Focused Fishing Web Log

Kimberling City Area: The deep bite continues to improve; schools of shad have been on the move into creek arms and Spotted Bass have started to school up and follow the shad. The best areas continue to be where schools of shad cross either a secondary point or deep trees holding fish. White War Eagle spoons, single tail grubs and Chomper drop shot rigs will catch these fish with a little effort. The dock pattern is also starting to heat up with some big Smallmouth being caught this past week on larger docks with a PB&J Eakins jig and green pumpkin Eakins craw combo. Try to pitch the jig all the way back to the center walkway in the first three or four stalls of condo and association docks and work it back to the boat on the bottom.

James River: The bite up the James River was pretty good this week; from the confluence of the White and James to Campers’ Point the deep bite has been very good on points and bluff ends with white War Eagle spoons and Chompers’ drop shot worms accounting for the bulk of the catch. Look for schools of shad from 25’ – 60’ deep and work either bait below the shad. Further up river War Eagle spinnerbaits in mouse and white / chartreuse worked through cedar trees on mixed rock banks have been producing a few big fish everyday. On calm days a brown Eakins’ jig and green pumpkin Paca chunk will produce bites in these same trees or on channel swing banks.

White River: The King’s River is still strong. Several big fish caught this past week on Storm Wiggle Warts and War Eagle Spinnerbaits fished on wind blown chunk rock banks, position your boat about eight to ten feet deep and cast parallel to the bank covering as much water as possible. Pay close attention to any laydowns or stumps that you may run the bait into, it is worth your time to make another cast or two to any wood cover. On the White River the deep bite is starting to come on strong; War Eagle spoons and Chompers’ drop shot worms are very effective presentations in and around schools of shad in major creek arms and on bluff end banks.

Dam / Branson Area: The dam area and Long Creek are both producing good fish. For Smallmouth look to pea gravel and mixed pea gravel ledge rock banks and points to hold most of the fish, a Jewel 5/16 oz. or 7/16 oz. PB&J or watermelon / purple flash spider jig with a green pumpkin or watermelon Chompers’ jig trailer fished on the bottom will produce several fish. Spotted Bass are following schools of shad and can be found in creek arms and on the main lake mostly on bluff ends and points, these fish will bite War Eagle spoons or Chompers’ drop shot worms in sand or plum . Further up Long Creek Largemouth will bite an Eakins’ Jig in Missouri craw with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw fished around laydowns and log jams.

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.

Dam area to Lead Hill: Still a few fish taking topwater this past week, Heddon Spooks, Lucky Craft Sammys and Cotton Cordell RedFins have been the top baits, watch for surfacing fish to key you into where to cast. After the sun comes up move out to main lake and secondary pea gravel or mixed rock and gravel points and fish Jewel spider and football jigs in PB&J or green pumpkin / green flash matched up with a green pumpkin Chompers’ jig trailers or green pumpkin and pumpkin seed tubes. Either way maintain bottom contact with the bait from the bank out to 35’ deep and pay close attention whenever your bait hits any cover. There are also several fish being taken deep on War Eagle spoons or Chompers’ drop shot worms fished in and around schools of shad suspended off of points and bluff end.

Lead Hill to Power site: The topwater bite continues to hang on early and late in the upper end of Bull Shoals as well. On windy days Storm Wiggle Warts and War Eagle Spinnerbaits have been effective on mixed rock and gravel or chunk rock; parallel banks from two to eight feet deep trying to run your bait into any wood or rock cover you find in those depths. On calm days pitch a brown or PB&J Eakins’ jig with a green pumpkin Eakins craw around boat docks and other cover paying close attention to the shady areas created by the cover. Numbers of fish can still be caught on secondary points with a shaky head worm in green pumpkin or watermelon / red flake.

Pomme has stayed pretty consistent again this week; Rattle Traps, Lucky Craft RC 1.5 and Norman Deep Little N crankbaits have all been producing on main lake flats and flat points. Up the river and in major creek arms a War Eagle spinnerbait fished tight to standing timber and laydowns will produce several bites on windy days. Day in day out though your best be continues to be fishing the deeper brush piles with either a Texas rigged green pumpkin tube or a Jewel Football or Eakins jig in brown / purple flash or Missouri craw with a green pumpkin Paca chunk trailer. Look for brush from 12’ – 20’ deep close to deep water to hold most of the fish.

Best fly patterns for the week: Still several big brown trout were caught this past week. The best fly patterns have been sow bugs, G bugs, scuds, soft shell scuds and bit scuds in grey, olive, brown and black all in size #16 - #20. Most of the fish are still being caught relatively close to the dam and with the nice weather the area has been crowded, please remember to be courteous.

Best spinning tackle: There is still a little water being run for about an hour a day but most of the time it is before sunrise or after sunset so the fishing has been a little tough. Try Berkley Power Eggs or Power Nuggets in yellow, red, pink or orange, the best method has been mixing a couple of colors on a hook to draw strikes on a drift rig. Live crawlers have also been very effective. Rapalas fished close to wood cover will work for bigger fish around the Cooper Creek area. If there is any current try small Mepps Aglia, Roostertail and Super Duper spinners and Little Cleo or Buoyant spoons.

Kimberling City Area: Fish continue to move into their winter patterns. Smallmouth are being caught on pea gravel points and flats near deep water on both the main lake and in major creek arms. Shaky head Zoom finesse worms in green pumpkin and pumpkin, Jewel ½ oz. and 5.8 oz football jigs in PB&J or brown / purple flash matched with a Chompers jig trailer and mojo rigged green pumpkin fish doctors have all been effective bait. Work the bait slowly on the bottom from 10’ – 30’ deep. Spotted bass are starting to school up around shad but the bulk of the fish are still hanging tight to deep trees; white War Eagle spoons and Chompers’ drop shot worms have been productive lures. Largemouth are holding tight to big docks on pea gravel points, pitch Eakins’ jigs in PB&J with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw back into dock stalls to center walkways to be effective.

James River: The fall bite is starting to change over to more of a winter pattern in the James River. Several fish can be caught fairly shallow on windy days with either a War Eagle Screaming Eagle spinnerbait in mouse or white / chartreuse or a brown craw Storm Wiggle Wart. Make casts parallel to the bank in 4’ – 12’ of water paying close attention to any standing wood cover or laydowns along the bank. On calm days these same areas will produce fish on a brown Eakins’ jig and green pumpkin Eakins’ craw combo. Move out a little deeper and make multiple casts or pitches to standing timber or lay downs. On sunny days the fish will suspend on this cover so pay close attention as the bait falls through the tree limbs.

White River: The Kings River remains very good, War Eagle Screaming Eagle spinnerbaits, Lucky Craft BDS crankbaits and Storm Wiggle Warts are all producing fish in the upper end. Pay close attention to any wood cover on channel swing banks as many fish will hold up on these spots. On the White river the fish are moving into more of a winter pattern; Jewel football jigs in PB&J or brown / purple flash with Chompers’ jig trailers are working on main lake and major creek pea gravel points and flats from 10’ – 30’ deep, Spotted Bass are following schools of shad on the main lake and into the bigger creeks, War Eagle Spoons and Chomper Drop Shot Worms are catching these fish.

Dam / Branson Area: The dam area continues to produce good numbers of fish. Much like the mid lake area you will find Smallmouth on pea gravel points and flats on both the main lake and in the creek arms; Jewel Football and Spider Jigs in PB&J, watermelon / purple flash and green pumpkin /green flash have all been very productive when matched with a Chompers’ jig trailer and fished from 12’ – 35’ deep on the bottom. Spotted bass are following shad in this end of the lake as well, look for schools of shad in the creek arms moving through deep standing timber. War Eagle spoons, Chompers’ Drop Shot Worms and single tail grubs have all been taking fish. In the upper end of Long Creek Largemouth are being caught on brown Eakins’ jigs and craw combos on channel swing banks near wood cover.

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.

Dam area to Lead Hill: The topwater bite is still there early and late but it is starting taper off as the water cools, it is still a good idea to have your favorite topwater at the ready throughout the day. The best bite right now is on pea gravel and mixed rock and gravel points and flats near deep water from 10’ – 35’ deep. A variety of lures are working in these areas; as always Jewel football and spider jigs in PB&J or green pumpkin / green flash with green pumpkin Chompers’ jig trailers, Mizmo or Chompers’ tubes in green pumpkin or watermelon, mojo rigged green pumpkin finesse worms and French fries and shaky heads with a green pumpkin Zoom Swamp Crawler have all been very effective when worked slowly on the bottom. Spotted bass are starting to follow schools of shad into the creek arms and can be caught on War Eagle Spoons and Chompers’ drop shot worms fished below the schools of bait.

Lead Hill to Power site: Much like the lower end of the lake, there still is a good topwater bite early and late but it is dropping off fast. On windy days your best bet is either a brown or phantom green Storm Wiggle Wart fished parallel to chunk rock banks from 6’ – 10’ deep. Try to run the bait into any wood or rock cover you find on these wind blown banks. Early and late a War Eagle Screaming Eagle spinnerbait in mouse or spot remover has been effective tight to windy mixed rock banks with most bites coming on the first couple of feet in the retrieve. On calm days switch up to a PB&J Eakins’ jig with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw and concentrate on visible cover on channel swing banks. Make multiple casts to each piece of cover and pay close attention to the bait as it falls as most of the bites are coming as the bait falls through the cover.

Pomme remains pretty consistent; there are numbers of fish on windy flat banks that can be caught on chrome Rattle Traps, white Norman Deep Little N’s or Lucky Craft R.C. 1.5 crankbaits. The pattern is pretty simple; look for wind blown flats, cast and retrieve as fast as you can, while this will result in a mixed bag of fish few will be keepers. Deeper points and ledges with brush piles are holding the better fish; Eakins’ jigs, tubes and beavers are all producing fish from these spots but you will need to make multiple casts and work through the brush slowly to be effective.

Best fly patterns for the week: The big Brown trout continue to be caught below the dam. Best patterns continue to be grey, tan and brown scuds, soft shell scuds, g-bugs, sow bugs and copper duns. The Brown trout should stay put through most of December and several big fish are being caught everyday, if possible come down during the week and avoid the weekend crowds.

Best spinning tackle: The Corp of Engineers continues to run a little bit of water a few days a week so make the call and plan accordingly. Drift fisherman continue to do well from Cooper Creek to downtown on live crawlers and mixed color power bait eggs and power nuggets. Several big Brown Trout and Better rainbows have been taken on Rapalas this past week, look for these fish to be close to cover in the deeper pools.