Thompson Fishing Guide Service

June 11, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level 879.54 Water temp 75 degrees Walleye fishing is still slow, but a few fish are being caught in the mouths of coves off the main lake such as Price Branch, Orleans Trail, and Greaser Creek. The crawler harnesses, along with a jig and medium minnow combination slow trolled or drifted in these areas will produce fish if you spend enough time at it. To say find the bait, find the fish doesn’t apply on Stockton Lake because of the mass amount of bait that you find just about everywhere you go. I think the abundance of bait attributes to the slow bite, thus the slow presentation. Why drive to town to get pizza when you can have it delivered to your doorstep any time you want? Guide’s tip: fish use their mouths in the way that you use your hands. In other words, hunger is not always the main motive. A fish investigates various items by putting them in their mouths. Fish can use their mouths as defensive or offensive mechanisms. Fish use their mouths to move objects from one place to the other. Fish do this because of course they do not have hands. So when you understand the many ways a fish uses his mouth, it will help you adjust your presentation. A few walleye have been caught on crank baits fished close to the shore, particularly at low light levels such as early and late or at night with a full moon. You need to experiment with the type of lure/bait that you are going to use. Light conditions and water clarity and wind direction should be taken into consideration at all times. Crappie fishing has been pretty good lately. We have caught fish in shallow water (5-7 feet) and suspended over deep water (35 feet). The majority of your crappie caught around wood and brush will be black crappie, and the majority of white crappie are being caught suspended in deeper water where rocky structure is present. Jig and medium sized minnow still works, as well as a Lindy rig with an Aberdeen hook drifted behind the boat with a medium minnow. You need to cover a lot of water to catch a lot of fish. They haven’t really bunched up yet. Turkey Creek arm, Maze Creek, the area around the 215 bridge and Mutton Creek are some good places to fish to mention a few. Night fishing seems to produce better quality catch in size and numbers by using a crappie light. Largemouth bass: in my last report I said that spinner bait fishing has been hit or miss. Well, for me on my last two trips, it has been a definite hit. I landed two bass on two consecutive casts, one weighing 6 pounds and one weighing 4 pounds. Both were stuffed with eggs. I took a photo and immediately turned them loose. They will appear in my web site in the near future. Crank bait fishing has been fair, and top water fishing has been slow. With so much extra water, and so much extra cover, you need to cover a lot of territory. Target brush that stands out from the rest of the cover, like willows or cedar trees as opposed to the buck brush that you see everywhere. These fish will be deep in the forests on sunshiny days and will move out to the edge of the brush as the sun sets. White bass fishing has been iffy, but a few are being caught either when they bust the top (which lasts all of about 20 seconds) or deep trolled around 30-35 feet of water. This means you’ll have to add weight to your lure to get it down that far. It is easier to put weight on the bait than use the mega deep diving plugs that feel like a bull dog is pulling on the other end of your line, and besides they don’t get deep enough anyway. I use a clip on weight system; clip it about 24 inches above the lure, and slow troll. You can use any kind of crank bait you want to accomplish this. Catfish: channel cat fishing has still been good, and I expect that to continue. My clients have caught several 5-7 pound catfish while crappie fishing a jig and minnow in the backs of coves. Night crawlers work well, along with the secret guide bait which is wienies rolled in strawberry flavored jello. This concoction may be banned from tournaments. Take your wienie, remember to leave off the bread and relish, chop it in 1 inch sections, roll it in powdered strawberry jello, put it in a plastic bag and let it set; the catfish love it. This is an old guide school recipe that is just now beginning to leak out to you amateurs. Fishing overall on Stockton Lake has picked up considerably and will continue to do so as we go into the summer. I predict that the rest of the season will be better than normal. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

May 24, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level 879.43 Water temperature 68-70 lower end of the lake Crappie fishing has picked up in the last 3 days due to the stable weather that we have had. Crappie are being caught in 10-15 feet of water; the main reason for this is that when the lake goes down, crappie (along with all of the other fish in the lake) will move slightly into deeper water. Fish are being caught around High Point, Cedar Ridge, Crabtree Cove, and Orleans Trail cove and in the Son and Sac creeks. Medium minnows on jigs seem to be the most consistent; however, small (1-2 inches) crank baits are also catching some nice fish. Crank baits can be either slow trolled or fan cast to the bank. Experiment with color, it really doesn’t seem to matter. Some days will be better than others, but it’s a lot better than it has been. Note to snake enthusiasts: while crappie fishing last week in a cove, I was viciously attacked, almost assaulted, and really scared (even though I am a tough fishing guide) when a 3 foot water moccasin risked its very life to climb in my boat. When the snake got close, I started beating it with my fishing rod, to no avail. The snake flattened out its head and proceeded to strike the air violently as he launched himself closer to my boat. It wasn’t until my client in the back of the boat hit the vile viper on top of its head with his rod tip that the snake retreated back into the jungle canopy. Just so you know. This snake was no doubt in attack mode. I was a hunting guide in Colorado for 15 years, and I have never witnessed an animal that went way out of its way to inflict damage and mayhem on a human. Be alert. Walleye are being caught in the same areas that I mentioned above for crappie. To say “I am going to go walleye fishing” is kind of a misnomer this time of the year because the walleye are intermingled with the crappie and the best technique for them is the one mentioned for crappie. It’s a hit or miss proposition, but on a good day, you should catch a few walleye mixed in with your crappie. Largemouth bass fishing has picked up considerably…I haven’t had as much time to go bass fishing as I would like because I have been busy with guide trips, but I did have an enjoyable trip Friday. And speaking of enjoyable trip, your water skiers and the big boats are back, so be careful of the large wakes they produce, especially in the large coves that they decide they need to ski in. This was a problem last year because of the dangerous water these wakes produce, and the lack of attention to water safety rules. These boats have been congregating in various coves like Hawker, Old State Park and Googer. About ¾ of the way back into Googer, is a large pile of submerged logs which ought to be about 3 feet below the surface now. I am amazed that one of these boats hasn’t collided with it yet. We caught a lot of small bass (which is a result of last year’s excellent nursery year) on small plastic worms fished above the submerged bush tops along the shore. That was fun for a little while, and then we decided to go after bigger fish, so we went deeper with larger worms (9-12 inches) and caught two real good bass. I lost a large bass by the boat that would have gone about 6 pounds. I did have a good day. The spawn is on in some places and not on in other places. I don’t pay that much attention to spawning bass because I don’t like to disrupt their reproduction cycles, so I concentrate most of my bass fishing in 10-20 feet of water where there will always be bigger bass no matter what the spawn is. Word of caution: be careful going under the bridges, especially the H street bridge; our future leaders of America (teenagers) are diving off of the bridge right next to the sign that says “Don’t Dive off the Bridge.” They are jumping right into the main lane of boat traffic. Also, for extra fun, they do not wear life jackets, so their bobbing heads are very hard to see. For extra extra fun, it seems like the road crew took the loose pieces of concrete (10-20 pounds or so) and laid them on the very edge of the bridge. It is only a matter of time before the continuous vibration of vehicles will cause these blocks to fall on your head or in the middle of your bass boat. Back to the bass, top water bite has been slow and so has the crank bait bite, however that does not mean that they won’t bite top water or crank baits. My partner used crank baits and spinner baits for about 3 hours and never got bit. He then put on a plastic worm and applied the special Thompson worm technique and caught 8 of our 13 fish. Channel cat fishing has picked up a lot also. These fish are located in the backs of coves; slow drift a gob of worms and you ought to have some cat fish for dinner. A couple of my clients have caught nice channel cats (up to 8 pounds) while crappie fishing with a jig and minnow. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

May 14, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Current lake level 881.59 Normal pool 867 Water temperature 60-63 degrees Twin Bridges area The lake situation remains the same as it was in the last report…about 14 feet high. However, my clients have been catching a few crappie and walleye in around 17-20 feet of water using jigs and minnows on the inside edges of coves (just outside of the submerged brush line). The presentation has been slow, and the bites overall are light, so you have to stay focused. You are going to feel your jig bounce the brush from time to time, and you need to differentiate between that and the fish. I combine the walleye and crappie reports together because during the spring they inhabit the same locations. Walleye are in these areas primarily to eat and the crappie are moving in to spawn. Small crank baits used early and late along these brushy shore lines will produce walleye and crappie. The weather should continue to be warm and stable through next week, so fishing should pick up for all species. White bass are being caught around Master’s and Crabtree Coves, and the Turkey Creek arm of the lake. Spoons such as Cast Masters are catching fish off the main lake points in these areas. The fish tend to move a little shallower in the day…you can catch them on anything from jigs to Rattle Traps. Like everything else, the white bass action has been spotty, but if you hit the right day, you should catch fish. Largemouth bass has been slow, but it has started to pick up. Fish are being caught on jigs or slow fished spinner baits on secondary lake points. Remember the bass are entering the spawning mode like the crappie, and will be affected by the water temperatures. Your better fish are being caught in around 15-20 feet of water, and tend to move shallower (5-7 feet) as the sun goes down. Cover a lot of water, because these fish are just now beginning to spread out before they move into the spawning beds. There may be fish spawning in some areas of the lake depending on water temperature. Bass spawn in water between 68-70 degrees. I don’t mess with the spawning bass because it takes too much time and every time you jerk a male bass off of the nest (even though you release him immediately) chances are you have been feeding the blue gill population. I know this subject (bed fishing) is not talked about much, but mark my words, in the near future it will become an issue. The boat ramp situation is about the same as last week; nothing is officially closed, but most of them you can’t launch a boat. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

May 7, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report As you all know, water conditions at Stockton lake are high (the highest was 16 feet above normal pool) which is the result of large amounts of rain. The rising water, however, is not really to blame for the hit and miss fishing this year, but it is the unstable weather conditions and the drop in water temperature that affect the fish. The reason I continue to repeat myself (reference the conditions) is in order to catch any fish at all, you as a fisherman or fishermanperson, need to adjust your tactics. Slow and small still seems to be the rule of thumb for bass, crappie and walleye. Largemouth bass: I was able to have a day off with nice weather, therefore I went bass fishing. In about 1 hour, I caught 4 good bass on a small ¼ oz white jig in the area near Miller Cove. Small plastic worms, Carolina rigged or Texas rigged, are another option. The fish were suspended over about 25 feet of water chasing shad. Another technique that you need to utilize during this present condition is to vertical fish main lake bluffs with a spinner bait and a Colorado blade. Position your boat close to the bluff, throw down the bluff, let the bait helicopter down and by all means, watch your line. Colorado blade spinner baits sink more slowly and uniformly than willow leaf blades. Also, particularly in the upper or mid section of the lake, the water is stained at best, therefore the extra vibration helps the fish zero in on the bait. When the bait hits the bottom, reel about 3 turns, let it sink again. I find that in stained water conditions, a bigger trailer on the spinner bait will help. Dark colors seem to work well in these water conditions. Crappie fishing has picked up from what it was 30 years ago. Well, not really, but it seems that long. Anyway, we have been catching crappie right on the edges of the brush line, which can be from 10-15 feet. Males are starting to turn up, which means the females will be laying a little bit deeper. Small Road Runners, small Beetlespins, small curly tailed (by small I mean crappie sized) jigs, fished along these edges, either with or without a minnow, have produced fish for my clients. We are a month behind and you need to consider that in your quest for where the fish will be and what they will be feeding on. Instead of fishing in early May, fish like you do in early April and in the same locations. That’s the same for walleye, bass, crappie. Check water temperature carefully. These fish will congregate in coves due to the fact that largely, the water temperature will be slightly warmer. Crappie spawn in approximately 63-65 degrees (sustained temperature, not this up and down stuff). If you are fishing in water temperatures up in the 50s, fish deeper. If you can find 60+ degree water, the fish will be more shallow. Look for 4 days of stable weather and the fishing should take off. As of right now, as in the days of Noah were, we are facing a great deluge. In Lamar MO, it is possible they’ll get at least 7 inches. We’ll just have to wait and see. Remember the boat ramp issue. Most boat ramps on Stockton (even though they claim they are open) are unusable. Getting a heavy boat back on the trailer in shallow water is a whole lot harder than getting it off. Make sure your motor is trimmed up a little higher than normal or you’ll gouge out a hole in the parking lot. I have been using Ruark Bluff and RB. On weekends, these parking areas can get congested. Walleye: Some walleye are being caught in the same areas that the crappie are being caught. Remember that this time of the year (early April, remember you’re a month behind), the walleye move into these areas to feed on shad. By using the same technique as crappie, you should find a few walleye. Added to the list of jigs, try minnow type jerk baits (Rapalas or Rebels), or lures like a small WallyDiver and WiggleWart. The crank baits will work a little better later in the day. I would concentrate my efforts at least north of the twin bridges, because if this rain produces what they say it will, the Son and Sac arms will be very muddy. With the fishing slow because of environmental conditions, coupled with muddy water, the odds are not in your favor. At least if you fish in clear water and don’t catch fish, you can be assured that the fish at least saw your bait. All jesting aside, I believe that when the weather stabilizes, along with the water temperatures, fishing will be incredible. There is tons of bait in the lake, a great deal of cover (which is more important than people realize), and new environments appear that help the fish. Watch for logs and snakes. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

April 30, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level 881.3 Normal pool 867 Water temperature mid section of the lake: high 50s Water clarity Twin Bridges area and south: stained to muddy As you realize, so far this spring fishing for all species has been spotty at best. My prediction is, however, that after the first week of warm weather and stable conditions, fishing will take off like a scalded cat. My clients and I have been catching crappie between 15 and 20 feet, which means the next movement the fish will make will be in shallow water to spawn. We have caught a few fish in 8-10 feet of water, and most of them are males. The reason for this is that the males are the first to move up and build nests and they have just begun to do that. Fishing on Stockton Lake as well as other highland reservoirs in the Ozark region is a month behind. Walleye are in the process of moving to shallower water (5-10 feet deep) to chase shad before the summer pattern begins. These fish are still a little deeper than normal and the fishing is slower than normal, due to the fact that every time we get a cold heavy rain, water temperatures drop about 8 degrees. Hopefully cold rains are over. Fishermen think that the rising water is what has kept the fishing from taking off, but in actuality, rising spring water stimulates the fish as long as the temperatures rise with the water, which has not been the case this year or last year. Same thing goes for bass, which are also behind schedule, but will move closer to the spawn when the water stabilizes in the mid to high 60s. Watch for warm stable weather. When that occurs, the fishing will pick up for all species. The lake level is dropping, which will eventually expose more boat ramps and easier access throughout the lake. As of now, I have been launching my boat at Ruark Bluff, Cedar Ridge and RB boat ramps. As fishing progresses, I will keep you informed. I expect this year’s fishing to be real good for all species. Guide’s warning: I have noticed water moccasins enjoying the warm sunshine and if you are not careful when you are in the brush, they will enjoy you as well. My experience with water moccasins is that they try to climb up the transom of my boat. While I was in the middle of a large cove last year, I had one snake that repeatedly tried to get in the back of the boat through the ventilation and drain holes. I have an 82 pound thrust trolling motor on my boat, and was finally able to outrun him. Guide’s warning #2: the hazards with stumps and debris floating in the lake are still very real. I’ll give more specifics on the individual species of fish as they continue to become more active. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

Cedar Ridge is one of the best remaining ramps on Stockton, according to the Corps...I have not seen it myself. I have been putting in at RB and Ruark Bluff, which are both very manageable. The ramp at Mutton Creek marina is ok, although the lake end of the ramp is pretty high, so watch your fingers (and arms). I watched three guys in an aluminum boat wrestle with the waves banging their boat up against the dock at Mutton Creek marina yesterday. State Park is shocking...just a few hundred feet from the (old) restaurant is where the lake starts and there is no parking available to speak of. The ramp at Old State Park is out in the lake, and there is no parking to speak of there either...maybe enough for 10 boats. Hawker dock is still pulled. Orleans Trail is dicey...some clients said there were service vehicles that were blocking the ramp today, plus they typically do not have much parking due to all of their sail boats. Crab Tree dock is pulled also. I'd go for the sure thing with RB or Ruark Bluff. As of today, for some unknown scientific reason, everyone seems to be catching drum, but I did notice one thing as I battled the great drum: between Twin Bridges and 215 male crappie are showing up in 8-10 feet of water. Because of the water clarity on the southern end of the lake (below 215), the crappie will spawn much more shallow than where they are staging at this time. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

April 23, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Current lake level 881.87 Normal pool 867 Water temperature 64.3 (up 8 degrees from 3 days ago) According to the Corps, no ramps are technically closed. However, there are definitely some that are better than others. No docks that were pulled (Crabtree, Hawker Point to name two) have been put back. Cedar Ridge and Ruark Bluff are two of the best, along with RB. Both Mutton Creek docks are under water, along with CC. Putting in at the marinas is dicey because of the lack of space to turn around and lack of space to park. Be prepared…bring your tall rubber boots and your boat bumpers because some of the docks that are open are just high enough that after you put your boat in, it will smash up on the underside of the dock. This year, like last year, because of the cold rain and rising water, the fishing has been very predictable. When the water drops 10 degrees like it did two weeks ago, the fish shut down. When you get 4 days of stable weather, the fishing picks up. This is particularly true in the fall and the spring when major environmental changes are underway. Something a fisherman needs to realize is that the rising water is not what hurts the fishing; in the spring it is quite the contrary. If the rains are warm, they increase the water temperature as opposed to cold rain which makes the water temp drop drastically and immediately. White bass are being caught in the Aldrich area near the 123 bridge and High Point. Fish are also being caught around Cedar Ridge and a few are turning up around Masters and Crabtree Coves. White and chartreuse rooster tails, road runners and 3 inch curly tailed jigs are catching fish. There are still big females in these areas that have not yet spawned out. When you locate fish, for the most part they should be relatively shallow… anywhere from 3-10 feet deep. White bass (like striped bass) swim up tributaries and deposit their eggs, the males then fertilize the eggs, and then the party’s over. White bass do not build nests and they need a certain amount of current to help in the germination process. I predict that as the weather stabilizes in May, white bass along with crappie, largemouth and walleye will be more predictable and will adjust to their summer pattern. Guide’s note: 4 things motivate fish activity whether you are a yellow fin tuna, or a channel cat: water temperature, barometric pressure, food and the impulse to spawn. White bass are where you find them and as the fish filter back into the main body of water after the spawn, I’d search the main lake points with my depth finder, and cover as much water as you can. Crappie: in the Son and Sac arms of the lake, upper regions of Maze and Turkey Creek, crappie have started to move into the spawning grounds. When the water temperature stabilizes around 60-65 degrees, the crappie are ready to spawn. However, most of the lake is not at that point yet, therefore the crappie are still around 15-20 feet deep waiting for the water temperatures to rise. Not all fish in a system as big as Stockton Lake spawn at the same time. The Corps has been releasing some water, but hopefully the levels will remain high until the spawn is over. The river channel below the spillway is already way up, so they can’t release too much (in theory). Like last year, this should be a productive nursery spawn, which means because the water is way up in the brush, the survivability rate of little fish is infinitely greater than when the water is low. Your large crappie (those bigger than your eater size) should be released to reproduce again. Big females are called brood fish for the simple fact that they are the production machines of a fishery. If fishermen kill enough large trophy fish, over a period of time, it will affect the overall quality of a fishery. Selective harvest is therefore a necessity. Secondary points are where some fish are being caught right now in around 15-20 feet of water before they move into the actual spawning locations. Medium sized minnows on 3/8 oz jig drifted across these points have been catching a few fish for my clients. You need to cover a lot of water because these fish are spread out this time of the year. As the weather stabilizes this next week or two (hopefully) the spawn will begin over a wide scale on the southern end of the lake and as time goes on, progress towards the dam. In actuality, crappie should be in full swing in the spawn now, but the conditions are not right because of the weather. Walleye fishing has been a little slow, however fish are starting to turn up off points in Mutton Creek, Ruark Bluff, and the 215 bridge just to name a few places. Fish have been hitting on jigs and minnows and just plain jigs without minnows with a curly tailed body white or chartreuse. The stained to murky water (depending on where you are) will have a lot to do with determining the depth of the fish. Late in the afternoon or early evening, fish will move up shallower (8-10 feet) and hang out along the brush lines. Minnow type baits and Rattle Traps in shad colors and clown colors work well at this time. Cover a lot of water. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

April 16, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Lake level: 883.37 Normal pool 867 The lake is 16 feet above normal pool, its third highest level ever. Fishing is slow. The first thing you need to consider before you come here is where you can put in your boat. On the west side of the lake, Ruark Bluff along with RB boat ramp is usable. You need to be real careful because you don’t have much depth due to the fact that you will be launching your boat out of the parking lot. Space will be very limited. Cedar Ridge and Crabtree Cove boat ramps are open as far as I know. Forget Hawker, Old State Park, and State Park. Check out the ramp situation before you come because I don’t fish out of every ramp, and docks are being moved frequently. The water south of the Y bridge is very stained. We have caught a few walleye in the area of the twin bridges on a crawler harness with a minnow and a large Colorado blade fished Lindy rigged style. For the most part, I would start my walleye hunt north of the twin bridges to the dam. A lot of the fish have already spawned and moved out to the main lake points again, so that is where I would start. The fish have been deep for the most part and the best presentation so far has been the jig and large minnow vertically fished. You’ll have to pick a point where you are out of the wind, which has been pretty bad the last few days. Hopefully it will settle down. Because they are deep most of the time, try spider line on your spinning rod and it will increase your sensitivity. If we get three of four warm days in a row, the walleye will bite pretty well along the brushy shore line on suspended jerk baits. I have heard a lot of comments reference the rising water and how it hurts the fishing. In reality, the rising water is not the problem; it is the unstable barometric pressure at close intervals, which has produced massive amounts of cold rain. This has slowed the fishing. Remember what you learned in fishing guide school: what motivates a fish the most? 1) food 2) barometric pressure 3) water temperature 4) the spawn (not necessarily in that order, of course). For white bass, you need to find running water to locate large schools of them. Look around the Turkey Creek area or Maze Creek areas. Some fish have been caught in the Sac and Son’s Creek arms, way up the river, but because of the coffee and cream colored water, and floating timber, your time and prop would probably be better spent above the 215 bridge. Largemouth bass: north of the Y bridge, is where the water starts to clear. Water temperature is important. Fish are being caught in the backs of coves (which have creeks) in around 55+ degree water. Pig and jig works, along with plastic worms or whatever provides a slow presentation. Suspended jerk baits will work also. The fish are still pretty slow, so the bite is very light. Some crappie are being caught in the deep timber, such as Price Branch, or the Turkey Creek areas. Your bigger fish are still deep, I guess you could call that the pre spawn, pre spawn pre spawn, but you can find them on your graph and the crappie we have been taking has been in around 30-45 feet of water if you can believe that. We used jigs and minnows or small jigging spoons with white buck tails on the treble hook. The fishing should pick up in the next few days, providing we have warm, stable weather. When it picks up, I predict that it will get real good in a real short period of time. It will be interesting to see how all this plays out reference boat access, and available parking. Because the river below Stockton is already flooded, the Corps has no plans to release water from the lake. Stockton will be high for awhile. One good advantage to high water this time of the year is it provides an excellent nursery environment for all baby fish and creatures that live in the ecosystem. If you have any comments or questions, let me know and I’ll do the best I can to answer them. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

April 2, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report The lake is up to 878.99 (normal pool is 867). The main problems with the rising water and the rain are twofold: when the water rises in the early spring it is usually because of a cold rain, which in turn lowers the temp anywhere from 8-10 degrees and also generally the unstable weather which produces the storm itself. During early spring, it takes about 4 days after unstable weather before the fishing picks up again. Due to the fact that we are now in April, it is only a matter of time before the fishing really turns on. As of this report, walleye are deep for the most part, and can be caught on secondary points and main lake points by bouncing jig and minnows off of the bottom after you locate the fish. The question that you need to ask yourself is “Have the walleye spawned in the area that I choose to fish?” In some parts of the lake, such as the Son’s Creek and Sac River, the fish have finished spawning for the most part and have or are moving back to the main part of the lake where they will do their summer thing. In the deeper areas of the lake, above 215 bridge, many walleye have not yet spawned. People make spawning such a big deal for walleye, but their spawning habits are quite different from bass and crappie. Walleye do not eat during the spawn and at least a week or ten days after the spawn. The real big advantage to spawning walleye is that you have a chance of catching a trophy class fish because the big females are for the most part ganged up together. Walleye do not build nests; therefore they are only in the spawning mode for a few hours before they return to the main part of the lake. Keep this in mind. As the month of April progresses, walleye will move into shallower water to feed along the brush line until the water gets into the 80s; then they will drop into the deeper water to follow shad schools throughout the summer. At this time of the year, walleye and crappie can be caught in the same locations because the crappie are in their spawning mode. White bass are starting to show up at the mouths of feeder creeks; if you have never fished Stockton Lake, find the feeder creeks on your map and what I mean by feeder creeks are those than run all year. Start fishing the adjacent areas with spoons, spinners, Rattle Traps, etc. When the white bass get turned on, they’ll hit about anything you throw at them. If the fish are not right in the mouth of the feeder creek or tributary, back off a little bit, and watch your sonar because they will be close by. Crappie: Crappie are still in deep water (30 feet or so) but are beginning to show a little activity as spring approaches. I have isolated my crappie fishing on the lower end of the lake above the 215 bridge because the water in the main tributaries (Sac River and Maze Creek) is very muddy. Deep brush piles or deep rock piles are the places you need to continue to look until the fish move shallower to spawn. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

Ruark Bluff or Hawker are the best ramps that are open. State Park is closed and Old State Park probably will be after tomorrow's storms.

My understanding of the Water Patrol's position is that these areas are open to fishermen, but the Corps says their leases with the marina folks allow them to restrict fishing in the areas that are leased to them. Unfortunately, the leases are not available for the public to see. I am quite sure that the Patrol would respond to a disturbance, but I think their hands are tied when it comes to the issue of whether or not boaters can fish marina coves...not just docks, but entire coves.

Yes it is worth coming to Stockton. See today's fishing report.

March 26, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report WALLEYE!!!!!!!!!!!!! The current lake level is 878.62…normal pool is 867. The rising water, muddied from the runoff from the creeks, has caused a lot of speculation and predictions on how the fishing will be affected. Will the walleye chase shad in the shallow waters of the coves? Or will they stay in the security of the deep waters (especially those close to the dam), and wait for the water to clear and warm up so they can spawn? Don’t put all your eggs in one basket when reading fishing reports online or talking to folks at the boat ramp. The roller coaster of cold fronts and warm days, combined with frequent rains and constantly flowing creeks, has negated the traditional patterns for the prespawn and spawn. You need to try a variety of tactics at this time to be successful determining patterns and implementing them at the right time. You can definitely find the fish on Stockton now, but you have to experiment to determine what they will eat. The best approach to catching pre-spawn walleye that are still 30-50 feet deep is the most basic, and that is the jig and minnow or jig and night crawler. You need to position your boat right on top of the fish, and fish the depth of the fish. If the fish won’t take these baits, vary the depth and see if you can draw a strike. If you are working a school of fish that you are staying on with your scope, give them about 45 minutes (switching baits) and then move if you don’t get a bite. The bite for the most part will be very light, so concentrate! If the walleye are shallow in the coves chasing shad, cast some crappie jigs (chartreuse or white) at them while they are on the move feeding. If that doesn’t work, throw a bright, suspended jerk bait or a swimming minnow at them. No matter what you do, fish til dark…they have been really turning on in the early evening til after dark. Things might be a little more unpredictable than usual right now, but when you find the right combination in the right place at the right time, you’ll have more than you can handle. Oh, and by the way, the "don't fish near MY docks" issue has been resurrected by a marina lessee who shall remain unidentified. You have a 50/50 chance of winning the argument if a representative of The Law arrives (Water Patrol has jurisdiction, Corps owns the lake, and they don't agree on this issue). My advice is don't choose this hill to die on if you are confronted by a marina lessee. I had two clients with me and was frankly stunned by the immediate hostility with which we were confronted. This is an issue that needs to be handled and clarified before someone gets hurt. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

Thank you for your good words. We were very pleased with the article and the exposure. By the way, that's not a picture of me, but the crappie is very good looking.

March 19, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Guide’s tip of the week: the more stable weather days you have in a row, the better the fishing will be. If you have a week of unstable days, fishing will be considerably slower. Point to remember: even though the majority of fish follow certain patterns, there are a minority of fish that do not. Therefore, somewhere on the lake, there are fish to be caught. With the torrential rainfall from the last 3 days, the lake is up to 875.9 (normal pool is 867). This will provide excellent spawning habitat for all species of fish. With a few more stable weather days, the fishing should really pick up. Walleye: You have to remember “pre-spawn” can be a relative term, but to look at the broad sense of the definition, the process begins when the walleye move from the deep basins of the lake and gather on main lake points in preparation for the actual spawning process. For the most part, spawning has already taken place in many parts of the south part of Stockton Lake because of water temperature. There are other areas of the lake, however, where fish are still in their late pre-spawn mode. The best approach to catching pre-spawn walleye that are still 30-50 feet deep is the most basic, and that is the jig and minnow or jig and night crawler. You need to position your boat right on top of the fish, and fish the depth of the fish and below. If the fish won’t take these baits, vary the depth and see if you can draw a strike. As I stated in my last couple of reports, these fish are still in the slow mode and it takes slow presentation to get them to bite. Here’s another rule of thumb: if you are working a school of fish that you are staying on with your scope, I’d give them about 45 minutes and then move if you don’t get a bite. The bite for the most part will be very light, so an angler who is concentrating will be the one that takes advantage of the few bites he will get this time of the year. Just because one school of fish won’t bite doesn’t mean another school of fish won’t bite. An approximate guide to the walleye spawn in Stockton Lake is early spring (March 16) through late spring (April 5). The reason it is important that you know these dates is so that you can adjust your tactics and techniques accordingly. If you are not familiar with the habits of the fish, particularly this time of year, you need to hire a competent fishing guide. Early and late, walleye are also being caught on suspended jerk baits in shallower water, do don’t get so focused on the deep fish that you forget the shallower bite at the right time. Crappie: crappie fishing is pretty much the same as it was in my last report. Crappie fishing has been fair in the Sac River arm and in the Turkey Creek arm fished over creek channels that meander through the timber. It seems like a jig head with minnow works better in the trees than a minnow under a weight on an Aberdeen hook because you have less hang-ups. Medium minnows are the best. How the flooding will affect the fish is somewhat uncertain, but I predict after 3 or 4 days of stable weather, crappie fishing should really pick up. Caution: Look out for logs, hay bales, limbs, dead cows and other debris that has washed into the lake the last few days. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

March 12, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Walleye: if you want to catch a big walleye, this is the best time of the year to do that. In areas of the lake, like the Sac River arm, the Son’s Creek arm, and Maze Creek, these are the places to be to name a few. Fish are being caught down by the dam and around the 215 bridge, but the spawn hasn’t really taken off there yet due to the fact that the water temperature for the most part is in the low 40s (average 41 degrees). At this temperature, however, walleye are staging to spawn off main lake points in about 15 feet of water. Walleye will spawn when the water temperature gets between 45-48 degrees, which is already taking place in the upper regions of your main tributaries. When the water temperature hits 50, spawning is over and the walleye will return to the main body of the lake. Understanding temperature is very critical. Another thing to realize is unlike crappie and largemouth bass, walleye do not build nests. They simply deposit their eggs in a gravelly bottom, males come in and fertilize the eggs, and the party is over. Just for your information, white bass do the same thing. When the walleye get real shallow, (3-5 feet deep) back off and cast 3/8 oz jigs or Cast Master spoons into these areas and you should catch fish. When the fish are deeper (15+ feet) off of main lake points or along the dam, you can drift a jig and minnow combination or jig and crawler combination, or crawler harness through the area and catch fish. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out when the fish are shallow, you are not going to be able to drift over the top of them without scaring them off. It seems like for the most part the jig and minnow this time of the year work best. Remember to use large minnows, which can be bought at Northshore Sportsfishing Bait and Tackle across from the dam 417-276-6727; wherever you buy bait, it behooves you to call ahead and make sure they have what you want. Try Masters Cove area, and also Cedar Ridge area for good walleye off main lake points. 20% of the walleye population on Stockton lake reproduce on their own and they return to the area where they were hatched, which not only includes creeks and rivers, but also structure like rip rap on the dam and bridges. The MDC fishing regulations state that from February 20-April 14, walleye can be taken and possessed only between ½ hour before sunrise and ½ hour after sunset in the unimpounded portions of all streams, except the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The main body of the lake is considered the impoundment, and the streams running into the lake are the unimpounded portions. So don’t fish for walleye in the streams in the dark. White bass will spawn after the walleye are finished when the water gets into the low to mid 50s. White bass are being caught off of main lake and secondary points with jig and minnows, jigging spoons, tail spinners (like Little Georges) in around 25-30 feet of water in mid-day. Late in the afternoon the fish will move up into shallower water and you can use the same lures, but back off and cast towards the bank to catch the fish. White bass are starting to stage for their spawn off of points adjacent to creeks and main tributaries of the lake. Cedar Ridge is a good place to look, also I would try points round Ruark Bluff boat ramp. Crappie are still deep (25-35 feet, maybe even deeper), off of main lake points with brush piles. As the water temperature warms, these fish will also be moving up the points into the spawning coves. Jigs and minnows seem to be the best weapon, at least as far as my clients are concerned. The bite will be very light, and you have to watch and feel at the same time. The best approach is to use your trolling motor to stay above the fish. Find the fish with your graph, and if necessary throw out a marker so you have a reference point. Even with a slight wind, you can float a long way off course in the time it takes you to get your tuna fish and boiled egg out of the ice chest. We have caught crappie in water down to 55 feet deep, so I guess deep can be a relative term, but they are where you find them. The gizzard shad, the main forage fish of Stockton Lake, seek warmer water in the winter. Therefore if you can find large concentrations of shad, they will be deep for the most part and crappie will be close by whether there is cover or not. Many times the shad will concentrate around under water springs, which pump out considerably warmer water than the surrounding water. Always remember, to know your fish, is to be familiar with his main food source. Largemouth bass: no largemouth bass report, due to the fact that my attention has been directed at walleye, crappie and white bass since the last report. However, you can refer to the last report, because the conditions are the same, so the technique will be the same. Guide’s tip: when you hire a fishing guide, anywhere, the first question you need to ask is “Do you have commercial guide insurance?” Not full coverage insurance, commercial guide insurance. Because if he doesn’t, he is putting you and your buddy in jeopardy. You will not be covered if there is an accident and/or death. Do you want to put your life in someone’s hands that doesn’t protect you? Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

March 5, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Walleye: On the southern end of the lake, in the Sac River, walleye have started to spawn, water temp has reached 45-48 degrees; large jigs and minnows are your best approach, white and chartreuse are the main colors. Slow trolled deep diving crank baits in around 15 feet of water have been catching fish, especially at night. Shad imitators seem to be the best lures. You have the pre-spawn mode in the main body of the lake, with water temps between 38-42 degrees. The big pre-spawn fish can be taken off of main lake points in around 35 feet of water, for the most part, on a large jig and minnow combination. If you can get minnows 4 or 5 inches long, bigger is better. We have been using ½ oz jigs with a 4-5 inch plastic trailer in white or chartreuse bounced on the bottom. Main lake points are still your place to be, but as water temps approach the mid to high 40s, these fish will move in shallower to spawn. They’ll spawn in the creeks and also rocky shore lines. They really get concentrated along the dam this time of year. Crappie: crappie are still deep this time of year, believe it or not, our most consistent bite for big fish has been off main lake points in around 40 feet of water. The bigger minnows, the better. Forget the 1 inch minnows that you can see through. In early spring when the water is still cold, the crappie will more readily take larger baits than smaller baits. You need to concentrate on your fish finder this time of the year, and find the fish before you put out a line. Because of the depth of the fish, and the cold water, it is imperative that you vertical fish with a tight line and pay very close attention due to the fact that the bites will be very subtle. Once you get into the hang of this technique, you’ll catch the biggest crappie of the season. I had two clients who were professional crappie fishermen and in two days of fishing in March, they caught 55 crappie, and only 3 were under 10 inches. The water depth was 55 feet deep, the location was the mouth of main lake coves, the surface temp was 37 degrees. Largemouth bass: because the water temperature is still cold, obviously slow is the only way to go. If you fish too fast, you might as well stay home and watch the continuous replay of the Superbowl. Number one attack is suspended jerk bait. In late winter and early spring, these fish will suspend, and the suspended jerk bait is effective because you can fish it slowly and you place the bait in the strike zone. Jig fishing has been productive, with dark colors being best, or plastic worms. Fish on chunk rock banks in around 25 feet of water, or off main lake bluffs that have slow, tapering points. As the water temperature warms, the bass will move into shallower water and become more aggressive, but until then, the going will be somewhat slow. Whatever technique you use, you need to be very focused, because you may be looking at only 4 or 5 bites a day. Be sure you get a Missouri Game and fish magazine, April edition (in which I will be featured) in a crappie article. If you plan a guided trip within the next two months, you need to make your reservations now. Reference the question posted in the last report, about following the walleye spawn to the dam, walleye spawn in 2 areas in highland reservoirs: creeks and rocky shore lines, such as dams and rip raps on bridges. 20% on the walleye on Stockton reproduce on their own. When the water gets warmer in the river arms on the southern end of the lake, the walleye begin to spawn there first. As the water progressively warms as you go north, it brings on the spawn in those places. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

February 27, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Walleye: Bigger is better when it comes to pre-spawn walleye. When these fish prepare to spawn, particularly the large females, they prefer a double meat burger instead of a French fry. For my clients, when the weather permits, we have been using ¼ oz jigs with a 3 or 4 inch plastic body, white or chartreuse in color, tipped with the largest minnows you can find. When I say largest minnows, probably the biggest you are going to find this time of year at the local bait shops are medium at best. Another technique that we use that has produced fish is a crawler harness with 2 minnows. Jigs tipped with night crawlers or night crawlers on crawler harnesses work from time to time, but the vast majority of our pre-spawn fish have been taken with minnows. Water temperature has been from 36-38 degrees; therefore you are looking at early pre-spawn. These fish for the most part will be deep (up to 55 feet) off main lake points. As the water temperature rises closer to 45 degrees, which is optimal spawning temperature, the fish will gradually go shallower. Work main lake points that are adjacent to year round running creeks where large numbers of walleye will go to spawn, and also rip rap, where walleye will also spawn. 20% of the walleye population in Stockton Lake are successful spawners, which is unusually high for highland mountain reservoirs in the south, so it is imperative that you eat the little males and put the big hen fish back so they can make more walleye. The lake is up at 870 now (normal pool is 867), due to rain, and should continue to rise (similar to last year), which makes for another excellent nursery year. A good nursery year basically describes the availability of cover for little fish to hide in during their pre-teen years when they can get picked off by everything that swims. Early morning and late afternoon walleye bite can be had my casting minnow type suspending jerk baits in around 8-10 feet of water. Cloudy days are best for this technique, and cloudy days have been the norm during the last month particularly. Keep an eye on the water temperature; these fish spawn at about 45 degrees. The second week of March should begin the spawn in the main tributaries, because of the moon and because the water temperature in these main tributaries will reach the optimal spawning temperature first. As March progresses, you should be able to follow the spawn all the way to the dam by using your electronics. Guide tip: Not all fish in a particular species spawn at the same time. This includes not only walleye, but all species that live in Stockton Lake. It is a progressive thing. There are a few days open on my schedule in March and April. My guide service will appear in Missouri Game and Fish in the April issue, on the topic of crappie fishing, and when it hits the newsstand, I will be booked up all the way into June, so you need to book your dates as soon as possible for these prime springtime months. Also, we have updated our web site. Check it out. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

January 2, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Walleye: take a Stockton lake map, find long tapering main lake points that descend into a river channel or a creek channel, spend some time with your electronics, and you should find fish. Depths may vary, but this time of the year you are looking at around 30-35 feet of water, on average. Fish may move up a little shallower if you have a warming trend, but walleye winter pattern usually means deep fishing. If you read my last fishing report (Dec 19), in the mouths of many of these larger coves, you’ll find springs. Bait fish will gather in these areas and so will the walleye. Jig and minnow or jig and half a night crawler are your best tools. Bounce the bottom and stay on top of the fish. Concentration is your best asset during this time of the year due to the fact that the majority of your bites will be very light. Watch your rod tip; some bites are so light you can’t even feels them. Small jigging spoons like the pepper spoon, Cast Master, etc. will also work well when vertically fished. Crappie: Like walleye, the crappie will be found in deeper water (30, 40 or even 50 feet deep) off of main lake points and secondary points that lead to creek channels. These areas may or may not have brush, but hold crappie in the winter. Read my last report on underwater springs. Usually this time of year you will find crappie, walleye and white bass in the same locations. They are there for the same reasons (warmer water, and bait fish). Like walleye, the bite will be very very light, so it is necessary that you are able to find fish in an area that doesn’t have a lot of wind so you can sit right on top of them. If you are fishing in 40 feet of water and the boat is being blown by the wind, you will have a big bow in your line and therefore you will miss most of your bites, except for of course, an occasional frost bite. Jig and minnow (I use a ¼ oz jig to get down that deep) seem to be the most consistent. You can also tip your jig with crappie niblets, or fish small spoons vertically. Largemouth bass: When the water temperature is as cold as it is (around 40-43 degrees), it takes a bass 10 times longer to digest a meal than it does in 80 degree water. Bass tend to feed less frequently in cold water, and they are more apt to eat smaller, slower moving bait. The key to bass fishing right now is 1) slow presentation, 2) proper location. In the winter bass tend to bunch up together, off of deep main lake points, the ends of bluffs, and channel drop offs. Slow crawl small jig and pig, finesse 4 inch plastic worms, Texas rigged, or drop shot. If you find water around 45-46 degrees in coves, try to slow twitch a suspending jerk bait like a Smithwick Rogue. The way I like to fish this time of the year with a suspending jerk bait is crank the lure down to its running depth (3 or 4 feet of water) and twitch your rod tip, allowing the bait to sit suspended for 15 or even 20 seconds. Repeat this type of retrieve back to the boat. If you have 4 or 5 days of warm weather, which we should have in the next week, bass will move up in shallower water on south facing slopes to catch the sun. The key to winter bass fishing is slow presentation. When the water gets below 50 degrees particularly, the bass will really slow down and may only eat once or twice a week. Guide’s tip of the week: I carry a large bag of cat litter in my tow vehicle to sprinkle on the ramp in front of my tires in case the ramp freezes. The way the weather has been lately, when the guy takes his boat out 10 minutes before yours, the water he gets on the ramp will freeze. Cat littler is not only good for cats, but it could help you also. Here’s another guide tip: Carry an extra change of warm clothes in your boat. If you fall in the lake and you can’t change out of your wet clothes, you probably won’t make it back to the boat ramp before hypothermia sets in. You may be a great swimmer, but if you fall in the drink at 40 degrees, it will be extremely difficult to stay afloat without your life vest. Wear it all day whether you are moving or not. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

December 19, 2007 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Walleye: After the cold front like we just experienced, the fishing will pick up substantially after 4 or 5 days of a warm spell. Walleye fishing has been good during these warmer spells off main lake points. My efforts this week have been above the 215 bridge to the dam. The best technique for this time of year when the water is cold (mid 40s) is your jig and minnow combination, your jig and night crawler combination, and spoons. Presentation is vertical. Fish have been holding in around 25 feet of water off these main lake points; however that can vary reference time of day and cloud cover. Bump the jig or the spoon off of the bottom and be focused for very light bites for the most part. Before I start to fish, I use my electronics to locate the fish. The shad will be more bunched up, therefore the walleye will be more bunched up. Another spot to look are creek channels coming out of the coves that will also hold fish. I use my color graph to find underwater springs, which appear like a geyser type configuration coming from the bottom. The water from the springs will be considerably warmer (around 53 degrees) as it comes up from the ground. Due to the fact that gizzard shad get stressed when water temperatures get 40 degrees or lower, they will congregate in these areas and appear as huge clouds. If your electronics do not indicate the spring itself, you’ll definitely be able to see the large clouds of bait. This is where the walleye will gather, sometimes in more than 50 feet of water. A slow, vertical presentation is the only way to go. Crappie: Good crappie are being caught in 25-40 feet of water off of deep brush piles. Obviously you want to mark the fish before you start to fish. Jig and minnow or Road Runner and minnow have been our best baits. Like walleye, the crappie will congregate in deep creek channels where you locate springs. The water is a little bit warmer, and you’ll have vast clouds of bait. Like walleye, the crappie bite will be very, very light, matter of fact you won’t always feel the bite, but you can see the rod tip straighten as the crappie pick up the bait. In these locations (the springs) crappie, walleye and even white bass will be in the same place. This is also a vertical presentation of course. If you have wind, you are going to have to find a cove where you can sit right on top of the fish, or it won’t work. A year ago, I had two professional crappie fishermen that I fished with and in two days we caught 55 crappie, of which only 3 were sublegal. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

December 5, 2007 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Walleye will be the only fish we will discuss in this fishing report due to the fact that it is the only fish I have fished for since we got back from the Thanksgiving holiday. If you are man enough (and/or foolish enough) to fish in this cold weather, here are my instructions to you: My clients have been successful catching walleye off of main lake points between the dam and the 215 mile long bridge. Fish are between 20-24 feet deep. The fish will be fat because they had a lot of bait during the summer months and will be good table fare. Surface temperature is 50 degrees, therefore slow presentation is necessary. Jig heads tipped with ½ a night crawler or a medium sized minnow are the ticket. The best days to go are days with minimal wind due to the fact the bite is very very light, it takes a vertical presentation, and a great deal of concentration. It is necessary that you keep your eye on your line and rod tip at all times. Many of the bites will be seen and not felt. When you detect a bite, it is important that you let the fish take the bait before you make a sweeping motion to set the hook. You basically have to feed the fish. If you jerk too soon, the party’s over. Bounce the bait continuously off of the bottom. Find structure and/or cover. Because of the cold weather, I recommend that you take plenty of hot, sweet coffee and soup. This will keep you warmer and help you maintain the proper concentration level. Walleye should start to spawn about the middle of February, so you can look forward to that. I will continue to fish during the next couple months, so if you can’t wait til February, call me and we’ll go. Next week’s report will include bass and crappie. For now, Merry Christmas and God bless you and God bless America. One more thing: here’s a Christmas gift idea for that someone special who you always buy socks, underwear or ties for. This year you need to look at a gift certificate for a guided fishing trip and I guarantee you will be greatly appreciated. Plus it’s a good stocking stuffer and it will get the old man out of the house for awhile. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

November 7, 2007 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Fishing has been affected somewhat by cold fronts and the turnover of the lake, however, fish of all species are being caught if you know what technique to use. Walleye are being caught around the twin bridges, which are at the two main forks of the lake, the Son and the Sac river arms. The most effective technique has been slow drifting ¼ oz jig and night crawlers across the main lake points in approximately 17 feet of water. Fish are also being caught by trolling deep diving crank baits in the same areas. Walleye are being caught with these techniques along main lake bluffs south of the 215 bridge and around the bluffs across from State Park Marina. Largemouth bass are being caught on crank baits and spinner baits in the same areas mentioned above in around 5-10 feet of water early and late. During midday when the sun is high, fish these same areas with jigs or plastic worms (which is a slower approach) in 5-10 feet of water. Fish are still feeding on shad and during the fall, as the water cools, you’ll find scores of bait balls in around 5-10 feet of water. Good channel cat fishing has been had by fishing night crawlers in the coves around Ruark Bluff campgrounds (east and west). White bass are being caught around the twin bridges by trolling weighted Rattle Traps or small shad imitator crank baits. A few fish have been caught in shallow water (8-10 feet) late in the afternoon, but the majority of the fish are being caught deeper (20-25 feet), which means in order to get a bait (even a deep diving bait) to this depth, I use a clip on weight system with about 1 oz of weight. White bass have acted very peculiar all year and have not shown their aggressive tendencies like they have in the past. If you troll deep, and cover enough water, you should catch them. I don’t know how white bass fishing has been on the rest of the lake, therefore my experience recently has been around the twin bridges. Crappie fishing has picked up a little bit, and we have caught fish in the CrabTree Cove and Masters boat ramp areas by slow drifting medium sized minnows with about ½ oz jig heads. People ask me why I use such big baits for crappie, and my response is twofold: bigger fish consistently hit bigger baits and when the fish are 15-20 feet deep, and you have some wind, you need to be able to keep the bait right above the brush as you drift or troll over the strike zone. The bottom line, however, is that this has worked for me on many occasions. I would spend some time in the Turkey Creek arm around Cedar Ridge boat ramp. Some good fish have been taken out of there in the last several days. Blue marlin: Costa Rica is the place to be right now for big Blue Marlin, for those of you who like big game fish. Just so you know. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

October 31, 2007 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Due to the fact that the lake is turning over, the fishing has been somewhat slow the last few days, however, most species of fish are being caught with some regularity. Walleye: The key to catching walleye at this particular time is to cover as much ground as possible. Set up a drift on a main lake point with minnows and jigs or minnows and night crawlers and put the wind at your back. Another technique for covering a lot of water of course is slow trolling (1-1.5 mph) with deep diving crank baits. Most of the fish are marked at about 15 feet deep, so concentrate your efforts at this approximate depth. Main lake bluffs in the Turkey Creek arm around State park marina will also produce fish. Late in the afternoon try fan casting the banks with jigs with white or chartreuse trailers. Another spot to look for walleye is Morgan’s Bottom and Miller Cove. Hope you have a map. Crappie: Use your electronics to find brush piles in around 15 feet of water. Back off and cast small jigs and minnows to the submerged brush and slowly reel the bait about a foot above the cover. In line spinners, Rooster Tails work well also. Crappie fishing has picked up somewhat this last week, so you can categorize it as fair. A place to look for crappie is the Turkey Creek arm around the power lines and Price Branch. The more time you spend on your electronics looking for submerged cover, the less time you’ll spend fishing in an area where there is no fish. The best technique to fish this cover is to drop a marker and then back off and cast. Largemouth bass: You’ll have a fair shallow water bite early and late, but your more consistent bite for bigger fish will be between 15 and 20 feet of water. When lakes turn over, bass tend to go deeper. Plastic worms or jigs are your best bet at this point. Secondary points seem to be the most consistent. Look for chunk rock shore lines and fish a little bit more slowly and you should catch fish. Here again, you need to cover a lot of water, but you still need to fish thoroughly. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

October 24, 2007 Stockton Lake Fishing Report Outside of the last cold front, which started Monday, the last week and a half has been pretty good fishing. It’s still the same ticket: main lake points in the middle of the day are the places to be for walleye, providing that the wind doesn’t blow like it has been. We have been slow drifting worms and minnows on a ½ oz jig head at the fishes’ depth (around 30 feet around high sun hours). This seems to be the most consistent during the middle of the day. The fish are still moving up late in the afternoon and evening around the brush to attack shad, and then we go to deep diving crank baits. I was asked by a client the other day “Why do you use deep diving crank baits in 5 feet of water?” The reason for this is because with the big bill it bounces over the brush better than a medium or shallow diving crank bait, and you get far less hang-ups. These fish will spread out when they come up into shallow water, so my best approach has been getting close to shoreline cover and casting ahead of the boat. We have discussed this in previous reports. Another good technique during the middle of the day with walleye is slow trolling crawler harnesses. Mutton Creek, Ruark Bluff, Cedar Ridge, and Masters are producing fall pattern fish. When the fishing gets good, like it was for the last several days (minus cold front of course), fish are relatively easy to find and catch. Crappie fishing in the timber has been fair to good, with a lot of fish 10-13 inches (which is not as good as it gets on Stockton, but that’s what’s going on now). Turkey Creek arm, as well as the Sac River arm around CC bridge is doing real good for crappie right now. Fish are being caught by slow trolling in line spinners like Rooster Tails and Panther Martins, white or chartreuse in color, in about 15 feet of water just below the brushy shore line. I had a man from Michigan call me the other night and say that he has been catching a lot of good sized crappie (I assume better than legal) on a fly rod. He says he has been using weighted fly line with any kind of a trout fly about the size of a small crappie jig. Something you might want to try if you are a fly fisher aficionado. Largemouth bass fishing has been real good all over the lake for about the last 10 days. The cold front slowed it down a little, but I still caught GOOD fish (3+ pounds). Crank bait fishing has been the best I have seen all year and even the spinner bait bite has been good. We even caught a 5 pound and a 7 pound catfish throwing crank baits the other day. My client thought it was because of my guide school university training and skill, but I think the stupid catfish would hit anything you threw out there. Anyway, back to bass fishing. Tube jigs and regular jigs are doing good on your chunk rock points, especially above the 215 bridge. The reason for this is that during the fall pattern (I just love to use these technical terms), bass will eat a lot of crawdads, and the habitat above the 215 bridge is very conducive to crawdad populations. Greens, brown, blues, with a dab of yellow or orange, those are good colors in this situation (cause that’s what color crawdads are and that’s what’s on their minds, particularly smallmouth). I caught a 4 ½ pound smallmouth last week with this technique using a jig, but I can’t tell you where. Fall means wintertime is in the near future and Bighorn sheep, elk, black bears, and bass, crappie and walleye ready themselves by eating as much as they can. Therefore, good fishing conditions. Need I say more? Plus it is one of the greatest times of the year to observe the glory of God in all of its grandeur. November fishing is good for everything…I am booked the last two weeks, but have some days open in the first half of November. Guide’s tip of the week: remember as the water continues to gradually cool off, bass will gradually slow down, therefore you must slow down. You can’t fish this week at the same speed you did two weeks ago. Marty Thompson Thompson Fishing Guide Service www.fishstockton.com 417-424-BASS

For those of you who have sent me emails or asked me questions on this forum in the last 10 days, sorry I haven't got back to you. We had a ginormous tree fall on our house and then for extra fun the computer crashed. We are back in business, so be patient and I'll get back to you. There will be a report tomorrow. Marty