March 5, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

[Thompson Fishing Guide Service]

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