Thompson Fishing Guide Service

That was one of my favorite Andy episodes "CITIZEN'S ARREST!" Course the ccw wouldn't be an arrest exactly... All marina boat ramps are open cause they lease them. So if you are concerned about being legal, that's where you should put in: Mutton Creek, State Park, Orleans Trail. MSWP says you are trespassing if you go into corps ramps. When we inquired about the marinas because they are leased, they didn't know. The very nice officer there did say that was an interesting question. Sheriff of Dade county did not return my call reference the same. Dade county 911 says as far as they know, everything is open. All of the news that is fit to print. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

I put in at Ruark Bluff today 11 am - 3pm and parked my green van with my green nitro trailer in the shade in the overflow lot. When I returned to my boat trailer I noticed a strong gas smell and saw a puddle of gas outside my van fuel tank. In broad daylight, with 20 boats in the parking lot some dirtbags siphoned 1/2 the fuel out of my van and left the gas cap laying on the running board. I sure would like to meet these folks and educate them on the error of their ways. Be vigilant, be on the lookout and let's have each other's backs. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

Thanks for the good words. I am here, with wall to wall trips. We'll get a report out this weekend...just got out of the routine of posting, so looks like we need to get back into the routine. And I do consider the old school comment a major compliment, and so will my dad. Just a reminder...despite the gas prices and economy, we have not increased our rates in 6 years, because we want to keep fishing affordable to our clients. Never a good thing to chase the almighty dollar. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

Lake level: 867.57 Normal pool: 867 Water temperature 82 degrees Walleye fishing has been fair off of main lake points in about 20-22 feet of water jigging night crawlers and jigs. We've also been catching walleye in the mud flats around mile marker 7. Most of your fish will be caught off main lake points, you just need to hit enough points to catch a limit. A lot of small walleye are being caught as a result of the stocking programs and reproduction, but we have caught fish up to 25 inches. You need a vertical slow presentation. Crappie fishing has been fair; your deeper brush piles in around 20-22 feet of water are where crappie are being caught on minnows and jigs. The thermocline is at 22 feet, so if you you can find brush piles or structure at that depth of water, that's where you'll find crappie, walleye and even bass. Fishing has been better for me this year than it has been in the last 4 years and I think one of the reasons is we haven't gotten such a tremendous amount of rain this spring as we did in the last few years. Bass fishing has been very good; most of our bigger fish have been in 17-22 feet of water on secondary points and main lake points. Find the structure and cover at the thermocline depth and I'd work that real good with worms or jigs. Cat fishing has been real good; we've been catching at least one good catfish each trip while we've been fishing for walleye. Blue gill fishing has also been good. We've been running across some great big blue gill using pieces of night crawlers in the deeper water (about 22 feet) in brush piles. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

Call Bill Cooper Son Sac Marine 417-637-5555. He's the man. I don't let anyone else mess with my boat.

The overhead picture of my boat was taken in 2004 off the Twin Bridges, long before Bob Bennett was ever a guide on Stockton Lake. Like I always say, often imitated, never duplicated. By the way, my web site address is www.fishstockton.com and my phone number is 417-424-BASS. Any similar web sites or phone numbers were created by people who rode off the back of my hard work. Also, we created the opportunity for this picture when the lake was calm and no other boats were in the area. Just want to say, these guys that get these big high powered bass boats which they drive too fast, because they see it on tv, are going to kill somebody or tear something up. Real dangerous and real expensive... Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

My Nitro, which my daughters named "The Chum Bucket." Personally, I don't think the name fits, but I get points for style because it matches my van! Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

Thanks, Phil. Last year was a little tough with Lisa's Mom in Colorado having pancreatic cancer and me trying to be all things to all people, but we live to fight another day. As you know, this is our 9th season here, and I am grateful you and I hooked up those many years ago. Still haven't raised our prices in 5 years and don't plan to, even with the gas getting so high. Thanks for your message. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

April 8, 2011 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 868.59 Normal pool: 867 Water temp: 52 degrees Due to the spring weather, one day the fishing’s good, and the next day it’s not. A cold front like we had the other day can really make the fish turn off. We had a great day up by the dam walleye fishing (see attached photo), and are looking forward to another good one today. Crappie are being caught up Turnback, but as far as the main lake goes, it’s still a little cool. The high winds we have had lately have made for some interesting days on the water. I called my clients for Tuesday twice and suggested that they consider swapping for the next day because I knew the fishing was going to be tough, and I wanted them to catch fish, but they wanted to go anyway. So we fished in 35+ mph wind right after the temperature dropped 40 degrees overnight. Guide’s tip: If your fishing guide tells you that fishing won’t be good after a major cold front combined with gale force winds, and you choose to go anyway, don’t whine if you don’t catch fish. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

Son Sac Marine is where I take my boat. Bill Cooper is one of the few certified mechanics you will find around here, and he is very good, very reasonable, and very busy. His number is 417-637-5555.

August 26, 2010 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 865.60 Normal Pool: 867 Water clarity: slightly stained Water temperature: 83 degrees Between Monday and Wednesday, the water temperature dropped from 86 degrees to 83 degrees; cooler nights contributed to this. Fishing for all species has been fair and in the near future should be very good due to cooler temperatures. Sorry for my long absence in posting reports. My wife has a continuing family emergency with her mother (who lies in Colorado and has pancreatic cancer), and as I held down the fort and continued to guide, posting fishing reports was low on my long list of priorities. We’ve had a good summer overall, in spite of 48 days of 90+ degree temperatures, with heat indexes of 106 and above. By the way, if you were out on the lake on one of these days, that probably wasn’t the wisest thing you’ve ever done; it’s very, very dangerous. The water reflects the sun back to you, so you’re getting a double dose. If it is 90 degrees at your house, I guarantee you it’s a lot hotter on the lake, but I think those temperatures are about finished for the year. We’ll talk about walleye first: A large majority of the walleye being caught are too short. Smaller fish tend to be more aggressive than larger fish, particularly in hot water; that’s why you catch more of the little ones. The bigger walleye slow down considerably in hot water, and will spend a great deal of their time in the deeper, cooler water. With the full moon phase lately, night fishing is your best bet. The bigger fish will come up in the shallower water (anywhere from 10-18 feet) to chase the shad. Trolling deep diving crank baits is a good way to cover a lot of water. Fish the main lake points, and the mud flats. One good mud flat is between B5 and B7; watch your depth in this area, though, because Stockton Lake is a couple feet below normal pool and this makes a big difference. Objects that were not visible before (logs and rocks) are now. Check out the dam and drift the main lake points with a jig and night crawler bounced off the bottom at a depth of about 18 feet. 18 feet seems to be the magic number no matter where you fish on the lake. Many times when fish lay in deep water (45 feet or so), they are usually inactive. When you scope fish in that 18 foot zone, those are the ones that will bite. Where a fish sleeps and where a fish eats are usually two different places. I predict in the next couple of weeks that walleye fishing will pick up considerably. Crappie fishing is slow, but when you find the right brush pile at the right depth you’ll catch fish. There’s a lot of teeny weenie little baby fish in the lake right now, so match the hatch using small crappie minnows hooked with a small weight and drift over the brush piles. Brush piles need to be about 25 feet deep. Use a heavy enough weight to vertical fish, keeping the bait just above the top of the branches. If it strings way behind the boat, it’ll get hung up in the brush. Small jigs and little crank baits also work, but we have been catching them by doing what I just explained. Night fishing over a crappie light is also good in these same areas. White bass: virtually all of our white bass have been taken by trolling deep diving lures like the Bandit across main lake points. If you like trolling and breathing exhaust fumes all day, you should catch white bass. Largemouth bass: As usual, Junior Jaws can be found in 8-10 feet of water and they’ll grab anything from small plastic worms, jigs, spinner baits, even top water. These bass get in schools when they are this size (8-12 inches) and swim endlessly throughout the lake wreaking havoc on the shad, crawdads, and fishermen if they are trying to catch the big ones. The bigger bass we have caught this year (3-5 lbs, no real big ones yet) have been in around 15-25 feet deep. The best technique has been worms or jigs fished slowly. You need something that will get to that depth and stay in their faces for an extended period of time. With a ton of bait in the lake, these bass don’t move often from their zone to chase bait. However, when they do, your best bet is either at night or just before dark. Crank baits and spinner baits work well in the shallower water. Since the lake is lower than usual, there is finally a visible shore line, so take note of the structure that you see out of the water; it’ll give you a good idea of what is actually below the water in any given area. This is a real advantage no matter what kind of fish you fish for. Shore fishermen: now is your chance to fish about anywhere from the shore on Stockton lake. Channel cat fishing has been real good. In Hawker cove, Old State Park cove, or just about anywhere that you can cast to about 15 feet of water. Use chicken livers (I use beef livers because you can cast them better) or night crawlers. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

The water temperature I marked yesterday was 83 degrees at Hawker Point. It dropped several degrees from Monday when it was 86 degrees.

I make my living as a fishing guide. Does McDonald's give away free Happy Meals? Does GM (Government Motors) give away free Chevys? Have you received your free money from Barack Obama yet? When people hire a fishing guide, they pay for information. I give as much information as I can in my FREE fishing reports. I owe it to my clients to withhold certain bits of information and aces in the hole, but my goal in posting fishing reports is to help fishermen better enjoy our God given resources. If you want to go a level above the fishing reports, you need to hire me. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

February 24, 2010 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Water temperature: mid 30s Lake level: 867.47 and falling due to gates being open March is the time for the beginning of change. As we get a few warmer days, fish begin to think about moving into their spring pattern. The last 3 years have been fair for walleye and crappie, but I think that 2010 will be a better than average year. My spring calendar is getting full, so if you are planning a trip, call me soon. Crappie and walleye: the reason I put crappie and walleye together is because the same location and the same presentation for the winter pattern applies to both, for the most part. Walleye and crappie are DEEP, in the 50 foot level...this is exactly where they are at this time very year. If you have read my past reports, reference winter patterns for crappie and walleye, you will remember that a number of things must be accomplished in order to be successful: 1) locate fish, obviously. Gizzard shad seek warmer water in the winter and they find it at these depths because of large springs that warm the water in the general area. Where the bait goes, game fish go, be it Wahoo. Bonita, Marlin, Jaws, or crappie and walleye. 2) Presentation: because of the depth, plus the water temperature, plus the fish being very lethargic, sensitivity is the key. When you are fishing 50 feet down, you must remain directly over the fish. If there is a bow in your line, as a result of the fish biting so lightly, bites will go undetected. If you have a windy day, you need to locate the fish in areas that are out of the wind. 3) Plan of attack: I use jigs with significant weight to keep my line tight depending on wind conditions. Half ounce is not too big. You’ll have to experiment. Before I go any further, I might add some of the best white bass fishing you’ll ever experience will be right now using the same technique as you do crappie and walleye. For more details see previous reports. If you look back over previous reports, you should have enough information that you should be able to compile a notebook that deals with all patterns for all species on Stockton Lake. I guide exclusively on Stockton Lake, not on Lake of the Ozarks, not Bull Shoals, not Truman, or the Gulf of Mexico. You can’t spread yourself too thin, you know, because there is too much water to cover to be efficient on more than one lake. Another technique I use this time of the year for walleye, crappie and white bass is to tie a 1 or 2 ounce barrel sinker on the end of my line. Above the line you can attach Aberdeen hooks with a minnow, crappie jig, or even small flies and hair jigs about 24 inches from the weight and 24 inches apart and still get to where the fish are and the sensitivity is far greater due to the fact that the weight is at the bottom of the line and when a fish touches your hook, there is nothing between you and him. This is IMPERTIVE due to the fact that when the water is cold, fish metabolism slows down and they just don’t move that fast. I guarantee you that if you master what I have said in this report and previous reports over the last 8 years reference the winter pattern, you will have some of the best crappie, walleye and white bass fishing of the year. The Missouri Department of Conservation is involved in planting new brush piles throughout Stockton Lake, which will enhance the fishing even more. I know where a lot of those new brush piles are located. Do you? Guide’s note: if you want to see eagles, go to Hawker Point. We saw at least a dozen bald eagles, mature and immature, which have been gorging themselves on the large numbers of dead shad. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

What I meant was, if this frozen water causes a lot of shad to die, there will be less bait (shad) in Stockton. If there is less bait for the fish to eat naturally, they are more apt to strike an artificial bait that a fisherman might throw out. So this is good news for all of us fishermen if my prediction reference a bait kill happens. Marty

Here are a couple photos from last weekend at Ruark Bluff

January 14, 2010 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Reference the conditions at Stockton Lake: with the present conditions that exist (water temp around 37 degrees, ice 4 inches thick at State Park marina (be glad you don't own a high dollar sailboat), ramps freezing, most of the lake frozen over, floating chunks of ice that could slice open the hull of your boat like knife going through butter, the possibility of falling in the lake and dying of hypothermia, fish not biting), you'd be a fool to get out on the lake right now in these conditions. However, I am talking to many people about trips in the near future. Guide's note: these conditions are unusual in that a highland reservoir like Stockton Lake freezes over to this degree, if ever. My prophecy is that with the cold water, there will be a large baitfish die-off, which if you have been reading my reports for the last several years, you'll know that much bait means slow fishing; less bait means good fishing because there is less food. Equate that with the fact that Stockton Lake has had excellent spawning seasons for the last 3 years, now you got a lot of hungry fish. Stay tuned! Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

December 1, 2009 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 869.34 Normal pool: 867 Sorry I have been delinquent in posting my fishing reports; no I haven’t been hunting, due to the fact that fall fishing is my second busiest time of the year, and I was booked solid through November. Thank God for the good weather. Plus by the time I got home, I was too tired to do a report. BUT, I do have some good information. Walleye fishing has been slow, but we have been able to coerce a few keeper fish (18-20 inches and a couple of fish up to 24 inches). Main lake points are the places to be, and some of these fish will be down to 50 feet. Jigs and minnows (large minnows if you can get them) work the best. The bite will be light, so you need to concentrate and position the boat over the fish you mark. Later in the day, (particularly if it is cloudy, and with the early moon) walleye move shallower. Same technique, but you’ll be fishing in 20-30 feet of water. As I said, the bite has been tough, so to be perfectly honest, the key is for the fish to turn on and bite. Change locations often. Later in the day, when the fish get shallower, try trolling or casting deep diving crank baits. The best way I can think of to get warm when it is really cold is to cast and retrieve those deep diving crank baits that are designed to plow the bottom. Crappie fishing is good; crappie are being caught in 25-30 feet of water on minnows and jigs over brush piles. The key to being successful is twofold: remember the bite will be light, so pay attention. The second consideration is you need to move often. You can play out a good brush pile in no time, especially if your brother in law, Reginald , keeps slamming boat storage lids. If you are unfamiliar with the lake, spend time with your sonar and locate brush piles at the depths mentioned above. You’ll catch more fish if you hunt first and fish later. Bass metabolism (like crappie) has slowed down considerably in the 52 degree water. They have a tendency to move up shallower in the backs of coves later in the day, and can be caught on shallow running crank baits and spinner baits. I like the choice of spinner baits over crank baits in this situation because the bass move up in the brush due to the lake being high and you get hung up less. That way you don’t have to be constantly digging your brother in law’s crank bait out of the bushes and messing up the whole location. For deeper bass during the day, like I always say, when the water gets cooler and cold, you need to slow down. Plastic worms, jigs, and Colorado blade spinner baits will attract more attention. Remember this, bass people: the majority of the time, where you caught bass in the summer is where they will be in the winter. They don’t move far from home. If it’s a good place to be when the water is hot, it’s a good place to be when the water is cold. You just have to fish differently. Winter is a prime opportunity to catch a hawg. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

October 21, 2009 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 872.68 Normal pool: 867 Water temperature: 60-62 degrees everywhere I have been From my experience, walleye fishing has been good since we got over 7 inches of rain last week and the lake came up 8 feet. Walleye have moved into the shallower water (10-15 feet deep). Remember, when water comes up rapidly as a result of what we just had with the rain, fish like walleye, bass and crappie will find new cover or structure in their depth comfort zone. One thing has changed for me, and that is the walleye have been far more responsive to the minnow/jig than to night crawler/jig or crawler harnesses. This shows me that the cooling water temperatures (around 60 degrees) cause the fish to feed more because of the onset of winter. You remember in the summer there were a lot of bugs available, but now that the bug thing is about over, walleye focus more of their attention on shad and the shad’s open water habitat. Main lake points are the most consistent. Since a lot of the fish we catch are in more shallow water, I slow troll with my trolling motor, or catch a gust of wind and float, providing the wind blows in the right direction. An outboard motor will scare the fish, as well as your buddy Junior slamming boat compartment doors. We catch a lot of little fish…about 13 inches. However, on most trips, we are able to get a limit of 20-24 inchers. You have to work hard. Crappie: as with walleye, crappie have moved to different locations because of the rising water. Good crappie beds two weeks ago at 20 feet are now at 27 feet, and the crappie may abandon the old crappie beds for the newer ones at their preferred depth zone. Minnows have been the best, but crappie jigs have also produced fish. Largemouth bass: even though the water is high, weather has stabilized to a degree after the cold front. With the 5 opportunities I have had to go bass fishing within the last ten days we have caught nice bass (3-4 pounds) in around 6 feet of water by either flipping crawdad colored jigs in the brush or by using plastic worms. These fish have moved up into shallower water for 2 reasons: the lake has risen dramatically up to 8 feet, and you have the fall pattern. Now that the weather has stabilized, slow rolled spinner baits, or deep diving crank baits in the backs of coves will also produce fish. Secondary lake points and main lake points on the wind facing shore will cause fish to congregate providing the wind has been blowing in that direction for 3 or 4 days. It takes that long to blow the microorganisms like algae, and little teeny weeny bugs into those locations. If the wind just started blowing in a certain direction, this does not apply. The microorganisms are blown into an area; therefore the shad follow their food source; this combination equals bass. In high water conditions, you have flooded cover like trees and bushes and flooded structure like rock outcroppings and boulders. As a result, bass, like walleye and crappie, have more places to live, therefore they are more spread out. The bottom line is you need to move a lot. Most of your bass under these conditions will be in or near the brush whether that brush is in 3 feet of water or 20 feet of water. Here’s a fact of science that your crank bait manufacturers don’t want you to know: when the bass are in the brush, a jig or a plastic worm are the only things that will put it in their face and leave it there under these conditions. If you don’t know how to fish with the jig or the plastic worm, this is something you need to accomplish. At this time of the year, this is how to catch bigger bass. Guide’s notes on boats: One of my clients asked me a question about operating a boat in bad weather. When I bought my boat, this was one of the first concerns of mine. I had to find out on my own. Here’s the email: “MARTY CHRIS AND I ARE LOOKING INTO BUYING A BASS BOAT AND ONE THAT HAS COME TO THE TABLE IS A 2002 Nitro 901 CDX with A 225. WHEN WE FISHED W/ YOU STOCKTON WAS CALM. YOU HAVE HAD NUMEROUS CHANCES TO USE IT DURING POOR WATER CONDITIONS AND I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR YOUR INPUT ON RIDE. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION? THANKS, SAM )))))))))))) Sam, Interesting that you asked this question because I had a trip today with 35 mph winds and I was out there in it for 8 hours bass fishing. I have fished bad water on Stockton many many walleye trips, and in my experience, with this boat, over the last 7 years, 200 days a year, the boat has handled extremely well. My Nitro 929 is 21 feet long, and it's 8 feet wide... that makes a big difference when riding the waves. The big factor is getting the feel of the boat in different conditions. This is where a big motor is well worth all of the extra gallons of gas she drinks, because with that power, you can motor out of any bad situation that you may have created. The bottom line is feel; when you drive the boat in these conditions, you'll know what I mean. Another key thing to remember: while you are learning to get the feel, give yourself a large margin. In other words you don't know what your boat will do in a short space. Example: there's a strong south wind, and it's blowing you into the dam, and before you know it, you are closer than you thought. Always remember that and give yourself space. One last thing: Don't drive too fast. Fast hole shots and a big rooster tail look cool, but that's where you burn the large percentage of your gasoline. Plus, you have the added factor of waves and debris. It's not like driving on the road. There are no brakes. If you give the boat enough gas when you are sitting still, and you have your motor trimmed down, she'll get on plane and stay there on her own. When you reach that point, slowly throttle up as you raise your motor, and with experience, you'll feel a smooth spot where the boat is riding high and you've got good speed (and that's relative). When you buy a boat, they don't tell you anything...they just give you the keys. With these big boats and high powered motors, that's not a good idea. Be sure you put Stabil in your gas tank every time you gas up and use the lowest octane gas and Mercury Quiksilver boat motor oil. If you don't put the gas treatment in, you'll ruin your motor in short order. My opinion, Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

October 6, 2009 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 868.04 Normal pool: 867 Walleye fishing on Stockton has been fair. My clients have been catching a lot of walleye and a large number of them are short fish, but more often than not, we have been taking home enough legal fish for a good fish fry. The legal fish are between 20-24 inches, so they are worth the effort. Fish are being caught off of main lake points in approximately 20 feet of water, on jigs and small pieces of night crawler. It is important that you tap the bottom with the jig; use whatever weight it takes to keep the bait as vertical as possible. When you feel a series of tap tap tap bites that signal walleye, DON’T SET THE HOOK. Slowly point your rod in the direction of the bait. And I mean SLOWLY. If you give them too much line (like opening the bale), it will cause the jig to fall, and the fish will feel that resistance. This is the single most important bit of information you need to have to catch a walleye. If you don’t get it, you won’t get them. I have stated in previous fishing reports that walleye are a different fish than a bass or a crappie, therefore their God given mannerisms are different also. Bass: main lake and secondary points are still producing good fish, particularly on plastic worms and jig n pigs. Depth will vary, as the fish move up and down these points in search of crawdads. Crawdads are doing their fall thing and when they do it, they get up in shallower water and expose themselves more. A good color to use (whether it is crank baits or jigs) is crawdad colors in browns, oranges or greens. Bass are also being caught in the backs of your larger coves in around 7-10 feet of water. We have caught several good fish in these locations and the reason they are there is they are taking advantage of the salad bar in the shallower water in the fall before they back off into deeper water and enjoy the buffet of massive balls of shad as they prepare for the winter months. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

September 23, 2009 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 867.68 Normal pool: 867 Water temp: approx 74 degrees I am going to begin today’s fishing report with a response to the smallmouth fishing report which I thought was very good. I have several smallmouth trips booked and I appreciate the information. Let me add one thing: this time of year, the smallmouth move shallow to feed on crawdads. Stay a cast away from the shore and throw crawdad imitator baits or crawdad colored jigs and you should get a good smallmouth. You talked about sight fishing and in this clear water, when you can see them, they can see you. Thanks for your report. Walleye fishing: little has changed since my last report; fish are being caught off the main lake points and areas north of Mutton Creek on bottom bouncers with night crawlers or Lindy rigs. It seems that bouncing the bottom is the key. You’ll catch a lot of small fish, but if you cover enough water, you’ll get some keepers. Don’t get down on yourself or feel that you are a nobody and everyone is catching fish except for you. Have heart. Fear not, because if fishing is tough for you, it is tough for everybody else. If you like to fish, you will enjoy yourself no matter what, but if you are one of those people who likes to fish only when you catch fish, this may not be your most enjoyable experience in life. Crappie: crappie fishing has been good. Like walleye, you catch a lot of small fish, but you will catch keepers if you stick to it long enough and find the right areas. Went to one spot the other day, and we caught 15 keepers. Went there the next day, and we couldn’t have caught a crappie on that spot if we had an industrial trawler. If one spot doesn’t work, go to another spot. If you caught fish here today, you may not catch them in the same place tomorrow. Remember this dear fisherman: it boils down to one thing: us against them and them against us. Don’t underestimate your quarry. We have caught fish with crappie jigs drifted over brush piles in around 25 to believe it or not 40 feet deep. It is important to note this when you look at your graph: a good brush pile is very large (maybe 5 times bigger than your boat) and it extends to around 15 feet deep or deeper. In the case above, this brush pile extended into about 40 feet of water. We caught the vast majority of our keeper fish in around 30 feet of water. Overall since the last report, we have caught more crappie in these same areas with an Aberdeen hook and a single minnow. It doesn’t take long when you pay close attention to your sonar to find crappie beds that really produce when nothing else does. Remember this rule of thumb that I learned when I was in the fishing guide school university in Toadsuck Fairy, Arkansas (we call it Toadsuck Tech): 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish. That means 90% of fishermen don’t do diddly. There’s a reason for that. Understand that reason, and you’ll be in the 10%. Largemouth bass: good bass are turning up in the backs of coves using shallow running crank baits, spinner baits and even a Buzz bait or top water thrown in. Cloudy days are best for a more consistent shallow water bite. When I say this, you must realize I am not talking about Junior Jaws, but I am talking about decent fish (2-5 pounds). Water temperatures are cooling, fall is coming on, therefore the food base (micro organisms, teeny weensy bugs, algae) begins to change the patterns. This in turn affects the shad, blue gill, crawdads, etc. In other words, this is a real good time of the year to fish. Remember all of God’s creatures (except for mankind) do things for the right reason. Secondary lake points with jigs and plastic worms will work well. If you get a dark day with no wind, the top water bite may be very good; it has turned on from time to time. Fish the way you like to fish, and you should catch fish this time of the year. Guide’s note: How to catch a squirrel while crappie fishing in high wind, turbulent water a mile from the shore and release the squirrel unharmed (only a little scared and wet). The following story is true, as far as I remember, and I think PETA would be very proud. There I was. In the midst of one of those wonderful breezy days that the sail boaters love so much that produce waves in the 4 foot range. While crossing the lake, using all of my seamanship abilities (you learn that at Toadsuck Tech too), I was trying to keep my boat upright when I observed off the starboard side (that’s the right side of the boat) a squirrel at least a mile from shore laying almost lifeless in the raging sea. Jonah would have been impressed. I shouted to my first mate (who also happened to be my 6 foot 11 ½ inch client), “Grab the net! We are going on a life saving mission!” We made a hard turn to the starboard attempting to keep our flailing victim (which was not really flailing because he was almost dead from exhaustion) in sight, so that we could accomplish the rescue. As we got within net range, Dennis (my mate) thrust the net into the water and pulled out a squirrel that at the very next second, while laying in the bottom of the net, almost lifeless, decided to FREAK in a real energized way. He ran from the bottom of the net to the round frame of the net and when he reached the top of the frame, he went around in circles faster than a speeding bullet. Mind you, the boat was pitching violently at this time and this was of great concern to me regarding my life and the lives of my clients. Forget the squirrel. As the squirrel began to run up and down the net handle towards my client, my first mate’s wife (silent until now) began shouting “He might have rabies! He might have rabies!” During this cascade of utter chaos, we were able to get close enough to shore to release this innocent, wonderful little creature. See what I mean about enjoying the fishing and not just the catching? Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

September 8, 2009 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 867.13 Normal pool: 867 Water temperature: 75 degrees Cigarette boats/jet skiers: GONE Largemouth bass: please refer to previous reports. The game plan is still the same, I haven’t been bass fishing lately except for a couple times and they were excellent. Crappie: ditto. Walleye have been the main objective of my guide pursuits since the last report. We have caught large numbers of walleye; the only problem is most of them have been exactly 13 inches long. These are second year class fish and this shows that Stockton Lake is very productive in propagating the walleye species. We have, however, been connecting with decent sized walleye (20-25 inches). You need to cover a lot of water, fish approximately 20 feet deep, with jigs and night crawler pieces; this seems to be the best approach. I predict that this will be the case until the water cools to the point that you no longer have the bug effect. You’ll notice on your boat hull when you take out of the lake, or on the surface of the water, thousands of little bug skins that have been left behind when the bugs shed their skins; this is referred to as molting. Until this is over, night crawlers are your go to natural bait, as opposed to minnows. Not saying you can’t catch a walleye on a jig and minnow, but a night crawler seems to get the most interest. The mud flats on the lake around Mutton Creek are still producing legal fish, but so are the main lake points. Fall fishing is heating up, and my bookings reflect the same. If you have any comments or questions, email me. I’ll try to do the best I can to help you. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

Chris, Thanks for your comments. Walleye are a different fish; they are not even native to this part of the universe. They see things differently than our home grown fish like bass, crappie and catfish. I have had the privilege to be acquainted with several outdoor writers and walleye guides in the walleye states, and they encourage me when they tell me that because of the walleye makeup, they will always be somewhat of a paradoxical species. Meaning you know what they are supposed to do, but they don't always respond the way that you think they will. Never underestimate or take for granted this odd species because when you think you have them figured out, you really don't. The greatest walleye fishermen in America have a lot of misses with a few hits. Like one Wisconsin walleye guide told me recently, they are like your wife. When you think you know it all, you find out that you really don't. Walleye are a fish that by nature are very finicky creatures. Nobody has it down concrete, nobody has it down exactly right every time, but we continue to try. Remember this: with walleye, you have more fishing than catching no matter where you go. That is the nature of the beast. They are not a warm water species and do not respond the way native warm water species do. Thanks again for your good words. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

August 27, 2009 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 867.58 Normal pool: 867 Water temperature: High 70s to low 80s Walleye fishing has been good; fish are still being caught on the flats with jigs and night crawlers or jigs and minnows, crawler harnesses, or trolling deep diving crank baits like Rapala deep divers. The lower than normal water temperature has caused the fish to become a little more active and not only that, some fish are beginning to enter into the fall pattern, which means main lake points are producing fish. The thermocline is still intact; therefore the depth you need to concentrate on is approximately 20 feet. This applies not only to walleye, but bass and crappie as well. Crappie: the more prime brush piles you find and fish, the more fish you will catch. Minnows/Aberdeen hooks or crappie jigs work well. Some fishermen catch as many if not more crappie on just a jig as they do with a jig and minnow. It’s up to you. I always have minnows just in case. We have been catching crappie using the slip bobber system over brush piles between 15-20 feet down. “The pros” say never leave fish to find fish, but if you are vertically fishing a crappie bed, after awhile, the fish will shut down because no matter how quiet you and Cousin Orlando are, they will still detect your presence. Therefore, I catch more fish off of brush piles with the slip bobber system because I position my boat several yards away. You need to anchor about a ½ cast distance from the brush pile (providing your anchor holds) so that your boat will be in the proper position, which is away from the fish. Use your trolling motor and quietly pass over the top of these brush piles to determine the top of the brush. Rig your bobber so that your lure is about 2 feet above the brush. This can be kind of a pain with the wind, but it is worth your while because you will catch more fish and better quality fish. Largemouth bass: basically the only thing I can say about largemouth bass (which have been real good) is you need to read my last three reports. In the last two days of fishing (yesterday and today) I caught several keepers, and the largest was 4 pounds. I wanted to beat Gertrude’s weight (which was actually 8 pounds 12 oz and not 8 pounds 8 oz); I misread my digital scale. I am still waiting to catch one bigger than Gertrude, and when I do, I’ll let you know. I like to name the big fish I catch because when I catch them again, we already know each other. White bass fishing has been very slow and sparse. This is due to the large amount of bait (as usual) and they don’t feed as aggressively as I think they should. Blue gill: grab a cricket or a worm, fish the same brush piles that you do for crappie, with the slip bobber technique and unless you soak your bait in gasoline, you should catch all the blue gill you want. Channel cats: good from shore or boat. Main lake points, backs of coves, secondary points, between 10 and 15 feet seem to be the preferable depth for these whiskered creatures. We have been averaging one or two 3-5 lb channel cats when we are after walleye or crappie. We seem to catch more on the minnows than we do on the night crawlers. My advice to you is to use FRESH cut shad, not frozen; this is kind of a gimme. Night crawlers, chicken wienies, or liver (chicken or beef) will catch fish. You need to take your kid on this one. If you are a shore fisherman, make a big fire, get your rods out, tell your kid about all of the great things you have accomplished in life (only the truth of course) and have a good time. Bring the bug spray and keep an eye out for a copperhead or two. That’s why they call cat fishing “the man’s game.” If I can be of any assistance, please contact me. My prediction is that this fall will be very profitable, for the primary reason that you have the privilege of being in God’s Creation. That is profitable. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!