Focused Fishing Web Log

Main Lake: Most of the ice is gone from the main lake while there is still some in the backs of the creek arms and pockets. Most of the fish seem to be holding tight to steep banks and bluffs. The best two tactics have been either fishing a Jewel ½ oz. Heavy Cover Finesse Football Jig in PB&J or Missouri craw with a green pumpkin Zoom Super Chunk Jr. or a Smithwick Rogue or Lucky Craft Pointer in American Shad or Chrome / blue. With either bait position your boat close enough to the bank to make a series of parallel casts, make casts from tight to the bank out to in front of the boat and work your bait of choice slowly back to the boat.

Above the Bridges: There is a lot more ice in the river arms, while the main channel is clear a number of the creeks and pockets are still iced in, be careful running as large chunks of ice have been floating in the channel as well. Due to the ice most of the fishing is happening in the main channel on points and swings. Most effective baits have been Smithwick Rogues in chrome / black and clown, Lucky Craft Pointers in American shad and chartreuse shad or either an Eakins’ jig and craw combo. Regardless of the bait you use focus on fishing as slow as possible to be effective.

Main Lake: With the influx of cold water on Stockton the jig and jerkbait bites have strengthened. For the jerkbait bite look for mixed rock banks and points on the main lake and in major creek arms with isolated pieces of cover to be holding the better fish. Make casts beyond the cover toward the bank and work the bait back to the cover, allow the bait to suspend for 5 – 20 seconds next to the cover before moving the bait again. Most of the fish being caught on a jig are coming on ledges and bluff ends; pitch an Eakins jig in brown with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw to the bank and allow it to fall from ledge to ledge out to 20’ deep before bringing it back to the boat. Most of your bites will come as the bait falls.

Above the bridges: Just like on the main lake the bite up the rivers has been on either a jerkbait or a jig. Look for isolated wood cover when fishing a jerkbait and be sure to pause the bait for 10 seconds or more next to cover before moving it. With the amount of color up the rivers it is important to use a brighter color jerkbait as well; clown, chartreuse shad and bleeding Tennessee shad have all been productive colors. The Jig bite has been best on ledge banks with log jams and other wood cover, on sunny days don’t be surprised if the fish are right on the bank next to the end of the log but on cloudy days they will back of as deep as 20’ deep.

It appears the Walleye are starting to move into the rivers and major creeks to spawn; most are holding on points and channel swings and are being caught on jerkbaits by bass anglers.

Crappie have been really good; 2� grubs, squirts and live minnows are all producing over marked brush piles 10’ – 20’ deep.

Main Lake: The two best patterns continue to be a jerkbait and a jig on the main lake. Look for the fish to be from midway back to the very backs of the creeks relating to either schools of shad or ledge rock. Best jerkbait colors have been American shad, chrome / blue and clown on sunny days while chartreuse shad and bleeding Tennessee shad are top producers when it is overcast. The jig bite is pretty simple, look for ledge rock banks about half way back in a creek arm and work the areas where the channel makes contact with the bank. Most of the bites will come as the jig falls from one ledge to another; brown and Missouri craw Eakins jig with green pumpkin Eakins’ craw trailers have been best.

Above the bridges: The bite up the river is similar to the main lake with the only difference being more fish seem to be on the main river in pockets and on channel banks rather than in the creek arms. Look for schools of shad to key the areas where the fish are holding, anytime there are schools of shad in and around isolated pieces of wood there will be fish holding on that cover. Just like on the main lake jerkbaits and Eakins’ jigs have been the top baits.

Walleye continue to be a little bit more elusive; trolling is still your best bet try crawler harnesses on bottom bouncers in 15’ – 25’ deep on main lake points and on the face of the dam.

Crappie have been really good; 2� grubs, squirts and live minnows are all producing over marked brush piles 10’ – 20’ deep.

Main Lake: Tie on two baits right now to be successful at Stockton; a combination of an Eakins jig and jerkbait is deadly right now and through out the winter months. Fish are relating to wood and rock cover on both the main lake and major creek arms, key on steeper banks and channel swings with the Eakins’ jig and craw combo, make sure to hit each piece of cover several times from several angles as the fish seem to be grouping up on pieces of cover. On windy days throw your favorite jerkbait around isolated pieces of cover on flat mixed rock and pea gravel banks. Just like when pitching a jig make sure to hit each piece of cover from several angles.

Above the bridges: Just like on the main lake an Eakins’ jig and jerkbait are the only baits you need to be successful up the river as well. Much like on the main lake channel swings on the main river and in the bigger creeks are holding most of the fish, pitch a Missouri Craw or black / blue flash Eakins’ jig with a Zoom super chunk jr. or Paca chunk for a trailer to any and all wood or rock cover you find on these steeper banks. The jerkbait pattern is a little different up the river, look for schools of shad toward the back of creeks or main lake pockets and work your favorite jerkbait around the school to be successful.

The walleye bite has been off a little this week, most of the fish being caught are short on the main lake; better fish seem to be moving toward the river already and are being taken by bass fisherman on jerkbaits.

Crappie have been hit and miss, try live minnows, squirts and crappie jigs above marked brush piles.

White Bass fishing has stayed hot over the past week, windy flats fished with grubs, rooster tails and jerkbaits have been producing.

Main Lake: Not a lot of changes over the past week; still several fish being caught on jerkbaits in and around standing timber and on windy rocky banks on both the main lake and in the bigger creek arms. Look for isolated piece of cover to hold most of the fish. On calm days switch over to an Eakins’ jig and craw combo in Missouri craw or brown / black. You will need to fish slower and pay close attention to the bait whenever it is falling. Just like with a jerkbait most of the fish you catch on a jig are in and around isolated trees and rock piles.

Above the bridges: The strongest pattern up the rivers continues to be a jerkbait. Look for schools of shad in and around isolated standing timber and fish both. Make cast beyond the timber or bait and work the jerkbait back, allow the bait to suspend next to the timber or shad for 5 – 15 seconds before moving it again. A second pattern is to pitch Eakins jigs and tubes around timber and laydowns on steeper banks and bluff ends. Make sure you pay close attention as the bait falls since the majority of the bites are coming on the fall and are little more than a line jump or the bait just stops falling.

Walleye are still being caught by trolling the face of the dam and main lake points with crawler harnesses and crankbaits.

Crappie are being caught 10’ – 20’ deep on squirts, crappie jigs and live minnows around brush piles.

White Bass are ganged up on windy flat banks and points and can be caught on rooster tails, grubs and small crankbaits.

Main Lake: The bite has improved over the past week with several fish showing up on both the main lake and in the major creek arms. Channel swing and ledge banks are producing most of the fish, any wood cover on these banks will hold multiple fish so fish these areas thoroughly. On windy days the best bite seems to be on Smithwick Rogues and Lucky Craft Pointers, chartreuse shad, clown, and American shad are all strong colors right now, work the bait from the bank out to about 15’ – 20’ deep and pause about 10 seconds between jerks. On calm day switch over to an Eakins’ jig in brown or Missouri craw both paired up with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw trailer. Fish these same areas and pay close attention to any wood cover.

Above the bridges: The same patterns are working up both river arms; jerkbaits and jigs will continue to be strong throughout the winter. Look for channel swings and ledges to hold most of the fish. Remember that anytime we get rain or run off to check the backs of the creeks first, the fresh, highly oxygenated water will draw shad and in turn bass to the back of the creek no matter how cold it is. There are still fish being caught on Wiggle Warts as well, fish the same banks when there is wind on them but note that once the water temperature drops into the low 40’s the fish will likely not chase a fast moving bait.

Walleye are still being caught by trolling the face of the dam and main lake points with crawler harnesses and crankbaits.

Crappie are in marked brush from 10’ – 20’ deep and will bite live minnow, squirts and crappie jigs.

On windy days the white bass have been “ganging up� on flat points and pea gravel banks, rooster tails, grubs and small crankbaits have all been effective.

Main Lake: A few guys made it back on the water this weekend and the reports have been mixed. On the main lake several short fish and a few keeper smallmouth have been caught on an Eakins’ jig in Missouri craw or brown / emerald / chartreuse both with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw fished on steep points and bluff ends on the main lake and in the major creek arms. Had a report of some bigger fish coming out of the backs of some of the bigger creeks on Smithwick Rouges and Lucky Craft Pointers in and around schools of shad.

Above the bridges: The flippin’ bite has been good in log jams and around deeper rocky points; Eakins Flippin’ Finesse Jigs and Chomper Ultra Tubes have been accounting for several good fish, black / blue flash and black neon have been the better colors. Make multiple pitches to each piece of cover to be effective. The jerk bait bite has been better in the rivers than on the main lake, look for schools of shad holding tight to wood or rock cover, cast past them and work the bait back to the school and allow it to suspend near the bait. Most of these fish are suspended around six or eight feet deep and will hit the bait in within a few seconds of it stopping.

The Walleye have move a little shallower but your best bet is still trolling bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses or shallow crankbaits in 15’ – 25’ of water on flat points.
Crappie are in marked brush from 10’ – 20’ deep and will bite live minnow, squirts and crappie jigs.

On windy days the white bass have been “ganging up� on flat points and pea gravel banks, rooster tails, grubs and small crankbaits have all been effective.

Main Lake: The warmer weather didn’t improve conditions on the main lake. Most of the fish are still being caught on mixed rock and bluff end points with either a Jewel spider or football jig in brown / purple flash with a green pumpkin Chompers’ jig trailer or with a Texas rigged tube or baby brush hog in green pumpkin or watermelon candy. Work the bait from the bank to 25’ deep to be successful. On windy days a few fish have been caught on War Eagle Screaming Eagle spinnerbaits fished tight to these same banks.

Above the bridges: The Rivers are still a little more predictable right now. Look for schools of bait toward the backs of creeks or larger pockets and throw your choice of War Eagle Spinnerbaits, Lucky Craft RC 1.5 or BDS crankbaits or Pointer jerkbaits. It is important to work all of these baits close to any wood cover you find around the shad. If the fish are being finicky switch up to a black / blue Eakins’ jig with a flippin blue Zoom Fat Albert twin tail grub and make multiple pitches to this same piece of cover. Out on the river the same patters will produce as long as you can find the shad.

Walleye haven’t changed most are still being caught from 15’ – 25’ deep by trolling crawler harnesses on bottom bouncers or weighted crankbaits.

Crappie are good and getting better on Stockton, live minnows, tubes and crappie jigs are producing limits around marked brush piles 10’ deep and deeper.

Main Lake: Stockton remains tough most days; the majority of fish are coming off of mixed rock and deep points with Jewel Football and Eakins’ jigs or shaky head worms from 10’ – 20’ deep. Look for brush piles and standing timber to hold most of the fish and you will need to work either bait very slowly to draw strikes. On windy days a few fish are being caught on Storm Wiggle Warts in brown craw or phantom green; parallel the bank between 6’ – 10’ deep.

Above the bridges: The Rivers are actually a little more predictable right now. The cooler weather has dropped water temps and moved shad back into the creek arms and the bulk of the fish have followed. War Eagle spinnerbaits, Lucky Craft R.C. 2.5‘s and BDS crankbaits have been catching fish around any wood cover you find toward the back of creeks where shad are present. Day in day out the best bite is around wood cover on channel swing banks both on the main lake and in the creek arms. A black / blue flash Eakins’ Flippin Finesse jig with a Zoom Super Chunk Jr. or a black neon tube are your best bet in these areas, make multiple pitches to each piece of cover to be successful.

Walleye are being caught from 15’ – 25’ deep by anglers trolling crawler harnesses on bottom bouncers and weighted crankbaits.

Crappie continue to be the highlight on Stockton, live minnows, tubes and crappie jigs are producing limits around marked brush piles 15’ deep and deeper.

Main Lake: Stockton is still a hit or miss proposition; one day your will think you are on the greatest lake ever created the next you can’t buy a bite. Most of the fish are holding on main lake and secondary points tight to wood or rock cover. Try Jewel football and spider jigs in Missouri craw or brown / purple flash with a green pumpkin Chompers’ jig trailer worked slowly over and around the rock and wood cover to trigger strikes, most bites just feel mushy or soft not a true hit so pay close attention at all times. On windy cloudy days a War Eagle Screaming Eagle spinnerbait in mouse or white / chartreuse right on the bank, position your boat tight to the bank and make parallel casts tight to the bank, stop and allow the spinnerbait to flutter when ever you run it close to any cover.

Above the bridges: The rivers have gotten tough with the drop in water temperature, it seems the fish are scattered and you may only catch one or two on a spot that should hold several fish. The most reliable pattern has been to pitch black / blue flash Eakins’ Finesse Flippin’ jigs with a blue Zoom Super Chunk Jr. into and around the log jams and laydowns on channel swing banks and cuts. Make multiple pitches into every “hole� in the cover to get bit. Much like the main lake windy days will produce more bites, War Eagle spinnerbaits and Lucky Craft BDS crankbaits will result in plenty of bites but most of the fish will be short.

Walleye are on the move to deeper water, look for them to be on steeper points and bluff ends, trolling weighted crankbaits and crawler harnesses from 15’ – 25’ deep.

The best news on Stockton has been the crappie fishing; good limits are being caught on marked brush piles using live minnows, crappie jigs and tubes.