5,4,3,2,1 from Table Rock

Pulled Pork Nachos and Pattern Fishing

Five lures Gerald Swindle has tied on to begin Day One of competition at the Bassmaster Elite Series event on Table Rock 1.) drop shot with a Zoom Z Drop worm; 2.) an old skool vintage Wiggle Wart; 3.) Fat Free Shad crankbait that will run about 12’ deep through the tops of Table Rock’s submerged timber; 4.) ½ ounce Booyah finesse jig for primary and secondary points leading into creeks; 5.) Smithwick Perfect 10 jerkbait.

5 Lures Swindle

 

Four jugs of Riceland fish fry oil were used by Elite Series pros Scott Rook and Kevin VanDam to cook all the delicious Arkansas crappie Rook hauled from his home in Little Rock to provide a lakeside fish dinner at Table Rock this past Monday night.

4 fish fry

 

Three pros Gary Klein said he would choose for a Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing team here at Table Rock. Tommy Biffle – “because I’m certain he’s winding a Biffle Bug, and they’ll eat it on this lake.” Mark Davis – “he’s won here before, highland reservoirs play to Mark’s style, plus, he’s on a roll, leading the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points right now.” Kevin VanDam – “this is one of the few lakes Kevin knows a ton about, but has never won on. He’s due. Table Rock owes him one.”

3 Klein fantasy

 

Two meals Kevin VanDam says you gotta order at The Buzzard Bar at Big Cedar Lodge on Table Rock: 1.) The pulled pork nachos covered in coleslaw and cilantro – Kevin says his wife Sherry loves them too. 2.) a hardwood smoked prime rib with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.

2 gotta eat

 

One thing Greg Hackney loves most about Table Rock, other than the fact that he won the Bassmaster Tour event here exactly nine years ago this same week, is that it’s a great “pattern lake.” Meaning that if you figure out what habitat the bass are relating to – such as channel swings, bluff ends, submerged timber or transition banks – that often times you can repeat fish catches on the same habitat throughout a large portion of the lake.

1 Hackney