Focused Fishing Web Log

Kimberling City Area: The water temperature continues to drop a little more everyday. Fish are spread out right now and are transitioning from deep water into the shallows all over the lake. A couple of strong pattern have emerged; Chompers drop shot worms in plum have been very effective targeting fish on pea gravel flats and points from 25’ – 35’ deep. Work your way around points and flats concentrating on your electronics looking schools of shad or fish hanging tight to the bottom. When you locate either drop to the bottom and work the fish. Watch your graph once a fish is hooked to see how many fish are in a specific location. There a re a few fish starting to show up around cedar trees on bluffs and channel swing banks as well. First thing in the morning run a spinnerbait through the tree to draw strikes and as the sun comes up flip a worm or Salty Sinker into the tree.

James River: The river bite has picked up over the past week or so as well. Shallow crankbaits like Lucky Craft RC 1.5 or Bagleys square bills are working up the river on flats around shallow wood cover. Chartreuse / black and copper green shad have been the most productive colors. From the mouth of the James to Cape Fair Jewel ¾ oz. football jigs have been the most productive pattern; drag the brown / purple flash or green pumpkin / purple jigs with green pumpkin Hyperflex grubs on pea gravel flats and points from 12’ – 25’ deep. The cedar tree bite is getting started in the James as well, look for cedars in 6’ – 20’ of water and work spinnerbaits through the tree tops to be effective.

White River: The White River still has the best variety of fishing on the lake. Jewel football jigs on flats and flat points, Chompers drop shot worms in trees on channel swing banks, deep points and humps and spinnerbaits and Salty Sinkers in and around cedar trees through out lake. Brown / purple flash and green pumpkin / green flash Jewel football jigs with green pumpkin Hyperflex grubs are working on pea gravel points and flats from 20’ – 30’ deep, work the bait slowly along the bottom to be effective. The drop shot bite has been best in tree tops from 25’ – 45’ deep, look for the fish to be holding tight to the trees on sunny days and above the trees on cloudy or windy days. The cedar tree bite has been resulting in some big fish, early and late run a white or chartreuse Chompers Jerry McCutchen spinnerbaits through the tree tops and when the sun is up flip green pumpkin Salty Sinkers through the limbs.

Dam / Branson Area: The dam are has been pretty good over the past week; several big smallmouth have shown up on pea gravel points and flats, big spotted bass are being caught in tree tops and on flats and the dock bite has just started to produce. For smallmouth use Jewel football and Pro Spider jigs in PB&J or green pumpkin / green flash matched with green pumpkin Hyperflex grubs on pea gravel flats and points from 12’ – 25’ deep. Work either jig slowly along the bottom paying close attention to any wood or rock cover you come across. Spotted bass are being caught in tree tops from 25’ – 50’ deep on a combination of Bink’s or War eagle spoons and Chompers drop shot worms. Locate the fish on your electronics and work either bait just above the fish to draw strikes. In and around large boat docks a few fish have started to show up, Jewel Eakins’ jigs in PB&J or brown / purple flash with a green pumpkin Eakins craw trailers are working on the deep end of these docks close to the center walk way.

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Dam area to Lead Hill: The deep bite continues to be the best bite on the lower end of the lake; Bink’s and War Eagle spoons or Chompers Drop Shot worms have been the most productive baits when fished from 25’ – 50’ deep over as much as 100’ of water. Look for schools of bait to clue you into where the fish are the best bite has been off of deep points and bluff ends. There is a good topwater bite early and late with spooks and sammys catching most of the fish. Jewel football and spider jigs are starting to take off on pea gravel and mixed gravel and rock points from 25’ – 35’ deep, work the bait slowly along the bottom.

Lead Hill to Power site: Above Lead Hill jigs and Carolina rigs have ruled. Jewel football jigs in brown / purple flash or Missouri craw with green pumpkin Hyperflex grub trailers fished on pea gravel and mixed gravel / rock points and roll offs have been very effective from 15’ – 30’ deep. Around boat docks and brush pile Jewel Eakins jigs or ½ oz. Heavy Cover Finesse Football Jigs in brown or Missouri craw with green pumpkin Eakins craws or Hyperflex grubs have been working well. Carolina rigged baby brush hogs and Salty Sinkers in green pumpkin have been working on pea gravel points and humps near deep water. The topwater bite early and late has been strong as well look for schooling fish to key into locations.

Don’t Miss Tournament Fishing Radio on ESPN 1400 AM Springfield
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Link to the Generation Schedule: http://www.swpa.gov/generation.htm

Best fly patterns: Big brown trout are showing up with regularity, if you want to target the big fish use bigger flies in sizes #10 - #16. Soft shell scuds, g-bugs and scuds in natural colors have been the most effective. Black, wine and tan are the top colors.

Best spinning tackle: As usual when the water is running the fish turn on and Zig Jigs, buoyant spoons and rooster tails are all effective. A few big brown have been taken on Rapalas this past week with rainbow and silver the most productive colors. From the docks mixed colors of Gulp eggs continue to produce.

Don’t Miss Tournament Fishing Radio on ESPN 1400 AM Springfield
Mondays 5:30pm and Saturdays 5:00 am or on-line at www.espn1400.com
www.focusedfishing.com