Focused Fishing Web Log

Kimberling City Area: Cooler weather and fresh water has the bite turning around, the lake hasn’t come up much but all of the rain water coming in has brought much needed oxygen into the lake. The best bite is still deep on drop shot rigs and spoons; use Chompers drop worms in plum or Robo Worm Aaron’s Magic shad bodies in tree tops from 25’ – 60’ deep, white or chartreuse War Eagle and Bink’s spoons have also been very effective. A few fish are showing up in deeper brush piles on Jewel Football and Pro Spider jigs; look for brush 30’ deep or deeper to be holding the fish and work brown / purple flash or PB&J football and Pro Spider jigs slowly through the brush.

James River: The deep crankbait bite has picked up a little with the fresh water up the James River. DD-22’s or DT-16’s in Lavender Shad and blue / chartreuse fished on gravel roll offs and points, look for isolated cover to hold numbers of fish on these spots. If the crankbait bite goes south switch over to a Jewel 5/8 oz. football jig and fish these same areas slowly and methodically. Brown / purple flash and Missouri craw have been the top colors both matched with a green pumpkin Hyperflex grub. Early and late there has been a top water bite on bluff ends and over deep points. Watch for schooling activity and cast Spooks, Sammys and Pop-R’s toward the fish.

White River: The fishing in the White river remains strong; good deep bite on Spoons and drop shot rigs from the confluence with the James to Campbell Point, Football jigs and Carolina rigs are great from Baxter up to around Big M and there has been a shad hatch in the back of most of the major creeks brining small spinnerbaits and shallow crankbaits into play. The deep bit has been on drops off the ends of flats and shallow gravel points, white War Eagle and Bink’s spoons or Chompers and Robo Worm drop shot bait have been very effective. Jewel ½ oz. Football and 7/16 oz. Pro Spider jigs in PB&J or brown / purple flash with a Jewel Hyperflex green pumpkin grub or Carolina rigged baby brush hogs and lizards have been working in and around isolated cover and ledges on points with deep water close by. Look for schools of small shad being chased by bass in the backs of the major creek arms and throw small War Eagle Spinnerbaits (short arm Screaming Eagles) or RC .5 crankbaits into the melee.

Dam / Branson Area: During the week the boat traffic has pretty well stopped on the main lake on the lower end, the weekend is still pretty dicey but you can fish just about anywhere during the week. The deep bite remains king by the dam with a combination of War Eagle and Bink’s spoons or Chompers and Robo Worm drop shot baits accounting for most of the fish. Look for suspended fish in deep trees topping out at 25’- 60’ deep to be holding most of the fish, work these fish with a drop shot to get them up and out of the tree then drop spoons to them while they are actively feeding. Jewel football and Pro Spider jigs in PB&J or green pumpkin / green flash with green pumpkin Hyperflex grubs continue to bring in more and more smallmouth each week, brush and rock piles on long pea gravel points are the ticket, look for brush from 25’ – 40’ deep to be holding most of the fish.

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Dam area to Lead Hill: The lower end of Bull Shoals continues to be fair to good with most of the fish coming deep on either drop shot rigs and spoons or Jewel Football and Pro Spider jigs or tubes. Suspended Spotted Bass are being caught on bluff ends and deep points on War Eagle or Bink’s Spoons and Chompers or Robo Worm drop shot baits. Locate schools of shad on your electronics and the fish will not be far from them. Jewel football, Pro Spider jigs and easy loader heads with green pumpkin tubes have been effective for targeting smallmouth. Look for points near deep water or with drops into deep water to be the most productive, cast Jewel jigs in PB&J or green pumpkin / green flash with green pumpkin Hyperflex grubs or easy loader heads with green pumpkin Chompers tubes to 10’ – 15’ deep and work them slowly back to the 45’ deep, pay close attention to any drops or cover the bait comes to.

Lead Hill to Power site: Around Lead Hill the bite is pretty similar to the lower end of the lake; Jewel Football and Pro Spider Jigs, Tubes and Carolina rigs are all producing fish on points and humps near deep water. Further up lake the deep crankbait bite has been pretty good when there is a little current coming over the Power Site Dam; DD-22’s, DT-16’s and Fat Free Shads have all been productive on points and gravel roll offs when there is current. There has been a shad hatch in the backs of some of the major creek arms; small War Eagle spinnerbaits, Lucky Craft RC .5 crankbaits and 3� Salty Sinkers have been catching fish chasing shad in these areas, watch for the shad jumping or fish surfacing and throw directly into the activity.

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

Best fly patterns: Generation continues to vary day to day so call before you go. Smaller flies and nymphs have been effective this past week with soft shell scuds, scuds and g-bugs accounting for both numbers and quantity. Olive, ginger and wine have been top colors in sizes #16 - #20.

Best spinning tackle: Same summer story as last week, when the water is running Little Cleos, Zig Jigs and Rooster Tails have been effective, when the current is slack power bait and live red worms.

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Kimberling City Area: It’s finally starting to cool down a little and the bite is improving. Most of the fish are still being caught deep out of deep trees or off the ends of deep flats, drop shot rigs have been best in the tree tops while a white War Eagle or Bink’s spoon has been best on the flats. For the drop shot rig the best baits continue to be Chompers drop shot worms in plum and sand, Kinami cut tail worms in brown / purple or shad and Robo Worm shad bodies in Aarons Magic or ox blood. The spoon bite has been a little different with about half of the fish being caught coming by casting the spoon vs. fishing it vertically. Cast the spoon out across the flat and count it down to the depth you are marking shad then rip the bait about 10’ and allow it to fall, repeat this process through out the retrieve. Note that most of your strikes will come as the bait falls.

James River: There is still a deep crankbait bite up the James River, look for roll offs on flats to be holding most of the fish. Parallel DD-22’s or DT-16’s crankbaits in Lavender shad, blue / chartreuse along the drop to be effective. Jewel ½ oz. and 5/8 oz. football jigs have been producing on these same roll offs and points, brown / purple flash and Missouri craw have been top colors matched up with green pumpkin Jewel Hyperflex grubs have been very effective. A combination of retrieves including dragging, swimming and hopping have been working depending on the mood of the fish. Most of the fish are fairly deep from 20’ – 35’.

White River: Still a good variety of fishing on the White River; deep fishing in trees and off the ends of flats, football jigs and Carolina rigs in brush piles and shallow crankbaits in the backs of creeks and up the Kings River. The deep bite is similar to the mid-lake area; drop shot worms in and around standing timber and white spoons fished off the ends of gravel flats. Jewel Football jigs and Carolina rigged baby brush hogs and lizards worked along pea gravel and mixed rock points from 15’ - 35’ deep have been very effective, target brush and rock piles. Up the Kings and in the backs of some of the bigger creeks there is a good shallow crankbait bite as well; Lucky Craft R.C. 1.5 and Bagley BB1 crankbaits have been working around isolated rock or wood. The crankbait bite is very effective when shad are present.

Dam / Branson Area: The boat traffic in the dam area has slowed considerably in the last week making it much easier to fish. The most consistent bite has been fishing deep in tree tops on bluff ends and deep points with a drop shot rig. Look for the majority of the fish to be suspended in the tree tops from 25’ – 60’ deep, Texas rig your worm of choice and work both the top of the tree as well as into the tree it’s self. Beyond the deep bite more and more smallmouth have been caught on Jewel football and Pro Spider jigs on deep pea gravel and mixed rock and gravel points. Points close to very deep water (60’+) have been the most productive with PB&J or watermelon / purple flash matched up with green pumpkin Hyperflex grubs being top colors.

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Dam area to Lead Hill: Not allot of changes over the past week on the lower end of Bull Shoals, the Corps continues to run a little water every day keeping most of the fish positioned on points and bluff ends. Kentuckies can be caught on bluff ends suspended under schools of bait from 25’ – 50’ deep, use your electronics to find the fish and then drop Bink’s or War Eagle Spoons to through the bait to the fish below. Smallmouth continue to be caught fairly deep on main lake and secondary points with Jewel Football and Pro Spider Jigs, green pumpkin / green flash and PB&J matched with green pumpkin Hyperflex grubs have been working from 20’ – 40’ deep. Pay special attention to any ledges or rock piles as they seem to be holding most of the fish.

Lead Hill to Power site: The bite around Lead hill has stayed pretty consistent; Jewel Football jigs in brown / purple flash and PB&J with Hyperflex grubs and Carolina rigged baby brush hogs and lizards continue to catch fish on points and ledges. Most of the fish have been 15’- 35’ deep and are holding to any cover on the point or ledge. Further up stream it seems current is the key; the more current from Taneycomo the better the bite has been. When there is a little current deep crankbaits have been the most effective pattern, target points and gravel roll offs, parallel the drop off 12’ – 15’ deep with DD-22’s or DT-16’s to be effective.

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

Best fly patterns: The Corps has been generating current through out the week to meet electricity demands so call before you go. Scuds, soft shell scuds, g-bugs and sow bugs all continue to produce in grey, black, ginger and wine. Let the current dictate the size you use; bigger flies when it is swift and small ones when it is calm.

Best spinning tackle: The summer pattern is in full swing; when there is current throw rooster tails, panther martins and buoyant spoons, when the current is slack switch to Berkley Power Nuggets or live crawlers on a drift rig.

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Kimberling City Area: It’s HOT, too hot to fish much later than 11:00 am. Most of the fish being caught in the mid lake are coming out of deep trees and deep points. The drop shot and spoon bite continues to be the dominate pattern, look for schools of shad holding close to tree tops 25’ – 50’ deep. White War eagle and Bink’s spoons have been effective when the fish are actively chasing the bait. On slower days rig a drop shot with Chompers’ drop shot worms in plum or sand, Kinami Cut Tail worms in brown / purple or shad and Robo Worm Shad Body Worms in Ox Blood or Aarons Magic. Texas rig your worm on the rig so you can drop it down into the tree to bring the fish out.

James River: The deep crankbait bite continues to produce a few better fish on roll offs at the edge of flats. DD-22’s, DT-16’s and Bandit 500’s will all produce when conditions are right, stick with shad and chartreuse / blue patterns to be successful. Jewel ½ oz. and 5/8oz. football jigs are working as well; concentrate your efforts n isolated brush and rock piles on these same flats and work either jig slowly through the cover. Brown /purple flash and Missouri craw with green pumpkin Jewel Hyperflex grubs for trailers have been the dominate colors.

White River: The White River area still offers the best variety of fishing on the lake; drop shotting and spooning trees, deep crankbaits on roll offs, Carolina rigged lizards and baby brush hogs and Jewel football jigs will all produce fish from the confluence with the James up to above Eagle Rock. From the confluence to Campbell Point the deep bite is the best pattern; look for trees that top out at 25’ – 50’ deep on deep points and bluff ends and fish either drop shot rigged worms or white ½ oz. – 1 oz. spoons. Campbell point to Eagle Rock you will find fish holding on the deep edge of points and flats; a combination of deep crankbaits, Jewel football jigs and Carolina rigged lizards and baby brush hogs will work to catch these fish. Pay close attention to any rock or wood cover you find in these areas as it will hold most of the fish.

Dam / Branson Area: The dam area continues to be the toughest area of the lake to fish; boat traffic from all of the resorts and marinas along with the hot weather has the lake looking like Branson HWY 76 at Christmas. In the morning you can fish the main lake until around 10:00 am; deep fishing tree tops on the ends of points and bluff ends with drop shot rigs and white spoons 25’ – 50’ deep has been the most productive pattern. More and more big smallmouth are being caught early and late on Jewel Pro Spider jigs and ½ oz. Heavy Cover Finesse Football jigs worked slowly on main lake and secondary gravel and gravel / rock mixed points. PB&J or green pumpkin / green flash have been the best colors matched with a green pumpkin Jewel Hyperflex grub.

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Dam area to Lead Hill: Everyday the Corps of Engineers have been generating a small amount of current; this is positioned the fish and bait on deep points and bluff ends. A couple of distinct patterns have emerged from the current; there is a decent deep bite in and around schools of shad using white Bink’s and War Eagle spoons, locate the bait on your graph and work the spoon close to the shad to be effective. Jewel football and Pro Spider jigs are the second pattern; fish deep pea gravel and gravel / rock mixed points from 20’ – 40’ deep. Work green pumpkin / green flash or PB&J Jewel jigs matched with green pumpkin Hyperflex grubs tight to the bottom paying close attention to any wood or rock cover the bait come in contact with.

Lead Hill to Power site: The bite up the river is best whenever there is a little bit of current coming from Table Rock through Taneycomo. When there is current, deep crankbaits like DD-22’s, DT-16’s and Fat Free Shad have been effective on pea gravel roll offs and points, shad and chartreuse / blue patterns are the most productive. Jewel football and Pro Spider jigs will work when the current is slack; use brown / purple flash and Missouri craw matched up with green pumpkin Hyperflex grubs from 15’ – 30’ deep paying close attention to any isolated cover. Carolina rigged lizards, baby brush hogs and fish doctors have been productive as well.

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

Best fly patterns: Generation almost everyday so check the website before you go. Larger flies have been working this past week with size #12 - #18 accounting for numerous fish; soft shell scuds, g-bugs, scuds and sow bugs have all been working in grey, purple, wine and ginger.

Best spinning tackle: The summer pattern is in full swing; when there is current throw rooster tails, panther martins and buoyant spoons, when the current is slack switch to Berkley Power Nuggets or live crawlers on a drift rig.

Don’t Miss Tournament Fishing Radio on ESPN 1400 AM Springfield
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Kimberling City Area: We have definitely hit the dog days of summer; air temperature in the 90’s and water temperatures from 85 – 90 through out the day. Same patterns continue to produce fish; drop shot rigs and spoons out over deep brush piles and trees from 35’ – 80’ deep. The best baits have been Chompers drop shot worms in Plum and Sand, Robo Worm shad bodies in Aarons Magic and Ox Blood and Kinami Cut Tail worms in brown / purple and shad. Early and late there has been a top water bite out in open water; look for surfacing activity to clue you into where the fish are. It is a small window so have a spook, sammy or pop-r on the deck and ready when the fish come up.

James River: Still a few fish coming on deep crankbaits on pea gravel points and roll offs, parallel the ledges to be successful. Jewel football jigs and Carolina rigged brush hogs and baby brush hogs have been a little more productive over the past week than crankbaits. Both ½ oz. and 5/8 oz Jewel football jigs have been productive in brown / purple lash and PB&J either color matched with a Jewel green pumpkin Hyperflex grub. Green pumpkin brush hogs and baby brush hogs have out paced every other bait on a Carolina rig, concentrate on pea gravel and mixed rock points near deep water to be successful.

White River: The White River continues to offer the widest variety of fishing options; there is a good deep bite with a drop shot rigs on bluff ends and off deep points in the trees. Look for trees that top out between 30’ – 60’ to be the most productive. Jewel football and Pro Spider Jigs and Carolina rigged baby brush hogs continue to produce on pea gravel and mixed gravel and rock points from 12’ – 30’ deep. Some days the fish are holding over pea gravel others they will be closer to any rock that is mixed in. Brown / purple flash and green pumpkin / green flash with a green pumpkin Hyperflex grub has been working best on both the Pro Spider and football jigs and green pumpkin with a little chartreuse on the tails has been the best baby brush hog color.

Dam / Branson Area: With the amount of vacationers on the lower end the boat traffic has been tremendous this past week. If you are fishing toward the dam plan your day accordingly and either be back in a creek or off the water by 10:30 – 11:00 am. Drop shotting continues to be the dominate pattern right now, look for deep trees that top out between 30’ – 60’ deep on deep points and bluff ends. Every week more and more smallmouth are being caught on pea gravel and mixed gravel and rock main lake and secondary points with Jewel football and Pro Spider jigs; concentrate your efforts from 15’ – 30’ deep and work PB&J or green pumpkin green flash jigs with Hyperflex grub trailers slowly along the bottom.

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