Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Table Rock 01/22/06:

Kimberling City Area: Your best bet in the mid lake area continues to be deep fishing. Look for bait up off of the bottom suspended from 40’ – 60’ over as much as 150’ of water. If you find bait on the bottom you any fish in the area will be much less active than those that are around suspended bait. Drop shots and grubs have been the best bet using a 4” drop shot worm in sand or any of the watermelon family, while a salt and pepper grub has been the most productive.

James River: Jerkbaits continue to be strong up the James River; both Lucky Craft Pointers and Smithwick Rouges have been producing fish on flat mixed rock points and banks. Look for Isolated piece of cover and make multiple cast to that cover to be successful. If you catch a small fish or tow make additional cast with the stick bait and then follow up with an Eakins’ jig in the same piece of cover. Many times the fish are ganging up in brush and rock piles and you can catch several fish in one pile.

White River: Most of the fish in the white are being caught on stick baits as well. Clown, black / silver, chartreuse shad and American shad have all been good colors. Much unlike the James River the fish are on steeper banks up the White. Look for 45 degree chunk rock banks with isolated pieces of cover to and a little wind to be the most productive. A single cedar tree or brush pile on these banks can hold a number of fish.

Dam Area: The deep bite is still your most reliable pattern in the dam area; a drop shot is out catching a spoon at least 4 to 1 with 4” finesse worms any some kind of watermelon color catching most of the fish. Around some of the larger docks there is a good jig bite on the deeper ends, pitch a PB&J Eakins’ jig to the center walkway of the dock from 15’ – 45’ deep and work the bait back to the boat slowly.