Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Table Rock 07/16/05:

Kimberling City Area: The deep bite is still the dominate pattern in the mid lake area; drop shots spoons and a few on Jewel football jigs fished deep. The best bait this past week on a drop shot has been the Chompers drop shot worm in sand or dark melon, white 3/4 oz. spoons have also been the ticket. Look for tree tops at 25' - 45' deep to be holding most of the fish, use your electronics to find the tree and work either bait down in the tree to be effective.

James River: Your best bait in the James continues to be either a Jewel 5/8 oz. football jig with Chomper jig trailer or a Carolina rigged baby brush hog or lizard. Most of the fish are coming either on or close to drops off of flats into the main river or creek channel, early the fish have been as shallow as 6' but as the day wears on they will move out off the drop into 25' deep or deeper. As you fish either rig pay attention to the bottom composition, if pea gravel changes over to rock pretty good chance you have found a spot that will be holding some fish.

White River: While allot of guys are catching fish on a Jewel football jig, I have actually been doing better with a 7/16 oz. spider jig in Missouri craw with a Chomper dark melon jig trailer. I think the smaller profile is the key to getting a few more bites. Fish the same drops and points near a river or creek channel starting shallow and working your way out into deeper water. Up the Kings their has also been a good jig bite, the fish are concentrated on channel swing banks with wood cover and can be caught on an Eakins' jig with an Eakins' craw for a trailer, brown or Missouri craw have been the best colors.

Dam Area: Deep fishing is still your best bet in the dam area as well. Drop shots and spoons are accounting for most of the fish, key on main lake points, flats that drop into deep water and saddle areas around island. You need to find the shad to find the bass, let the birds show you where the bait is and the bass won't be far. Best baits for the drop shot continue to be a Chomper drop shot worm in sand or dark melon.