Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Table Rock 12/25/05:

Kimberling City Area: Spoons, drop shot finesse worms and grubs continue to be the most dominate pattern in the mid-lake. Look for bait to be successful, if you find a school of shad off of the bottom there will be fish in and around it just take the time to work the area until you find them. You can still catch a few quality smallmouth on the larger docks in the area as well; a PB&J Eakins’ jig with a green pumpkin Chomper jig trailer is your best bait.

James River: Best two patterns up the James have been a jerkbait and a jig. Look for fish to be suspended on mixed rock secondary points with timber and make multiple casts with a rogue or a pointer into the timber to be successful. Don’t be surprised if you catch a few large crappie as well. The jig bite is on channel swing banks toward the backs of the creeks, look for the spot on the swing where the channel makes contact with the bank to be most productive. Missouri craw Eakins jigs with green pumpkin jig trailers have been the best bait.

White River: Deep, spoons and drop shot finesse worms on secondary and main lake points, and grubs fished through trees topping out at around 30’ deep have been the best patterns from Baxter to Shell Knob. Just like in the Kimberling City area look for bait to be successful. A few fish are coming on jerkbaits in the Kings River, like the James look for mixed rock points with timber to be holding most of the fish.

Dam Area: The fishing pressure has dropped off over the past week with the lack of any tournaments on the lake. Look for most of the fish in the dam area to be deep on points, drops and saddles. Anytime there is bait in these areas the fish will become active and feed on spoons, drop shots and grubs. In addition, a few fish are being caught on Eakins’ jigs around boat docks, look for larger docks on pea gravel points to be holding the better fish.