Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Table Rock 03/26/06:

Kimberling City Area: Swimming or Scrubbing a grub continues to be a good technique on windy pea gravel points, flats and pockets. Use a ¼ oz. head with a 4” smoke, salt and pepper or white grub, make a long cast toward the bank and allow the bait to hit bottom, start retrieving the grub and maintain bottom contact, if you loose contact with the bottom allow the bait to fall back to the bottom and re-start your retrieve. On calm days these same fish will eat a Jewel 5/16 oz. spider jig with a3” Chomper jig trailer. Hold your boat 20’+ feet deep, make a long cast and drag the jig across the bottom, pay close attention to any rocks or wood you come in contact with as they will hold most of the fish.

James River: the wiggle wart bite is still strong up the James River; brown craw, phantom green craw and watermelon are all good colors right now. Look for fish to be on windy chunk rock or mixed rock banks and points near pea gravel coves, cuts and pockets. Parallel the bank in 6’ – 10’ of water and try to run your crankbait into any piece off wood or other cover on the bank.

White River: Much like the James the wiggle wart bite is still strong on both the White and Kings Rivers; the same colors are working as on the James with the addition of fire tiger in the dirtier water of the upper Kings River. Just like in the James it is important to run the bait into the cover to get bit. On calm days these same pieces of cover are still holding fish you will need to change your tactics; make multiple pitches with an Eakins’ jig and craw combo into the cover from as many angles as possible to get strikes.

Dam Area: Just like the Kimberling City area your best bet around the dam is to swim or scrub a grub. Use the same technique on the same types of windy banks. IF you are looking for a big fish for a kicker or just for fun throw a Lucky Craft pointer on these same banks, jerk it down with three or four jerks and allow it to sit still for 10 – 15 seconds. You will not get nearly as many bites as with the grub but they tend to be much larger fish.