mjk86

we saw a guy throwing jerkbaits at the dam on saturday said he caught a few short bass and a muskie about 18inches. Surprised we didnt see you there. Seems like most people saw how difficult launching a boat would be and went home.

Looks like you had a great time there DD, great catch! Stockton is such a wonderful lake, like Ham mentioned its such a great multispecies lake. No docks, just wilderness. Its hard to beat that lake!! Looks like you filleted the drum? Ive never eaten one, i didnt even know they were palatable.

Walleye might be tough, but crappie should be going pretty well. Alot of those little coves around the state park will hold crappie, i doubt if they will be on the bank by then, but will be pretty close. Ive had really good luck with walleye down around masters island, there are a few submerged humps that hold them in the summer. If your dead set on walleye you might head that way. I wouldnt really know how to target them though in mid april.

For wacky worms get 4-5inch senko, in green pumpkin or green with some color flake. Rig it wacky style on a 2/0 EWG worm hook. If its less than 10ft of water fish it weightless. I just let if fall completely naturally...it should be completely horizontal in the water. I dont move it at all. I just watch my line or feel for a bump. If no takers after 30 seconds reel in and recast. They almost always hit it on the first fall.

"a hole in the water that you dump money into"

I love RPS advice about marking wrapped boats...thats a great idea!!

The 9cm are tougher to find, i just saw some on ebay for 5$ so I stocked up. They are about the best trolling crank around if your looking at less than 20ft deep. Will catch anything that swims and eats baby fish.

Yeah, they are hard to beat at 4$ a pop, even if you swap out with good hooks, your still talking a pretty cheap crankbait.

FLicker shads flat catch fish....they help people who are "fish catching challenged" such as me. Last year on stockton we had a day where our first 6 fish were 6 different species, im pretty sure it was a 7cm blue tiger. Ive never used the uncle rico color...had to pick up a few though, they do look good.

My personal favs....black/silver, black/gold, firetiger, blue tiger, pearl white. I have some purple tiger, and some uncle rico that look awesome but have yet to use them. Also....there is one with a white belly and chartreuse/green back. I forget the name but its good too. Blue tiger seems to work exceptionally well for me on stockton for some reason.

Do you know when they will start renting boats? I think the website says apr1-oct 1....but I went up there last fall in mid oct and there were boats out?? I was cursing myself for not bringing the battery/motor. Do they just play it by ear with the weather? I use jigs/minnows, and the little 1.5inch panfish assassin baits. Thats interesting wharf about the island....ive never crappie fished the upper part of the lake, only the darn to about mid lake. Ill have to give it a try! Ive had my best luck with big bass in early april around those islands.

My brother was down this past weekend also fished saturday only. In the mutton creek area, throwing jerkbaits. No walleye for them yet either, only a few bass. The bass were nice ones though 3-4lbs. I think they were marking low 40's too.

Im a big fan of the senko style baits....my fav is the 5inch watermelon red flake yum dinger. For me, overhanging limbs= weightless wacky worm. Also Ill use other various jigs, and always have a med diver crankbait (bandit 200, or flicker shad 5)

I love this line....."The state had wanted to acquire the land for years" Sir....you have been charged with owning something that the state currently wants....your punishment...we take the land and put you in jail....ahh the land of the free.

Bass, walleye, sunfish, white bass, crappie, catfish, drum, dead carp, turtles, and a pit bull...that about sums it up for me...FYI...when having a shore lunch, be sure to take ur worm off ur hook, strays looking for scraps really love a crawler on a split shot rig. Also wrench....your KRWLER rods...priceless. Couple those with genetically modified shad/garlic flavored, super durable nightcrawlers, and your ready to fish!

Great Bass!

Thanks for the info.

what is a milk run?

Hats off to you sir!! That is a real goliath! You are the master of table rock walleye!

Holy crap RPS.....the jealousy is coursing through my veins!! That is a true giant! How big was that?

Yeah, thats what I was thinking too. Never fished there before, but looking at google maps, I think I should be able to find something.

I didnt take that picture....found it online.

Haha yeah, I only ever fish the k-city area of the lake, and I do it in Mid summer. The power boat yahoos just use the bridge as a landmark I guess.....They all come way up or down lake, then just u-turn around the pilings and go back.....why this is fun for someone Ill never know...but its annoying in my little bass boat! ALso I love that he caught it on a wacky rig senko....that is my favorite jig and plastic presentation! I think he was using a weight though? Ive had best luck with it weightless. HWY 13 bridge, apr 10, 2008. I think that is looking north towards K-city INN. Cool pic I thought. I lived in springfield at the time and used to fish the rock regularly, even tried to fish when it was this bad (terrible idea btw.), but I thought it was awesome that I was able to touch the bottom of the bridge on the north side without even standing up.

RPS.....those things are AWESOME!

I dont throw jerkbaits very often, but I find it interesting that you guys fish them in stained or murky water. The only time ive ever caught jerkbait fish has been in very clear cold water, ive tried in dirtier water conditions but always got shut out. I also go as natural as I can, black/silver, black/gold, shad, and sunfish type colors for me....but maybe thats why ive never caught anyting in dirty water.