nhornback

My wife and i are spending a week at mill creek next week, and I haven't been on table rock since spring (I became a river rat all summer on the James ). Plan on mainly fishing the first couple and last couple hours of daylight with swim and lunch breaks in between Was hopeful someone could give me some game-planning thoughts on where to target topwater bites at dawn and dusk...? Any and all info is so appreciated! Nick

Great info guys thanks a lot!

I thought maybe all the rain that just dumped on areas well north of here this morning might bring the river up by weeks end? Hoping I'm wrong but never tracked river levels until the last several weeks so idk how rain that far north effects the James below Springfield dam, or if it even effects it at all... ?

With all the rain and flooding that just got dumped on areas north of here, I was curious to know if that water will eventually effect the James below the springfield dam to galena? Planning to float this weekend but thought all that water might bring it up by the end of the week and make it tough to float/fish. Any insight greatly appreciated!

Unfortunately that one isn't my catch, but I'll share it anyways. a buddy of mine pulled that one in several weeks back around McCall bridge. 6lb LM...

Water clarity was normal-ish or a little on the stained side but that was a positive in my mind. Had been monitoring water levels all week and saw it had about stabilized so I'm sure that aided in the smallies aggression. It wasn't quite like a low pressure day in late may, but the fish were cooperating well for such a hot day. No trophies, only 1 that MIGHT have been 15" inches (i dont bring anything to measure with) but plenty of 10-13 inchers made for lots of fun fights.

Marble ground is a couple riffles down from mccall bridge. Some people call it "mudbank" or "extension of V" but I know it as marble ground. Actually talked to either the owner or an employee of that campground as I floated by. He was loading canoes and mentioned hot showers, flushable toilets etc, as well as decent shuttle prices if using your own yaks/canoes. jamesrivercampground.com is the website. Has potential to be a nice campsite but some flooding messed it up from the looks of the concrete slabs that fell when the bank washed out.

Floated from hootentown to marble ground yesterday in the heat and and had surprising amounts of success. Got on the water about 10 and stayed out til dark. The fishing started off slow but came alive just below the arch. Had a 100 yd stretch where 12-14 inch smallies were fighting over my texas rigged critter craw on every cast - quickly made me forget about how insanely hot it was! Deeper pockets, edges of current and shade lines proved most effective. And SLOW presentations were key - the bass were picking it up off the bottom while bait dead still. Hard to fish that slow in the heat! Craws, tubes and brushhogs worked with consistency, and green pumpkin browns or watermelon candy were the best colors. Had some success at dusk on poppers and a mini torpedo, but the topwater bite was slower than anticipated that late in the day. Best part was I got to introduce river smallies to a fishing buddy who calls Lake Ozarks his home lake and hadn't kayak fished before. By 9 when we were loading up the boats he commented that he still wasn't ready for the day to be over even if he was sore and worn out... Gotta love that stretch of river!

Havent been on the James recently, has water level gotten back down to normal yet? Was thinking of wading around marble ground one evening this week, but high water makes wading that area difficult. Thanks in advance for any info!

Haven't made it to Stockton since mid May. Chasing smallies up and down the James on my kayak has been my fishing choice the last several weeks. Thinking of venturing out to Stockton this weekend, either at dusk or before dawn, and was hopeful to get some info on how the lake has been fishing lately? Any and all info is greatly appreciated! Nick

Put in at marble ground/extension of V access and paddled up stream to next gravel bar for the afternoon/evening to hang out and fish with the wife. Wife likes to throw net for minnows while I stick to artificial lures. Both worked well and we had success once sun got behind the tree line a little bit. All mine came on critter craw or baby brush hog in watermelon red or green pumpkin. Only one fish worth taking a pic of, but it was a fun day

Sorry for multiple threads. Computer issues

I frequently kayak and fish the James but am wanting to try some new areas this season. Can anyone tell me about good day float access points anywhere from Mcdaniel lake to Stockton? Also, what's the fishing like? Any info is greatly appreciated! ~Nick

I frequently kayak and fish the James but am wanting to try some new areas this season. Can anyone tell me about good day float access points anywhere from Mcdaniel lake to Stockton? Also, what's the fishing like? Any info is greatly appreciated! ~Nick

I frequently kayak and fish the James but am wanting to try some new areas this season. Can anyone tell me about good day float access points anywhere from Mcdaniel lake to Stockton? Also, what's the fishing like? Any info is greatly appreciated! ~Nick

I'm in the same boat, kcchiefsfan. Was out yesterday 5/14 and caught maybe 35 bass, but only 4 were over 15 and I looked everywhere from the spawning flats to deep edges of those spawning coves. As im relatively new to fishing its hard to complain about catching fish all day but I too would love to haul in some pigs as opposed to the 14 7/8ths inch bucks I have been. Did get to enjoy the first topwater action of the year yesterday though - pictured fish hit zara spook about 3rd cast of the day. Always a great way to start! Let me know when you find them! Nick

I'm sure this is a long shot, but... Found 2, both in the same spot about 4-5 miles down from hootentown access. Tell me what brands and I'll get them back to you. Felt bad for whoever lost them, I'm sure that was a day ruiner dumping a canoe and losing your stuff like that. Had to have came from the same boat since the same lure was tied on each rod. Nick

Not much help on walleye hot spots, mainly a bass guy, but I'm also in south springfield and the mutton creek or Cedar ridge access points are the two ive used. About an hour drive give or take. Welcome to the area and good luck tomorrow! Nick

Got on the water about 745 and ran back into sons creek. Started in the creek north of greaser creek (anyone know if that creek has a name?) Ran all the way to the last point and planned to work my way out until I found them, but didnt need to. Found several males just inside the last cut in the pocket and landed several 14inch LM that almost looked like carbon copies. Thought maybe if the bucks are on the edges of a spawning flat the females shouldnt be too far behind. Went searching to no avail, so I went running around looking for similar areas-also no luck. Ended up back in that same pocket an hour and a half later. Caught a couple more bucks before heading to googer creek to finish the day with one more buck. 13 total but all in the 10-16inch range... no trophies, but still fun. All came on 1/4oz shaky head with plum worm or wiggle wart.

On that note, Do you notice better days when the general wind is out of the south? Free time dictates when I go, not weather, but I figure any knowledge on weather as it pertains to fish habits can't hurt my odds of hauling in a few extra fish!

I was just recently told by a "seasoned vet" in all kinds of fishing that if the wind blows out of the east then, "you might as well stay home." Wisdom in those words? And if so, what's the theory behind it? Thanks for your thoughts on it (sorry no pennies) Nick

I'll more than likely be going back this weekend and giving it another go, but might launch from cedaridge this time. Maybe this time the wind will cooperate and allow me to stay more than a few hours Thanks for advice and encouragement, Nick

Launched from mutton creek around 730 sunday morning for my first exploration of Stockton since I've been into bass fishing. Spent some time in googer creek, sons creek, and some coves off main channel, and liked the area a lot. Not much fishing success to report, caught one dink in sons creek on a NE facing bank on a shaky head, then pulled one keeper from another NE bank on a crank before the wind picked up and drove us off the lake by about 12. Both fish were in 5-7 feet and on secondary points facing north east, so I thought I had something going before the wind ended the day. I don't think the wind had shifted long enough to move fish into the wind blown banks, but 2 fish does not a pattern make... Enjoyed everything but the wind, it's definitely a different beast relative to a windy day on TR, but I'll be venturing back to Stockton a lot in the coming weeks I'm sure

To say I'm confused is an understatement

I will definitely try out ruark bluff as I have convinced the wife to accept camping as part of our life time leisure activities. She just prefers the kayak and river to the bass boat and the lake! I'm from Springfield so I imagine I'll mostly use mutton creek, ruark bluff and cedarridge as launch sites, and would definitely like to run around the lake with someone familiar to it for a day, ketchup. Just be prepared for questions as I am a sponge for gaining any information about fishing.