Missouri Lakes Fishing Report

Lake - Stockton 01/25/07

Main Lake: With the influx of cold water on Stockton the jig and jerkbait bites have strengthened. For the jerkbait bite look for mixed rock banks and points on the main lake and in major creek arms with isolated pieces of cover to be holding the better fish. Make casts beyond the cover toward the bank and work the bait back to the cover, allow the bait to suspend for 5 – 20 seconds next to the cover before moving the bait again. Most of the fish being caught on a jig are coming on ledges and bluff ends; pitch an Eakins jig in brown with a green pumpkin Eakins’ craw to the bank and allow it to fall from ledge to ledge out to 20’ deep before bringing it back to the boat. Most of your bites will come as the bait falls.

Above the bridges: Just like on the main lake the bite up the rivers has been on either a jerkbait or a jig. Look for isolated wood cover when fishing a jerkbait and be sure to pause the bait for 10 seconds or more next to cover before moving it. With the amount of color up the rivers it is important to use a brighter color jerkbait as well; clown, chartreuse shad and bleeding Tennessee shad have all been productive colors. The Jig bite has been best on ledge banks with log jams and other wood cover, on sunny days don’t be surprised if the fish are right on the bank next to the end of the log but on cloudy days they will back of as deep as 20’ deep.

It appears the Walleye are starting to move into the rivers and major creeks to spawn; most are holding on points and channel swings and are being caught on jerkbaits by bass anglers.

Crappie have been really good; 2” grubs, squirts and live minnows are all producing over marked brush piles 10’ – 20’ deep.