Focused Fishing Web Log

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

Best fly patterns: The best fly patterns for this past week have been scuds, midges, san juan worms, and streamers. Olive, shades of tan and grey have all been producing well. Use smaller size flies and lighter tippet when the water is shut off and larger flies (#6 -#8) when the water is on.

Best spinning tackle: With the release of several thousand fish for the Memorial day weekend the bite for spinning rod fisherman has been awesome. Little Cleos, Super Dupers and Rooster tails have all been producing in the current and drift rigs with power bait eggs, live crawlers and mixed power bait nuggets are working on drifts.

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Kimberling City Area: The point bite has improved since last week as several post spawn fish have moved back off shore and begun to suspend on long gravel points. The typical drag baits continue to produce; Carolina rigged lizards and baby brush hogs, split shot rigged fries and fish doctors as well as Chomper Ultra Tubes and Jewel Spider or Football jigs. Best colors are no surprise either; green pumpkin and anything in the watermelon family will produce bites from 15’ – 35’ deep. The bite changes a little everyday depending on weather if it is windy or cloudy the fish will tend to be shallower and on sunny days they will hold on the deeper end of the range. The topwater bite has been very good during low light hours as well; Sammys, Spooks and Redfins are producing fish, look for surface activity to indicate where the fish are actively feeding.

James River: The spawn is pretty well over in the James River; while there are still several fish on beds it is not the most productive pattern on the upper end of the lake. Much like the mid-lake area drag bait are producing very well on pea gravel and mixed gravel / rock points close to spawning areas. Not every point is producing right now so if you catch a fish be sure to take your time and fish the area thoroughly before moving on as the fish are grouping up. The topwater bite is hot in the James as well; Spooks, Sammys and Redfins are all producing good fish early and late with as many blow ups as fish caught in most occasions. Watch for surface activity anywhere on the lake, the fish seem to be following the schools of shad off shore and feeding when something triggers them, they can be over 60’ of water in the main channel so have a topwater ready.

White River: The spawn is in full swing in the White River, fish are locked on beds from Baxter to around Big M and if you enjoy sight fishing it is prime time. Usual sight fishing baits will produce; Chompers Ultra Tubes, Jewel Eakins Jigs, Salty Sinkers and lizards will all result in bites. If you don’t care to “look at ‘em” dragging Carolina rigs and split shot rigs with lizards or fries will produce on points adjacent to spawning areas. Much like the rest of the lake the topwater action is in full swing, all of the usual suspects will produce when the fish are chasing bait. Note that several fish have been following Redfins and not taking them over the past couple of days, if you are throwing a Redfin make sure it is tuned correctly and swimming right to draw a strike, don’t waste your fishing time tuning the bait, do it before you head in not during the prime time.

Dam / Branson Area: The dam area has several fish on beds as well, just like the White River and Mid Lake area the usual sight fishing baits will produce. The topwater bite is not quite as ht and heavy in the dam area but several fish can be caught if the conditions are right so have a rod rigged and ready. Grubs are still producing fish on windy and cloudy days from 15’ – 25’ deep, some days the fish will be on the bottom and you will need to “scrub” the grub on others they are suspending and you will need to count the grub down to the fish in order to get bit. Several fish have been caught over the past few days on a drop shot rig, mostly Kentuckies out off of flat points from 25’ – 45’ deep, use your electronics to locate the fish and “work them over” and you will get bit.

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

Best fly patterns: Not nearly as much generation this past week and the bite has slowed; best flies are san juan worms, scuds and egg flies drifted through the deeper holes. Micro jigs in white and white / pink have also been working well.

Best spinning tackle: Lighten up your weight on a drift to 1/8 oz. with the slack water and you can still catch several fish per drift. Egg and scud or egg and worm patterns have been the most effective. A few better fish have come trolling in the slack water from Branson Landing to Monkey Island, small Rapalas and Lucky Craft pointers have been very effective.

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Kimberling City Area: The bite has slowed a little on points through out the lake, several fish can still be caught on main lake and secondary points if you fish them slow enough. The increase in water temperature has sent good numbers of fish to the bank to spawn and about 50% of the fish being caught on points appear to be post spawn. The fish on points are coming on a couple of presentations; split shot and Carolina rigged lizards, fries and fish doctors in green pumpkin or watermelon are have been effective as have Jewel 5/16 oz. spider jigs in green pumpkin / green flash with Chompers jig trailers. Fish either of these presentations as slow as you can stand, if you think you are moving the bait slow enough, slow down. In the bushes weightless Senkos and floating worms are taking cruising fish, it can be difficult to cast in the brush but it is worth it.

James River: The fish up the James River appear to be much further along in the spawn than in the mid lake area; several fish locked on beds that can be caught if that’s your “cup of tea”. Most of the fish on the beds are smaller males, not big females, the females are holding close by but are not on the nest. To target the larger fish switch up to Carolina rigged lizards, fries and brush hogs, work points close to spawning coves from 15’ – 25’ with a C-rig or Split shot rig, it is important to note that you cannot work the bait slow enough. Early and late there is a great topwater bite getting started; spooks, sammys and red fins are all producing some very good fish, you will not get a lot of bites but the fish are pretty choice.

White River: The bite up the White and Kings Rivers continues to improve. Just like the rest of the lake several fish have moved to the banks to spawn with males locked on nests through out the Shell Knob to Big M area. Larger females are being caught on Chompers Ultra Tubes, Carolina or split shot rigged fries and lizards or Jewel Spider jigs. Colors are pretty simple; green pumpkin, pumpkin seed, and just about anything in the watermelon family of colors. In the Kings River the spawn is as strong as anywhere on the lake; just about every cove has fish locked on beds. Also the topwater bite is much better up the Kings; several post spawn fish can be caught on spooks, sammys and red fins, key on points in the mouths of spawning pockets and coves early and late in the day.

Dam / Branson Area: The fish in the dam area are always the last to spawn on the lake. Several fish have made the move to the shallows this past week and a third of the fish being caught on points are post spawn. Post spawn fish can be caught on tubes, Jewel spider jigs and Carolina or split shot rigged lizards, fries or baby brush hogs are all effective when fished extremely slowly. Much like the mid lake area fish can be caught out of the bushes right now, weightless Senkos and floating worms are working for cruising fish and tubes and jigs are working for fish locked on beds.

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

Best fly patterns: Same flies remain effective in the high water, scuds, san juan worms, white jigs and minnow imitators remain the best patterns. A mixed bag of fish will be caught on every drift so be prepared for anything.

Best spinning tackle: White 1/8th oz. Jigs have been the top producing lure this past week for numbers of fish. Scud and glow ball combos are working as well and some larger fish have been taken on jerkbaits (Rapalas, lucky craft, etc) on a drift rig. With the gates closed the drift has gotten slower and better numbers on each drift.

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Kimberling City Area: The bite has changed a little in the last week but for the most part it has gotten better. While there are still fish to be caught in the shallow flooded timber the best bite is out away from the bank. The fish are staging in a big way for the spawn and as soon as the water warms there will be a mad rush to the bank to spawn. The best bite over all has been on a 4” Chompers single tail grub in smoke / pepper or salt and pepper rigged on a ¼ oz. jig head. Look for the fish to be holding from the old bank line out to 30’ feeding on shad and crawfish. Day to day the fish will change the depth they are holding at in that range, one day they will be on the bottom the next they will be suspended less than five feet deep, pay attention to your electronics and vary the depth you are retrieving your bait until you find the fish.

James River: The bite up the James has been very good this week as well, several fish have already moved to the beds in the warmer water. While it is not a full on assault of the bank, there are enough fish up making beds that it won’t take long before they lock on and actually spawn. The best bite has been off of the beds on a combination of a Carolina rigged lizard or brush hog and a Jewel Football Jig. Look for long tapering pea gravel and mixed gravel rock points near the mouths of spawning coves and pockets to hold the most fish and work either presentations from 15’ – 25’ deep. Color selection is pretty standard Table Rock fare; brown / purple flash or PB&J on the jig and green pumpkin with some sort of flake (red, blue, purple, etc..) on the lizard and brush hog.

White River: The White River really turned around this week, the bite has been a little slower than the rest of the lake but this week it turned around. The grub bite has picked up following the same presentation as the Kimberling area, the jig and Carolina rig bite is working well on the mouths of spawning pockets as well and up the Kings River there has been a resurgent spinnerbait bite. Chompers McCutchen spinnerbaits work parallel to large logs and other debris in shallow spawning pockets has produced some very nice fish over the past week. These fish appear to be large females that are holding tight to the wood cover waiting to move in and spawn.

Dam / Branson Area: Despite the cold front the bite at the dam area has changed little, still several fish being caught on Chompers single tail grubs and the shaky head and split shot rig bites are coming into their own. Just like the rest of the lake the grub bite is in and around spawning coves, the fish on the lower end have not begun their spawn yet but they are grouped up and poised to move shallow en mass. Pay attention to the depth the shad are holding in around the dam, it will give you a very good idea where the fish will be holding. The shaky head and split shot bites are not as dependable as the grub bite but the quality of fish seems to be much more consistent. Fish either presentation in the same area as the grub on the bottom from 15’ – 30’ deep. Best baits have been green pumpkin fish doctors and french fries on the split shot and finesse worms and Senkos on the shaky head.

Don’t Miss Tournament Fishing Radio on ESPN 1400 AM Springfield
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