Focused Fishing Web Log

Kimberling City Area: More and more fish have shown up on beds in the mid-lake area, while some of these fish are catch able most are not “locked on�. Most of the fish I have been catching this week have been staging fish on secondary points near spawning coves. Jewel Pro Spider Jigs with Chompers Jig Trailers, split shot rigged french fries and finesse worms on shaky heads have accounted for the bulk of the fish. Color has not been important; green pumpkin, pumpkin seed, watermelon, watermelon / red and watermelon / candy are all drawing strikes. On windy day a number of fish can be caught on windy main lake and secondary points with a 4� single tailed grub on a ¼ oz. head. Best colors have been smoke or salt and pepper with most of the fish coming from the surface to around five feet deep.

James River: Several fish on beds through out the James River arm look in the back of just about any creek or cove and you will find fish on beds. The typical bed fishing baits are effective right now; white and chartreuse tubes, green pumpkin and watermelon lizards, brown and green pumpkin Eakins jig and craw combos and Chompers Salty Sinkers are all effective for bedding fish right now. In addition to the bedding fish Carolina rigged lizards and french fries are working on secondary points near spawning coves for quality females and other staging fish. Topwater baits are also starting to work early and late; Heddon Spooks, Lucky Craft Sammys and Cotton Cordell Red Fins have been producing fish in low light hours and on rainy days.

White River: Probably the best bed fishing is in the White River right now, most of the coves and creeks have several beds and the fish are “locked on� and are guarding the nest. Just like in the James River typical bed fishing baits are effective in the White River; white, smoke and green pumpkin / orange Chompers Ultra Tubes, brown and green pumpkin Eakins jigs and green pumpkin and cotton candy lizards have all been catching fish. Staging fish can be caught on secondary and main lake points near spawning pockets on Carolina rigged french fries, fish doctors and lizards. Up the Kings River there is a pretty good spinnerbait bite going on right now, look for steeper points and channel banks with wood cover to be holding most of the fish, throw white or white / chartreuse ½ oz. War Eagle spinnerbaits with two willow leaf blades.

Dam / Branson Area: A few beds here and there but not near the number of fish locked on in the dam area as the other end of the lake. Look for most fish to be staged on secondary points in the mouths of spawning coves from 6’ – 15’ deep. Bottom hugging baits have been best; Jewel Pro Spider Jigs, Chompers Ultra Tubes, split shot rigged french fries and fish doctors and finesse worms on a shaky head have been the most productive methods for putting both numbers and quality in the boat. Up Long Creek the biggest news has been the crappie bite; quality limits have been coming on bluff banks and bluff ends. Throw 2� grubs and tubes on 1/8 oz and 1/16 oz heads to the bank and swim them back through pole timber back to the boat.

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Dam area to Lead Hill: Several fish on beds right now in the mid lake area, most are “locked on� and can be caught with relative ease. Typical bed fishing baits have been very effective; Chompers Ultra Tubes in white, smoke and green pumpkin / orange, Zoom lizards in watermelon / red, cotton candy and green pumpkin and Jewel Eakins jig and craw combos in PB&J or brown / green pumpkin have all been boating fish. Staging fish and larger females can be caught on points near the spawning areas on a variety of bottom hugging lures; Jewel Pro Spider jigs in PB&J or green pumpkin / green flash with a Chompers jig trailer, Zoom french fries and lizards on split shot rigs or finesse worms on shaky heads will produce both numbers and quality fish.

Lead Hill to Power site: A bunch of fish on beds above Lead Hill and most are “locked on� and very catch able. Just like on the lower ed of the lake the typical selection of bed fishing baits have been effective on the upper end; Ultra Tubes, Eakins jigs and Lizards are all producing fish with darker colors like green pumpkins and blacks out producing translucent ones. Several fish are being caught on points as well; Carolina rigged lizards and french fries, Jewel Pro Spider Jigs and Chompers Ultra Tubes are all producing fish from 5’ – 15’ deep, maintain bottom contact through out the retrieve to be successful. A few quality fish have been caught this week on War Eagle spinnerbaits on flats toward the backs of creeks. Look for any wood or rock cover toward the back of bigger creeks to be holding fish.

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Link to the Generation Schedule: http://www.swpa.gov/generation.htm

Best fly patterns: The fishing has been very good over the past week; still several fish coming on scuds, soft shell scuds and sow bugs in tan, grey or ginger. The biggest news has been the mayfly hatch that has been taking place almost daily in the afternoon; while there haven’t been thousands hatching, there are enough to get the fish to rise and take size 12 and 14 imitators.

Best spinning tackle: When the water is running Mepps and Panther Martin spinners are hard to beat, buoyant spoons and Little Cleos are working as well. With the water off switch over to a drift rig and use Berkley Power Nuggets or Gulp eggs; mix up your colors with two nuggets or eggs on the hook. A few bigger brown trout have been caught this past week around the bridges on Rapalas and small Pointers early and late in the day.

Kimberling City Area: Still few if any fish on the beds in the mid lake area. I have seen several good fish cruising the bank this past week but none of them are on beds. The best bite in the mid-lake is on pea gravel points near the mouths of spawning coves and pockets. Jewel Pro Spider Jigs in PB&J with a green pumpkin Chompers jig trailer, Zoom green pumpkin french fries and fish doctors on a split shot rig and Zoom green pumpkin finesse worms on shaky heads have all been productive. Look for most of the fish to be between 10’ – 20’ deep on the sides of the points, a slow retrieve on the bottom with any of these baits will produce. On windy days a 4� Chompers single tail grub in smoke or salt and pepper on a ¼ oz. jig head will produce in these same areas; cast thee bait toward the bank allow it to sink to the bottom and reel it back slow enough to maintain bottom contact.

James River: A few fish have been on beds in the James River, the area between Aunts Creek and Cape Fair seems to have the highest concentration of spawners. The usual suspects are working for bedding fish; white Chompers tubes, Zoom green pumpkin lizards and brown Eakins jig / craw combos are all producing fish. Staging fish are on gravel and mixed rock points near the mouths of spawning coves in the James as well; Carolina rigged lizards and french fries, Jewel Pro Spider Jigs and Zoom trick worms on shaky heads are producing well. On windy days several fish can be caught on either Storm Wiggle Wart in brown craw or watermelon or a white and chartreuse Chompers McCutchen spinnerbait. Look for areas leading into spawning coves that have a mixture of gravel, chunk and ledge rock to be the most productive, when the wind is crushing these banks the fish will be shallow so parallel the bank to be successful.

White River: The upper White River and most of the Kings River has a few fish on beds as well. The fish are not really “locked on� but you can catch a few of them if you work them hard enough. White Chompers tubes, Zoom lizards and Eakins jig / craw combos will work well on these fish. Staging fish are on points in the mouths of spawning coves up both of these rivers as well and can be caught on Carolina rigged and split shot rigged lizards and fries, shaky head worms and Jewel Pro Spider Jigs. Maintaining bottom contact has been the key as well as paying close attention to wood or rock cover your bait runs into. The Chompers McCutchen spinnerbait has been awesome on windy flats and transition banks up the Kings River of late. Look for isolated pieces of wood cover to be holding most of the fish and make multiple casts from multiple angles to each piece of cover.

Dam / Branson Area: Have not seen any beds or cruising fish to speak of on the lower end of the lake this past week. Most of the fish being caught are staging 10’ – 20’ deep on points near the mouths of spawning coves. Jewel Pro model Spider jigs in PB&J or brown / purple flash with a green pumpkin Chompers jig trailer has been a top bait as well as watermelon finesse worms on shaky heads. Keeping the bait on the bottom has been the key; most of the fish have been fairly aggressive so detecting a strike has not been difficult. On windy days a 4� smoke or salt and pepper grub on a ¼ oz. jig head has been hard to beat. Look for windy pea gravel points and flats near spawning pockets and make long casts, allow the bait to fall to the bottom and maintain bottom contact through out the retrieve.

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Dam area to Lead Hill: Most of the fish have not returned to the spawning beds yet, occasionally you will see one on a bed but they are not “locked on� and are difficult to catch. I have noticed several fish cruising the banks though, so in a little warm weather should move them up in a hurry. For now your best bet is to target staging fish on pea gravel and mixed rock points near the mouths of spawning coves and cuts. Jewel Pro Model Spider Jigs in PB&J or green pumpkin / green flash with a Chompers jig trailer, split shot rigged french fries and fish doctors and finesse worms on shaky heads have all been top presentations. Look for the fish to be between 10’ – 25’ deep and you will need to maintain bottom contact to draw strikes. On windy days a 4� single tail grub on a ¼ oz head will produce as well; smoke, salt and pepper and green pumpkin have all been very good colors, cast toward the bank, allow the bait to sink to the bottom and maintain bottom contact through out the retrieve.

Lead Hill to Power site: A few more fish on spawning beds above Lead Hill but still not enough to call it a viable pattern. Look for most of the fish to be staged in the mouths of spawning coves and pockets. Carolina rigged green pumpkin lizards and french fries, watermelon / red trick worms on shaky heads and brown / purple flash Jewel Pro Spider Jigs with a green pumpkin Chompers jig trailer are all effective patterns for these fish. Most of the fish are holding close to the bottom around 15’ deep and have been very aggressive when you get the bait near them. On windy days a Chompers McCutchen spinnerbait in white / chartreuse has been very effective on windy flat points near spawning pockets, look for any wood or rock cover to be holding the fish and make multiple casts from multiple angles to be successful.

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Link to the Generation Schedule: http://www.swpa.gov/generation.htm

Best fly patterns: Good numbers of fish continue to be caught below the dam to Fall creek on a variety of flies. Scud, bit scuds, g-bugs and soft shelled scuds have all been very productive in olive, ginger, tan and grey this past week, sizes #16 – #20 have accounted for most of the fish. When the water is running San Juan worms in #14 - #18 have been producing of late as well; red, brown and purple are the best colors.

Best spinning tackle: Early and late still catching a few fish on small Rapalas and Lucky Craft jerkbaits around wood or rock. The most consistent pattern when the water is running has been a 1/16 oz. or 1/32 oz. white hair jig in the deeper pools, a rooster tail or buoyant spoon has also been working. When the water is shut off you best bet is to use live night crawlers, red worms or Berkley Power Bait Nuggets on a Taneycomo drift rig.

Kimberling City Area: The cold front knocked most if not all of the fish off of the beds over the weekend. With warmer weather and warm rain forecast for the weekend I would not be surprised to see some fish move back up to try to spawn on the new moon April 17th. Right now the best bite is on secondary points in the mouths of spawning coves. Jewel 5/16 oz. Pro Model Spider Jigs in PB&J with green pumpkin Chompers jig trailers, shaky head worms, and split shot rigged fish doctors and small lizards have been the most consistent bite. The better fish seem to be holding on the deeper side of these points right now but don’t be surprised if they move up shallow before the weekend.

James River: Just like in the mid lake area the cold front pushed the fish off of the beds up the James as well. Look for them to be holding on secondary points in the mouths of spawning coves from 5’ – 15’ deep. Best presentations have been a Jewel 5/16 oz or 3/16oz Pro Model Spider Jig in brown / purple flash with a green pumpkin Chompers jig trailer, Zoom green pumpkin centipedes or fish doctors on a split shot rig or a Chompers drop shot worm on a shaky head. Fish all of these baits about the same; position your boat around 20’ deep, cast toward the bank and slowly work the bait back along the bottom. Most of the strikes seem to be in the 5’ – 10’ range but some of the better fish are coming around 15’ deep.

White River: In the Kings River the same patterns are holding true as in the James; Jewel Spider jigs, shaky heads and split shot rigs on points in the mouths of spawning pockets will produce fish all day long. In addition, try a War Eagle white / chartreuse double willow spinnerbait on windy chunk rock and mixed rock banks around wood cover, this has been a big fish pattern lately. On the White River staging fish can be taken in the mouths of spawning coves with bottom hugging baits as well but add a Smithwick Rogue or Lucky Craft Pointer to that mix. On windy days a 4� smoke or salt and pepper single tailed grub on a ¼ oz. head has been taking numbers of fish on flat windy pea gravel banks. The harder the wind the shallower the fish seem to be.

Dam / Branson Area: Just like the rest of the lake the lower end had spawning fish pull off of the nest and back into deeper water over the weekend. Most of these fish have moved back to secondary points in the mouths of spawning coves and are holding from 5’ – 20’ deep. Bottom hugging baits like Jewel Pro Model Spider Jigs, split shot rigged lizards or french fries and shaky head worms have been the most productive baits for numbers of fish. Better quality fish are being caught on Smithwick Rogues and Lucky Craft Pointers in these same areas. Much like the White River on windy days shad are moving up shallow on windy pea gravel flats and the fish are following them. 4� single tailed smoke or salt and pepper grubs on ¼ oz. heads have been the best baits for these fish; cast toward the shore, allow the bait to hit bottom and then retrieve the grub maintaining bottom contact through out the retrieve.

Dam area to Lead Hill: The cold front has pushed most of the fish back off of the beds through out the lower end of the lake. Look for these fish to be pulled out on to secondary points in the mouths of the spawning pockets and coves. Best patterns for these fish have been either a 3/16 oz. or 5/16 oz. Jewel Pro Model Spider Jig in PB&J or green pumpkin / green flash with a green pumpkin Chompers jig trailer, a green pumpkin finesse worm on a shaky head or a Zoom watermelon centipede or fish doctor on a split shot rig. Position your boat around 20’ deep and slowly work all of baits from the bank out to 15’ deep maintaining bottom contact through out the retrieve. On windy days a 4� smoke or salt and pepper single tailed grub fished on a ¼ oz. head on shallow, windy pea gravel flats will catch a mixed bag of smallmouth and spotted bass. On very windy days the fish can be right on the bank, pay close attention to any shad you see and make sure to fish these areas thoroughly.

Lead Hill to Power site: The cold weather has shut down the spawn above Lead Hill as well. The same finesse tactics will work on points near spawning areas on the upper end just as well as on the lower end. The fish will not be nearly as deep in these areas so concentrate your efforts in the 3’ – 10’ range. In addition to these finesse tactics Smithwick Rogues and Lucky Craft Pointers have been putting some quality fish in the boat. Windy points tend to be better than calm ones when throwing a jerkbait and don’t worry about pausing the bait for very long as most of the strikes are reaction strikes. A few reports of fish being caught on spinnerbaits above Lead Hill as well; try a War Eagle white or white / chartreuse double willow spinnerbait on chunk rock or mixed chunk and ledge rock banks near spawning areas.

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Link to the Generation Schedule: http://www.swpa.gov/generation.htm

Best fly patterns: Still good numbers of fish being caught below Table Rock Dam to Fall Creek, mostly stockers but some better fish have been showing up from time to time. Best patterns have been G-bugs, Scuds, Soft Shelled Scuds and Bit Scuds, natural colors continue to be best; ginger, tan, olive, black and wine. Smaller sizes are still best #16 - #20 out producing larger flies.

Best spinning tackle: During low light hours #7 Rapala minnows have been producing very well with some larger fish being caught close to current breaks. Through out the day live night crawlers and Berkley Power bait nuggets have been very effective on a Taneycomo drift rig. When there are a couple of generators running you can throw a variety of baits with success; 1/16 oz. white jigs, Super Duper spinners and Buoyant Spoons are top choices.

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Kimberling City Area: For now there are several fish on beds throughout the mid lake area. Many of these fish are “locked on� and very catch able but with the massive cold front expected this week it will be interesting to see if they will stay on the beds and how aggressive they will be in protecting them. If they are still on the beds typical bed fishing baits will work; white tubes, green pumpkin lizards and watermelon flukes are all effective for bedding bass on Table Rock. Good numbers of fish are still staging in the mid lake as well; fish points in the mouths of spawning coves and pockets with a combination of baits to be effective. In the morning try Heddon Spooks, Lucky Craft Sammys and Pradco Spittin’ Image topwater baits, as the sun comes up switch over to either Jewel Pro Spider jigs in PB&J or brown / purple flash with a Chompers 4� green pumpkin jig trailer or a green pumpkin french fry, Senko or small lizard on a split shot or mojo rig. Work all of these baits on the bottom slowly crawling them paying close attention anytime they hit rock or wood cover.

James River: The spawn is in full swing in the James River; much like the mid-lake it will be interesting to see if the fish hold on the bed with the approaching cold front. White tubes, Brown Eakins jig and craw combos and lizards have all been effective baits to catch bedding fish this past week. While the spawn is much further along in the James there are still several fish staging on points and swings near the mouths of spawning pockets and coves. These fish will take spinnerbaits, topwaters and jerkbaits fished early in the day if fished close to cedar trees on these points and swings. A more predictable pattern is to use a Jewel ½ oz. Heavy Cover Finesse Football jig in Missouri Craw or PB&J with a 4� Chompers Jig Trailer or a green pumpkin lizard or french fry on a Carolina rig. Present all of these baits from the bank out to 12’ deep working slowly along the bottom and through trees and brush piles.

White River: The White and Kings Rivers have their share of bedding fish as well. Of the two rivers the fish in the Kings are much further along than in the White and the number of fish “locked on� beds is much higher in the Kings. Just like the rest of the lake it will be interesting to see how many fish stay with the nest once the front crosses through the area. Beyond the spawning fish the biggest news in this area has been the number of fish being caught on spinnerbaits particularly in the Kings River. White and white / chartreuse 3/8 oz. double willow War Eagle spinnerbaits are working well on windy flat banks. Look for wood cover to be holding most of the fish, whether laydowns or standing timber any wood you find on flat right now needs to be fished with a spinnerbait.

Dam / Branson Area: The lower end of the lake is furthest behind the spawn cycle right now, you can find a few fish on beds but most are not “locked on� and are harder to catch than in the rest of the lake. Best three patterns on the lower end are; a Jewel 3/16 oz. Pro Spider Jig in green pumpkin / green flash or PB&J with a 4� Chompers green pumpkin jig trailer, a green pumpkin or watermelon fish doctor or french fry on a mojo or split shot rig or a green pumpkin or watermelon finesse worm on a shaky head. All of these baits need to be fished on pea gravel and mixed rock points near the mouths of spawning coves and pockets. Work the baits along the bottom from the bank out to 18’ deep paying close attention to any rock or wood cover you run into along the bottom. Long Creek remains a bit of a mystery; awesome color and some of the warmest water on the lake are above the state line but the bite is mediocre at best.

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