Fishing Report

[focused fishing]

Kimberling City Area: Water, water everywhere……. Still over flood pool and the bite is beginning to transition. While there are still several fish being caught on Chompers Jerry McCutchen Spinnerbaits up on the bank on whatever cover the fish can find, better numbers of fish have begun to be taken out away from the bushes on main lake and secondary points. Flat pea gravel and mixed gravel and rock points have been the most productive from 18’ – 24’ deep with Chompers 4” smoke / pepper or salt and pepper on a ¼ oz. head fished on the bottom or green pumpkin Zoom Fish Doctors on a split shot rig. With either presentation dip the tail of the bait in chartreuse to increase visibility in the stained water.

James River: Some of the warmest water on the lake is up the James River; temperatures are as much as seven degrees warmer in the James than the main lake. Some different patterns have started to emerge as the fish are moving shallower and starting seek out spawning locations. While several fish are being caught on spinnerbaits, the best bite has been on points adjacent to spawning coves using a combination of split shot rigs and jigs. While several fish have been caught on main lake points, better quality fish are coming on secondary points further back into the creeks directly in front of spawning pockets. A variety of baits have been effective on a split shot rig; lizards, fish doctors, french fries and baby brush hogs in watermelon or green pumpkin have been tough to beat. Brown / purple flash and green pumpkin / candy flash 5/16 Jewel Spider jigs with green pumpkin Hyperflex Grubs have also been working on these points, a hop and drop retrieve is the most effective.

White River: The bite up the White has been a little different than the rest of the lake; plenty of fish are being caught on Chompers grubs on main lake and secondary points just like in the Kimberling area, the split shot rig has also been effective, the spinnerbait bite is also a viable alternative from Baxter to Eagle Rock. The Kings River has warmer water then most of the lake and fish are starting to group on points close to spawning coves, split shot and Carolina rigged lizards and baby brush hogs are catching both numbers and quality on these points. A few fish have been caught on shallow crankbaits in and around the trash in the back of spawning pockets as well, look for areas with fresh water running in and groups of shad to be the most productive.

Dam / Branson Area: The best bite on the lower lake has been outside of the bushes and trees on flat gravel points. Chompers’ 4” single tail grubs in smoke / pepper and salt and pepper have been very effective for both numbers and quality. Position your boat in 24’ – 31’ of water, make casts to the edge of the bushes, allow the bait to fall on a semi-slack line , then retrieve (scrub) the bait along the bottom back to the boat. Pay close attention to the bait as it falls next to the bushes, there are still fish suspended in the bushes and a number of bites will come as the bait falls. There is a topwater bite starting to emerge in the dam area as well, while not a consistent pattern, it is a good idea to have a spook or Sammy handy when fish begin to surface.

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[Don House]

Eric,

I'm glad to see fishing finally getting better now, been a roller coaster ride! One thing we found was certain points would produce better fish, we had to keep moving around once we found our pattern on these smaller main lake points. I will listen in to your show today to see if information will be given out about the lake and what going to happen to the up coming Summer.

See you on the water

Capt. Don

[focused fishing]

Hey Don,

Thanks for listening, should be some interesting info re. the lake levels and how the Corps plans on handling the lake over the next couple of months.

Your right. I forgot to mention that if you catch a couple of fish on a point you need to stay put for a while. We hit several points yesterday but only had three that produced, of course those three produce 10 - 15 fish each with 4 - 5 keepers per point. The other points didn't even produce a bite.

Thanks,

EP

[97procraft]

I would have to agree with your report Eric. My wife and I spent the last three days on the rock and had a great time. All though we didn't venture out and try the split shot/carolina rig we did have very productive days with the spinnerbait and grub. We fished from the dam to Kimberling city. I did talk to a few people who were fishing deeper with brush hogs and fries, we were just having too much fun with the SB and grub. All of our spinnerbait fish came off of the very outside trees. They also seemed to be the same kind of tree, birch. We could not catch a fish from around a cedar tree or any hard wood tree.

Most of the grub fish came off of the clear salt and pepper, had a few on green pumpkin and one on pumpkin seed.

All spinnerbait fish came on a white with green and blue.

[techo]

Eric,

I just went to te Web site and listed to you guys. Interesting stuff, but now I am fairly angry. I enjoy tournament fishing. I never seem to win or even do well. I do enjoy meeting up with a bunch of people who like what I like and chewing the fat. Now the anger issue....how on could they approve of a tournament on any lake wich does not use a catch and release boat? That is plain old wrong with a capital R!

[JoeSki]

Thanks for the great Report. Headed up to cape Fear area on the 2nd for five days. Cant imagine what I'm going to find, I have never seen the lake this flooded. Any idea if topwater will turn on by then? And are people doing well flipping and skipping into all this new cover?

[focused fishing]

Techo,

I know, BFL (FLW) is the largest tournament organization in the US and they only have 5 release boats. It's freking ridiculous. Kory and I have talked more off air about the situation and have thought about floating an idea out there:

What if Missouri pass a new law / code requiring a catch and release boat for every tournament with the potential of 30 or more limits? We would want to base it on limits not boats because Pro-Ams have the potential of two limits per boat. I am not infavor of more legislation but in this case I think we need to do something to protect our fisheries. Minnisota has a similar law and it has been very effective.

Let me know you thoughts.

EP

[techo]

I used to be a card carrying member of the Rainy Lake Sport Fishing Club in International Falls, MN. They worked hard on issues like this. I am not wise enough to make decisions like this. I do hate the knee jerk reaction of passing a law when folks can't use common sense. We have laws against telephone harassment because someone harassed over the telephone, we have a law against having intercourse with a dead body, because someone.....well never mind.

Doesn't someone have to give a regada permit or something to have a tournament? Could these folks have a rule like this without passing amother law?

I wonder why folks can't just go ahead and do the right thing.

[focused fishing]

Techo,

I love the dead body line..... Yea the water patrol issues the regatta permits but they are so overworked chasing "lake lice", uh.... jet skis that they could never enforce it. I think it needs to be a conservation dept. wildlife code, not necessarily a law. But then again they don't exactly have enough agents to do the job either. I think f there was enough outcry something could be done, but I just don't know where to start.

[S&M]

"lake lice", uh.... jet skis

LMAO....now that's Funny !!!

Quick story, sitting off a bank about two cast distance out, when a jet ski cuts between me and the bank. In disbelief, I just shook my head. Then he comes back and does it again. I told my wife if he comes back and tries is one more time I'm going to cast a DD22 at him.

Well he comes back for a thrid pass, and yep, he gets a DD22 thrown at him. and just my dumb luck, I hit the guy on the shoulder....the hooks set in, and I pull him right off the jet ski

Long story short, I get a visit from the water patrol wanting to know why I hooked the jet skier, I just told them I made a cast and the jet skier ran into the lure cutting between me and the bank. The good news is, the water patrol got my DD22 back from the jet skier