Focused Fishing Web Log

Kimberling City Area: Finding and staying with the shad is still vital to catching fish, most of the fish are being caught on Lucky Craft Pointers or Spro McSticks in Table Rock Shad and Chartreuse shad on deep chunk rock points. Wind helps this bite out quite a bit, pushing the bait and the fish shallower. You can also catch quite a few fish on an Eakins’ jig fished on steeper channel swing banks in the major creek arms, brown/purple flash with a cinnamon purple Yamamoto twin tail has been the most effective bait.

James River: The James has a good stain to it right now. Fish are still moving up on sunny, deeper banks when the sun is shining. Fish with a Eakins’ jig with either a Yamamoto twin tailed grub or a pork chunk for a trailer, let the water color dictate your jig color, the more stained the water is the darker your jig and trailer should be. Missouri craw and black/blue flash are your two best colors right now.

White River: Look for fish to be moving back into creeks following schools of shad. You can catch fish on both a Lucky Craft Pointer on the deeper points and on an Eakins’ jig on the channel swing banks. Best color for the pointer has been Nishiki while PB&J is your best bet in an Eakins’ jig. Closer to the Baxter area you can also catch quite a few fish on pea gravel banks with a Yamamoto salt and pepper single tail 4″ grub on a 1/4 oz. head, the harder the wind is blowing the shallower the fish will be.

Dam Area: The deep bite has slowed in the dam area as the fish are starting to move up with the warmer weather. Best bite has been on a Lucky Craft Pointer fished on deeper wind blown points, best color has been chartreuse shad in the 78 size. In addition there have been several smallmouth being caught on windy pea gravel points, fish a Yamamoto 4″ single tail salt and pepper grub on a 1/4 oz. head. If the wind is blowing hard enough the fish will be right on the bank chasing shad.

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Dam area to Lead Hill: Much like last week smallmouth are being caught on tubes and Jewel 5/16oz. spider jigs on points and transition banks, look for the areas where bluff or rock transitions into chunk rock and pea gravel. With a little wind you can catch fish on 45 degree chunk rock banks with a wiggle wart or bandit 200 in a crawfish pattern, parallel the bank in about 6′ - 10′ of water. Kentuckies ranging from 13″ to 17″ are schooled up on bluff ends and points with shad, fish a spoon or drop shot finesse worm.

Lead Hill to Power site: The walleye are making their spawning, look for the fish to be staging in deeper pools of the river; they can be caught on Lucky Craft pointers and wiggle warts as well as hair jigs tipped with minnows. 45 degree chunk rock banks in major creek arms are holding most of the Largemouth they can be caught on Lucky Crafts and wiggle warts as well. On sunny days Largemouth will move up on to the sunny steep channel swing banks and can be caught on an Eakins’ jig in PB&J with a Yamamoto twin tailed grub.

Don’t Miss Tournament Fishing Radio on ESPN 1400 AM Springfield
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Best fly patterns for the week: There have been a few breaks in generation this past week, when that has happened the fly fishing has been very good. Best flys have been tan scuds in sz. 14 & 16, green crackle backs in sz. 16 & 18 or san juan worms. ON these warm days cast a tan caddis or Griffith gnat to rising fish.

Best spinning tackle: The slow down in the current has slowed some of the action this past week, when they are generating throw jigs and little cleos, when the water is slack you are better off with live night crawlers and yellow power bait.

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