was the place to go for Crappie, and things were very quiet down there. Springfield had never heard of ( nor anyone else for that matter) Bass Pro Shops, biggest thing in town was Southeast Missouri State Teachers College. Way to much has changed in the last 50 yrs, way to much !!
"Way to much has changed in the last 50 yrs, way to much !!"
[#0000FF]But we know that you are the same handsome young devil you used to was back then too. Time marcheth on. Time is evil.[/#0000FF]
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Got an old high school buddy that performs in Branson quite a bit. Owns the show from Vegas, "The Rat Pack is Back".
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The day we went out with the guide we fished up the James River we met our guide at Shells Knob because as you said the water was warmer and dirtier than down low. I fished down lower from the bank because we where staying at Big Ceder Lodge and wanted to maximize my fishing time in the morning. The white bass we caught where from way up the James River where they where staging for there spawn. I was amazed at the size of the white bass they where 2-3 lbs and not uncommon to get up to 4 lbs. We caught them on swim baits on an A rig also known as an umbrella rig I’m going to try trolling them at Willard for Wipers, here in Utah only two of the five baits can have a hook, so three of them will be teasers.
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That was before my time. Springfield was in the Southwest Corner of the state in my time so it was called Southwest Missouri State (more recently Missouri State University). Those tectonic plates must have shifted quite a bit if that was Southeast Missouri State back then. Glad I missed that earthquake [laugh].
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