Rock Bass

[Hunter91]

Been wearing out the rock bass on Table Rock up to 13 inches. On grubs as we are bass fishing. anywhere between 4-15ft.

[Ozark]

Yep, that's a good report. I was at Tablerock on 5/5 throwing a deep-running crankbait, and started coming up with BIG goggleyes (rock bass).

I switched over to a 1/4 oz. jig and tore 'em up. I had to call my wife and get her to call Conservation to find out what the limit is. (It's 15) I've never had any reason to know the limit on those before. Had them for supper last night and lunch today - good eating. I'm going again tomorrow - mostly for bass and crappie, but I hope the goggleyes are still biting too. That was fun.

[Hellbender]

Their explosion in TR is interesting, because they're not a lake fish normaly. There's nothing wrong with them as a game fish, they get to a nice size and always seem to be hungary.

[Ozark]

Hellbender - There have been some changes in both Bull Shoals and Tablerock since the white bass decline three years ago. I sure don't understand it, and I don't think Conservation does either.

The white bass population has dropped a lot, obviously. Crappie have increased a lot, in both places. I'd think that's because crappie are utilizing food that white bass are no longer getting, but that doesn't explain the increase of goggleyes (rock bass) in Tablerock. The ones I'm catching are full of crawdads, and that's sure not white bass food.

[Hellbender]

I've heard that the large increase coincided with the LM virus. That may be just a rumor, but I suppose if they were a major food source, at some time during the year, the decline in LM might have given them a chance to get ahead of the game. At any rate they are where they belong as a native White river fish.