Focused Fishing Web Log

Kimberling City Area: While the majority of fish remain scattered on pea gravel points and flats there has been a few fish starting to “school up “ and feed as the colder weather has triggered the shad migration into the creek arms. Your best bet is still to fish the main lake and major creek arm points and flats from 20’ – 35’ deep with Jewel football or spider jigs in PB&J with a green pumpkin Chompers jig trailer. The few fish moving into the creeks can be found suspending in tree tops and brush piles from 20’ - 45’ deep and can be caught on Kinami and Chompers drop shot worms.

James River: The James River is still producing some better fish; spooks, sammys and buzz baits are producing around shallow cover early and late, Jewel football jigs and Eakins’ jigs in brown / purple flash with green pumpkin Eakins’ craws or Chomper jig trailers fished on pea gravel drops and roll offs and a few fish are still being taken on deep crankbaits like DT 16’s or DD 22’s fished on these same roll offs. Further up the river the flipping bite has been hit or miss some days the bite is incredible and others it horrible, try Eakins’ jigs in brown with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craws for trailers.

White River: The White and Kings Rivers have been really strong since the rains last week; up the Kings white and chartreuse War Eagle spinnerbaits, green copper shads RC 1.5’s and 2.5 ‘s and white on white Lunker Lure buzz baits have all been very productive around laydowns and other visible cover. The White River has been fishing a lot like the Kimberling City area; fish are scattered on pea gravel points, flats and roll offs and most are being caught on Jewel football and spider jigs in PB&J with green pumpkin Chomper jig trailers.

Dam Area: Most of the fish in the dam area are relating to pea gravel; smallmouth have started to move shallow and can be caught on shaky head worms, Jewel spider jigs and mojo rigs from 12’ – 25’ deep. All of these baits are fished similarly; maintain bottom contact and slowly move the bait across the bottom, colors are pretty simple on the shaky head or mojo rig either green pumpkin or pumpkin seed have been effective and the spider jig in PB&J with a green pumpkin jig trailer is all you need. Spotted bass are still fairly deep, 20’ – 50’ deep on pea gravel points, flats and saddles, drop shot rigged Kinami and Chompers worms are effective as are spoons and Jewel ¾ oz. football jigs in brown / purple flash with a green pumpkin jig trailer.

Main Lake: The lower end of Stockton really turned on this past week; most of the fish are coming on main lake and major creek arm secondary points with pea gravel or pea gravel rock mix out producing bluff ends and steep rock. Early and late throw a War Eagle spinnerbaits or Lunker Lure buzzbaits in white, spooks and sammys or small shallow crankbaits like RC 1.5 ‘s or Bandit 100’s , if it is windy this bite can be incredible. As the day wears on switch to Jewel football and spider jigs and fish out a little deeper, 10’ – 15’ deep, and concentrate your efforts on any wood or rock cover you find.

Above the bridges: The rivers have really turned on this past week; much like the main lake early and late spinnerbaits, buzz baits and topwaters will all work on main lake points and around visible cover. Once the sun comes up the fish in the rivers are not moving as deep as the main lake, try Eakins’ Flippin’ Finesse jigs in black / blue flash or Missouri Craw with matching Zoom super chunk jr.’s around any and all visible cover. Make sure to make multiple pitches to each piece of cover, many times you have to drop the bait right in front of the fish to trigger a strike.

Trolling crankbaits and crawler harnesses from 10’ – 20’ deep on the face of the dam is still effective for walleye.

The crappie fishing is getting better with live minnows out producing jigs and tubes, either will work over marked brush piles 10’ – 20’ deep.

Dam area to Lead Hill: Still a real strong topwater bite in the dam area early and late; spooks, sammys and redfins are all producing allot of fish even though most are non keepers. Once the sun comes up you will need to back out on pea gravel points, flats and roll offs and throw either Jewel spider and football jigs in PB& J with green pumpkin jig trailers or mojo rigged finesse worms or french fries. Both presentations need to be fished out as deep as 30’ deep, pay close attention any rock or wood cover you find on the bottom as most of the fish will be holding close to it.

Lead Hill to Power site: The topwater bite has been strong early and late above Lead Hill as well early and late. There is also a decent spinnerbait bite on windy days as well, try white or mouse colored War Eagle spinnerbaits and work them on windy flats and around wood and rock cover. The best bite through out the day continues to be with a Jewel football or spider jig in either PB&J or brown / purple flash matched up with a green pumpkin Chompers jig trailer. Fish either jig from 10’ – 35’ deep on pea gravel points, flats and roll offs paying close to any wood or rock cover.

Despite the cooler weather the big fish are still holding to the deep brush piles on Pomme de Terre. The Jewel ½ oz Heavy Cover Finesse Football jig in brown / purple flash with a green pumpkin Zoom Baby hog as a trailer has been a very effective bait. Cut or pinch off the brush hog above the loops to shorten it before putting it on the jig. Still several short fish and small keepers are being caught Bandit 100’s, small top waters and spinnerbaits on windy flat points on both the main lake and in the creek arms. The brush piles 5’ – 10’ around some docks has been producing a fish or two as well, try brown Eakins’ jigs with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw and fish it slowly to get bit.

Best fly patterns for the week: The browns are starting to be caught with regularity in the trophy area and it’s obvious with the number of angler in the water on the weekends, if you can fish during the week you will likely have most of the pools to yourself. Scuds have been top producers this week with size #14 & #16 grey, tan and even a few on a pink scud resulting in some bigger fish. Rainbows are also being caught but this week you will have a good chance to catch a true trophy fish.

Best spinning tackle: Rapalas are working for browns and even a few big rainbows, super dupers, rooster tails and mepps spinners are producing down stream. On slow days Tanneycomo drift rigs with live crawlers, yellow or orange powerbait will produce in the deeper pools.

Kimberling City Area: Water temperatures are really starting to fall through out the lake and the Kimberling City area is no exception. While the fish are moving shallower they are still scattered and are not “ganged up� on any particular structure or cover. Look for smallmouth to be on pea gravel flats and points ranging from less than 10’ deep early and late and as deep as 30’ deep in the mid day. Jewel 3/16 oz. and 5/16 oz. spider jigs in PB&J with a green pumpkin Chompers 4� jig trailers have been the best bait, maintain bottom contact through out your retrieve to be effective.

James River: Better fish continue to come out of the James River; early and late top waters like spooks and sammys have been producing good fish around cedar trees a other standing timber in 10’ of water or less. As the day progresses these fish will move to the bottom and hang tight to these same trees, Eakins’ jigs in brown / purple flash or Missouri craw both with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw have been great choices to catch these fish.

White River: The White River continues to be strong with fish moving shallow early and late then moving out to deep cover. Look for most of the fish to be using pea gravel points and flats to transition form deep to shallow water. Jewel spider and football jigs in PB&J or brown / purple flash, split shot rigged fish doctors or centipedes and Carolina rigged baby brush hogs have all been effective based on the depth the fish are holding in. The Kings River has been producing several good fish in and around standing timber on points and in pockets, try the same methods as in the James.

Dam Area: Spotted Bass seem to be scattered right now and are harder to catch, try drop shot rigs on pea gravel flats and points 30’ – 40’ deep. Smallmouth have been much more predictable; Jewel spider and football jigs in PB&J or watermelon / purple flash, split shot rigged finesse worms or fish doctors and Carolina rigged brush hogs have all been very effective. Much like the Kimberling City area the fish are fairly shallow early and late and can be caught on pea gravel points and flats as shallow as ten feet deep, as the day wears on move out deeper to 15’ – 30’ deep.

Main Lake: The shallow bite is really starting to pick up on the main lake area of Stockton. Look for smallmouth to be on main lake and major creek arm secondary points and can be caught on Jewel spider or football jigs or shaky head worms from 10’ – 15’ deep. Largemouth have been showing up on shallow rocky points and are being caught on War Eagle spinnerbaits, Lucky Craft RC 1.5 and 2.5 crankbaits as well as topwaters early and late. The shad migration has begun in most of the creek arms with the bulk of the bait about ½ to 2/3 of the way back, look for points and standing timber in these areas to start producing fish.

Above the bridges: The river arms have actually cooled a bit too fast making the bite a little tougher right now, small fish are still on the bank and will bite just about any bait that swims by, larger fish want a slower moving bait right now until they adjust to the cooler water temps. Try throwing jewel ½ oz. Heavy Cover Finesse Football jigs in brown / purple flash into brush piles 10’ – 20’ deep on points and pea gravel flats.

Walleye are still being taken on the face of the dam and some of the bigger flats by trolling deep diving crankbaits.

Crappie fishing is starting to improve; live minnows, crappie jigs and squirts are all working on marked brush piles 15’ deep.

Dam area to Lead Hill: the topwater bite has been phenomenal early and late, not a lot of big fish but the numbers are amazing, spooks, sammys and red fins have all been very productive. Once the sun comes up you will need to back out to around 30’ deep on pea gravel points and flats then throw Jewel Spider or Football jigs in PB&J or Watermelon / purple flash with green pumpkin Chompers jig trailers, split shot rigged or Carolina rigged french fries or baby brush hogs. Keep either of these baits on the bottom from 10’ deep to 2’ deep paying close attention to any rock or wood cover you find.

Lead Hill to Power site: Much like the lower end the topwater bite up in the upper end of the lake has been fantastic. Sammys, spooks and red fins have all been working in this area as well just keep one handy through out the day. Most of the fish are coming from shallow wood or rock cover on Jewel spider or Eakins’ jigs, War Eagle spinner baits or shallow running crankbaits like RC 1.5 and 2.5 by Lucky Craft. Regardless of which bait you throw it is important to make multiple casts as tight to the cover as possible.

the deeper brush piles continue to hold most of the bigger fish; Jewel ½ oz and 5/8 football jigs in brown / purple flash and Missouri craw with a Chompers jig trailer, Norman DD22’s in blue back shad or purple flash, and Rapala DT 16’s in shad have all been effective baits. Make sure that fish the brush pile from every angle to insure your bait passes by the fish. Early and late several small fish and an occasional keeper can be caught on topwater baits on windy pea gravel banks but as the sun comes out you will need to move deeper and fish the brush piles to be effective.

Best fly patterns for the week: Daytime fishing has been pretty tough; copper dun midges, green crackle backs and grey scuds have all been good. At night there have been more browns showing up on leaches and sculpins.

Best spinning tackle: With running water throw Rapalas, super dupers and rooster tails, without running water switch over to drift rigs tipped with night crawlers or yellow power bait.