Smithvillesteve

I just got back home from fishing 2 days at Stockton Lake. We tried trolling crankbaits and bottom bouncers with spin rigs and a worm. Not much going on with either tactic. Fished from 2 pm till 9 pm. Main lake area. The bottom bouncer technique was a pain in the butt for me and my partner. Lots of hangups, even though when i went back and got on the other side of the hangup it came right off. Lots of line twist!! Caught a lot of blue gills and some small smallies. No walleyes. With Lmtout catching 60 in 6 hrs monday i dont know what i was doing wrong. I used the trolling motor and didnt have a clue to the mph. Went slow enough to tick the bottom in 15 fow. Gave it a decent shot. Couple of hours each day. I was catching smallmouth casting my jig off points so i stuck with that. It was sunny and hot with hardly any wind. Not real conducive to walleye fishing. Any advice? Tips? Clues?

Thanks for the info Mike!! A buddy of mine and I are going down wed, thurs and friday. Looks like a lot of sun and some heat. My plan was to go to Lmtout's bottom bouncer plan or Dan Hufferd's spoon technique. Fish 20 to 30 fow. But sounds like some eyes are staying up shallow. My buddy loves to troll so this will be right up his alley. Of course we all know things can change real quick!!

Quillback you sucker!!!! Ok, sorry guys that was bad.

RPS you are the man!! I am amazed at a lot of bass info you boys put out on here. Sure appreciate it. However, most walleye guys seem to be a little more secretive about where to fish, what to use, info in general. Kind of like mushroom hunters! I have had the pleasure to meet and talk to RPS at the OA tournament. Truly a good guy!!

Happy Fathers Day to all you Dads out there. I will assume most of you Table Rock forum readers love to fish because your Dad took you fishing when you were young. I periodically see pics of some of you with your young ones holding up a fish. It always puts a smile on my face. My two young boys love to fish and hunt and its because i took the time to take them when they were young. There is an article in today's Star, front page, on what the big boats and the big waves are doing to LOZ. Dock damage, shoreline erosion, boater safety issues. I am concerned that is going to happen to our beloved Table Rock lake. My dad took me to Table Rock when i was very young. I fell in love with the place. I didnt get back down there very often until a few years ago when one of my friends bought a place up the White. Now i try and get back down there as often as possible with him. I'm retired so i get to fish during the week most of the time. Head home on weekends. But i read with dismay the thread started a couple of weeks ago about the legislatures taking the ban off more docks being put on Table Rock. I hate that Table Rock could possibly turn into another LOZ in the near future. That is just such a beautiful place to go fish. Bigger boats, bigger waves, more boats, more waves.

4 lines in the water?? Trolling? I would look like Moe and Curly with lines all tangled up!! All i can do to handle one!! I just got back from Canada yesterday. Lot of 28, 27,26 and 25 inch walleyes. Big eye was 29.5 inches. I just cant get in that 30 inch club!! Most days we caught at least 50 walleyes apiece. Great trip.

Dutch: I was there last week and couldnt find any bass in the brush. It all looks so good. So many places to hide and ambush prey. Sounds like they are catching fish down at Table Rock on the outside of the bushes. On the old bank line. I tried that at Stockton and you have to deal with a lot of green slime if using a bottom bait. I moved to some deep bluff ends and caught 6 smallies, all short. I did lose a quality smallie on my Nedstix. Came flying out of the water and spit me out. Good luck. Let us know how you do.

I second Champ with the CPR. I read in my BassBlaster this week that there was a tournament where it was catch, weigh and release. One of elite guys said this is the new way and its coming. It was good to read. I know there has been debate on here about the difficulties with that, the need for a judge in every boat etc. but it is good to see the elite guys doing this!

Just fished Stockton tuesday and wed. Main lake area was clear. The flooded brush looked so good to fish but i couldnt make anything work. Tried spinnerbait, crankbait, jig, buzzbait, zara spook and Nedstix. Ended up catching 7 smallies and 1 LM tuesday. All shorts. Lost one nice smallie on the nedstix. Wed i tried fishing for walleyes. Had 1 nice 16 incher on a jig/crawler and that was it. Storms ran me off after 4 hrs of fishing. Pomme was 24 ft high and Truman had ramps closed. Stockton only 10 ft high. It looked good with all that flooded brush and trees but i struggled.

Welcome aboard my friend. If you catch any walleyes PM me your spots!! Thats how we roll!!!:)

Thats a pig!!! How long? Weigh? Congrats!! Pics and released deserves accolades too!!

Quillback: I will be there and fishing with Kbilb. Once again, thanks for putting this together.

I dont care what everybody else says RPS, you are a good man!! Hope to visit with you on the 22nd!!

RPS!!! Where are the "eyes???"

Could you run that by me one more time?

Priceless Dan!!

Nice fish! And even better that some rain is helping out down there. Looks like good chance of rain later in this week down there also. Keep fingers crossed.

Catch and release v food on the table is and has been a "touchy" subject on this website. I fish for walleyes primarily at Stockton for a tasty meal. Plus, the challenge of catching those critters! But for some reason i release all walleyes over 20 inches. I think I just see this as such a beautiful fish I cant bring myself to keep it for a meal. But 15 to 20 inches I will keep. Mr Bass is a different story. I release all bass. I might keep some white bass to eat every now and then. I have advocated they reduce the length limit to 12 inches for spotted bass. I have heard they taste pretty good. But now you got fishermen that are not real knowledgeable about the difference between the spot and the Largemouth. I was bringing in some whites, crappies and a couple of walleye to clean at Mutton Creek Marina last year and there was two "old boys" with a 5 gallon bucket that had 6 or 7 LM bass in it and all were around 3 lbs! It broke my heart to see these fish headed for the cleaning table. But these guys were totally legal in what they were doing and who am i to say they are "wrong" in what they are doing. But the LM does not get stocked in Stockton like the walleye. We need them to have a successful spawning season. If you keep bass to eat please dont be mad here. I realize its just a matter of opinion. And my wife always tells me mine isnt right!!

Some very interesting takes here to say the least. Not sure we will ever know for sure what these walleyes are doing in Stockton Lake as far as the spawning process. I am thrilled to hear that more bigger fish are being caught there. For a long time all i could catch was a lot of 14 inch fish with the occassional keeper at 15 inches. Some good info boys and interesting opinions on the topic. I am still looking for that 30 incher myself. Got a couple of 28 inchers up in Canada. I think if i caught a 30 inch walleye in Stockton I would get measurements and get a good replica mount of her. Even though we are not sure if she can successfully spawn or not. I couldnt bring myself to put a fillet knife through that beautiful fish. Just my opinion on that.

Nice eye lmtout!! Couple of questions for you. 1) Walleye do not spawn in Stockton Lake right? But i have heard that they will go through the motions. Run up rivers this time of year. Is this correct? 2) Thinking of going this weekend. Heard good chance of rain and some wind but I'm thinking that could be a good thing. Any advice? My buddy likes to troll whereas I have been more of a jig/crawler guy. I see a guy caught a nice one on a spoon. What about a jerkbait on main lake points? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dont know you personally Cheesemaster but if you on here I am figuring you are a good man. and I enjoy your posts. Hang tough my friend.

Canadians have always been nice to us!!

I really like the Ned Stickz. Seems to catch more quality fish for me than the TRD. A little longer and skinnier. And has the end with fingers. Those Ned rigs are fish catching machines!! And i see some manufacturers are copying Dave's jig heads now. But I will be loyal to Dave!!

From fishing uphill to Pink Floyd!! Gotta love this forum!!

Bill! Couldnt you wait until after the OA tournament to post that info!!!! Good information as always. I guess i just dont have the patience or whatever to do that. I am willing to bottom bounce baits in 35 fow at Table Rock. I havent fished the deep 50-60 fow with a swimming grub, spoon, A-rig etc. Guess i need to get out of the box a little bit!!