Kimberling City Area: The shallow bite continues to improve; smallmouth and largemouth are holding shallow from 2’ – 15’ on pea gravel and mixed gravel and rock points. Flatter points have been better than steeper ones especially any flat point with a sharp drop on either side. Jewel football and spider jigs in green pumpkin / green flash or PB&J or green pumpkin Chompers’ Ultra tubes have been the ticket, work the bait slowly along the bottom to draw strikes. The deep bite is still there but it has changed; most of the fish have moved to main lake and secondary points and flats and are holding 23’ – 30’ deep. Drop shot rigs are still the best presentation, Chompers’ drop shot worms in plum and Robo Worms in Oxblood have been the best colors.
James River: The James has had a little tougher bite over the past week or so. There is a good top water bite early and late but the quality is not as strong as other areas of the lake. Numbers can be caught on a Carolina rigged Zoom lizard or baby brush hog in green pumpkin, gravel main lake points are your best bet. A Jewel football jig in brown / purple flash worked in the same areas has been effective if hopped off of the bottom during the retrieve. Above Flat Creek the flipping bite has started to turn on; work channel swing banks with brown or black / blue Eakins jig and craw combos.
White River: The White is still a very productive end of the lake; numbers and quality are coming off pea gravel and gravel /rock mix points through out the river. Jewel football jigs in PB&J or Missouri craw have been very effective on drops and ledges on these points. Further up the White and in the Kings a Carolina rigged baby brush hog or shaky head has been more effect. Look for the fish to be 6’ – 20’ deep on the White and 3’ – 15’ deep on the Kings. The white bass have been insane throughout the White and Kings, ½ oz. white spoons cast into the schooling fish will result in a bite on almost every cast. There are some spotted bass with these schools but you have to allow the bait to fall through the whites to catch the spots.
Dam Area: The Smallmouth bite is still shallow on the lower end, several fish can be caught on flat gravel and mixed gravel / rock points through out the dam area on Jewel Spider Jigs and Chompers Ultra Tubes. Look for the flattest points in the area to hold the majority of the fish, cast green pumpkin Jewel jigs and Chompers’ tubes to the flooded bushes and work back slowly to be successful. When you catch a fish make sure to throw back to the same location as many fish are holding in a small area on these points. The drop shot bite is still there but it is starting to wane; just like the mid lake the fish have moved to flats and flat points holding on the bottom 23’ – 30’ deep.
Fall Sale $30 Off ½ and ¾ Day Guide Trips through October
Call 417-860-4743 or email focused.fishing@yahoo.com for details
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