Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Table Rock 12/05/06:

Kimberling City Area: The water temperature has dropped about five or six degrees in the past week, while there has been some shad movement into the creek arms there has not been a shad kill yet. Still catching several fish on a drop shot or spoon in and around deep trees on bluff ends and deep points. White War Eagle spoons and plum or sand Chompers’ drop shot worms have been the most effective colors. The jig bite around larger boat docks has pick up a little as well, look for the big docks on pea gravel or ledge rock points to hold most of the fish; a PB&J or brown Eakins’ jig with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw has been the top bait.

James River: The water temperature up the James has dropped about ten degrees, with all of the rain water and run off from snow the water has good color as well. The cooler temperatures have hurt the spinnerbait and crankbait bite that was producing some bigger fish in standing timber and laydowns. These fish are still there but you will need to slow down and fish a Missouri Craw Eakins’ jig with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw or a green pumpkin / orange Chompers Ultra Tube. Make long pitches to the standing timber and allow the bait to fall along the trunk of the tree and slowly work the bait through the limbs and back to the boat. Make multiple pitches to each tree; many times the bait has to fall directly in front of the fish to draw a strike.

White River: The water in the Kings is pretty stained and there is quite a bit of debris in the water so be careful when running. There is still a crankbait bite up the Kings; Storm Wiggle Warts in brown craw or watermelon fished parallel to chunk rock or mixed rock banks in six to ten foot of water will produce strikes. Try to run the bait into any wood or rock cover on these banks to trigger strikes. The White River is fishing just like the Kimberling City area, War Eagle spoons, Chomper drop shot worms and single tail grubs are working in and around deep trees on bluff ends and points, the key to finding the active fish is finding schools of bait, wherever bait is present the bite is better.

Dam / Branson Area: The most stable area of the lake has been the dam area; still fish coming on Jewel football and spider jigs on pea gravel roll offs and points from 20’ – 35’ deep. PB&J or watermelon / purple flash matched up with a green pumpkin Chompers’ jig trailer have been the most effective colors in the jig, work the bait slowly along the bottom hopping it occasionally. There is also a good deep bite in the dam area; white War Eagle spoons, Chomper Drop Shot worms and single tail grubs are all effective, look for schools of bait on bluff ends, saddles between the bank and islands and deep trees to hold most of the fish.