Thompson Fishing Guide Service

If you tie a secondary line to the jig, it gets twisted up. TThe best scenario is to buy a device that is similar to a steel leader that has 2 protruding loops; you would tie this device 2 feet above the bell weight and then hook the jig lines to the loops. Tie monofilament to those protruding loops and you won't get tangled as bad. If you don't have this device, tie your jigs on the main line with a loop knot at least 2 feet apart. So you tie your jigs two feet apart starting two feet above the bell sinker. Bounce the bell sinker on the bottom. Use different colored jigs; sometimes it matters and sometimes it doesn't

December 31, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Walleye fishing has picked up since the weather has warmed up and stabilized. In the winter time, when you have repeated cold fronts and dreary weather, the fishing slows down and it takes 4 or 5 days of stable weather to pick back up again. This is not only true for walleye, but for crappie and bass as well. Fish are being caught on main lake points by drifting jigs and minnows or crawler harnesses; however, the best bite has been on the creek channels in 35-50 feet of water, which is the basic winter pattern. Remember what I said in my last report: when fishing in deep water, you have to get out of the wind because sensitivity is a main issue. Sit right on top of the fish, use a jig up to ½ oz if necessary to keep the line straight and vertical. If you scope a great deal of shad (which you probably will), that is usually the result of an underwater spring. 54 degree water in water that is in the low to high 30s is a big difference, especially when fish are able to detect 1/10 of a degree variation in water temperature. Fish are also being caught by trolling minnow type lures such as Husky Jerks with a clip on weight system in deep water. I like to use the clip on weight system because it will get shallow running lures to the depth that the fish are without having to mess with lead core line or down riggers or put up with the pull of deep diving crank baits which don’t get your bait deep enough anyway. You need to cover a lot of water when you troll at a speed of about 1.5 miles per hour. I have most of my best days vertical fishing creek channels and the mouths of coves in the winter. This pattern will continue until the walleye get ready to spawn in late February and early March. When that time approaches, I’ll give you more details. Crappie, like walleye, are in the deep creek channels where the bait clouds are bigger than your boat. Same principle….springs attract bait fish, bait fish attract crappie. I catch the biggest stringers of crappie (size and numbers) when they are in the winter pattern. Once again, sensitivity and concentration are the keys. You will not always feel a bite, so you have to watch your rod tip. I use medium-heavy action spinning rod with Stren braided line for both crappie and walleye. Attach a ¼ oz bell sinker to the end of your line and at 2 foot intervals, put on your favorite small crappie jigs tipped with a minnow or crappie niblets. They seem to be a little more interested in 2 targets as opposed to one, plus if you miss the first bite, you may nail him with the second one. This application is good not only for crappie, but for walleye and white bass. Large mouth/small mouth bass: now that the water temperature is below 55 degrees, your suspended jerk bait bite is profitable in late afternoon on the banks facing the sun. During the day, bass are being caught on jigs and soft plastics in deep water. Deep water is relative, you know; 25-35 feet in a creek channel with a spring will hold bass. They are not as abundant in the 50 feet water like the walleye and the crappie are, for whatever reason, but they like the same type of structure a little shallower, particularly when springs are present. As you know, I use plastic worms the majority of the time, whether it is August or January, and 90% of my big fish (5-8 lbs) are caught on plastic worms. A rule of thumb: fish the way you like to fish and you become more accomplished; if you like jigs, fine. Creature baits, ok. I use both, but plastic worms are hard to beat. I have been scheduling booking for January, February and March; if you want a spot, contact me soon. If the weather goes bad, we can reschedule. Even though the weather is cold, the water is cold, and I am cold, some of your best fishing on Stockton Lake is in the dead of winter. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

December 10, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Here’s an email I received: Marty, You’re right about the winter crappie fishing. It is very good. I emailed you last winter about deep water walleye. When I go for walleye in deep water, 30 to 50 feet deep, I catch crappie. I am not complaining, but what am I doing wrong???? Also how do I find deep springs on Stockton Lake?? Thanks, David H. Mount Vernon Mo. ))))))))))))))))))))))) David, Thanks for your email and for reading my fishing report. Walleye, crappie and white bass will congregate in deep channels in the mouths of large coves. Crappie will stay put until the water temperature pushes up into the 50s. Walleye, however, will occupy these areas for a large percent of their time during the winter because that is where the shad are, but walleye tend to move from time to time into shallower water and then back into the deeper holes. If you scope a lot of fish in these areas, but you are not catching walleye, spend some time with your sonar in shallower water in the same vicinity. You'll scope fish suspended from time to time, say 30 feet down, over 60 feet of water. These are usually roaming walleye or sometimes white bass. The best approach is a jig and minnow or a jig and night crawler vertically fished at the depth of the fish. Reference finding under water springs: if the spring is pushing out enough warm water, and you have a high dollar Lowrance color graph, if you put it in the high sensitive mode, you'll be able to detect the springs. It looks kind of like a volcano spewing out lava. If you don't have that kind of technology, that's ok because you can still scope these large schools of fish as they relate to the cover. The bottom line is this: if you can find the fish, they are there for a reason whether it is a warm water spring or whatever. The shad are the fish that will seek out the warm spring water more readily than crappie, walleye or white bass. If the water stays below 40 degrees for an extended period of time, the shad will die, so water temp is more critical for them than the crappie. )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Crappie: It is interesting to note that for the last several weeks, I have been discussing the importance of water temperature and crappie movements. In the December 2008/January 2009 issue of North American Fisherman (in which I have appeared in several articles) they have talked about water temperature reference crappie movements. Very fine and informative article. When the water temperature is in the 40s, you’ll find crappie in 20-30 feet of water. As the water temperature gets into the high to mid 30s (which it does on Stockton Lake when you have extended cold periods) the fish will move into 30-60 feet of water by the gobs. Scope out bends in the river channels in the large coves. As the water progressively gets colder, the fish will move to deeper water and hang up on these major structures. These structures could be creek bends, drop offs, large rock piles at this particular depth. As the water warms, you do it in the reverse until the fish move into the spawning areas which we don’t need to worry about that until mid-late March and I’ll deal with that then. Structure and/or cover will only hold fish when the water temperature at that level is most desirable for that time of year. This is true also for largemouth bass, walleye and catfish. The key to catching fish this time of the year in these conditions is a vertical presentation…that means get out of the wind, pay very close attention, because the bite will be light if you feel a bite at all. For this type of presentation, I use a 6 foot St. Croix rod with Stren Superbraid tipped with a jig (approximately ¼ oz) and a minnow. When you reel up your bait, check the minnow. If a crappie or white bass grabbed it, you can see where the scales have been removed, and obviously if a walleye grabs it, there will be teeth marks. I hope with the comments I made to Dave and this report, you have enough information to be successful. If you like to know exactly where I catch these fish, and more details on the techniques I use, you are going to have to hire me. I have noticed that the Army Corps of Engineers has been doing a lot of clean up in the park areas; they probably wouldn’t mind if you would go relieve them of brush piles stacked on the shores to make underwater cover in your secret location. By the time springs gets here, your secret spots ought to be full of fish. I use PVC pipe in many of my areas, because it is very difficult to find with sonar. I punch it in my GPS and I am the only one who knows where it is. One last thing, guide’s tip: wear a life vest and keep a change of warm clothing in your boat. No matter how macho you think you are, if you fall in the water, and you are not prepared, there’s a good chance you won’t survive the freezing cold ride back home. Countless anglers lose their lives every year when they fall in cold water. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-2277 Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

December 3, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 868.85 Normal pool: 867 Walleye: Main lake points and secondary points are where my clients and I have been catching fish. Most of these fish have consistently been in water around 30-50 feet deep. I have been putting in at various places, including Mutton Creek, Hawker, Old State park and RB boat ramp. Fish are bunched up this time of the year due to the fact that in the winter mode the bait fish get bunched up. The fish are extremely deep. I use up to a ½ oz jig head because the vertical presentation is the only way to go. Minnows and jigs have worked best, but we have also caught good fish on jig and night crawlers and jig and Gulp leeches. Tap the bottom. Pay attention. If you feel resistance, either back reel or open your bale. When you feel the fish move off, set the hook with a swinging type motion. If you miss fish, add a stinger hook. I usually fish about 30 minutes in a spot, particularly where you scope a lot of fish. Don’t stay too long, but stay long enough to thoroughly work the fish that you see on your sonar unit. Later in the day toward sundown, we have caught a few fish on suspended jerk baits when they come up shallow. Crappie: during the winter period is the time when my clients and I catch the most and the biggest crappie of the year (over 15 inches in some cases). These fish are deep, anywhere from 25-50 feet down. The mouths of main lake coves which provide springs draw in the gizzard shad by the gobs; this is where the big crappie hang out for the winter. Most of these are white crappie, which are less brush oriented than black crappie. In the winter I have the privilege of fishing with several professional crappie tournament fishermen who come from the northern states like Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan. They prefer fishing in the liquid as opposed to the iced over lakes. I have gained a lot of knowledge from these individuals who show me that the traditional way is not necessary the best way for this time of year. The other day we caught a 17 and ½ inch crappie, and he was so deep that you could barely see the coloration due to the lack of sunlight. These fish hang over springs and if the spring is causing enough turbulence in the water, and your graph is a color graph of high quality, you’ll be able to see what I mean. The water from a spring is usually 54 degrees; the shad need warmer water to survive the winter. Water under 40 degrees over a long period of time will cause shad die off unless they can find these deep, warm water haunts. As a result, you have the crappie…not only crappie, but white bass and big walleye will be in the same locations. Jigging or spooning with a vertical presentation is the only way to go; tipped with a minnow works best. That’s medium sized minnows…forget those little buggers that you can see through. In this case, bigger is better. You need to get in an area where there is no wind; the bite will be very light with crappie and white bass. You may not even feel the bite, so you have to watch the line and the rod tip. In 2 days, my clients and I boated over 50 crappie plus several white bass and a few good walleye using this presentation. A few fish are being caught off shallower brush piles (15-25 feet) and most of these are black crappie. In order to catch fish in the winter, you must think outside of the traditional box and be a little psycho to be out on the lake in such frigid conditions. There is no reason that you should not catch a number of quality fish during the winter months on Stockton Lake, which is a highland reservoir. Guide’s tip: the other day I dropped my 75 cent minnow dip net in the lake. After having to catch the minnows with my bare hand in the extremely cold bait tank water, I would have given $50 for a minnow dip net. Even though a fishing guide has been trained to deal with extreme situations, I am going to start carrying and extra one… If you are a real man, and can brave the elements, the winter months from now to the middle of March, can provide some of the hottest action of the year for crappie and walleye. If you have any questions, or comments, or you desire more details, please email me or call me. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com thompsonfishingguideservice@yahoo.com 417-424-BASS Maybe imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

November 26, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level 868.93 Normal pool 867 Water temperature 48-49 Ruark Bluff area, 53 at the dam Walleye fishing has picked up from what it has been. The majority of fish that we have caught have been around 30-35 feet deep, and most have been caught off of main lake points, but some also off of deep brush piles in your bigger coves. Jig and minnow, jig and night crawler, crawler harnesses have worked better than trolling (for us anyway); cover a lot of water and remember this: not all of the fish that you see on your scope will bite, so don’t waste too much time. I’ll fish a school of fish for about 30 minutes trying different techniques. If the vertical jigging doesn’t work, try vertical spoon fishing and use half a minnow as bait. Tap it on the bottom and jerk it up about 3 feet and let it fall back. Sometimes this technique will cause a reaction bite. Crappie: we have been catching crappie in around 25+ feet of water. Deep brush piles produce more black crappie and rocky structures and ledges will produce more white crappie. Jig and minnows are what I use instead of the weight and hook system because a minnow on a jig gets hung up a lot less. If you don’t have much wind, (quietly) sitting on top of the fish with a vertical presentation is the best. As the water temperatures cool, the fish will slow down, therefore you’ll have to be Johnny on the Spot, or you’ll never detect a bite. I like to be able to bump the top of the brush pile with my jig head; it seems like when you do this, you get more bites than if you let it just hang over the brush. I use Stren Super Braid 20# test, with a 6 ½ foot St Croix spinning rod. With this combination, the sensitivity is extraordinary, and that is what you’ll need. Largemouth bass fishing has still been good; suspended jerk baits are starting to come into play as we enter the winter pattern (whatever that really means). Slow roll spinner baits, soft plastics and jigs are working well. Fish are being taken shallow and deep and when I mean deep, I mean down to 35 feet. Main lake points are good; fish are also being caught in the backs of coves late in the afternoon around sundown. Like crappie, fish will bite lighter than when the water is hot, therefore you have to pay attention and watch your line. Blue Marlin: If you are headed to Costa Rica, blue Marlin are ready to go this time of year. You need to book a trip now. When we go, we go out of Tamarindo. Good luck! Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

Chief Grey Bear and Leonard, Most people think Toad Suck Fairy is something I made up. It is good to know that there are other cultured people out there who appreciate fine destinations. I did not know about Pickle Gap, I will have to incorporate that in my fishing guide package. The reason I say that is because if the fish don't bite, and you still want to be successful in the fishing guide business, you must be able to entertain. If you hire me, I will throw in my electric chicken dance for free. Thanks for your comments and your time. Marty

November 12, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Walleye fishing is on the upswing and has been for the last several days. Fish are being caught off main lake points either trolling deep diving crank baits or the jig and minnow or jig and night crawler trick. Ruark Bluff points have been fair, and the points around Crab Tree Cove and Orleans Trail have been producing fish. Lindy rig a crawler harness and slow troll or drift with the wind across these points and you should catch fish. Crappie are being caught on main lake points with either rocky structure (white crappie) or brushy structure (black crappie). Minnow and jig is the best way to go. Find structure at the proper depth (around 20 feet). Guide’s note: remember this for all types of fish: structure or cover at the wrong depth is not good structure and cover. Just because you find a brush pile or a creek channel does not mean fish are present. The structure and or cover must be at the appropriate depth or you won’t catch fish. Depth is an overlooked piece of the puzzle but is vitally important to the location of the fish, and therefore your success. When I was a hunting guide in Colorado for elk, I learned that the big bulls were in certain places because they provided everything the animal needed to feel secure and survive. The only difference between an elk and a fish is that depth has to provide oxygen PLUS the cover and or structure. Bass fishing has been very good. In a period of 1 hour in a drizzling rain, I caught 5 bass. The first one was legal, the second one weighed 3 pounds, third one weighed 5 pounds, fourth one weighed 3 pounds and the last one weighed 3 ½ pounds. They were all caught on plastic worms in 10 feet of water off a secondary lake point. I cannot give you the exact location because it would violate fishing guide’s code of ethics, which was instituted by the Toad Suck Fairy Fishing Guide School Academy in Puke Flats, Arkansas. Remember between now and deep winter is your best time of the year to catch big fish. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

November 5, 2008 Stockton lake Fishing Report Lake level: 868.99 Normal pool: 867 Crappie and walleye: As the water temperatures cool (low 60s to high 50s), the shad begin to come together and form larger schools and position themselves deeper in the water column. If you are observant, you have noticed the shad getting deeper and more congregated on your sonar screen as the water gets cooler. As a result, walleye will become more congregated near the large bait balls. It is easier under such conditions to find walleye due to the fact that the bait is not spread all over the lake like in the summer time. These fish are deep (30 feet on down) and your best presentation is to vertical jig. Unless of course, you have down riggers and lead core line to keep crank baits in the strike zone. The jig and minnow or the jig and night crawler are your best baits. When the water is warm, walleye will bite night crawlers better than minnows, but as the aquatic bugs disappear into their winter cycle, the walleye focus more on minnows. Main lake points are where they will be now because that is where the shad are now, but as the water temperature continues to cool, the shad will find deep basins in the mouths of main lake coves and this is where they will winter. On highland reservoirs such as Stockton Lake, you have large numbers of underwater springs that bleed out into the lake in these basins. Spring water temperature is approximately 54 degrees, and this warms the surrounding water which draws in the bait fish. It is interesting to note that this not only provides good walleye action, but you will also catch some of the biggest white crappie of the year in the winter pattern. Example: in mid March, surface water temperature of the areas where I was fishing was 37 degrees. My clients caught 55 crappie, 14 walleye and numerous white bass in two days. Fish were suspended over 50 feet of water, and only 3 of the crappie were short. The average size was 14 inches. The walleye were all legal, and there were several over 24 inches. Because the water was cold, vertical presentation was necessary along with total concentration. The bite at this time by both crappie and walleye is very light and as the water temperature continues to cool, without the aid of visual observation of your rod tip and line, you’ll miss a lot of fish. Largemouth bass: In the last month, I have caught most of my fish on main lake points on plastic worms. Top water bite has been virtually nonexistent this year, due to the fact that under normal conditions bass move into the shallows to chase bait fish. With an overload of shad in the lake, the little buggers never have to leave home because dinner is always abundant. Slow presentation is better. Fish are not hungry. Why do they bite at all? Fish use their mouths like you use your hands: to defend themselves, to investigate, to move an object from their comfort zone, etc. Slow presentation is the way to go; they won’t readily chase down bait. Here again you need to stay focused. If you are a line watcher, you will have a real advantage, especially fishing in the wind. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

October 22, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 869.41 Normal pool: 867 Walleye are being caught off of main lake points trolling deep diving crank baits above the 215 bridge. Not only are a few fish turning up on crank baits, but some fish are also being caught on weighted crawler harnesses. Blue back silver side seems to be the best pattern for your crank baits. Fish are also being caught by slow drifting jig and night crawler or jig and minnows off the same main lake points and also on secondary points in large coves like Orleans Trail. White bass have been turning up around the Masters and Cedar Ridge and Aldrich areas. Troll Rattle Traps, or deep diving crank baits. Experiment with color. White crappie are being caught off main lake points with jigs and minnows or crappie jigs and crappie niblets vertically fished in around 20 feet of water. A few big white crappie have turned up while trolling deep diving crank baits while walleye or white bass fishing. White crappie have a tendency to suspend over deep water as they are transitioning from the fall to the winter habits. Black crappie are being caught in your timbered coves; cedar trees on creek channels are the best place to look for them. Largemouth bass fishing is still pretty good; fish are being caught by fan casting deep diving crank baits along shorelines adjacent to main lake points. Key colors seem to be browns and oranges this time of year as far as crank baits re concerned. Spinner bait bite is hit and miss, but I have caught a few nice fish (3-6 pounds) on spinner baits from time to time. To escape the clutches of Junior Jaws (which you will catch a lot of on spinner baits and crank baits) I have been fishing main lake points and some top secret locations around the lake on various bluffs. I am a worm man and proud of it. Happiness is having worms. Any other soft plastics fished 15-25 feet deep away from Junior Jaws should be productive if you are skilled. Guide’s note: the lake turns over at approximately 55 degrees. The water now is in the mid to high 60s in places, so it has a ways to go for that. Prior to the cold water of winter, the shad begin to group up in larger schools than what they are in during the summer. As the water cools, these fish will concentrate in the mouths of large coves anywhere from 40-60 feet down. I believe that a lot of these coves contain creek channels which have springs…spring water is 54 degrees when it comes out of the ground which draws the shad. The shad draw the walleye, white bass and crappie. I’ll give you some techniques and some locations for this pattern when it comes into full swing as the water cools. For now, whatever you are fishing for, you need to cover a lot of water. There will be two or three slow days, and then for some unknown reason, you’ll have a real good day. I have potential clients call and ask me the infamous question, “Do you think we’ll catch fish?” I say if I had a crystal ball that could predict the fishes’ habits exactly, I would already be a multi millionaire and would have retired from the fishing guide business altogether and would have my own fishing show alongside Bill Dance. That being said, the more time one spends on the water, the better chance he has of catching fish. If I didn’t think we would catch fish, we wouldn’t go. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

October 8, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 869.72 Normal pool: 867 Walleye fishing is still a little slow, but it appears to be on the upswing again. That’s typical of walleye…they’ll bite real good for a couple or three days and then they’ll be off for a few days. To help increase your odds, point number 5 on your Stockton lake map is a place that you need to fish. Trolling deep diving crank baits has worked later in the day and your jig and minnow or jig and night crawler combos have also been catching fish. To be perfectly honest with you, I believe that the vast amount of bait in Stockton Lake affects the fishing. The walleye that we have butchered have a tremendous amount of fat. The fish are not as aggressive as they would be in a lake with a whole lot less bait. Slowing down your presentation will help and also covering as much water as you can. Actually, the fishing will be better for walleye between now and the next month before the water turns over. Crappies, like walleye, are affected by the large amount of bait fish in this lake. You need to cover a lot of water, fish the structure or cover slowly and thoroughly. Minnows or jigs and minnows still seem to be the mainstay and if you cover enough water, you should catch enough black and or white crappie for a good mess. Fish are being caught around Cedar Ridge, Maze Creek, and Crabtree Cove, to name a few areas. We haven’t been catching large numbers of fish, but the quality (13-15 inches) has been excellent. Better quality fish are located suspended in around 25-35 feet deep off of main lake points. If you scope a school of fish in these locations, though deep and suspended, assume they are big white crappie. A jig with a medium minnow fished slightly above the fish will tell you for sure. These fish will also hit on deep diving crank baits, providing you can pull one down to their level. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

September 10, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 869.04 Normal pool: 867 Water temperature: 75 degrees As a result of a death in the family, I was unable to fish for the last week, therefore I have no first hand information, and for second hand information, you can read everyone else’s report. I would like to say a few words reference my brother in law, Roger Duncan, my second best fishing buddy, who I fished with for almost 30 years. Roger died September 3, 2008. I started fishing with Roger in the northwest about 1980 for steelhead and salmon. Since then, we fished our way from Washington State to Stockton Lake, MO. I’ll never forget those experiences….they were all positive, inspirational and beneficial. I thank God for the opportunity to know somebody like Roger so long and so closely. The last time I saw Roger was in my bass boat on Stockton Lake. The thing about fishing is not the catching…if you are one of those that only have fun if you catch fish, you need to take up golf instead. You totally miss the point of the experience of being with quality people while enveloped in God’s Creation. I hope in my fishing reports from time to time in my own meager way, I can radiate this to my dear readers and supporters. I appreciate all of the emails and phone calls I get on a weekly basis, and it is always a pleasure when I meet some of you either as clients or just out on the lake fishin’. May God bless America and may God bless all fishermen. I Thessalonians 4:13-18 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Maybe imitated, but never duplicated. Fish the finest!

August 27, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level 869.42 Normal pool 867 Water temperature low to mid 80s Walleye fishing is fair. It has slowed down a little bit from what it was in the last two weeks, however, you can catch fish if you are in the right place at the right time. The right time could be anytime the way walleye are, especially with water temperatures cooler than usual. The more time you spend on the lake, the better. Move around a lot. The majority of the fish are caught on main lake points that are adjacent to mud flats. For the exact location, you need to look at your map. Fish will be in around 18-20 feet of water on average, they are somewhat scattered because bait fish are everywhere. You can forget about the old adage, “Find the bait, find the fish." Road runners and night crawlers, bottom bouncers with night crawlers, and crawler harnesses should catch fish. Slow drift these areas through the fish you have marked on your depth finder. It may not be a bad idea to throw out markers where you see large concentrations of fish, that way the majority of your time is spent in productive water. It may not be wise to throw out your markers if several other boats are in the area, because more often than not, you’ll make a lot of friends… Trolling crank baits in these same areas is also a good idea, and you can cover a lot of water. Deep diving small bass-type crank baits seem to be the best; you need to experiment. Wiggle Warts, Wally Divers are the types of baits that seem to be the most productive. Late afternoon and early evenings are the best time to go. Crappie fishing has been good, and limits are being caught in the timbered coves on minnows or crappie jigs and minnows in around 15-25 feet of water. Brush piles off main lake points are also good. The ones that are marked are ok, but the ones that are not marked are a lot better due to less fishing pressure. Mark the brush pile, anchor downwind (hopefully the anchor will hold at the right place at the right time) so you are about a half cast away from the brush pile. With this presentation, slip bobbers are the only way to go. If you try to position the boat right over the brush piles (particularly those that are shallow (10-15 feet deep), invariably your fishing partner is going to drop his tackle box or slam a compartment storage door and the fish will shut down or move altogether. A lot of people wonder why they are not catching crappie that they spot on their scope, and this could be one of the main reasons: too much noise. You shouldn’t have trouble catching crappie right now. Largemouth and small mouth bass fishing has been good. The big question that is being asked now is “How do I get away from the undersized fish?” The best way to accomplish this is to locate schools of bass in deeper water (15-25 feet deep). Most of your smaller fish will stay out of these areas. If you go along just casting at the shore, you’ll never get away from Junior Jaws. Another thing to do to get away from these little fish is to use bigger baits. I use 10-12 inch plastic worms and have been catching 3-6 pound fish consistently this summer. If you are not a worm guy, use a bigger jig. Vertical fish spinner baits (1/2 oz- 1 oz) or deep diving crank baits for these deeper fish. My experience this summer has been that a slower presentation will get you more bites. My theory is with an overwhelming amount of bait in the lake, and as fat as these fish are, they are not going to expend a whole lot of energy running something down when they are really not hungry anyway. Blue gill fishing on main lake points in about 25 feet of water with night crawlers has been real good for big blue gill. Channel cats are also being caught in the same areas that the blue gill are on night crawlers or chicken livers fished vertically from an anchored position. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

August 21, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level 870.34 Normal pool 867 Lake temperature: 79-84 degrees Walleye fishing has picked up because of the cool weather and cloudy skies, in spite of the east winds we have been having. My clients and I have had good success on several locations…obviously I cannot reveal the exact locations to the general public, but I will provide you with a prototype of the general areas where I have been fishing. Main lake points that are connected to large flat bottoms is where you will find a lot of walleye this time of year in about 23 feet of water. They’ll be there until the water starts to cool, which is usually around the first of October. Recommended presentations are jigs and night crawlers, weighted crawler harnesses, and bottom bouncers with Lindy rigs and crawlers. These work well during the day, in the high sun period, mainly because walleye will be a little deeper this time of day. Fish move up more shallow in the afternoon and evening on trolled deep diving crank baits. Anything from Reef Runners to Bandits will catch fish. Take advantage of the opportunity while you can. In spite of what you may be told, you don’t go out and catch gobs of walleye on every trip. These fish move on a regular basis and can be finicky on a regular basis. And oh yes, this is also true of walleye that live in Canada. Cover as much water as you can and pay close attention to your sonar. If you don’t catch fish within ½ an hour, move to another area. You may say “Oh great fishing guide, I see all of these arches on my screen! Should I not stay here forever?” And I say “No, my little fishing friend, you may find a large school of walleye that won’t bite, no matter what you do.” Find a group of fish that will bite. Crappie fishing has been good on Stockton Lake, and with the water being as cool as it is, and the weather as pleasant as it has been (thanks to Almighty God), the crappie fishing should be good into the indefinite future. Fish are being caught in all of the wooded coves, which include Greaser Creek, Turkey Creek, and Price Branch. Minnows are the most consistent approach, fished over brush piles around 25 feet deep. I don’t have a lot of complex tactics to present at this point, due to the fact that fishing is pretty good and anybody with a boat can catch them. Bass fishing continues to be good throughout the lake, at least as far as my own experience is concerned. I took my wife and my dog fishing on Monday, and they decided they wanted to swim. I took them to a boat ramp and dropped them off. I fished an area of the bank that I had not planned on fishing, and I am glad I did. In two consecutive casts, I caught a 3 pound smallmouth and a 6 pound largemouth. My dog thought I was really the man. Both fish were caught on a white spinner bait. Spinner bait fishing is hit and miss, but when it is hit, it is always good, so keep one tied on and close by. Deep diving crank baits bouncing off the bottom off of main lake points have scored some good sized fish (4-7 pounds). The top water bite is a “Here today gone tomorrow” proposition. We have caught a few fish in the backs of coves and as a result of the cooler water temperatures, more fish should be moving into these areas. If you have any specific questions that I don’t cover in my report, please email me or better yet hire me. It’s hard to get a vast amount of information in a fishing report. I give out as much as I can. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

Thanks for reading my report. Here's what I have been doing with my clients during the full moon night bite this summer: when we look at the moon, we look at the 3 days before and the 3 days after the full moon for the most effective walleye bite. We have been anchoring off of main lake points in about 25 feet of water (be sure you scope fish before you go to all the trouble of getting your anchor stuck) using jig and minnows, jig and night crawlers, or jig and Gulp leeches. Drop the bait to the bottom, reel up about 1 turn. Fish will be actively moving across these points in search of shad. If you find a productive point, you should start catching fish within at least 30 minutes. If there are no takers, reposition yourself on the same main lake point, or go to another one. You need to scope out where you are going to fish before it gets dark because one main lake point looks the same as another in the dark. My night trips usually start about 6 pm and go til at least midnight because as the sun goes past the horizon in the early evening, your chances of getting a good bite are pretty good. You can also troll crank baits across these same main lake points in between 5 and 25 feet of water and catch fish. Deep diving crank baits work best. When it gets dark, the fish will move up a little more shallow (10-15 feet deep). If you have any more questions, let me know. Call me and let me know how you did.

August 13, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 871.49 Normal pool: 867 Walleye fishing has picked up as a result of cooler nights and cooler rains this past week. Water temperature has dropped in some areas of the lake as much as 10 degrees; from 91 to 81 in the extremes. Walleye are still being caught off main lake points by trolling deep diving crank baits such as Bandits and Bomber As. Fish will be in approximately 19 feet of water, and can also be caught on jig and night crawler combinations bounced off of the bottom, or crawler harnesses. Another technique to employ is jigging spoons; cast out from the boat along the points, let the Hopkins spoon or Castmaster spoon sink to the bottom. Keep your eye on the line, because many times the walleye will grab the spoon as it flutters to the bottom. Raise your rod tip to about 45 degrees, jerking the spoon off of the bottom; reel up the slack and let it fall again. Repeat until you get back to the boat. This coming week should be a good night bite because of the moon. Largemouth bass fishing is still real good, both for numbers and for size. Main lake points and secondary points are producing the most fish. Around sundown, the bass will move into the backs of coves to chase shad and you should be able to get into a top water bite. Jigs, spinner baits or plastic worms work better during the afternoon when the fish are in about 15 feet of water. Deep diving crank baits work well later in the day with a reel-pause-reel retrieve. Shad colors and crawdad colors work well. Crappie fishing has been fair around 20-25 foot brush piles off of main lake or secondary points holding fish. Use your sonar and find creek channels as they meander through the timber of coves, like Price Branch and Turkey Creek. Minnows and jigs or jigs and crappie niblets work the best. Remember night fishing under a crappie light is always a good option this time of the year. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

August 6, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 872.61 Normal pool: 867 Water temperature: high 80s to 91 Walleye are in the summer pattern, which is a technical term to describe what walleye do in the summer as opposed to other times of the year. Walleye eat a lot of bugs. The best place to find bugs in the summer time on Stockton Lake is the mud flats, like the ones in the vicinity of Mutton Creek. Bugs emerge from the muddy bottom of the lake and float to the surface. During the hot part of the day, fish will be in around 25-35 feet of water. Black, brown and orangish maribou jigs (1/4 oz) tipped with a piece of night crawler are good choices. This presentation imitates bugs and it is different from some of the regular baits that the fish see on a daily basis. As the angle of the sun changes later in the afternoon, the fish will move up shallower closer to shore. By sundown, bugs begin to appear, and that also draws walleyes’ attention to shallower water. Guide’s note: the best mud flats are adjacent to main lake points. They won’t be as obvious as your rocky main lake points, but nonetheless, this is the route that walleye travel from deeper water to shallower water in their daily quest for food. I’d try trolling deep diving crank baits later in the afternoon til sundown. The fish aren’t always in the mood to chase down a crank bait, but you never know. Crappie: as the lake level continues to fall, there is less cover in the water, which equates to more crappie per bush. 25 feet is the place to begin your search. Main lake points with cover at this depth will hold crappie more often than not. If you find several brush piles on the same point, use your trolling motor to slowly drift from one to the other using a jig and minnow. Fish about 2 feet above the top of the brush. Unless the wind is blowing excessively, you should be able to maintain proper boat control. Fish are also being caught in the timber. Remember, not all trees are created equal, therefore not all trees attract fish. Cedar trees or sycamore trees are good because they have lots of limbs, which provide lots of shade and cover. Shade is important in the summer. The tree needs to be in around 15-25 feet of water. Structure is a bonus. Remember, cover + structure = the presence of fish. By structure, I mean rock piles, creek channels, sudden change in depth, etc. Crappie jigs with or without minnows will catch fish. Experiment a little bit, and it shouldn’t be too hard to come up with the right combination. Night fishing with a crappie light is also a good option. Largemouth bass fishing is still rated pretty darn good. I have been able to catch some quality fish when I haven’t been guiding for walleye or crappie. Spinner baits have been good, along with crank baits later in the day on shady banks. Always be zeroed in on shade, because the fish will be in the shade. It’s cooler in the shade, and from the shade, the fish has the visual advantage over bait in the open water. Jigs and plastic worms seem to be productive no matter what time of day or conditions, so you need to keep that in mind. Top water bite has picked up a little around sundown. Buzz Baits, Pop Rs, Zara Spooks have been catching fish. Bigger fish will come off of main lake points in between 15 -20 feet of water. If you are interested in sheer numbers, and not necessarily size, throw small crank baits in the coves. Last year’s fish will provide some hot action. You can also fish up by the dam and catch a load of Kentucky spotted bass; most of them will be sublegal fish, but your kids will have a blast catching them. 2-3 inch curly tailed jigs in white or chartreuse or small deep diving crank baits around the spillway around the dam will give you a lot of action. Channel cats: as the lake recedes, there is more opportunity for the bank fishermen. Fish the shore across from CC boat ramp at night. Night crawlers, chicken livers or chicken hot dogs, that’s what real Catmen use to catch channel cats. The boat ramp across from the Mutton Creek marina boat ramp has some access that has opened up, as well as Cedar Ridge and several other places. Your bigger fish are being caught anchored off main lake points. When there is little or no moon, 6 pm til midnight seems to be the best times. Anchor in about 15 feet of water, tell your cousin not to scoot his metal tackle box across the sandy aluminum floor of your boat, and you can vertical fish. The catfish move back and forth off these points, so if you don’t get a bite right away, that doesn’t mean there are no fish. Always remember, in order to catch fish, you must be good at fishing for fish. If you don’t like the fishing part, you need to take up golf or polo. Some people only like to catch, they despise the fishing part. If you are one of these people, it won’t be fun very often. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

Tips to keep fish alive in hot water conditions: 1. if you use ice, make sure the ice is not chlorinated. This will kill your fish faster than lack of oxygen. 2. The best water additive that I have found that lowers fish stress levels and helps to maintain a slime coat is 1 cup of table salt per 10 gallons of water. Try it, you'll like it, and it's far cheaper than any commerical products that are designed to do the same thing. 3. Divide your fish. If you have 2 aerated tanks, put some fish in one and some in the other. Guide's note to walleye fishermen: walleye are even harder to keep alive in the tank because they require more oxygen than warm water species like largemouth bass. That's why some states have outlawed walleye tournaments in the summer. In other words, if you want to take photographs of a big fish and turn him loose, the longer you play with him or leave him in the livewell, the better chance he will be the main course for the turtles. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

July 30, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Where do you find crappie in the summer? 1. Approximately 25 feet deep. 2. Structure -creek bends, drop offs, ledges, humps 3. Cover - brush must be present 4. Bait – medium sized minnows on Aberdeen hooks or jig heads 5. Presentation – vertical or slip bobber 6. Best time – between 6 pm and midnight Walleye fishing has been good on Stockton Lake the majority of the time, with a few slow days mixed in. Vertical jig with a night crawler off main lake points, troll off the main lake points with shad colored deep diving crank baits. You can also slow drift with a jig and night crawler or a crawler harness. 19-25 feet seems to be a consistent depth. The best time to fish is between 6 pm and midnight. Largemouth bass: Main lake points or secondary points in large coves are producing bass during this summer pattern. Jigs, slow rolled spinner baits, and of course plastic worms and deep diving crank baits have been fairly consistent. The top water bite has been off and on. Fish move to the backs of coves in shallow water later in the day and can be caught on Buzz Baits, Zara Spooks, Jitterbugs, etc. I would rate bass fishing right now as really good. Blue gill: look for big blue gill this time of year in the same areas that you do crappie (see above). Small jig heads with a piece of night crawler or crickets should keep you busy all day long. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

July 23, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 876.92 Normal pool: 867 Water temperature: 84-85 Guide’s note: I have received information in the last week of several altercations or near altercations between fishermen and ski boats, and particularly jet skis. I have witnessed several incidents by jet skiers and ski boats that were not only rude and inconsiderate, but illegal and dangerous. Fishermen need to be aware of the boating laws in Missouri (I have copied a few relevant ones below from the water patrol handbook), and you need to have the number of the water patrol programmed in your phone: 573-751-3333 is their central dispatch number. Not to state the obvious, but you need to know where you are on the lake when you call. A proper speed or distance must be maintained while operating a motorboat or PWC or while towing a person on water skis or any similar device. Specifically, it is illegal to: • Operate a motorboat or PWC at speeds that may cause danger, injury, damage, or unnecessary inconvenience. Be aware of and obey all regulatory markers, including those marked as "idle speed" or "no wake." • Operate a motorboat or PWC at speeds greater than "idle speed" or "slow, no wake speed" within 100 feet of: o A dock or pier o An occupied, anchored vessel o A buoyed restricted area • PWCs must be operated in a careful and responsible manner. Specifically, it is illegal for PWC operators to: o Weave the PWC through congested waterway traffic. o Jump the wake of another motorboat when visibility is obstructed. o Become airborne while crossing the wake of another motorboat and within 100 feet of that motorboat. o Operate at greater than "slow, no wake" speed within 50 feet of any other vessel, PWC, or person in the water. o Operate in a manner that requires swerving at the last possible moment to avoid collision. There was an individual fishing from the shore in the cove north of Orleans Trail last Sunday. A jet skier raced all the way across the cove at a high rate of speed, came within 5 feet of the shore, did a sharp u turn and sprayed the fisherman from head to toe with water. At the time, there were also 3 swimmers in the water. Water patrol was contacted, witnesses gathered, and a citation was issued. Another incident happened to me last week. I was fishing with 3 clients, one of whom was paralyzed from a car accident, we were anchored about 100 feet off shore and two jet skis repeatedly went between my boat and the shore at a high rate of speed. You need to get the registration numbers of the jet skiers or boat offenders, and call the water patrol immediately. If more calls come in, the state will be more prone to patrol Stockton. Don’t tolerate someone jeopardizing your life. Walleye are being caught off main lake points in approximately 25 feet of water either by trolling deep diving crank baits or bouncing the bottom with a bottom bouncing rig and night crawler or vertical fishing a jig and night crawler. I have been finding success by anchoring off of main lake points in areas where I find a good concentration of fish and vertical fishing a jig and piece of night crawler. If one spot on the point is not productive, move a few yards, re-anchor, and repeat. You can experiment with jig colors, but color doesn’t really seem to be a factor. When you have thoroughly fished this area, whether you catch fish or not, troll back through the same area with a deep diving crank bait, like a Bandit or Wiggle Wart. Again, experiment with color. I am beginning to book a lot of night trips, which seems to be your best bet when you have 90+ degree heat. Crappie: your best bet for crappie is to slow drift main lake points or secondary points that have cover that is about 25 feet deep. Because of the vast amount of cover in the lake (due to the high water) the fish will be scattered out, because they all have their own little bush now. You’ll catch two or three fish in one place, and then you need to move on after about 20 minutes. Jigs and minnows seem to work best, and a minnow on a jig is less likely to get hung in the brush than a minnow on a regular crappie hook. Early evening into dark is a good time to go and fish under a crappie light. Largemouth bass fishing has been really good throughout the lake and in different environments. Several days ago I caught a 5 pound bass flipping a plastic worm in the back of a cove. He was in a brush pile on a road bed next to a stop sign, if you can believe that. Fish are being caught off main lake points, and off bluffs on the main part of the lake. The fish will position themselves in or near the brush, depending on water clarity and the position of the sun. I’ll repeat myself…I think plastic worms are the way to go, for a number of reasons, but the main one is you get a lot less hang-ups probing inside the bushes than you do with crank baits, spinner baits or jigs. However, those lures will catch fish also. Find your niche and pursue that, because you’ll be better at doing what you like. Top water bite is still hit or miss and my theory for that is that with a tremendous amount of bait, the fish are never what you really call hungry, therefore they will not expend a whole lot of energy chasing something. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

July 16, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 878.84 Normal pool: 867 Water temperature: mid-low 80s Walleye: main lake points are the place to be; walleye have been hitting trolled crank baits, color doesn’t seem to matter. Deep divers are the ticket. I have scoped fish consistently at around 23 feet, which is a little bit above the thermocline, which is about 28 feet. If you catch a walleye off of a main lake point trolling a crank bait, be sure you mark the depth, go back over the same area and drift with the wind with a jig and night crawler. Bobby Garland black and chartreuse plastic bodies with a night crawler seem to work well. Later in the day, as the sun begins to drop, the fish will move up to the submerged brush line, which is about 13-15 feet. Slow troll crank baits or drift night crawlers and jigs in these areas. You need to put out about 100 feet of line to get your bait at the approximate depth. Masters boat ramp area, Orleans Trail, Cedar Ridge are a few places to look. Largemouth bass: bass fishing has been good along main lake points. Slow roll spinner baits, jigs or plastic worms through the brush. Plastic worms work best for me, and one reason is a Texas rigged worm comes through the brush with a minimal amount of hang ups. You’ll have to be able to differentiate the difference between the brush and the bass… sometimes the bass win, sometimes you win. Every trip that we have taken this month has produced fish from 2 ½ pounds – 5 pounds. The backs of coves in the brush are also good places to do the flipping technique. Watch for snakes. Interesting note reference snakes: if you remember my report where the snake tried to invite himself into my boat, think about this: I was coming home from KC airport on Tuesday and was stopped in traffic due to construction. I looked out my driver’s side window and there on the pavement was a water moccasin smiling up at me. Maybe it’s my deodorant. I don’t know, but snakes seem to love me. Crappie fishing has slowed a little bit, as well as white bass, but if you are in the right place, at the right time, you can catch fish. White bass are being caught on crank baits slow trolled just like you do for the walleye, as well as crappie. Troll crank baits just outside of the brush line from main lake points to the backs of the coves and if you cover enough water, you should catch fish. A few crappie are also being caught on main lake brush piles around 25-30 feet deep on minnows. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

July 9, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Walleye fishing has been fair to good throughout the lake. Your best bet in my experience for a good bite is late afternoon/early evening. Main lake points are the places you should target, jigs and night crawlers, or crawler harnesses or road runners have been catching fish. Fish are in 19-20 feet of water. Drift with the wind or slow troll across these main lake points with the above mentioned lures. Another technique that is catching fish is trolling small deep running bass lures like the Bandit or Bagley Bs between 2 and 3 miles an hour. I know in my last report I said you need to have a slow presentation, but these fish have become a little more aggressive and they’ll tend to hit a faster moving bait. Use your depth finder to find the shad off these main lake points and if you are any kind of fisherman at all you should catch fish. Night fishing is also another option. There is not one particular place, so you need to spend a little time looking for the fish. Crappie: deep brush piles (15-25 feet) will hold crappie. You’ll need to experiment with a lot of brush piles due to the fact that there’s about 10,000 acres of extra brush piles in the water and the fish for the most part are spread out. We have been using jigs and minnows held about 2 feet over the tops of the brush piles. If you want to vertical fish or if the fish are shallower, slow trolling these same baits is the way to go. If you can find them, you shouldn’t have any trouble in catching fish. Largemouth bass: my client and I caught several bass between 2 and 5 pounds; most of them were in the far back reaches of the coves where you have lots of snakes. I was flipping plastic worms (which was very effective), and in more open water we tried spinner baits and a variety of crank baits to no avail, so we went back to the plastic worm. It seems like the fish position themselves right above or slightly inside of the endless shoreline brush. Main lake points adjacent to your steep bluffs will hold a majority of the fish this time of year. Top water is off and on. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

July 2, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Current lake level: 882.28 Normal pool: 867 Water clarity: stained Water temperature: 80 degrees main body Walleye all of my efforts in the last week have been focused on walleye, therefore that is the only fish I am going to report on. Walleye are being caught off main lake points throughout the lake on jigs and night crawlers, crawler harnesses and Road runners. Fish are approximately 20-25 feet deep, the best way to use these type baits is to slow drift across the points. Another good tactic is to slow troll crank baits such as bandits and deep diving bombers. Shad imitation colors seem to work well, also lures with bright colors such as orange and yellows because they stand out better in the stained water. Cedar Ridge is a place to start, as well as Masters and Crab Tree Cove. Fish are also being caught around the Ruark Bluff area. Night fishing has also been successful with the same tactics in the same locations. Your best night trips should be planned around the full moon phase. The fish are biting lightly to a degree. They are not extremely aggressive probably because of the vast amount of bait in the water, so a slower presentation seems to work the best. If you troll, the maximum speed should be about a mile and a half an hour. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

As the forum moderator, I would like to remind some of you that this forum (unlike many others) has an excellent reputation for providing excellent, up to date fishing information WITHOUT THE BS CHAT FOUND ON OTHER FORUMS. If you feel the need to exchange messages of a more personal nature, please use the personal messaging feature to email your buddies. Keep it clean and informative. If you wouldn't say it to your grandomother, don't say it here.

June 25, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 881.24 Normal pool: 867 Water temp: approximately 83 degrees Water clarity: clear up by the dam, stained below 215 bridge Walleye: we can move walleye off of the fair list to the real good list. Walleye are being caught throughout the lake on jigs and night crawlers and crank baits late in the evening. Fish around 20-25 feet deep off of main lake points. If you want to know exactly where walleye care being caught, you need to call me and book a trip as soon as possible. I have some dates open the last two weeks of July. Crappie are being caught in Turkey Creek arm in the timber, Price Branch, and Son’s Creek, to name a few. Crappie suspend over deep water this time of year; they are suspended 15 feet over 30-35 feet of water as a rule. They are somewhat scattered, so drift medium sized minnows on a jig or Lindy rigged with an Aberdeen hook. White bass fishing is still hit or miss, however the guys who have been catching them seem to be doing pretty well. Main lake points above the 215 bridge are a good place to start. They are constantly on the move in search of bait fish. Troll deep diving crank baits or vertical fish jigs with plastic bodies (white or chartreuse) or vertical jig spoons. Top water bite has been hit or miss. I’d tie on a Pop R top water type lure just in case. Largemouth bass fishing has been good with a lot of 1 and 2 year old fish being caught, which are sub legal, of course. I have been catching bigger bass (4-5 pounds) off deep creek channels or main lake points with plastic worms. Jigs would work ok too. The top water bite has been hit or miss, but the backs of coves around 7-8:30 pm would be the time when and if they turn on. Channel cat fishing is still good about anywhere on the lake. The fish seem to move to the backs of coves before and after dark where you can catch them on night crawlers or fresh cut shad, providing you have a throw net and know how to use it. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

June 18, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Water level: 881.40 Normal pool 867 Water temperature mid to high 70s Water clarity on the southern end of the lake is stained, north end of the lake relatively clear Guide’s tip: Because of the high gas prices, if you are serious about fishing, and you want to learn the lake, I can save you a whole lot of money. For what it would cost you to drive around, and search for fish, you’ll save a lot of money by hiring a highly skilled and professional guide like me. Walleye: I like to remind my readers that the information that I provide on my fishing reports is an accumulation of my experience and the information that I receive from other fishermen who spend a great deal of time fishing on Stockton Lake. Walleye fishing is fair throughout the lake. Fish are being caught above the 215 bridge on crank baits either trolled or cast to the shore. This technique seems to be most effective in late afternoon and early evening and after dark. As of this writing, the moon has been coming up as the sun is going down, which contributed to a good night bite. This is probably your best bet right now for walleye. A couple of other places to try out are Turkey Creek arm, around Cedar Ridge boat ramp (one of the very few boat ramps that you can still use due to high water). Crawler harnesses or jigs tipped with minnows slow trolled across main lake points in between 20-25 feet of water is good for mid day. You need to cover a lot of water to expose your bait to as many fish as you can. They always say “find the bait, find the fish;” it is obvious that those “pros” have never fished Stockton Lake because the bait will be everywhere you go. Some will have arches and some will not. Just cover a lot of water on main lake points. Mud flats around Mutton Creek will produce fish late in the afternoon and early evening with the same technique. Try this also: if you find a large concentration of fish arches on your sonar, try vertical fishing pepper spoons, Cast Master spoons, Dare Devils, etc. I use the word “arches” because a lot of fishermen don’t realize that fish symbol on your sonar represent any object in the water…fish or clumps of algae. Don’t use the dumb fish symbol, it is pretty near useless. Crappie: for the most part, crappie fishing has been good throughout the lake. Try the mouth of Price Branch, Turkey Creek, or Birch Branch, to name a few. The fish that we have been catching are suspended in the river channels in about 35 feet of water. Believe it or not, the large majority of the black or white crappie are still full of eggs. I believe the large amount of rain, up and down lake levels, and cooling temperatures in early spring have contributed to this. The fish will be suspended and their depth will be determined by water clarity, wind, and cloud cover. You need to experiment. Drift slowly with a jig and minnow and you should catch fish. Later in the afternoon when the sun begins to go down, small spinner baits or small crank baits cast to the shoreline brush will be productive. I prefer small spinner baits due to the fact that they get hung up less. Largemouth bass: Spinner bait fishing is still hit and misses, but it is worth a try because you won’t know until you experiment. Crank bait fishing is hit or miss, but the problem with crank bait fishing is that there is so much submerged brush that you get hung up a lot. As I have stated in other reports, plastic worm fishing has been the most consistent for me and my clients for both numbers and quality of fish (4-6 pounds). Top water bite has been slow, but always try it late in the evening. I know everybody is crazy about buzz baits, but I find Hula Poppers or other loud baits work best because of the vast amount of cover. Unless the fish are on top of the brush, your buzz bait will go on by long before they ever figure out where it is. Pop Rs, Skitter Pops, or the like work well when you leave a long pause in between jerks. Main lake coves are the best places to be. Here’s advice to you power fishermen: the fish are fat, and extremely well fed. If you fish fast, you fish failure. Slow down. Channel cat fishing continues to be very good. Night crawlers, hot dogs, whatever you like to fish with for catfish all work. If you are patient and in the right place, 5-7 pound fish are not rare. Guide’s note: A large percentage of your bass are still full of eggs. So are the catfish, and even large crappie. It is advantageous that these egg laden fish be returned to make more fish. That is a fact of life in this day and age in which we live. My friend caught a 39 ½ pound flathead a week ago, and he turned her loose for this very reason. Those fishermen who like to hang the big flathead heads on their fence posts are taking away from our resource. You can catch more eater fish than you can eat in a short period of time. I can’t state how important selective harvest is. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS