Table Rock Lake

[Extreme vft17]

How is the blue catfishing on the lake? I will be close the Shell Knob and this will be my first time on the lake. I will be there at the end of May.

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thanks

[Straw Hat]

I hate to dash your hopes but no blue cats in the whole White River system. They do have a lot of nice channels and flatheads though.

[CountryHart]

I hate to dash your hopes but no blue cats in the whole White River system. They do have a lot of nice channels and flatheads though.

Interesting? I've caught alot of blues in Beaver, 1st. lake of the chain. My dad lives on the lower end of the river and catches big blue gum blues every year. If i were fishin Shell knob, i personally would run on up the Kings river and flathead fish. Viola boat ramp will save ya a couple miles of boat travel. they have a nice ramp and theres some cabins just outside the park that are reasonable.

[Extreme vft17]

thanks guys I love mudcats as much as blues!

[Straw Hat]

Interesting? I've caught alot of blues in Beaver, 1st. lake of the chain. My dad lives on the lower end of the river and catches big blue gum blues every year. If i were fishin Shell knob, i personally would run on up the Kings river and flathead fish. Viola boat ramp will save ya a couple miles of boat travel. they have a nice ramp and theres some cabins just outside the park that are reasonable.

Well now that gets my attention!! I worked with Bill Pfleiger (The author of Missouri Fisher for the MDC) back in the 70's. He said that blues weren't native to the White river system and no blues were captured during 2 years of our study in Table Rock, Bull Shoals, etc.. If Arkansas has introduced blues into Beaver than those buggers will eventually spread down through the system and build populations. I have access to some recent sampling data and will see what I can find. I will post when I am done. Thanks for the info, that is what makes this site so great.

[Straw Hat]

Here is what I could find out. Arkansas apparently started stocking Blues in Beaver around 1978. Missouri started stocking them in 1975 in Norfolk Lake (on a tributory on the lower end of the system). Blues have not been stocked in either Table Rock or Bull Shoals. As of 1998 no blues have ever been sampled or verified in either of those two lakes. As a fishery biologist this sort of suprises me. You would think that in that length of time enough blues would have gotten past the dam (flooding, power generation, etc.) on Beaver to start a population on Table Rock. Blues live a long time and it would only take a few to get things rolling. I appreciate you putting me straight on this info CountryHart, I don't want to mislead anyone.

[mrgillus]

We pulled about an 18 lber from a trout line back in 2008 out there.. We go out there every year for a week in Aunts Creek. My dad won our families fishing tournament with an 11lb blue I think back in 2009 if memory serves me right. The year before that it was my uncle with a like 16" Walleye.. Can't remember what the weight was on that one though..

[Straw Hat]

No disrespect mrgillus but are you sure it was a blue. My biggest channel out of TRL was 13 and have seen one 18. Blues can be hard to tell from channels sometimes without counting the anal fin spins. But on the other hand you sure would think a poulation would have started up by know. I am really curious to see how this thread goes.

[Extreme vft17]

Thanks again for the additional info, I have heard that table rock is a top end smallmouth lake though, is that correct?

[mrgillus]

No disrespect mrgillus but are you sure it was a blue. My biggest channel out of TRL was 13 and have seen one 18. Blues can be hard to tell from channels sometimes without counting the anal fin spins. But on the other hand you sure would think a poulation would have started up by know. I am really curious to see how this thread goes.

None taken.. In fact I kind of questioned it myself.. I do have a picture of it though.. Maybe you guys can confirm whether it's a channel or a blue for me. All this time we thought it was a blue but maybe we've been wrong all along:)

Table Rock Lake 2008 083.jpg