Focused Fishing Web Log

Kimberling City Area: Things are finally starting to change on the Table Rock, water temps have dropped into the mid 70’s and the fish are moving out of their summer patterns toward fall locations. While all that is good it does men the fish tend to be spread out and a little unpredictable from one day to the next. This past week the most reliable locations have been pea gravel points and flats primarily on the main lake. Jewel spider and football jigs in PB&J or brown / purple flash with green pumpkin or cinnamon / purple / jelly Chomper jig trailers have been very effective fished from 20’ – 35’ deep on the bottom.

James River: Up the James the fall transition is a little further ahead than the rest of the lake; look for fish to be shallower and holding tighter to cover than on other areas. Jewel Lavender shad spinnerbaits fished around cedar tree tops is producing a few quality fish everyday, throw the bait past the tree and either run it into the tree top or kill it when it reaches the tree to be effective. Brush and rock piles on pea gravel points and flats have been producing fish as well, fish a Jewel ½ oz. heavy cover finesse football jig in brown / purple flash or PB&J with a 5� green pumpkin Chomper trailer slowly trough the cover to draw strikes.

White River: Much like the Kimberling City area the mid White has seen most of the fish leave the deep trees and start following pea gravel points and flats into the creek arms. In addition to Jewel spider or football jigs on the bottom use your electronics to find isolated pieces of cover on the bottom from 25’ – 35’ deep and fish them with a Chompers 4� drop shot worm on a drop shot rig. Pay attention to your graph and watch for fish to move in and out of the cover. The upper White and Kings has turned on much like the James; look for fish to be holding tight to whatever cover is in the area.

Dam Area: The dam area has turned on over the past couple of weeks as well. The diminished boat traffic after Labor Day has made many of the main lake locations fishable again and some large Spotted Bass and Smallmouth have started to show up. Much like the rest of the lake most of the action has been on pea gravel points and flats from 25’ – 35’, Jewel football and spider jigs, Carolina or Mojo rigged French fries or baby brush hogs have all been effective.

Main Lake: The main lake has picked up over the past couple of weeks with the water cooling; most of the action is on main lake pea gravel points in depths to 30’ deep. Jewel football and spider jigs in brown / purple flash with a green pumpkin Chomper jig trailer has been the most productive bait followed closely by Carolina rigged lizards and brush hogs in green pumpkin. There has been a little action in the bigger creek arms on spinnerbaits fished through standing timber close to the creek channel.

Above the bridges: The bite up the rivers has turned on as well; flipping an Eakins Flippin Finesse jig in either black / blue flash or Missouri Craw and a Paca chunk in blue for the black / blue jig and green pumpkin with the MO Craw around standing timber, laydowns or rock piles will produce both numbers and a few quality fish. A Lucky Craft RC 1.5 or 2.5 in chart. / black or copper green shad fished around this same cover will produce bites as well. The buzz bait bite hasn’t started yet but I expect it will kick in any day now.

Look for walleye to be holding 20’ – 25’ deep on main lake points around the dam area, troll bottom bouncers with either a crawler harness or shallow crankbait.

Crappie are in deep trees 15’ deep or deeper; minnows, crappie jigs and tubes will work once you find the fish.

Dam area to Lead Hill: The fish are slowly moving into their fall locations in the dam area and are in the tougher transition phase. Look for Smallmouth to be holding tight to the bottom in 25’ – 35’ of water on pea gravel points and flats, Jewel spider and football jigs in PB&J have been very effective. Kentuckies have been suspending below schools of shad near bluff ends and off the ends of pea gravel points, spoons and Chomper drop shot worms are working well. Largemouth have been much shallower; look for them to be 15’ deep or less and can be caught on crankbaits, spinnerbaits or top water early and on Eakins jigs later in the day near cover.

Lead Hill to Power site: The upper portions of major creek arms has some of the best water color on the lake, this has allowed the fish to move shallower and feed on shad that have moved into the highly oxygenated water. Throw Jewel Lavender Shad spinnerbaits, Lucky Craft RC 1.5 or 2.5 crankbaits and Sammy top waters in and around the schools of shad. Another great method to pick up a big fish is to pitch either an Eakins jig or a Chompers Super Salty Sinker to any piece of cover you find in the backs of these creeks, let the bait sit on the bottom for a while before moving it as many times the fish will swim over a pick it up.

Pomme is in a transition phase much like the rest of the lakes in the area. The mornings have yielded a few fish on top waters or buzz baits on shallow flats and points as the day progresses move out and throw Jewel spider and football jigs or shaky head worms on pea gravel points and flats, brown / purple or Missouri craw have been effective jig colors and green pumpkin has been the best shaky head worm. The river bite has been hit or miss with some days producing fish on every piece of cover and other days you can’t buy a bite, 6�- 8� worms seem to be more effective than jigs up the river right now.

Best fly patterns for the week: Midges and scuds have been very good as usual, a few bigger fish on sculpins, crickets and hoppers.

Best spinning tackle: Very little generation but the rain and stocking has helped the bite, night crawlers, rooster tails and super dupers have all been good..