Lake Report

[Bill Babler]

White River Arm from 86 hwy bridge to Big M.

Bite has slowed down abit from last weeks high end post-spawn attacks. Early topwater action on bluffends and long run outs. Guys, you have to get on the water early, if you want a spot. Today boat on almost every topwater type bank before 5 AM. Spooks, Sammy and Redfins, will catch the majority of chasers, if you can get close enough. As the sun comes out, drop shot fish will congregate in the 26 to 32 ft. range on the same locations as the morning topwater bite.

Big M to Point 22 fished this area the AM with Mike and Ryan, Springfield boys that were really good hands. 14 topwater fish 1 football jig fish and 9 drop shot fish. 2 on a crawler to show how inept we were. If we would have fished crawlers the numbers would have been much higher, as we had lots of refusals on the soft plastics. Cloudy overcast, a spit of rain and a setting, that just does not lock fish to the bottom. Very few groups were seen, and we tried to just feed singles. Most suspended in the 22 to 32 ft. range over greater depths. Channel swings and bluffends, held the ones we caught.

I believe Crappie5 was on the lake, fishing crawlers, this morning in the same region, and I saw him bowed up on a nice K. Think his live meat worked better than our stuff. I believe he was fishing deep suspended fish on one of his secret spots. Looked like fun and he invited us, but we didn't want to intrude.

Kings River, reports are very tough fishing from Viola up the river. Should be time for topwaters off the bluffends and a good deep crankin bite, but reports are saying very slow.

Point 22 to Point 9 Guided this area day before yesterday and did extremely well, with 35 keepers on the flat gravel. 22 to 32 ft. on live crawlers. Reports that the last two days has been extremely slow, fishing the same water.

Lots of white bass in the 35 to 50 ft. range but they are being real stingy with coming to the surface, and are not at all in love with the jigging spoon. Have heard reports of dropping crawlers into the clusters and catching them. Go Figure!!!

Point 9 to point 12 on the James River Good Kantuck fishing on runnouts islands and long points in the 16 to 35 ft. range, on crawlers and purple dropshot worms. Great football jig bite the same depth early and late. Topwater seems very slow.

Few whites in the flats ie Campers just past point 12 early.

Upper James to Point 15 Very good last week for all three species of BB. Again very little topwater action, but an extremely good bite on PBJ Football jigs with PBJ trailers. Extreme fising prussure and lots of boats. If you are on the water later than 5 AM, to get started, you can pretty much bet you won't be the first to fish that point the first time. You have to create a milk run and hit the same spots on a rotational basis to be successful. They might just not be feeding when you are there, but if the locations is the right kind hit it a couple of times a day. Fish seem to be in the 16 to 36 ft. depth range. I know thats a lot of area, but thats what we are finding. Best baits are a green pumpkin lizard or watermellon red lizard or the jig.

Point 9 to Point 5 Most of the flats from Kimberling City to Point 5 are just getting hammered. Fishing was decent for a few days, but has cooled off. Good success in this area is coming on crawlers to fish suspended at 26 to 32 ft. over 40 to 55, off the gravel. A great days work is probably a dozen to 18 fish, with about 1/2 being pretty good keepers.

Point 5 to Cricket Creek Again very little topwater activity. You are very lucky if you find it. Should have whites blowing up and some are being seen, but no one is getting rich. Decent bite off the usually suspects long points, community holes, and deep docks. Same depth as the Kimberling City fish, in about the same locations. Guide trips are producing 8 to 12 for 4 hrs. and 12 to 25 for 8 hrs.

Get out early.

[LipRipper]

Another excellent post! Thank you Mr. Babler for taking time out of your day to share your knowledge with the rest of us.

LipRipper

[Don House]

Nice post Mr. B!

DAM / INDIAN POINT / LONG CREEK

Only thing I have to add you need to start looking deep, alot of my fish over the last few days were suspended over 100 plus feet of water in the Dam / Indian Point Area, look for that magical 26 foot range and you will find the fish, deeper fish over 30 feet were alittle harder to get the bite, but when you did they were alot bigger fish. Did get into some top water action today but little bass, but our bigger fish came on the grub until the sun came up, then it was over and on to drop shot fishing crawlers. So Bill is right get out there early, I start at 5:30am every morning and I need to be out there at 5:00am!

Once again Nice Report Bill!

Good Fishing Everyone

Capt. Don

[Buzz]

Have you heard anything about the night fishing???? We usually fish either Cape Fair or Big Indian. Just wondering if anyone has heard how it's been.

Buzz

[Champ188]

Incredible info. Incredibly detailed. Incredible that Bill and Capt. D would share it after all the hours they put in on the hour gathering it. Thanks, guys. Seriously.

[Jason Essary]

Wonderful reports. Lake wide, u the man!!!!!!!!!

[bjovan]

Man its tough reading these posts, I have not been able to get to the rock since May I have to finish a bathroom here at the house( dont ever start home projects during fishing or duck season I am no rookie but f ed up on this one ) Thanks for the posts they are helpful even though I can not get down there.

[Bill Babler]

Have you heard anything about the night fishing???? We usually fish either Cape Fair or Big Indian. Just wondering if anyone has heard how it's been.

Buzz

Heard it was as bad as it can get. Believe last weeks Cape FAir night derby was a complete skunk and everybody got there money back that entered.

Have heard very little positive going on after the sun sets. Hope for more current information however.