Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Table Rock 10/15/06:

Kimberling City Area: The cold fronts that past through last week have scattered the fish on most of the lake and the Kimberling City area is no exception. Deep fish are still being caught in tree tops and brush piles on flats but the bite is better on sunny days and tough on cloudy ones. Drop shot rigs work best on sunny days with both Zoom finesse worms and Kinami cut tail worms in green pumpkin, watermelon and sand catching most fish in the tree tops at 30’ – 40’. A few fish are being caught shallow on Jewel spider jigs on pea gravel points and flats, PB&J with green pumpkin 4” Chompers jig trailers have been the most productive.

James River: Several fish have moved shallow up the James River; shallow crankbaits and spinnerbaits will catch numbers of fish on pea gravel and mixed rock banks around wood cover. Better fish have been holding a little deeper; try backing off pea gravel points and hold your boat in 25’ – 35’ deep and cast Jewel football jigs in brown / purple flash with green pumpkin 5” Chompers jig trailers or Carolina rigged french fries and lizards into 10’ deep or shallower. Work either bait slowly back to the boat on sunny days and a bit faster on cloudy or windy days.

White River: Much like the Kimberling City are the lower White is in a transition phase with fish scattering on pea gravel points and flats and leaving the tree tops to feed on schools of roaming shad. Look for Spotted Bass to be roaming on these flats close to the bottom in 35’ – 60’ deep, anytime you find a fish or two make sure to work them since most of the fish will not show up on your electronics when they are holding tight to the bottom. Early and late and on windy cloudy days several fish can be caught on spooks and sammys around shallow standing timber.

Dam Area: Just like the rest of the lake the fish in the dam area have scattered with some moving shallow while others are remaining deep. The deep fish can be found either holding tight to brush piles and tree tops on sunny days from 30’ – 60’ deep and can be caught on drop shots with finesse and cut tail worms or on deep pea gravel points and flats following schools of shad, these fish will chase spoons fish from thebottom to 30’ up.