Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Table Rock 02/20/05:

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 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 started to clear and 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: For the first time in a while current isn't the story on the 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.