jackaroe22677

Does anybody know if the walleye are on the dam yet? I fished a few hours tonight, no bites. Threw a purple shad rap and perch colored Cordell deep runner. Anybody have experience catching them out there or know what they bite on? Paul

We've caught hybrids and big whites trolling in the Warsaw area during the spring run. Then in August and the fall when the whites start to school, you can troll around points all over the lake and catch them. Somethimes you'll find a hybrid or stiper among them. We just use small flashy crankbaits on mono or fluoro, 8-10lb test. Best of luck!

Is anybody catching Walleye in the Tecumseh area? I'm coming down that way soon and would love any help I can get. Thanks in advance!

Has anybody been targeting or catching walleye? I'm coming down to the Tecumseh area soon and was curious if they have made their way up the lake yet. Thanks in advance!

Fish brush piles in the 15-20 ft range with a 10in texas rigged worm. Also throw around docks. Obviously docks with bush are best. Fish nice and slow. You'll catch some keepers - typically not huge numbers unless you're in the right place/right time, but you can catch some big ones.

Hi I took some advice and caught all 4 keepers on a 10 inch worm in the same brush pile in Indian Creek. No action on spinnerbaits or crankbaits. We did catch a few and had a number of good strikes on dark colored buzzbaits early in the morning when the clouds were covering the lake. I found this to be a remarkably quiet july 4th with regards to boat traffic and jet skis (compared to past years). Best of luck on the water, Paul

Howdy

Welcome back to Missouri, we're glad to have you. I'd love to hear how and where you caught those walleye in the main lake. I'll be down this weekend fishing the lake, mostly for crappie, but I love catching walleye. I haven't heard anything about the tailrace, but I bet you're right - should still be plenty of 'eyes about. The hybrids were biting like crazy at the tailrace when I was there 4 weeks ago. They're probably still around. Paul

Norfork lake and below Truman Dam are two of the best besides Bull Shoals. Best of luck

Finally got a weekend off. I'm wondering if anybody is catching fish below the dam. I was hoping to catch some walleye from the bank. Any reports? Paul

Great Testimonials! Thanks a lot. I'm setting something up with Tom based on all the good recommendations. Good luck on the water, Paul

Thanks a bunch vonreed, good call slider. Paul

Hey vonreed, great to hear you got out, and took your son no less. I was wondering where you caught those walleye and the hybrid. You fish from a boat or from the shore? What ya catch them on? I'll be at the lake next weekend, and I'm thinking about going to the dam for a day or so. Thanks, best of luck on the water, Paul

Hey CMAC, I fished on the Gravois arm last weekend during the real cold weather, and the crappie were biting pretty steady on minnows fished about 7-8 ft under docks that have submerged brush. We caught 2 limits. Just like St. Patty's day weekend, all the fish were BIG and FAT. Best of luck on the water, Paul

Congratulations. Glad to hear you did so well. Best of luck on the water Paul

I've fished there a number of times in the last 2 years. Bass fishing is generally pretty slow, but there are some big fish. I heard they shocked it about 3 years ago and pulled out a 13lb fish among other large fish. A nice thing about the lake is that they stock spoonbill - which I discovered last April when my brother and I each caught one. Whats more, we caught a little sauger there 2 years ago. Fishing the spillway from the lake to the Meremac is nice, I've caught a 16in bass in the little waterway, and landed a nice bowfin in the slack water closer to the river. I'm curious about the fishing conditions since the recent flood. The entire lake was many feet under the river, so who knows what the lake will hold now? I'll probably try the lake out soon if I can find some extra time, maybe I can make another report. Best of luck on the water, Paul Nice suprise last year

Went down to the river Tuesday 3-25, fished near the Madison-Wayne county line from Reed bend down to Huzzah Creek. Water was high (about 3-4 feet over normal) with pretty much debris, but otherwise clearing up nicely. Water temp was 46-49 degrees. In case anyone was wondering, no we didn't catch any walleyes. Only a small LGmouth, Spot, and SMmouth, but we lost a nice LGmouth that bit under the boat. Hopefully fishin' will pick up after the next series of rains pass and the water starts to warm. Best of luck to everyone on the water. Paul Nice little smally

Howdy I'm wondering if any who contributes to this forum has ever had success fishing for walleye or even heard of others having success fishing for walleye on the river. I've fished the St. Francis since I was little and I am aware of the historical walleye population on the river, and that the MDC stocked them from approx '96-'01 or '03, but I've never heard first hand accounts of any success or how/where/when one would be successful. Anyones info or opinions would be much appreciated. Also, I'm hopefully heading down tomorrow, so I may have a report. Thanks, Paul

Howdy Fished the dam for the first time this week with my brother, had little success, despite others seemingly having good results. No power generation during the entire trip, but there was heavy flow, and locals said the water was up approx. 7 feet. Arrived in Forsyth on Sunday afternoon after fishing Norfork for 2 days. Many folks at the dam around 3pm, no walleye biting. Returned at sundown (approx. 7pm), and about 6-10 fishermen at the wall fishing. Apparently 6-8 keeper eyes had all been caught during a 10-20min span about 30min before we arrived. All caught on rogues. We fished 7-9pm throwing rogues from the bank, and other than a foulhooked rainbow and a deep diving rogue I snagged with my deep diving rogue, we got nothing. Returned the next day at 5:30am, threw rogues without luck until the sun started to rise, then fished the tailrace in our 12ft jonboat until 12:30. Tried multiple rogues, shadraps, x-raps, huskyjerks, jig and minnow. Finally caught 1 small eye (15in) on minnow. A few other boats motored up to the race and threw rogues, but we didn't see anything caught that morning. Apparently the evening bite is happening, but little else right now. Thanks for Forsythian for his advice and help in planning our trip. Best of luck on the water. Paul Lots of water, but little luck at the dam.

Howdy, Just returned from a 5 day trip to Norfork and Powersite Dam, I'll post each part in the respective forums. I tried to post photos, but apparently I'm not smart enough to do that, sorry. Short Version: Walleyes are biting at Norfork Drove from St. Louis to Tecumseh on Friday 3-7. Had nice weather despite the sour forecast. Arrived at Tecumseh at 5:30pm, casted rogues for approx 1 hr without luck. Many other fishermen casting rogues, we didn't see anyone catch a thing. Fished again from 8:30-9:30 in 20 degree dark, caught 1 eye (~15in.) on a small purple floating rogue. This was my first walleye caught in Missouri, so I was pretty excited. Fished 3-8 at the forks pretty much all day. Again pretty cold 30 degrees, blue sky. Couldn't catch any on multiple rogues and deep rogues, also shad raps. Finally found a school on the North fork side of the forks and caught 7 eyes in about 1 hour on jig and minnow/jig and gulp minnow. 2 keepers at 18 and 19 in. One other fellow in the bank caught a keeper on what looked like a white rogue. Around dark caught 1 white on jig and gulp minnow. Went to powersite dam, had less luck, so returned to Norfork Mon. 3-10. fished at stump hole in the afternoon from the bank, landed 1 nice white on beetle spin with white jig. Report from a local of boats chasing schools of whites/hybrids catching them on a leadhead jig with blue feathers. Trolled around Tecumseh bridge around 4-5pm, caught another nice white and smallmouth on purple shad rap. Returned to forks for evening, got nothing, but on float down to campsite landed another keeper eye, 18.5in. on the same shad rap. Caught that one on my last cast as we pulled into the campsite. Many other fishermen around during the entire trip - everyone was very nice and helpful to my brother and myself who where fishing the area for the first time. We released everything we caught. Also, big thanks to Brian Wise who gave some good advice and helped me plan the trip, it was much appreciated. I will definitely return to the lake for future walleye or striper trips. Stopped at Current river on return to STL, caught 3 rainbows on mepps in about 1 hr fishing - rounded out a great trip. Best of luck to everyone else on the water.

Thanks again, Brian. Your help has been much appreciated. Can't wait to get down to the "forks". Best of luck in you future endeavors. Peace, Paul

Thanks Forsythian. That was my impression. I would love to have any info you may offer about fishing the area below powersite, or even further downstream. Is the fishing as good up beaver creek, or is the fishing about the same in the entire upper river stretch? My understanding is that using jerkbaits - rogues and such - is the best way to get bites. How do you do with x-raps and shad raps? I often use a jig and minnow to catch walleye once you locate them. Is that a good option in this area? Also, what is the lodging/camping situation around the dam? Sorry for throwing so many questions out there, but I really appreciate any help anyone has to offer. Good luck to everyone in their late winter fishing. I hope everyone is as excited as I am about the next fishing season starting. Peace, Paul

A big thanks to lilley for adding my favorite river to the site, and thank you also to jd for the excellent description. Paul

Thanks for the report Jim! Glad to hear you were able to get out on the water, a few kentuckies to boot. I went down to the St. Francis this weekend, and my favorite fishing hole was frozen solid. Guess I should have known. I've been looking at that area - Liner Creek and Fork Cove - as a backup, and it sounds like I may have to start there unless we get some rain. Quick question: where is a good place to get bait, etc if your coming to Norfork from the North? Thanks again for the report, best of luck on your next trip. Paul

I love Cherokee Pass. Paul