Focused Fishing Web Log

Kimberling City Area: Fish have definitely moved out from the shallows over the past week. Several fish are being taken on Carolina rigs and Drop Shot rigs through out the mid lake area. Look to long points with deep water close by to be holding most of the fish. On the drop shot rig a number of baits have been effective; Chompers drop shot worms in purple / brown laminate or plum, Robo Worm 6” worms in Ox Blood and Red Crawler and Kinami Cut Tail worms in purple / brown are all working well. On a Carolina rig green pumpkin or watermelon red lizards, baby brush hogs and Salty Sinkers have all been producing. The C-Rig has been effective from 18’ – 25’ deep while the Drop Shot is working from 25’ – 35’ deep.

James River: There are several patterns producing in the James River; Jewel Football Jigs, Carolina Rigs, Flipping and deep crankbaits have all been effective. Jewel Football Jigs and Carolina rigs have been working on main lake pea gravel points and saddles from 18’ – 25’ deep. Best colors have been PB&J, green pumpkin and watermelon red. Several quality fish have been coming out of bushes and the flooded cover on and around points and channel banks; Eakins jigs with Paca Chunk trailers, Baby Brush Hogs and Salty Sinkers have all been effective flipping baits in green pumpkin or PB&J. Numbers of better fish have begun to show up on ledges and roll offs through out the upper James, target these fish with DD-22’s and DT-16 crankbaits making parallel casts banking the bait into isolated brush and rock cover.

White River: The White River arm is really good right now; drop shot rigs, Jewel Football Jigs and Carolina rigs are all producing from Baxter to Shell Knob, flipping tactics and shallow crankbaits are working in the Kings River and Jewel Spider and Football Jigs are producing from Shell Knob to Eagle Rock. From Baxter to Shell Knob look for pea gravel and mixed gravel / rock points to be holding most of the fish, dragging Jewel Football Jigs in PB&J or green pumpkin green flash or Carolina rigged brush hogs and lizards has been one of the most effective patterns from 18’ – 30’ deep. Most of these fish are holding on the deeper side of the point. Spots have started to suspend in deeper water off channel swing points, target these fish with drop shot rigs with Chompers or Robo Worm drop shot worms. In the Kings there is a bunch of fish holding on flooded bushes and wood cover; flip Eakins Jigs, Brush Hogs and Ultra Tubes in and around this cover. Toward the backs of feeder creeks look for schools of shad and throw square bill crankbaits in and around the shad to be effective. Further up the White most of the fish are coming on points from 15’ – 25’ deep with Jewel Spider or Football jigs worked slowly along the bottom, PB&J and brown / purple flash have been the best colors.

Dam / Branson Area: Fish seem further into a summer pattern on the lower end of the lake. There is still a topwater bite very early in the morning, look for surface activity and throw spooks, sammys and redfins to schools of active fish. Once the sun comes up the best bite has been on drop shot rigs; Chompers drop shot worms in purple / brown laminate or plum, Robo Worms in Ox Blood or MM III and Kinami cut tails in shad or brown / purple have all been effective. Target main lake points with deep water close by concentrating on the 35’ – 45’ depth. Several fish have been suspending on bluff end points and in submerged trees, look for schools of shad in the 25’ – 50’ range holding close to trees and bluff ends and the fish will be close by. These fish can be caught on the same drop shot rigs mentioned above as well as spoons and grubs.

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

Best fly patterns: Four units all week long have made for some tough fishing; best patterns have been eggs in coral or pink and bright color San Juan worms, red, orange and chartreuse have been the ticket with the dirty high water.

Best spinning tackle: The best bite has been from Lilley’s to the Gold Mine, drift Gulp eggs in sunrise or flo orange, live night crawlers and red worms on either a drift rig or below an indicator. Key on slack water eddies behind shoals and docks.

Don’t Miss Tournament Fishing Radio on ESPN 1400 AM Springfield
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Kimberling City Area: Fish have begun their transition from the bank to deeper water, several fish taken over the past week on a combination of Chompers 4” single tail grubs and Chompers drop shot worms. On windy days, and there have been plenty lately, fish are relating to windy flats and flat points from 18’ – 25’ deep and can be caught on salt and pepper or smoke / pepper 4” grubs. On calm days these same fish will be a little deeper, using a drop shot begin your search at 20’ and work your way out until you locate fish. For the most part they have been relating to the bottom but there have been some marauding groups of Kentuckies suspended over 60’ – 80’ of water destroying schools of shad. A few largemouth have begun to show up in the bushes as well, you won’t get rich flippin the bushes but a limit can be caught in an eight hour day.

James River: The drop shot and grub bite has been very good up the James River as well; look for fish to be holding in the same locations as the mid-lake. From Piney up there has been a very good Carolina rig bite on lizards and brush hogs, look for flat points with deep channel bends close by to hold most of the fish. Make fan casts from the side of the point until you locate the depth the fish are holding in and then concentrate at that depth. The upper reaches of the James and Flat creek have been productive with square bill crankbaits in and around flooded bushes, much like the flippin bite in the mid lake you won’t get rich throwing a square bill but a few quality will bite. With all of the wind this past week the topwater bite slowed to a crawl, not sure if it will pick up when the wind dies down but we will see this week.

White River: The White River is producing good numbers and quality right now; grubs, drop shots and split shot rigs have all been producing fish on gravel and mixed gravel points and flats. The best depth range has been 18’-25’ deep but on calm sunny days you will need to move out and fish 20’-35’ to be productive. Jewel Football Jigs in brown / purple flash and PB&J with green pumpkin twin tail trailers have been very productive on mixed rock points with very deep water close by. Work the bait along the bottom slowly from shallow to deep, pay close attention as most of the bites have been very soft with the jig feeling “spongy” or “like it picked up some moss”. A very good flipping bite has started up the Kings River; fish have settled into the new log jams and other debris and can be caught on Eakins Jigs or Eakins Flip’N Finesse jigs with a Paca or other chunk trailer.

Dam / Branson Area: The dam area is producing as well, drop shot rigs, mojo and split shots, grubs and tubes have all been catching fish from 20’-35’ deep. Jewel 5/16 oz spider jigs in green pumpkin candy flash and green pumpkin / green flash with Chompers jig trailers have also started to produce; mixed rock and gravel points close to deep water are the most effective, work the bait slowly along the bottom paying close attention at all times. The top water bite has been slow on the slower end as well, several fish have been slashing at the bait and not getting it. Further up Long Creek the bite has been tougher, the best bite has been pitching an Eakins jig to flooded debris and bushes or working a square bill on flats toward the back of creeks.

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

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

Best fly patterns: The best fly patterns for this past week have been sow bugs, g-bugs and san juan worms most fished deep below an indicator. Plum, tan, and olive have been productive colors.

Best spinning tackle: Several fish started to show up this past weekend, the best bite has been from Lilley’s down to around the Gold Mine. Drift night crawlers, Gulp Eggs, Power Bait and red worms to be successful.

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