Focused Fishing Web Log

Kimberling City Area: The mid-lake area has gotten a little tougher over the past week, stickbaits are still an effective presentation but they have given way for more finesse approaches in recent days. Steeper channel swing banks are still holding the majority of the fish both on the main lake and in the creek arms, while rock is important a mix of chunk rock and ledge has been a better choice than sheer bluff walls. Mega Bass 110’s and SPRO McSticks continue to be the stickbaits of choice in the mid lake, with pro-blue and blue bandit out producing other colors. Allow the bait to rest from 5 – 15 seconds between jerks to draw strikes. Chompers single tail grubs and ultra tubes have been an effective finesse technique. Fish the same steep bank locations cast toward the bank and allow it to fall to between 8’ – 15’ then make a moderate retrieve back to boat.

James River: The stained water of the James has been warming faster on sunny days than the rest of the lake. Stickbaits and jigs have been the most productive choice through out the mid and upper James River. Look for steep banks and points with wood cover to out produce flat gravel right now, cast SPRO McSticks in Norman flake and Rogues in clown and gold beyond the cover and work them back to the boat. Jewel Eakins’ jig and craw combos in brown / purple flash and Missouri craw have been effective in wood cover on these banks as well.

White River: The White River continues to produce with a variety of patterns; Drop shot rigs and spoons are effective in and around deep tree tops in the larger creek arms, stickbaits and grubs are producing on steep banks throughout the river and creek arms and jigs have been producing on rocky banks toward the backs of bigger creeks. The deep bite has been best from Baxter to Campbell point, ½ oz and ¾ oz spoons or ROBO and Chompers drop shot worms have been working on main channel tree tops from 35’ – 55’ deep. Locating schools of shad has been the key, if shad are around the fish will be active. Vision 110’s and McSticks have been working on swing banks around isolated timber throughout, let the water clarity determine your bait colors and work the baits with a PB&J or brown / purpl flash have been the most productive, work the jig from the bank through the channel to be effective and pay close attention to any wood cover.

Dam Area: The deep bite is still the most effective on the lower end, ½ oz and ¾ white spoons, 4” Chompers single tail grubs and ROBO or Chompers drop shot worms fished from 35’ – 55’ deep have been the most productive methods. Look for birds to indicate bait location and in turn fish locations then fish vertically. The stained water of Long creek has gotten allot of attention over the weekend. Some of the warmest water on the lake is in Long Creek and it is producing on a variety of baits, stick baits and Eakins’ jigs fished on steeper banks are producing quality keeper largemouth. Look for ledge rock and chunk rock banks to out perform bluff walls and wood cover is almost a guaranteed bite.

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Still allot of generation over the past week; jigs remain a mainstay of most anglers, 1/32 oz. – 1/8oz in ginger, olive and black have been very productive from Cooper Creek through Branson. Let the current dictate the weight of you jig, do your best to keep the bait on or near the bottom to be effective. Little Cleo spoons have been producing as well when worked through the current. Power Bait and Gulp eggs continue to be popular with bank and drift anglers, mix two colors on your hook to draw more strikes.

Kimberling City Area: While the stickbait bite is still putting fish in the boat warmer air and water temperatures have changed the complexion of the bite this week. SPRO McSticks, Mega Bass 110’s and Rogues will still produce but fish are transitioning from bluff and channel swing banks to more gradual sloping rock banks. Look for isolated cover on these banks to be successful. Grubs and tubes are becoming a more dominate pattern; smoke or salt and pepper baits on ¼ oz. heads fished around isolated timber on deeper points and channel bank ends suspended from 6’ – 12’ deep over as much as 40’.

James River: Water temps are still coldest in the James River. On sunny days the additional water color will warm up fast but on cloudy days water temps remain in the low 40’s. Stickbaits are still working on channel swing and bluff banks but brighter colors, bleeding shad, clown, etc, have been more effective than natural ones. Look for isolated wood cover to hold the bulk of the fish. The jig bite is starting to pickup in the upper James, look for channel swing banks and work Jewel 3/8 oz. football jigs with Chompers jig trailers from the bank through the channel to be effective on the main river and the bigger creek arms. Missouri craw, black / blue flash and brown / purple flash have been effective colors.

White River: The White River has been the most diverse arm of the lake this past week; stickbaits, drop shot rigs, grubs and jigs are all working from Baxter to above Eagle Rock. The stickbait bite is similar to the rest of the lake; Mega Bass and SPRO baits have been the dominate baits in Pro Blue, Norman Flake and Blue Bandit, look for isolate timber on steeper banks in larger creek arms to be successful. Drop shotting Chompers and Robo Worm drop shot worms in and around standing timber from 35’ – 50’ deep in larger creek arms, look for birds and bait to be successful. 4” single tail grubs in smoke and salt and pepper fished on steeper banks in and around standing timber continues to be effective throughout the White River. Jewel 3/8 oz. football and Eakins jigs and craw combos fished in the last channel swing in the bigger creek arms has been producing numbers and a few better fish, brown / purple flash and PB&J have been the best colors. The rain over the weekend has dirtied the water in the Kings and water temperatures are rising quickly, wiggle warts and jigs have started to produce and this bite will only get better.

Dam Area: The Dam area is still producing fish on stickbaits, drop shots, spoons and jigs. Just like the rest of the lake steeper banks are producing most of the fish on a stickbait, look for isolated wood to improve your odds of getting bit. ½ oz and ¾ oz white spoons and drop shot rigs with Robo or Chompers worms are working well in the larger creek arms from 35’ – 65’ deep. Look for fish to be holding close to deep trees waiting on schools of shad to move through, when the shad are present the bite can be fast and furious. Jewel ½ oz football jigs with Chompers jig trailers have been very effective on the last couple of channel swings in the bigger creek arms, work the bait from the bank through the channel to be effective.

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The generation has been almost constant over the past week and the fishing has been very good. Brown, ginger, olive, and black 1/32oz – 1/8 oz jigs fished in deeper pools have been very effective over the past week. Rapalas and other small minnow baits continue to produce better fish from Cooper Creek through Branson, look for slack water areas behind docks or other current breaks to hold better fish. Drift fishing Gulp or Power bait eggs and inflated night crawlers continues to produce regardless of the conditions.

Kimberling City Area: The stick bait bite has become more inconsistent over the past week; fish are still being caught on Mega Bass Vision 110’s and SPRO McSticks but the bite is not as predictable as previous weeks. Look for fish to be suspended on main lake and secondary points and bluff ends, isolated timber on these points is a definite bonus. The best bite has been on a single tail grub, fish a 3” or 4” smoke, avocado or green pumpkin grub on a ¼ oz. head in and around timber on points and bluff ends. These fish are suspended from 5’ – 15’ deep over any overall depth. Cast the grub toward the bank and count it down to the desired depth, the bait will fall approximately 2’ per second, then use a moderate retrieve.

James River: The colder water of the James is still producing fish even though it is as much as 4 degrees colder than the main lake. The stick bait bite is a little stronger than the rest of lake up the James; Mega Bass and SPRO stickbaits have been the ticket on isolated wood cover on main lake and secondary points. The colder water means you will have to let the bait sit a while longer than on the lower end between twitches. Toward the back of the back of the bigger creek arms Jewel Eakins jig and craw combos are working very well on channel swing banks.

White River: The White River continues to produce; from Baxter to Shell Knob a good jerkbait and deep bite exists, the grub bite has been good throughout the White, above Shell Knob add an Eakins jig and craw combo to the mix and up the Kings mixed bags of bass and walleye are being caught on stick baits and wiggle warts. For the stick bait bite look for isolated wood cover on main lake and secondary points, the same areas are producing on a 3’ or 4” single tail grub, and channel swing and bluff banks will produce with an Eakins jig combo. The biggest news has been the emergence of walleye making their spawning run up the Kings River; stick baits and wiggle warts are producing fish on channel banks from Viola to the 86 bridge, it appears males are further up river now and females are not far behind.

Dam Area: Two distinct patterns are working on the lower end of the lake. Spoons, drop shot rigs and vertically fished single tail grubs have all been effective in and around deep channel trees in the major creek arms. Look for birds to indicate the location of shad and in turn fish in the channel of creeks. Once the bait is located fish will be close by holding in trees on the channel edge. The second pattern is a suspended grub bite; 3” – 4” single tail grubs on ¼ oz. heads cast beyond isolated trees on bluff ends and steep points, count the bait down to around 10’ and retrieve at a moderate speed by the tree.

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Consistent generation over the past week has made the bite very good. Small Rapalas and Luck Craft Pointer 78’s are producing better quality fish in slack water areas behind docks and laydowns. Rooster tails, Super Dupers and little Cleos are catching numbers and quality from Fall creek through Branson. The jig bite continues to be good with better fish coming from Monkey Island to below Branson. Black, ginger and olive jigs in 1/32 oz. to 1/8 oz. depending on depth and current, have been the most productive. When the bite gets tough try drifting Gulp and Power Bait eggs on a drift rig.

Kimberling City Area: Despite the colder air temperatures water temps have remained relatively constant. Spoons, drop shots and grubs fished 30’ – 60’ deep on main lake and secondary points have been very productive this past week. Look for schools of shad to be successful. The jerkbait bite continues to produce better quality fish on chunk rock secondary points, Mega Bass Vision 110’s, Spro McSticks and Lucky Craft Pointers in natural shad colors are all catching fish around isolated cover. Allow the bait to sit for 5 – 20 seconds between jerks to be successful.

James River: The James River is still producing fish. In the upper end stickbaits have been more productive than other presentations. Look for flatter main lake and secondary points that have a deep drop on one side, work from the deep side and bring baits from shallow to deep, pay close attention to any wood cover on these points. With the amount of snow and rain over the past few weeks there has been substantial run off coming into the larger creek arms. Fish the last channel swing in these creeks from the shallow side to the swing and through the channel with an Eakins jig and craw combo. Work the bait slowly through the channel to draw strikes, when a fish is caught work the area over carefully as multiple fish be in small areas along these swings.

White River: The most productive are of the lake continues to be the White River. From Shell Knob to the confluence with the James there is a very good deep bite on bluff ends and points, spoons, drop shot rigs and grubs have all been effective around schools of shad in these locations. Jerkbaits have been very effective as well on main lake and secondary points, look for isolated cover on flat rocky points to be the most effective, allow the bait to sit for 5 – 20 seconds close to the cover. Further up stream on both the White and Kings look for fish to be holding tight to rock and wood cover on steep banks, Eakins jig and craw combos and Jewel Football jigs are producing fish in these areas.

Dam Area: On the lower end the deep bite is still the most consistent and predictable bite. Schools of shad are holding in and around trees of the main channel in major creek arms and large schools of Kentuckies are following them. Use white ½ or ¾ oz. spoons, 4” single tail grubs and shad imitating soft plastics on drop shot rigs in and around the bait and the cover to be successful. Toward the backs of these same creeks largemouth can be caught on jerkbaits fished tight to cover on secondary points and channel banks. The clear water of the lower end may require longer pauses between jerks so allow the bait to sit as much as 30 seconds between jerks.

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Generation has been very consistant over the past week and the bite has been very good. Small Rapala minnows have been producing nice sized rainbows and a few browns around docks and wood cover. Super Dupers, Little Cleos and rooster tails will also work in these areas. 1/32 – 1/8 ounce marabou jigs in olive, black, ginger and grey have been work as well, choose the weight of jig based on current and keep the bait working close to the bottom to be effective. Finally power bait and Gulp eggs or inflated night crawlers will work when everything else shuts off, use a drift rig and maintain bottom contact to be successful.

Kimberling City Area: The lake is finally back at power pool and the cool nights coupled with last weeks cold rain has the surface temperature in the low to mid 50”s. There are a couple of distinct bites in the mid lake area right now; on deep gravel flats / roll offs spotted bass are being caught on ½ oz or 3/4oz white spoons 35 – 50 feet deep. The majority of fish are holding tight to the bottom and are difficult to find at first, look for anything out of the ordinary to clue you to fish positions, once one is found there is generally a school close by. The second pattern is just starting to take shape; storm wiggle warts paralleled on wind blown chunk rock banks are starting to produce a mixed bag of smallmouth, largemouth and spots. Hold your boat 8 ‘-10’ deep and parallel the bank to be successful.

James River: The cool down is much further along up the James River. There is a deep bite from around hide away to the confluence with the White, with the majority of the fish coming on white spoons on flat points 35’ – 55’ deep. Further up stream and in the bigger creeks, like Aunts or Piney, the wiggle wart bite has been effective on chunk rock banks. In addition a very good football jig bite has emerged on deeper flat points on both the main lake and in the creeks. Look for flat gravel and mixed gravel / rock points, work a 5/8 oz or ¾ oz Jewel Football jig in PB& J or Orange Craw matched with a J tail grub from 20’ – 35’ deep. Pay close attention to any drops on these points, if you are working the bait along the bottom and loose contact chances are you have come over a drop or a fish has picked it up. 12# or 15# fluorocarbon line is critical to feel the strike.

White River: The White River has a great variety of fishing right now; the deep bite on white spoons is working on flats, points and humps from the confluence with the James to above Big M, the wiggle wart bite is strong through out the arm of the lake on both the main lake and in the creek arms, Jewel football jigs are producing on flat point and humps and several fish are being caught in cedar tops from Baxter on up. White or mouse War Eagle double willow leaf bladed spinnerbaits will produce better fish in the tops of cedar trees when fished correctly, look for isolated cedars in 15’ – 30’ of water on points with the top of the tree exposed or just under the water, cast beyond the tree and burn the spinner bait back to it, pause the spinnerbait just long enough to make the skirt flare and restart the retrieve. The strikes with this technique are vicious. Daily the Corps has been releasing water from Beaver Lake for about three hours every morning, usually 7 am – 10 am, when they do the lake level above Eagle Rock will rise as much as 10’ flooding the bushes and other shoreline cover, if you time it right there are fish moving up on shallow points to feed while the water is high.

Dam Area: Two different deep bites continue to dominate the lower end; white spoons fished on flats and flat points 30’ – 60’ deep will produce spotted bass, much like the mid lake most of these fish will not appear until you get one to bite. In addition a Jewel ¾ oz or 1 oz. football jig will produce a mixed bag of smallmouth, spots and the occasional largemouth. Look for gravel and mixed gravel / rock points to be the best areas from 25’ – 40’ deep. The deep dock bite has started to materialize as well; Jewel Eakins jigs or 3/8 oz football jigs pitched to the center walkway of large commercial and community docks has been producing very good quality fish. Look for dock on points to out produce those on straight banks.

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The Corps continues to release water all day, everyday making the drift bite excellent. Zig Jigs, Micros, Gulp Eggs, Little Cleos, and Rooster tails will all catch fish under these conditions, look for eddies, pools and any slack water to hold the best fishing, heavier weight jigs and weights are required right now to fight the current.

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Don’t Miss Tournament Fishing Radio on ESPN 1400 AM Springfield
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