Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Table Rock 04/24/05:

Kimberling City Area: fish are on the beds all over the lake, they seem to be locked on pretty well in the Kimberling City area and can be caught if you like to sight fish. If not move out to main lake and secondary pea gravel points and throw both split shot and Carolina rigs with finesse worms or french fries in watermelon or green pumpkin. Most of the fish you catch on the points are going to be females that have spawned and suspended back off of the nest.

James River: Allot of bedding fish in the James as well, white tubes or a white Eakins' craw are both effective baits for sight fisherman. Just like in the Kimberling City Area there are a allot of fish being caught on Carolina rigged and split shot rigged finesse worms and fries. I have heard of some pretty good fish being caught on weightless senkos fished near boat docks on steeper ledge rock banks, throw the bait into about 6' - 10' of water and let it sink, watch your line for either a jump or for it swim off.

White River: There are fish on the beds here as well, most of them are pretty aggressive and don't take allot of "work" to get them to bite. There is a developing top water bite in the mornings and evenings; sammys, spooks, pop-rs and redfins are all starting to produce some good fish. Move to pea gravel points and fish Jewel 5/16oz spider jig to 20' deep to target post spawn fish that may have moved off of the nest already, PB&J is you best color with a green pumpkin hyperflex grub as a trailer.

Dam Area: Fish are on the beds in the dam area as well but they are not quite as locked on and most appear to be pre-spawn. Best bets here are split shot rigged or drop shot rigged finesse worms fished on secondary points near spawning cuts and pockets. Crappie fishing up Long Creek is really good, crappie are suspended in the trees on channel swing banks between 5' - 15' over as much as 40' deep, swim 2" grubs and tubes on 1/8oz heads through the trees to be successful.