Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Table Rock 12/27/06:

Kimberling City Area: The water temperature continues to be much higher than normal for this time of year. With that in mind most of the standard winter patterns have not really come into play. The most consistent pattern continues to be the deep bite; War Eagle Spoons, Chompers’ Drop Shot Worms, Single Tailed Grubs and Tubes have all been catching fish. Most of the fish continue to hold in deep trees on bluff ends and deep points and have to be “worked” in order to draw strikes, remember that the fish in these trees are focused on shad so use appropriate shad colors. Still a few Smallmouth on the bigger docks and the bite will improve as the water temperature drops.

James River: The water in the James continues to be much warmer as well; several good fish are being caught around isolated standing timber on steep banks in bigger creek arms and on the river above Cape Fair. Most of these fish are coming on Smithwick Rogues and Lucky Craft Pointers fished in and around these trees. Make casts beyond the tree and work the bait back to it to the tree, allow the bait to sit next to the tree from 5 to 15 seconds before moving it again. Another way to catch these fish is to pitch a PB&J Eakins jig with a green pumpkin Eakins craw to the base of the tree. Try to make the jig fall through the limbs and pay close attention to the bait as it falls through the tree as many times the fish are suspended in the limbs and will strike the bait as it falls.

White River: The deep bite is still the strongest option on the White River; War Eagle Spoons, Chompers’ Drop Shot Worms, Single Tailed Grubs and Tubes are all effective presentations. Just like the rest of the lake the higher water temperatures have kept the fish from moving into classic winter patterns with most fish being caught around deep tree tops from 35’ – 55’ deep in as much as 120’ of water. You will need to “work” these fish to get them to bite, take a look at your graph when you hook a fish and see if any others follow the one you’ve hooked, if not the chances of catching more fish out of that tree are slim. The Kings River is fishing in more of a fall pattern than a winter pattern; reports of fish being caught on Strom Wiggle Warts, War Eagle Spinnerbaits and Lucky Craft R.C. 2.5’s on windy rocky banks are common right now.

Dam / Branson Area: The dam area is still dominated by the deep bite; War Eagle Spoons and Single Tailed Grubs have been the best two baits in the dam area. Much like the rest of the lake most of the fish are still holding in the tree tops and will need to “work” them to get bit. Long Creek above the Arkansas line has been strong this past week, the rain has added some more color to the water and the warmer temperatures have the fish up near the bank. The best bait has been a Missouri Craw Eakins’ jig with a green pumpkin Paca chunk trailer. Pitch the jig to the bank on channel swings and bluff banks in the creeks and on the main lake, pay close attention to any wood cover that you find along the banks.