focused fishing

Phil & Bill, Kory & I will discuss the event on next Monday's radio show. Anything you want highlighted that isn't in your post?

Good question, we catch a bunch of small fish in the spring 6" - 12" on grubs, the average brownie is probably around 13" - 14" year round with plenty of 15"+ fish to keep it interesting. Not sure on the lake record, I know of at least 10 over 6 lbs. caught in the last 3 - 4 years with a couple over 6.5. I'm convinced the next state record will come out of TR and it will be pushing 8 lbs, saw one up shallow "crusin" last year during the spawn that I would estimate at 7.5 lbs, thought it was a carp at first, of course everything looks bigger in the water. Before anyone asks I'm not telling where it was....... EP

Right now the fish on gravel have been hitting the bait with a slow roll / stop and go retreive. I keep the bait on the bottom and if I loose contact I stop until it hits bottom again and restart the retrieve. Most of the bites have been on those subtle drops where the bait looses contact with the bottom. The number of fish has steadily increased on a grub in the past week, we really didn't catch to many over the weekend but Tuesday was pretty good. I was a little handcuffed on Tuesday with my clients, they weren't comfortable throwing jerkbaits so they threw grubs all morning. Did o.k. for this time a year (great compared to last Friday & Saturday), but this bite will only get better. With the warm rain tonight and Friday the bite should improve, IF the cold front Friday doesn't knock them back down. Good Luck, EP

Kimberling City Area: Finding and staying with the shad is still vital to catching fish, most of the fish are being caught on Lucky Craft Pointers or Spro McSticks in Table Rock Shad and Chartreuse shad on deep chunk rock points. Wind helps this bite out quite a bit, pushing the bait and the fish shallower. You can also catch quite a few fish on an Eakins' jig fished on steeper channel swing banks in the major creek arms, brown/purple flash with a cinnamon purple Yamamoto twin tail has been the most effective bait. James River: The James has a good stain to it right now. Fish are still moving up on sunny, deeper banks when the sun is shining. Fish with a Eakins' jig with either a Yamamoto twin tailed grub or a pork chunk for a trailer, let the water color dictate your jig color, the more stained the water is the darker your jig and trailer should be. Missouri craw and black/blue flash are your two best colors right now. White River: Look for fish to be moving back into creeks following schools of shad. You can catch fish on both a Lucky Craft Pointer or McStick on the deeper points and on an Eakins' jig on the channel swing banks. Best color for the jerkbait has been Nishiki while PB&J is your best bet in an Eakins' jig. Closer to the Baxter area you can also catch quite a few fish on pea gravel banks with a Yamamoto salt and pepper single tail 4" grub on a 1/4 oz. head, the harder the wind is blowing the shallower the fish will be. Dam Area: The deep bite has slowed in the dam area as the fish are starting to move up with the warmer weather. Best bite has been on a Lucky Craft Pointer fished on deeper wind blown points, best color has been chartreuse shad in the 78 size. In addition there have been several smallmouth being caught on windy pea gravel points, fish a Yamamoto 4" single tail salt and pepper grub on a 1/4 oz. head. If the wind is blowing hard enough the fish will be right on the bank chasing shad. Don’t Miss Tournament Fishing Radio on ESPN 1400 AM Springfield Mondays 5:30pm and Saturdays 5:00 am or on-line at www.espn1400.com www.focusedfishing.com

Don't forget registration for the Pro-Am closes next week call the CPAA office to sign up: 417-335-5075! You can enter the team event at the ramp. See ya all there!

Slabhunter, You are in the White River, near Campbell Point. The bite in that area has been on jerkbaits, wiggle warts, single tail grubs and jigs on channel swing banks and adjacent points in the creek arms and up the river. SM have been a little harder to come by in that area but target the ends of the swings where rock changes over to gravel. Look for water temps in the upper 40's / low 50's to be the most productive. Hope this helps. EP

Just glad this w/e is over...... Was on the same trip as Bill on Firday, four bites 3 fish one keeper all on jerkbaits. Against all things logical went back out on Saturday with the same group and managed one bite and no fish, called it a day at noon, it was brutal..... Sunday we decided to live and die by the Kings River, we had caught several keepers including a couple of better fish last w/e and thought that was our best bet. Managed four that would of weighed about 11lbs and had several others pull off a wart and jerkbait that felt better but never got close enough to see. They just were not committed to the bait, everything we landed was on the back hook. Alot of spongy soft bites, water still had great color but had dropped from 48 - 52 degrees to 45 - 47 and the fish just weren't as aggressive as last w/e. To add insult to injury as we were coming around the point across from Mill Creek I spun the hub on my prop and was dead in the water at 2:55. GOOD TIMES!!!! EP

Hey Joe, Have you ever tried the "flick - shake" method (small jig head) with your wacky rig? I played with it a little last year but the high water made it difficult. Hoping to give it a run this spring for deeper staging fish.

Best bite has been on the 7/16 oz. on 12# fluoro.

Not sure how many wer lost but it looked like quite a bit of damage. They had a 30 second story about it on KY3 here in Springvegas a couple of nights ago. Hoping to get back on the water this w/e and see for myself. If I do I will take pics and post them. Anyone heard anything about ramp conditions????? Hoping it will melt off enough today to open the roads and ramps. EP

Not sure about the lower end other than what has been on the local news (State Park). Talked to some friends that have a house boat in a dock in Shell Knob and the dock was still up right but sitting low in the water with all the extra weight. They felt it would be back to normal by this evening with amount of melting taking place. Phil take care on that drive I hear the roads are still dicey in the Cricket Creek area. EP

Im a shaker and a bender........ Techo let me know where the meetings are. Anyway, Wackem' I have used the BPS 7'6" medium heavy for years for deep crankbaits. Good action and the extra length lets you throw the bait quite a bit further, plus when it comes to crankbait rods I'm a pretty cheap date. EP

Kimberling City Area: The water temperatures have dropped over the past few days and it seems to have effected the location of both the fish and the bait. While the deep bite is still the most consistent pattern several fish have been caught on single tailed grubs and Smithwick Rogues and Lucky Craft Pointers over the past week. For the deep bite the usual white War Eagle Spoons, Chompers Drop Shot Worms and single tailed grubs have been effective in the guts of creeks and tree tops off secondary points, most fish are holding between 50’ – 65’ deep. On windy days a jerkbait or single tailed grub are your best option; fish either around isolated standing timber about mid way back in creek arms. James River: The James was hot this past week several reports of good fish being caught on ledge rock banks and bluff ends with PB&J or Brown Eakins’ Jigs and Craw combos. Pitch the bait to the bank and work it down the ledges back to the boat, most of the bites are coming as the bait falls from one ledge to another so pay close attention to your bait as it falls. Smithwick Rogues and Lucky Craft Pointers have also been very effective around isolated trees and brush piles on windy mixed rock banks. Chrome / blue and chrome / black on sunny days and chartreuse shad on cloudy ones, still no need to pause the bait for a long time most of the bites will come once the bait settles for about four or five seconds. White River: The deep bite still dominates the White River from Baxter to Shell Knob; War Eagle Spoons, Chompers Drop Shot Worms and Smoke colored tubes have all been effective in the tree tops in the major creek arms. Look for birds to show you where the bait is and in turn where the fish are. You will still need to “work” these fish to get them to bite but there have been some really big Kentuckies caught in this area recently so they are worth the effort. An Eakins’ jig and craw combo is your best bet up the Kings River. Channel swings, ledge banks and bluff ends are all holding fish from the bank out to 25’ deep. Slowly work the jig from one ledge down to the other paying close attention to your line as the jig falls. Dam / Branson Area: The fish in the dam area are very shad related, if you find the bait you will find the fish. Let the birds show you where the bait is and in turn you will find the fish. Once you locate the fish your best bet is still a War Eagle Spoon, Chompers Drop Shot Worm or Smoke Tube dropped in front of the fish, much like the rest of the lake you will need to “work” these fish to get them to bite. Up Long Creek several fish are being caught on Smithwick Rogues and Lucky Craft Pointers around the isolated laydowns and standing timber on chunk rock or mixed rock banks in the bigger creeks and pockets. Don’t Miss Tournament Fishing Radio on ESPN 1400 AM Springfield Mondays 5:30pm and Saturdays 5:00 am or on-line at www.espn1400.com www.focusedfishing.com

I throw both the 1.5 & 2.5 a bunch summer through fall, haven't used the 3.5 much though I own a couple. I talked with Clunn (dang I feel like a freaking name dropper) shortly after they came out and he explained it this way: If you can see the cover, shallow brush or lay downs, throw the 1.5, if it is a little deeper cover down to around 3' throw the 2.5, for cover up to 4' deep throw the 3.5. The bait is designed to be thrown beyond the cover and worked through it, I'm always amazed how easily they come through cover. I think the 3.5 would be more effective on dirtier water like Truman where you need the extra bulk, of course there would need to be some fish in Truman to prove that theory..... As far as colors are concern the best two I've found are; copper green, works well in clear to stained water and chartreuse perch for stained to dirty water. I noticed they came out with a sexy chartreuse shad that I'm going to have to buy ..... dang it. Those are really the best two colors, I own several others but have the most success with those two. Haven't tried any of the deep divers yet but might this spring, looking for something that runs like a wart that I can throw further into the wind. If you primarily fish Table Rock the Copper Green in both 1.5 & 2.5 should work best. Hope this helped. EP

Hey Techo, We kicked around the idea of adding a forum to the espn site but neither of us wanted to monitor it. I don't know if Philis interested in putting something on Ozark Anglers, Kory and I could ad topics and see if anyone want to talk. The Kast Kid Tournaments are going to be cool, going to start with two this year, hopefully four next and eventually a championship. The whole idea is to get more kids fishing. The website is up and is filling out more and more; http://www.kasttournaments.com back to your regular topic.... EP

I use 3/8 oz. & 1/2 oz. barrel / finesse style with a swivel clip they seem to slip over limbs better than ball, diamond or bell style sinkers. I never notice any better action with a lighter weight when fishing vertically although I do get the occasional "sinker strike". I want the bait in the strike zone asap therefore I prefer a heavier weight. EP

A few of the guides I run with refer that line after guide trips. EP

Hey Gabe, I'm not familar with the Loomis. I use a Falcon Low Rider 6'6" medium light action. Real soft tip to work the bait and play the fish but plenty of back bone for a good hook set. EP

I think Phil is right, if you feel the guide did a good job and actually worked to put you on fish and helped you catch them 10% - 15% would be a good tip. There really isn't any rhyme or reason to the tips I have received; I’ve taken people out and they have told me it was one of the greatest fishing experiences they have ever had (numbers of fish and size) and they haven't tipped at all and others we have struggled to catch a few and they have tipped very well. I think it is an individual choice based upon how you feel the day went. Don't know if this helped at all........ EP "So I jump ship in Hong Kong and make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald... striking. So, I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one -- big hitter, the Lama -- long, into a ten-thousand foot crevice, right at the base of this glacier. And do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga...gunga -- gunga galunga. So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consiousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice." - Carl Spackler

Hey Edwin, Not that you need to hear it from me again but I love my Lowrance for vertical fishing. As far as the size being in the way I haven't had a problem and niether has anyone else I know that have them. Of course most of us are fishing out of 20'+ boats. On your smaller rig I would suggest getting a ram mount like you saw on mine that way you have the flexability to swing the screen out of the way of the deck, just remember to lay the graph down when you are running. As far as the HB units, like I told you I plan on purchasing one later this year for my console, I think the technology is awsome for searching ad locating structure, cover, etc.... But to paraphrase Charlton Heston..... They can have my Lowrance when they pry it out of my cold dead hands..... Or maybe .....get your stinkin paws off me you darn dirty ape.. I never know which quote to use. Let me know if I can help in any way. EP

I change the hooks on every crankbait I throw to Gamakatsu round bend or Ewg trebles depending on the type of bait and cover I will be fishing. Anything thrown around wood gets round bend. Fluorocarbon is a must, the bait dives a little deeper and you can feel much more. Unlike everyone else I prefer to use a 6:1 ratio reel, I use the same reel for every application and adjust my retrieve speed, something Clunn talked about a few years back... Use a soft action rod, glass or glass / graphite composite. You don't need to spend a fortune to do it either. I own and use Bass Pro Shops cranking sticks, less than $50, great action, castability and unbelivable value. I use both the Rick Clunn split rings and locking snaps, much better action on every crankbait. ALWAYS fish into the wind, not with it! You can control the speed and depth of your bait much better into the wind than when you are being pushed by it. Line Size: Wart: 8 - 10 fluoro Series 400 - 500 Strike King: 10 fluoro DD-22 / Fat Free: 10 - 12 fluoro Squarebill / RC series: 15 - 20 fluoro Last thing: Pay extra for quality baits, I love to throw shallow running crankbaits summer through fall. I have a box full of Bagley Squarebills that I don't throw any more since Lucky Craft came out with the RC series. The RC's cost three times as much as "new" squarebills but they run true out of the package, cast better and are much more durable than Balsa B's. Some argue the action is not as good or they don't catch as many fish but to me they out perform every squarebill I own for one simple reason; I don't have to spend time tuning and re-tuning through out the day. More casts = more fish, and personally I think the action is every bit as good as a squarebill. If you have the choice between a high quality, higher priced bait and a "store" brand I suggest buying quality everytime. Hope this helps, EP

Had a full day yesterday and 1/2 day today: Kimberling City: 45 - 47 degrees Aunts Creek: 43 - 45 degrees Baxter: 44 - 46 degrees Indian Point / Dam Area: 46 - 48 degrees Much warmer than anticipated! Unless we get a week long cold snap doubt their will be a shad kill this year. Found plenty of deep fish on Saturday but the wind made it difficult to stay on them and they were finicky. Much better this morning, less wind, could stay on top of the fish and work the school much better when we got bit. Still biting a drop shot better than a spoon or grub. Most of the fish came in and around cedar tree tops 48' - 74' overall depth in all areas both days. 4 keepers Sat (8hrs) 14 keepers Sun (4 hrs). Almost all KY's and a couple of SM. Didn't fish shallow either day so not sure about the shallow bite. Good Luck, EP

Phil is right. It will take a longer cold spell to drop the water into the 30's and produce a good shad kill. There may be some areas in the backs of major creeks and up the rivers cold enough but the overall temp will likely stay warm and the shad will likely move to warmer water closer to the channel.

Glad you like it. Hopefully Phil or Bill will pin it or add a link. EP

We just added a tournament calendar to the Tournament Fishing Radio website. It lists national and most of the larger regional tournaments by month. It is in word format so you can print it if you like, plus all of the listings are hyperlinks to the tournament organization putting on the event so you can get more information if you like. Follow this link and hit the "Tournament Calendar" button to check it out: http://www.espn1400.com/pages/TournamentFishing.html We will add events as they are announced. EP