Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Table Rock 01/16/06:

Kimberling City Area: Still a good deep bite in the mid lake area, look for bait fish to be on main lake and secondary points and the fish will not be far away. Find the bait find the fish. Spoons, drop shot and needle worms, single tail salt and pepper grubs have all been effective. A few fish are being caught around docks as well, Lucky Craft pointers and rogues are working on sunny days, work the bait as close to the walkway foam as possible, allow it to pause for 5 – 10 seconds between jerks.

James River: Jerkbaits are still the deal; Pointers, Rogues and X-Raps are all catching fish on windy mixed rock flat banks. Pay close attention to any isolated cover that may be on these banks and make multiple casts in and around the cover. Deeper channel swing banks are holding fish as well, an Eakins jig in brown / purple flash with a green pumpkin Eakins craw trailer will catch fish around whatever cover is on theses banks.

White River: The jerkbait bite on the White and the Kings has started to improve. Look for better fish to be on flat, mixed rock, open banks holding tight to isolated pieces of cover. The fish are moving up shallow through out the day as the surface temperature rises, start with your boat off shore in at least 20’ of water and move up shallower as the water warms.

Dam Area: Still a few fish being caught on a wiggle wart when the wind is blowing. Brown craw and phantom green craw have been the best two colors, fish mixed rock banks with wind howling on them 6’ – 8’ deep. There is also a good deep bite on drop shot and needle worms, spoons and single tail grubs. Look for schools of bait to show you where the fish are, most of the action has been on main lake and secondary points and swings from 40’ – 60’ deep.