KC Bass Fanatic

Yes - timbered coves. Doesn't have to be loaded with timber either - just need some large trees in the right water depth.

If this helps at all I've caught some giants while bass fishing around docks with crankbaits...

Jason if this helps on the stumps I'm having more luck dipping/jigging than casting. Slow presentation is key. Once you find the depth they are hanging on the stumps drop your jig/minnow to that depth and just let it do the rest.

This time of year until the water temps start to drop brush piles and standing timber, minnows or jigs, in 15-30 FOW. Pretty much an automatic limit of nice ones if you find the right pile or group of stumps.

I don't know that exact subdivision but I know that area very well. My house is not far from there at all and I use the Pitts St Park ramp all the time. It's a nice area of the lake and very central (by water anyway). Putting in at P'burg St Park or the Marina you are right in the middle of the lake and those ramps are never very busy like Hermitage St Park.

Is there much floating debris up the rivers? I always worry about that when I'm running out in a tournament at 0530 (like I will be this weekend).

Caught 10 keepers on Sunday afternoon in about an hour. Left them biting but had to get back to the city. Big timber in 20-25 fow they were 10-15' down. Caught all on minnows.

When is the best time of day to troll for eyes? Night? Thanks fellas

Most of the time when I'm in there, I'm more striking up conversation than fishing for tips. It's too bad because they have some nice poured plastics but I'm one more snide comment from never going back.

Ozark Bait and Tackle in Kimberling City has TR relevant lures only. The customer service however leaves something to be desired. The last 2 times I was in there I had what I would consider rude service. It won't stop me from going back, just from asking any questions.

When most gas went to using some degree of ethanol in their products, I started asking around. My Evinrude mechanic told me to put ethanol treatment in every tank and use 87 octane. Been running flawlessly for years in my '96 Intruder.

Let me try to hit all the questions that came up in this thread: What size jig head? 1/8oz - 1/4oz depending on how deep I need it What baits? Mostly swimbaits (swimming flukes, etc) but sometimes grubs What line - 65lb braid How to fish it? Depends on the fish. If the fish are suspended deeper on points I locate the submerged trees, position my boat just beyond the deepest tree and cast into the submerged trees. Then I count it down to the tops of the trees and slow roll it back. I've also had success throwing it right to the bank if they are up shallow on a windy point. Lastly, toss it around deep docks and play with depth of retrieve until you get bit and then duplicate.

Fished a club tournament Saturday. Let go out of Aunt's Creek. My partner and I fished secondary points in the James from Thompson to Piney. The water was 48 deg with a slight green tint, visibility ~3ft. We threw the A-rig and a jerkbait all day with great success. We caught our limit, including a 7lb kicker and boated at least 30 short fish. The fish were really stacked on the points. Once we got off the main hump of each point the bite died off to nothing. I think these fish are stacked up and staging, just waiting for a break in the weather to start moving back into the cuts/coves/creeks. Our better fish all came on the A-rig. Our big one was suspended in the top of a cedar in 20 FOW. The cedars were about 5' below the surface. Later in the afternoon we had a shallower bite on the A-rig and jerkbaits in <10 FOW on secondaries and wood helped a lot. Weigh-in was at 4PM and we definitely left them biting. Mainly used swimming flukes on the rig and our best jerkbait bite was a pro blue RC STX.

I'm coming down this weekend for a club tournament. If I don't freeze solid on the lake that day, I'll try to come by.....not making any promises!! Dang you winter!!!! GO AWAY!

Thanks guys! All great suggestions.

Guys, I'm pretty new to the river smallie fishing world, spent most of my life fishing for LMB. Moved to MO a few years ago, did some floats where fishing was secondary to sight-seeing. Anyway, I'm looking to dive in head first and really hit some new water this year. Being a bass boat owner, my truck was always right where I left it - so my first question is: How do you guys handle getting your vehicle moved to your take-out point? Friend? Outfitter? I'll probably update this post periodically with more questions I can't answer as I get more involved in this amazing pass time. thanks, Matt

Spent 4 days on the Rock with 8 good buddies and had a blast. Fishing was pretty tough overall but some nice fish were brought in with a good mix of blacks, smallies, and spots. Our best bite was on bluffs and bluff ends with shaky heads tipped with finesse plastics or baby brush hogs. Thursday we had a decent jig bite going but that was non-existent Friday-Sunday and we had to down-size and slow down. Overall bluebird skies and lack of any wind hampered the bite more than anything. Saturday afternoon the wind blew a little and the bite picked up quite a bit. We primarily fished from Aunt's creek to Thompson and everything in between. Most fish were caught in <15 fow near deep water drop offs. Very little shallow bite for us but again, high skies and no wind will do that to you on the Rock. Big bass for our group was 4.00lb and the best limit of the trip was Saturday afternoon at 14lb. Special thanks to Holiday Hideaway Resort in Aunt's Creek - they are always so accommodating and friendly every year. Great resort and fisherman friendly!

Greens or shad patterns

Crankbait bite was in full swing this past weekend. Primarily used a squarebill or a Bandit 100 and knocked them in the mouth. Saturday evening I had 7 keepers (and countless shorts), 2 were 5+lbs. Bass were pinning shad to the bank in stump filled coves and going nuts about an hour before sundown. Throw a crank anywhere near them and you were getting bit. Fun times. This is my favorite time of year to be on the Pomme!

My father-in-law reported catching 8 keepers last weekend on minnows 8-10' down on pole timber in 20-30 fow.

Man, I have plans on Saturday or I would be all over that. Sounds like a great time. They are right by my place, I have a house in Real McCoy. Have fun and hopefully I'll be able to do it next year.

FisherCouple I was having very little success w/ spinnerbaits but the squarebill bite was pretty good early Sat morning, but only around stumps. The crankbait bite is really hit or miss right now but if it's on then it's on big time. That said, if it was me, I'd start off throwing a squarebill in stumps 0-8fow, you'll know pretty quick if that bite is 'on'. If you aren't getting bit on it I'd switch over to plastics and jigs pretty quick. Lindley Arm - anything south of Nemo bridge where stumps are present. Pomme Arm - anything south of Coopers cove where stumps are present The shad are really gravitating to the wood so I've been sticking to areas with heavy stumps primarily. The dam area is really clear water and the fish are still deep (>12fow) unless wind is up. All of that said, this is the time of year for squarebills and spinnerbaits on Pomme so I wouldn't hesitate to keep both of those tied on and throw them every day periodically. That bite will turn on big time very soon.

Caught a really nice sack Sat morning on a squarebill and 7" worm in creeks with stumps. Caught 30+ fish, 12 keepers - best 5 were ~14lb. No big ones but four 3lbers. Saturday evening switched it up and fished faster banks including a bluff and caught another good Pomme limit of ~12lb on jig/craw on bluffs. Even caught 2 keeper Spots that were 2.5lb each. Caught the biggest one of the weekend on a 7" worm, fast bank around stumps - 4.5lb. The Fall rush of spinnerbaits and shallow cranks isn't in full swing yet but fish seem to have begun to move shad into the creek fed coves, especially if there's stumps. Water temp lake wide was 68 degrees. Lindley Arm had some stain, the dam area was really clear.

Been catching them all over the lake this year. Lindley is a lot of wood/stump fishing while Pomme will be more rocky, channel swing banks. Not to say you couldn't fish both ways on either arm but just saying where my luck has been lately. Had a great crank bait bite going a couple weeks past but that has given way to plastics lately.

I use 2 rods: 5'6" Med action Berkley Lightning rod casting w/ a BC reel (the old black ones from years ago with foam handles - love this rod) 6' ML or M Action Pflueger President spinning I've found there isn't much I can't throw or a fish I can't handle with these 2.