freefallin

Well I have not seen my boat in nearly three months over at State Park. The rent for the slip and lift came due and I decided to not give up on Stockton while fishing Cape Fair and paid it for another year. Told the grandsons when it dropped 10' we would give her a go. Hopefully all of my batteries are not gone due to lack of trickle. Spent the last 7 weeks in the RV in northern CO fishing amazingly fertile deep sandpits. These were 5 different lakes leased by a friend this being his 25th year. The largest of which was deep and barren of any shore debris be it chunk rock, laydown we are talking shaped like cereal bowl. We would fish from 5AM to 1PM daily and in the afternoon shoot trap, wobble or sporting clays and at least a day a week we would hit the pistol range or rifle distance range. In almost 8 weeks we may have caught 5 fish that were shallower than 15-19 FOW. We decided to use our electronics idle around. What did we find out there offshore...... a road with drainage ditches on either side, three humps made from the mining rock debris an a couple pieces of ming equipment. My friend had named the humps hogback 1 2 and 3 years ago. There were several concrete slabs near the deepest center area that were in 33 FOW that raised up about 3'. The were nicknamed "the factory" and where I caught my largest keeper (5 pounds 12 oz.) All bass held on schooled fish at aprox 25 FOW depending on time of day. Bait balls everywhere due to CO wildlife resource introducing shad about 10 ago as forage and this lake iss strictly a trophy lake catch and release. Interesting mention there was a plaque showing 100 shad being reintroduced into the 70 acre lake by the ramp and now there are millions. We would leave early if each had caught his fifth solid keeper. Fish were in the 2-6 pound range. Primary baits: carolina with 5" Roboworm (grey/silver) !/2 oz football jig with various creatures in a shad pattern (Nothing heavier than 12 pound flouro) Hoping to get down Wednesday with a left over 100 flexible solar panel and a left over 20 amp MPPT charge controller and rig up a way to float the batteries. And Friday early AM load up the boys and see what's out there that's fishable in 30 to 50 foot. Not sure what I actually know about offshore but now I have at least caught some fish offshore and with good success. Additionally over the last few years been finding myself much further off points and ledges after hearing a tew of the boys catching them deep. Can not wait!!! Tight lines.

😎 I slept since then but I think MO Conservation might have a statute about filling boats at marinas by hand. But what do i know?

Saw this thread thought I would quickly comment! Fishing is tough, tough tough. Holy cow! There is so much new water and cover that the fish have spread out into acres and acres of new areas to fish. What I have found out is there is just to much new brush under water etc. to cover and my best success is definitely not this newly created shoreline cover. By sticking to rocky points, bluffs sans new covered foliage, bridge piers a few boat docks and a couple of offshore hog backs a guy can catch a few. Many of the original channel swings you used to fish are behind you if you try to fish the new banks. I spent a lot of time covering brush only to realize that when there is so much new shore I am better off offshore fishing the old bank for fish that have been less affected by the rising waters. Tight lines.

Barely...Reminded me of two a day football practice in college. Just wanted to get it over! Tokyo rig and NED. The algae bloom and rotting vegetation makes for funky water. Debris in back of coves is gnarly. Tight lines.

Just got a text: 884.42 Went over to State Park yesterday and it looked to be about a 40 yard swim to the dock where my boat lift is. Like an island out there. 😎 May just take the kayak to get to the dock this week. Do not need another week off the water. 🐟

Been an "almost work" bite the last couple weeks and if a guy hits it pretty hard might catch 3 fish and hour or about 25 a day. FWIW my keeper rate not the best as I am mostly catching brown fish and some embarrassingly small.. Today found some good keeper green fish in Turkey creek with a couple notable catches maybe one LM might have gone 5 lbs.. To be perfectly honest I am not sure who is spawned out. Maybe everybody as I am relying on post spawn patterns. Burned some gas and probably drove 100+ miles in the last few weeks. Best bets NED, any craw, and vibrating jigs. Fish safe and tight lines. Big crappie hitting anything you offer. Spinner bait bite kinda weak.

I do not have a clue about crappie as I can barely ever even catch a bass. But if you could target a sandy shallow bank with 15' or less of water with proximity to a deep channel ledge or swing you should hit a bonanza. Look for small chunk rock easy to tail sweep into a bed with proximity to deep water. Of course timber in the area is a plus. I have caught several dozen big crappie this spring by accident. Remember they will not be spawning on main lake points but in the shallow nooks coves just around the corner. Just like bass and earlier this year the walleye they are looking for a quiet pea rock bay to make hay!. Best of luck in your quest.

The south wind and sun warm the water up in the afternoon and the rain cools it down overnight. A few consecutive warm nights and bam! Fish can be caught right now but for me not catching any big females. I hit the back of a few shallow coves and main lake shallow brush with limited success and went back to my points and ledges. Had quite a few fish follow my bait back to the boat and shy away without taking. *** quick thought before bed the water right on the banks is being heavily filtered by flooded vegetation and is gin clear for the first 15-20 feet. Perhaps a line size consideration might be in order.*** Jigs, shakey head, Neko and drop shot

Price Hawker Quarry RB Maze Adams Cedar

Oh Man. Pretty exciting times. Up at 4 AM for the drive over and hope to be on the water at 6. And the best part about it I have all over again Monday through Friday to hunt some basses. 😎

Hey Targa98, I have primarily fished the Little Sac the last few years. Fished the Big Sac more in the 70s, 80,s and 90s. I would guess you will find a lot of good water north of Mutton Creek on the main lake body. The creeks near where I was up north were pretty sad up , murky and full of debris at least until Friday when I left to be home for the weekend. The main lake water is gorgeous. You might take Dutch's advice and fish some flooded vegetation near the main lake body. Additionally given the size of the tournament at Ruark today there are a lot of new fish swimming in that water. 😎

Agreed! Green fish in the brush would be ideal. They are so close to getting more active if the water warms up a just bit more. The green fish I have been catching have been mostly pale so they are just starting the spring move to shallower water and a more aggressive bite. I will be fishing Monday through Friday and will start in the flooded brush but not likely way deep into the creeks unless the water condition has improved significantly. A little bit of sunshine and a couple warm nights and your "guess" would be masterful. Tight lines. Fish safe and have some fun....

Just saw this... Numbers. To put it to a reasonable response is not really reasonable. My numbers went up and down all week. Maybe about 20 bass on the best day and as few as 5-6 on slowest day. No wind slow bass catch, too much wind velocity slow bass catch but nice lake chop pretty good action on bass. Throw an A-rig on any day and you will wack the white bass. To get out of the wind yesterday I fished the head of a couple of creeks just before the water was trashed and murky and literally wrecked the whites. (A-rig worked slow, rod tip low to the water on a 5:3:1 retrieve) FWIW I caught one black bass all week in the murky water and probably 40 on the main lake in the clear water. Main lake is actually awesome color water with 3-5' visibility. Water has cooled down from 63 to 61 at least where I was fishing on main lake points. Probably caught 2 to 1 smallies and Kentucky's to blacks. From my perspective this year is a couple of weeks behind the last few in the terms of catch rates and water temps. Normal spring "high" water with fish on the old normal lake level and not "yet" on the new lake level and bushes. Interesting bait choice is that I am throwing a lot of my post spawn baits (under spin, flukes etc) to locate fish because they are not hitting spinner baits or beavers in very shallow (at least for me). If my advice was worth anything I would suggest to fish about 5-7' deeper than your instincts tell you. All but one of my bass were caught in 15' of water with the exception of the largest fish this week which busted a big white spinnerbait in 5' or less. So close to spring feeding frenzy...... FYI I got caught a long way from the State Park more than once this week in some large very uncomfortable wet water and was glad to pull in behind that sea wall.... Fish safe

Blown off the water Monday. Soaked to the bone Tuesday. Today was just right. Bite is still steady, mixed bounty of basses. Today caught 4 different brands of bass. Smallies are definitely the most aggressive. Fish are not yet shallow at least for me. I saw most of my fish on my electronics before I caught them. Tried to make the spinnerbait the juice as I caught my largest black of the day on a spinnerbait early AM. Stayed with it too long. Tried to make a vibrating jig the juice as well. No banana. NED and under spin counting to five in between cranks were keeping me entertained. Fished main lake as too much junk up the creeks. 63.7 water warmest I found. Tight lines and safe boating.

That's what I am talking about! Nice job...

There is still a pretty solid white bite. I head out of State Park and turn right avoiding up north. But fishing north banks. Maze is good! On many of the lakes points (main and secondary) you will have a deep or channel swing side and a tapering sloping opposite side. Start at the point and work the shallow taper with A-rig, lipless or underspin with a small Keitech for the first 50 yards or so. If you do not get bit, move. The LM and spots I am catching still have their winter skinny on so the spring fatten up frenzy has not started yet. Bets of luck and thanks for taking those kids fishing... looks good on ya'

Well just home this evening from 3 day camping in Florida (storms took out both of my guided trips). The 2019 Classic was awesome with Friday being the prime day. I actually got in a couple hours early by following in a bunch of vendors wearing my Bass U hat which had a huge booth. Saturday and Sunday had 1/4 mile lines outside the Expo waiting to get in the door. A lot of tackle deals to be had (buy one rod get two free, dozens of 5 gallon buckets full with unboxed 13, Daiwa, Lews, Shimano etc reels as low as $19.99 The Vexus world fiberglass unveiling was almost religious in the fervor of the folks attending. I easily met 20 folks who said they were a dealer. I would go again. Hoping to be on Stockton Friday up front.

Agreed the rain should warm the water a bit and get it flowing. Don't think I have been on Stockton in over three weeks even though it takes a whole 3 minutes to lower the boat in the water. Tackles ready, boats ready and now I am ready. Tomorrow brings my official first day of retirement, my first Social Security deposit and my first trip to the BassMaster Classic which this year is in Knoxville TN.

Just had to lob over a "really nice job" as the last time I went out was tempted to throw all of my rods and reels overboard, drill holes in the bottom of the boat and swim ashore. ;0)

Hey Dkman Nope you were not alone with the skunk in your boat Friday. I put in 7+ hours Friday without a bump. Mostly fished 3/4 oz jig with creature, large tube on 1 oz head, jigging spoon and jerkbait. And I fished hard and slow. Never had a single bump. Not happy about and it, does not happen that often and do not love Stockton any less but man oh man was it slow. Fished all of the locations that a week ago produced a lot of fish. I am not but I had a guy with me that was a guide on Truman for years who is a very accomplished bass fisherman. Neither of us had even a swipe on our offerings. 2018 was a very different year for me on Stockton than in my past and I worked harder this year for my fish. Humbled me a few times this year! Kind of sacrilegious to use work and fish in the same sentence. I will be better about that from now on.

OK have been pondering my 2018 Stockton success and lack therewith. Sometimes I go back to my logbook and find very similar catching notes related to similar times of the year, water elevation, fluctuation levels and similar temps air and water. Nothing scientific but this year has been a highly unusual fishing experience at least for me and it has most assuredly been "easy limit or skunk" for me on Stockton. And more often than not I have made the drive home thinking thinking thinking why I whacked them or why I did not? I spent many many hours over the years with my electronics looking at schools of fish and bait fish at all levels of the lake. I have noticed that the game fish are in my experience in three dominate locations on Stockton. There are those fish that stay shallow their whole lives. I believe these are the most active fish in the lake and are hellbent on feeding activity the most often. These are the ones we catch the most often for obvious reasons. Then there are the weather sensitive fish that extensively roam from deep to shallow, shallow to deep, mid layer suspending till feeding activity motivates them to move. These sensitive fish being the most likely the most affected by seasonal changes and fronts. Then there are the older, wiser deep dwellers who have held around thermocline (39) all summer but when lake turnover occurs and thermocline is no longer there, they disperse often deeper but will return to near the same summer depths once turnover has receded and the water mixing is over. These are genuinely the oldest and largest fish in Stockton and roam from deep to shallow. But normally only extensively shallow to spawn for a very short duration in the spring. This last group also is going to be hit hardest by the drastic change known as turnover. Once the turnover begins, be it from a cold, hard rain, high winds, mixing the water layers or rapid seasonal change, the fish suspended in the deepest depths will see the most change since the fish that are shallow have slowly acclimated to the cooling water and onset of winter weather. The more I study temperature and especially depth the more I chase my tail but many interesting comments by OA members has set in motion this study on unique Stockton fishing conditions. I have ideas in my head and will be heading over today, Wednesday and Thursday AM before Turkey time. I have taken notice and thought about some folks catching fish at to me remarkable (almost deep CA reservoir) depths on Stockton and will be chasing fish considerably deeper than I normally would fish. Going to be interesting and fun.

That Vexus is so sweeeeeeet! Maybe if I tap my heels together my PT18 will turn into one!!! 👍

Whacked them pretty much all day. Probably 40-50. Mostly Kentucky’s in 15 -20 foot of water close to deep water. Lots of dinks. Some heavy fat fish looking to barely take a bait. Slow is the way they are hitting finesse baits.

Best of luck...I think Stockton has been turning over and there maybe multiple thermoclines as it has been a very unusual year with the north end being different from the south one end for instance may have color while the other is clear etc. Just wanting to add info. ff out.

Oh man. 👍 Stockton has been a bugger this year! A true hit or miss summer but had some pretty great outings but more less than stellar bags for sure. I am just about of the mindset to headout and spend the "entire day" chucking with a huge whopper plopper or walking bait and try and see if I can wake them up. OR fling a white War Eagle all day long, forget the smorgasboard and try to locate the schools. On my home lake right now the NED is producing big numbers but no size so maybe next week on Stockton I will fish finesse baits all day on light line. Have you guys noticed how tiny the shad and baitfish are? I am thinking downsize might be appropriate. 👍 The chatterbait is almost a spinnerbait so I think you are right on the money as we are "this" close to killer fall bassin'. Stockton and wind are pretty much just like PB&J or macaroni and cheese!.