Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Table Rock 05/09/06:

Report #1

No Report Yet

 

Report #2

Don don@strikebass.com wrote:

By Captain Don House of Chauffeured Guide Service

Dam, Indian Point, and Long Creek Area:
Fishing is really great on all parts of the lake with a lot of bass being taken on topwater in the early morning and on plastic and jigs in the late morning and afternoon, so most of my reports will be the same in just about all areas.

Most of my fish are hanging on the gentle slopping pea gravel banks in and around Kimberling City to Indian point all the way to Long Creek in Brushy Creek. Start fishing on the main lake and main lake secondary points with small pea gravel and flat banks, hold your boat in the 20 - 25 foot range and fish towards the shallow banks, most strikes are coming in the 15 foot range right now, but don’t leave out the shallow feeders also.

The fish are moving in and out chasing shad on these really good topwater days. Look for surfacing fish early and start throwing topwater baits like a chug bug, pop–r or spooks and Sammy’s at these fish. Remember to give the fish a chance to eat your bait, let the bait disappear under water then set the hook. When this bite is going you will catch some really good fish. If you have trouble finding fish in these areas try fishing the bluff ends with pole timber in or about the same depths, run the same baits along and around this pole timber bites will come right as the bait passes the timber.

After the topwater bite slows down try going to a split shot rig or a shakey jig with a 4” fish doctor or French fry worm in Watermelon colors with purple, red flakes or black flakes. Drag this bait slow on the bottom; most of the bites are very light so spend some time watching your rods tip for those little bites.

Something else I have been trying here lately are to use a small CritterBait jig in the 1/8 or ¼ ounce size and a Football Jig all the way up to a ½ and ¾ ounce, colors are the Peanut butter and Jelly (Brown, Purple and Green) or a the Brown and Purple with a matching craw. Fish these baits in and around all docks on the mixed pea gravel and smaller chuck rock banks. Bite is coming right as the bait is falling down the dock floats or walk ways. Look for the fish and the back end corners of these docks or in and around brush piles on theses docks. The Football jigs I have been dragging from shallow to deep down the flat pea gravel main lake points and pockets around these same points. Bite seems to be coming the same depths are the others.

Kimberling City Area:
The bite here is pretty much the same as the rest of the lake but with more on the smaller jigs around the boat docks is really coming to life. Once again I go to the small CritterBait jig in the 1/8 or ¼ ounce and a Football Jig all the way up to a ½ and ¾ ounce, colors are the All dark Green, Peanut butter and Jelly (Brown, Purple and Green) or a the Brown and Purple with a matching craw. Fish these baits in and around all docks on the mixed pea gravel and smaller chuck rock banks.

Bite is coming right as the bait is falling down the dock floats or walk ways. Look for the fish and the back end corners of these docks or in and around brush piles on theses docks or on a sunny day look for the shaded side of the dock to hold fish. The Football jigs I have been dragging from shallow to deep down the flat pea gravel main lake points and pockets around these same points. Bite seems to be at the same depths as the others areas we have discussed.

Another good bite on windy days is the smaller swimming grubs in the 3” – 4” size or the new storm swimming shad in shad colors. Colors for the grubs are from smoke, white, watermelon green pepper and watermelon with red flakes. Swim this bait slow back to the boat keeping contact with the bottom at all times. And remember to spend the time to watch your rod tip for these little bites.

Baxter, Camel Point, Shell Knob Area:
Like I have said in the other areas the bite is just about the same in this area. . There is a good bite from Baxter all the way up to the Shell Knob Bridge on these same types of flat points and pockets. Start fishing on the main lake and main lake secondary points with small pea gravel and flat banks, hold your boat in the 20 - 25 foot range and fish towards the shallow banks, most strikes are coming in the 15 foot range right now, but don’t leave out the shallow feeders also. The fish are moving in and out chasing shad on these really good topwater days.

Look for surfacing fish early and start throwing topwater baits like a chug bug, pop–r or spooks at these fish. Remember to give the fish a chance to eat your bait, let the bait disappear under water then set the hook. When this bite is going you will catch some really good fish. If you have trouble finding fish in these areas try fishing the bluff ends with pole timber in or about the same depths, run the same baits along and around this pole timber bites will come right as the bait pass the timber.

After the topwater bite slows down try going to a split shot rig or a shakey jig with a 4” fish doctor or French fry worm in Watermelon colors with purple, red flakes or black flakes. Drag this bait slow on the bottom; most of the bites are very light so spend some time watching your rods tip for those little bites.

James Arm:
Water color is stained from point 10 all the way up point 14; once you get past there water gets dirty. From point 10 to Cape Fair try looking for surfacing fish early and start throwing topwater baits like a chug bug, pop–r or spooks at these fish. Remember to give the fish a chance to eat your bait, let the bait disappear under water then set the hook. When this bite is going you will catch some really good fish. If you have trouble finding fish in these areas try fishing the bluff ends with pole timber in or about the same depths, run the same baits along and around this pole timber bites will come right as the bait pass the timber.

After the topwater bite slows down try going to a split shot rig or a shakey jig with a 4” fish doctor or French fry worm in Watermelon colors with purple, red flakes or black flakes. Drag this bait slow on the bottom; most of the bites are very light so spend some time watching your rods tip for those little bites.

If you go past Cape Fair try using a darker color jig’s in the Black and Blue colors in the dirty waters up to and past Flat Creek Arm. Also another thing to try would be a medium (8-12 feet) running crankbait along the lay downs in the area, bounce off anything you can and can not see for the bite. Colors would be Fire Tiger, Chartreuse with black or blue backs, run these bait parallel to the banks with small chuck rocks or on the flats the timber exposed.

Good Fishing

Capt. Don