Stockton Lake Guide Service

a few of the campgrounds are locked up, some are still open. I'm pretty sure cedar ridge and ruark east are open. just no electricity and no h2o, not to much in the lake either!! Good luck

Stockton Lake Winter 2012 Fishing Report The winter bite is just about here, and the crappie are really getting going. As the water continues to cool, the bite will become pretty stable and there shouldn’t be much change between now and the spring bite. The fall crappie bite has been pretty good, with more awesome days than the “why aren’t they biting” days, but with the water cooling into the 40’s, the fall bite is about over and the winter bite is starting. If you want to catch crappie during the winter months, you only need to remember one word, SHAD. If you can locate the shad you are probably going to locate the crappie. Your best bet to locate the shad during the winter months is to look in the middle of the coves, in about 30 foot of water. I have seen them in 20 to 25 and all the way out to 50, so be a little flexible. The shad should show up on your graph like a big cloud on the screen. Once you locate them, the fish should be under them, waiting for the weak ones to drop out of the sky and into their mouths. I usually will fish about 4-5 foot off the bottom, but again, this changes sometimes. The bite isn’t a hard powerful bite, more like one little bump, and you need to set the hook. It does take some practice and some getting use to, so don’t give up to quick and pay real close attention to the line. There are times that you can catch them by watching the line move just a little and you don’t even feel a bite. Also, a good sensitive rod is a must. Not just a “micro light” but something that has lots of sensitivity. By getting a good quality rod, you will catch 3 or 4 times the fish. No need for minnows this time of year, just an 1/8 oz jig and a 2” grub, and don’t forget to get you a sharp filet knife, you will probably need one. The walleye are not something that I try to “target” during the winter, however I will catch plenty of them while crappie fishing. On occasion I have tried using a jig and crawler rig, but I think I do just as good catching them while crappie fishing. They are under the schools of shad just like the crappie. Stockton winter bass fishing is awesome. Once the fish get done with their fall feeding they will move to some brush and along the steep banks on the main lake. Jerk baits, jigs, and tubes will entice some bites and it’s an awesome time to get in touch with some of Stockton’s big largemouth. It will take a little time to get to know the areas, but start out fishing the marked mdc piles to get your confidence up then go out and locate some brush piles off points and the steep rocky banks. You will be glad you spent the time looking. Hope this will help you catch some winter fish and as always, feel free to call me at 417-637-BASS, and don’t forget to put on your life jacket!! Bob Bennett Stockton Lake Guide Service

Fishing has been great along the bluffs and channel drops, however over the past few days things are changiing. bites have been harder to come by. you might want to start looking for the shad and fish under them or hit trees in 25 foot of water. we are still catching crappie, its just slowed down over the pas 2 day. if you didced to go, make sure to have a coupld of plans. they are biting. talkeing to some guys and they had 30 compared to my 7, it took me about 4 hours and them all day, but they still got me. for those of us that wnat to spend the time, crappie fishing is exceloent. for those that want to make a quick trip, the ay will serarching and yelling at us for telling you they are biting. the water is 51 and were 6 foot low. be carefuld please Bob Bennett Stockton lake guide service 417-637-2277

Sorry it has been so slow to type reports. i had an operation on my arm and it has taken months to get healed, which its still not. I'm still fishing most everyday and trying to help our as many people as possible find some fish. I can type again for now, so maybe ai will keeop up with the reports. Lake level is about 5 foot low with the water clarity about normal. Water temp is hovering about the 80's in most places but that seems to be something that is gonna change a little over the next week. It looks like several species of fish are making a fall fun, or at least starting to, over most of the lake. I am catching some big crappie in 14 foot of water with minnows and jigs. We had 17 tonight on a 2 hour trip and the people were thrilled to catch the fish so fast. Not all days have been like this, but the fish are out in brush in 10 to 15 foot and in the standing timber up sac river. Minnows worked best today, hoever the jig bite is picking up. Every brush pile we pulled up on we caught fish. Walleye are moving up the rivers on flats and logn points. they are still hitting jigs and crawlers, however some people are trolling and that is worlking some. Stay on flats in 6 to 15 foot of water, and hit them brush piles. Catfsh are still feeding on the flats. great time to catch them. get some fresh shad and go drift fish for them on the flats in 6 to 12 foot of water. you will catch fish!! the whites have been spotty, but i have seen them surfacing some. when you see this, throw a rooster tail!! Good luck fishing and as always give me a call at 417-234-8988 with any questions. Bob

who is putting this tourney on? is it the team ranch or another boys ranch?

Ill repost a fish report. It never posted but I got the pic uploaded. Try posting this evening

Not sure if report posted from my phone but here is pic of biggest of 7 keepers this morning. Weighed 8.03 lbs. 27 3/4".

It's been a while since i posted a report, but it's been a busy spring, and a really good year!! Took some folks from Florida on a trip this morning, and finally the weatherman got it right. We got on the lake about 7 am, after I just about overslept, they forgot to by their license, and we spent way to much time at the bait store. but we finally started fishing about 7:10 am. By 8 am, the skies were dark, lightening was going off, and we headed to mutton creek for cover. The only good thing so far was the 3 keeper walleye we had in the live wells. After about a 90 minute delay, we returned to our spot and caught another 9 keeper walleye and several shorts. all of the fish came on lead heads and crawlers in about 15 foot of water. After a visit from some of missouri's finest, we decided to turn our efforts toward some crappie fishing. We started out fishing in a 15 foot brush pile but only had 1 hit. We moved out to another brush pile in 17 foot and the fish were loaded up on the brush. we fished with minnows and jigs for the next hour and ended up with 19 keeper crappie and about 10 shorts. they were biting excellent, even after the storm hit. Although we didn't try for any catfish, they have pretty much completed the spawn and can be caught on flats and points in 10 to 20 foot of water. we had a few while walleye fishing today and I have talked to some people that have been doing good on flats and in coves drift fishing for them. Bass are on points and on brush piles up to 20 foot deep. the bigger fish are hitting big jigs and worms. Hope this helps you a little bit, give me a call if you have any questions. And I am trying to upload a photo of the catch but having a little trouble. It's either the fish or the file are to big.

crappie queen, I really don't get on this site with the attempt to "sell" a guide trip. I've been laid up for the past 2 weeks and fishing has been a bonus instead of a job. That picture is of two guys from springfield mo. Both good fisherman and they caught some really good fish. I took them out for a 4 hour trip. They went right back the next day and said they only had one keeper (I think that is what they told me) I went back out there with my cousin that evening and fished till dark. We had some good fish, but the bite had slowed down some. If you are wanting to catch some good fish, try trolling a 200 series bandit crankbait in 15 foot of water around secondary points and in the same depth through the coves,. It will help you locate some fish also, but will also catch you some really good size crappie. i used a "mad cow" color the other day and it worked better than anything else, but not sure if it really matters much. Good luck and hope things get going better for you. If you keep hitting the lake 3 times per week, you will find some good fish on this lake!!

if you want some crappie, close access to ramp, then either the 39 access across sons creek or look on a map and put in at springfield cove. the road ends in water, and that cove is loaded with crappie. that would be my personal pick and better walleye chance!!

04/09/2012 Lake Level 686.12 Water normal to slightly stained Water temp is approx 65 (I have seen as high as 78 in the middle of the day) That is well over 10 degrees warmer than this time last year. The fishing on Stockton has been just about as hot as the early spring. The warm nights and hot days has moved up the spawns and the fish are going crazy. It’s been a great spring so far and the water levels and conditions have made for an awesome fishing opportunity. Other than a few “off” days, most everyone I have talked to says the same thing, they admit to catching a limit of crappie, and most of the time add that they either caught or lost a nice walleye. This really makes me mad because I had to have my elbow operated on last Monday, and for the past week, all I can do is listen to everyone elses stories. Hopefully that will all change by wed!! I have still had guide trips out with some other guys that guide with me and I talk to others on the lake daily. The only difference is I am sitting back depressed while everyone else gets to catch the fish. The crappie fishing has been awesome to say the least. About 3 weeks ago the crappie moved into the rapidly warming shallow waters to feed up before the spawn. Although there are lots of varying opinions on if the fish are spawned out, are spawning, or are prespawn, the fact is you can catch them in 2-6 foot of water pretty much lake wide now. I have been fishing up the rivers for the past 3 weeks and have been catching the crappie under a strike indicator (bobber). The main reason for using this technique is to keep the jig in the strike zone longer and be able to fish the jig a little slower without getting hung up all the time. If you are newer to crappie fishing look for pea gravel and sandy banks. It’s ok to have some bigger rocks around, but the crappie need someplace to make their beds, so concentrate these types of banks. Also, don’t always go where all the other boats are, look for smaller areas that don’t have all the pressure. Sometimes this will help catch some of the bigger fish. Also, unless they are predicting some cloud cover, it’s best to hit the lake early or late, the fishing will slow down during the middle of the days when it’s a blue bird sky. A lot of fisherman will show up about 10 am, fish until 3 pm, and go home thinking everyone has been lying about the great fishing. You can still catch some fish during these times, but no doubt it’s better during the early and late times. Color doesn’t seem to matter much during the spawn, everyone has their favorite or their idea of what works better. I usually try to throw something with white or chartreuse in them, but throw what you have confidence in. Most of the time I will throw a 2” grub on a 1/16 oz head, but will go heavier if the wind is blowing to much. The walleye fishing has been just about as hot as the crappie. If you are going to fish for walleye only, fish points and secondary pints close to the channels. Throw either a pony head or a lead head with ½ of a night crawler, or you can throw a 2-3 inch grub on the lead head. Either one should work good. If you are crappie fishing and just want to try to pick up one for desert, just take off the bobber and fish the jig back through 8=10 foot of water. The walleye are just off the crappie spawning banks in the coves and around the main lake, if you are fishing the really shollow water up the rivers, this doesn’t really work as well. This is the time of year that you can catch a limit of walleye. It might take some work to find the right points, but once you catch a walleye, figure out why.Look at the point, the type of bottom, the depth and duplicate it. Most of the walleye are hanging out in 6-12 foot of water. Bass are spawning. Lots of beds lake wide. Your best bet is a jig in 3-8 foot of water and concentrate on laydowns and structure. It’s a great time of year to get hooked up with a really big sow, so have the net close. (and don’t be to afraid to release these big fish to finish their spawn!! A replica last longer and looks better anyways) Hopefully tomorrow at 2:00 pm the doc will take off all these bandages and tell me to take a long vacation, which will be taken on Stockton lake!! Keep your hooks sharp and have some fun fishing the best lake in missouri. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call at 417-234-8988 Bob Bennett Stockton Lake Guide Service Fishstocktonlake.com “our service is crappie”

trying to upload a pic but the file is to big so here is the report crappie are in 2 to 4 foot of water in the spawning areas. they are hitting jigs worked slowly under a bobber. awesome bite, we had 60 keepers last night in 4 hours with 4 of us. People were from new zealand and they had a blast catching fish. walleye are in the same areas and if you jig without a bobber, then just work it out deeper till you get to the channel drop. we had 3 nice fish and i lost a big, like 6lb walleye, and i wasn't to happy. gonna try the pic again later, going fishing now!! Bob Bennett Stockton Lake Guide Service 417-234-8988

I hope the new ozarks anglers voice reports don't end up like mine, LOL. If anyone tells my mom I called her an antique I will deny it till the end, which might be pretty fast if she gets ahold of me.

Best bet from the bank right now would be to fish the bluffs. Chicken rock and ruark are both great areas. you really got to fish slow and on the bottom but can still pick up some nice crappie.

The wind can really get ya on stockton, but sometimes it's what you need to catch the fish. The older I get, the more I don't like fishing the wind. Have you tried throwing jerkbaits in the same area you got the jig bite. try fishing it slow and give plenty of time between jerks. been a pretty good bite going. Good luck!!!

I was told that they would not be rebuilding the fishing dock. But who knows if anyone will change their mind.

Water camp is about 44 degrees Lake is about 3 foot low Crappie r biting excellent. At least on most days. The numerous brunch we have coming through Hey slow down the bike from time to time But overall the fisher being caught. There are still fish biting I'll on the bluffs And I want channel drops How are is this bike has slowed down quite a bit. Most of the fish for movin into a winter pattern Im do you located on structure That hurt any place from 20 to 35 foot deep. Fishing under the schools of state fish have been a very productive. Most of the bait fish Can be located From the mouths of codes half way back And a long channel drops and out in the middle of a chance The fish we have been catching I have been mainly keepers. I should be out there today But I'm gonna make a trip to alabama till new years. Vertical fishing Forecasting and let it sink to the bottom Have both been productive. If you like to cast A lot of people will tell you You can catch fish this time the year up to a quarter ounce chicken Jeg head to. It should be an excellent week Load up your freezer With some fresh fish. I don't really have any reports for any other fish Because I've been doing mostly croppy fish. You can pick up walleye while you are croppy fish. I have some openings in january And I'm running some winter specials So if you're interested in learning how to catch winter dropping Give me a call and will book something. Color does not seem to make a huge difference right now But if I had to choose what to use I usually throw a blue and white Chartreuse.. I will b on the road most of the day tomorrow so if anybody has any questions or you totally confused after reading this give me a call and I will see what I can do to help you. Don't forget dry clothes And with the water cancer dropping You really should at least work inflatable life vest. It does it take but a few minutes to get hypo thermia. Sorry about the long Time since I have posted a report. I don't need any jokes over this But my mother sold her house Antique moved in with me for the last 2 months She is on her way to florida She worked me to death redoing the kitchen And cleaning my house But it was definitely worth it to. I were my first pair of clean socks In over 6 months last week And boy did it feel good. I will not be proof reading this before I posted So if there's anything very confusing let me know when I will redo it when I get home Or to the hotel where I have a computer. Happy new year to everyone And thanks for a great 2011.

walleye are biting crankbaits jigs witha good night crawlers how long the flats in 9_15 foot of water on calm days and as much as I hate to say it trolling is working better than casting. depending on the day time of day will determine how deep you need to be fishing. crappie has been bison pretty good on minnows in 15 to 20 foot brush piles. at least for me the chick fights been pretty tough most of the fish of mood of the summer areas dinner movie ninja ball pattern bass are chasing dad from secondary points to the back of the coves. throw spinnerbaits square bills and wiggle warts and dont ever think you got me too shallow Ovetall the fishing has been good but the high sun makes for some tuff, mid day fishing.

wiggle warts spinnerbaits and square bales seem to be getting the best best. from secondary points back or up the creek channels on flats

water temp is down to around 70 and the water is about 5 foot low Walleye are hitting jigs and crawlers, but they have pretty much left the summer patterns. Now the fish are on the move to shallower water an are being caught in 6 to 10 foot of water on shallow points and flats. You can also pick a few up trolling. lots of 14"fish, but keepers are being caught every once in a while. The bite is also changing day to day, so stay on the move to find the fish. It will get better as the water cools and the fish all get moved to the fall pattern I thought I had the crappie all figured out on monday. I took a couple of people out and we had 35 crappie, all over 10.5 inches. An excellent catch and lots of big fillets for the table. We only had 2 fish at 9;30 am, so we started moving to the fall patterns. All of my fish up to this day had come on a more summer time pattern, but they changed quck. We moved to some points close to channel drops and started catching some big crappie. After a couple of more stops, we had enough for both of their limits. Then I take a trip out today, thinking we would kill the fish, but the bite was slow. We ended up with 25, but I took 3 people out today. Should have had more fish, but sometimes it just gets a little tougher. The crappie came in brush piles from 12 foot to 20 foot deep. Most of the fish were around the 11=12 foot range, regardless of the depth of water. we either fished the bottom or suspended above the brush. We got crappie at every stop, but they bit soft and didn't bite as good as monday. The bass have moved shallow, so get the spinnerbaits and shallow crankbaits out. Got to love the fall fishing!!

they were up a couple weeks ago, but haven't seen since this cold front and rain hit us. They should be, but sorry can't help you more

Water temp has dropped to the mid to upper 70's. The lake is still about 4 foot low and the water is normal to clear. Walleye are still hitting crawlers in 18-20 foot of water on flats and close to ledges and around points. You can either drift fish them or use the trolling motor, but keep on the move and you will catch more and bigger fish. The bite is still fairly light, so don't be afraid to set the hook. I missed 2 of them today because I waited to long when I "thought" I was coming over a rock or log. It takes a little extra concentration, but it will pay off even if you have to retie a few times. I haven't been getting to do to much late summer fishing, but the bass should be on the brush piles and hitting worms and jigs. I have been catching some nice size fish chasing shad, so if you see something busting the shad, throw something out there and who knows what you might bring home. Crappie are still in the brush piles in 15-20 foot of water. We even caught some jig fish today!! I didn't take minnows because we were just going to walleye fish, but once we got done fishing for them we just had to go after the crappie for a little while. Again, the bite was pretty light, but the fish were pretty good size. I was using a 1/16 oz jig head with a homemade plastic body (thanks Brad) Catfish are hitting on flats and shallow points in 15 foot of water. They will hit worms, shrimp etc, but the best bait is fresh caught shad. drift fish them and there are lots of them out there. The white bass are still going crazy in the evenings on flats and points. Look for the fish surfacing along the flats or back in coves and throw rooster tails, rattler traps, small crankbaits, or top water poppers etc. A blast to catch if you find them on the right day!! The fish are still on the summer patterns, but as the water finally cools, they will start them move to the fall patterns. The best fishing of the year is still to come. Don't forget that the Y highway bridge between mutton creek and ruark bluff is closed for the next 40 days or so. There is only one spot to go under the bridge by water. Don't try to cut through, there were some really big chunks of concrete hitting the water today, stay to the west side of the lake. There was talk about closing the entire area off, so lets not make anyone mad and mess up the only way to get through Also, take the time to read the signs at the boat ramps in memory of Brian and Nathan Keese. There are life jackets at the ramps hanging up. If you forget one for your kid, this is an awesome program and hopefully will prevent this from ever happening again. [url=http://www.brianandnathankeesewatersafetyorganization.com/]

the boat repair is still in business.