May 14, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

[Thompson Fishing Guide Service]

May 14, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

Current lake level 881.59

Normal pool 867

Water temperature 60-63 degrees Twin Bridges area

The lake situation remains the same as it was in the last report…about 14 feet high. However, my clients have been catching a few crappie and walleye in around 17-20 feet of water using jigs and minnows on the inside edges of coves (just outside of the submerged brush line). The presentation has been slow, and the bites overall are light, so you have to stay focused. You are going to feel your jig bounce the brush from time to time, and you need to differentiate between that and the fish. I combine the walleye and crappie reports together because during the spring they inhabit the same locations. Walleye are in these areas primarily to eat and the crappie are moving in to spawn. Small crank baits used early and late along these brushy shore lines will produce walleye and crappie. The weather should continue to be warm and stable through next week, so fishing should pick up for all species.

White bass are being caught around Master’s and Crabtree Coves, and the Turkey Creek arm of the lake. Spoons such as Cast Masters are catching fish off the main lake points in these areas. The fish tend to move a little shallower in the day…you can catch them on anything from jigs to Rattle Traps. Like everything else, the white bass action has been spotty, but if you hit the right day, you should catch fish.

Largemouth bass has been slow, but it has started to pick up. Fish are being caught on jigs or slow fished spinner baits on secondary lake points. Remember the bass are entering the spawning mode like the crappie, and will be affected by the water temperatures. Your better fish are being caught in around 15-20 feet of water, and tend to move shallower (5-7 feet) as the sun goes down. Cover a lot of water, because these fish are just now beginning to spread out before they move into the spawning beds. There may be fish spawning in some areas of the lake depending on water temperature. Bass spawn in water between 68-70 degrees. I don’t mess with the spawning bass because it takes too much time and every time you jerk a male bass off of the nest (even though you release him immediately) chances are you have been feeding the blue gill population. I know this subject (bed fishing) is not talked about much, but mark my words, in the near future it will become an issue.

The boat ramp situation is about the same as last week; nothing is officially closed, but most of them you can’t launch a boat.

Marty Thompson

Thompson Fishing Guide Service

www.fishstockton.com

417-424-BASS

[Whack'emGood]

Thanks, as always, for the report. Amen on the bed issue Marty. Everybody, please, do not target spawners. If you catch them off the bed, the eggs have no chance!!!! If we preserve the spawn, we will preserve the population of fish... Then we can all enjoy catchin' them in the future.