Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Stockton 11/13/04 :

Main Lake: The crankbait bite continues to be your best pattern on the main lake, if it is cloudy and windy fish a bandit 100 series on shallow flats and flat points in major creek arms. If it is sunny but still windy move to deeper chunk rock banks and points and make parallel casts with a fire tiger wiggle wart fishing from 3' - 8' deep, key on any areas with wood cover. When the wind is not blowing switch over to an Eakins' jig in Missouri craw with a green pumpkin Eakins' craw trailer and fish channel swing and bluff end banks.

Above the bridges: The best fishing up the rivers is in the creek arms, look for shad toward the backs of the creeks and fish a Jewel Keel Tandem in white and chartreuse on the edges of the schools of shad. Also throw the spinnerbait around any lay downs or wood cover you find in the area. If the spinnerbait bite slows move to channel swing banks on both the main lake and in the creek arms and fish an Eakins' flippin' jig in black / blue flash on any rock or wood cover you find. Key in on areas where the creek or river channel first makes contact with the bank.

Crappie fishing is much better, fish tube jigs or live minnows over brush piles and standing timber in 15' - 25' of water.

Walleye fishing is hit or miss; the best pattern is a Norman deep N in any shad pattern fished on windy rocky points.

White bass fishing is really good on windy days, fish wind blown flats with white rooster tails or rattle traps.