6/22/08 Fishing Report

[focused fishing]

Kimberling City Area: Fish have definitely moved out from the shallows over the past week. Several fish are being taken on Carolina rigs and Drop Shot rigs through out the mid lake area. Look to long points with deep water close by to be holding most of the fish. On the drop shot rig a number of baits have been effective; Chompers drop shot worms in purple / brown laminate or plum, Robo Worm 6” worms in Ox Blood and Red Crawler and Kinami Cut Tail worms in purple / brown are all working well. On a Carolina rig green pumpkin or watermelon red lizards, baby brush hogs and Salty Sinkers have all been producing. The C-Rig has been effective from 18’ – 25’ deep while the Drop Shot is working from 25’ – 35’ deep.

James River: There are several patterns producing in the James River; Jewel Football Jigs, Carolina Rigs, Flipping and deep crankbaits have all been effective. Jewel Football Jigs and Carolina rigs have been working on main lake pea gravel points and saddles from 18’ – 25’ deep. Best colors have been PB&J, green pumpkin and watermelon red. Several quality fish have been coming out of bushes and the flooded cover on and around points and channel banks; Eakins jigs with Paca Chunk trailers, Baby Brush Hogs and Salty Sinkers have all been effective flipping baits in green pumpkin or PB&J. Numbers of better fish have begun to show up on ledges and roll offs through out the upper James, target these fish with DD-22’s and DT-16 crankbaits making parallel casts banking the bait into isolated brush and rock cover.

White River: The White River arm is really good right now; drop shot rigs, Jewel Football Jigs and Carolina rigs are all producing from Baxter to Shell Knob, flipping tactics and shallow crankbaits are working in the Kings River and Jewel Spider and Football Jigs are producing from Shell Knob to Eagle Rock. From Baxter to Shell Knob look for pea gravel and mixed gravel / rock points to be holding most of the fish, dragging Jewel Football Jigs in PB&J or green pumpkin green flash or Carolina rigged brush hogs and lizards has been one of the most effective patterns from 18’ – 30’ deep. Most of these fish are holding on the deeper side of the point. Spots have started to suspend in deeper water off channel swing points, target these fish with drop shot rigs with Chompers or Robo Worm drop shot worms. In the Kings there is a bunch of fish holding on flooded bushes and wood cover; flip Eakins Jigs, Brush Hogs and Ultra Tubes in and around this cover. Toward the backs of feeder creeks look for schools of shad and throw square bill crankbaits in and around the shad to be effective. Further up the White most of the fish are coming on points from 15’ – 25’ deep with Jewel Spider or Football jigs worked slowly along the bottom, PB&J and brown / purple flash have been the best colors.

Dam / Branson Area: Fish seem further into a summer pattern on the lower end of the lake. There is still a topwater bite very early in the morning, look for surface activity and throw spooks, sammys and redfins to schools of active fish. Once the sun comes up the best bite has been on drop shot rigs; Chompers drop shot worms in purple / brown laminate or plum, Robo Worms in Ox Blood or MM III and Kinami cut tails in shad or brown / purple have all been effective. Target main lake points with deep water close by concentrating on the 35’ – 45’ depth. Several fish have been suspending on bluff end points and in submerged trees, look for schools of shad in the 25’ – 50’ range holding close to trees and bluff ends and the fish will be close by. These fish can be caught on the same drop shot rigs mentioned above as well as spoons and grubs.

[techo]

Nice report. We just got back from the lake ourselves. We caught most on a Jewel jig today. I am not sure if I am setting the hook wrong or what! I lost a bunch on the way to the boat. I think we had one short and four keepers around sixteen inches. They were shallower for us this morning and about twelve feet deep. It seemed like they moved back into the brush a bit this morning.

[focused fishing]

I noticed a few more in the bushes over the past day or two myself, I have been catching them on a jig and a shaky head out of the bushes as well. Haven't had a problem with fish throwing a jig but I have noticed alot of fish short striking and biting the "pinchers" off of the trailer.

[Jason Essary]

had a thought, figured Id run it by the pros on here. I dont bait fish much, but was wondering. Would a shiner on a drop shot rig work well for the suspended fish that are waiting on shad to come by??? Never heard of anyone using them. We all know crawlers work but how many times does a bass or white see a worm in 30 foot of water over a 50 foot bottom. Just a Thought.

[techo]

They bit the pinchers off some of our trailers too! Would a trailer hook work on the Jewel jigs?

[focused fishing]

Coyote,

I've never tried it but I think the change in pressure from the surface to 40' + would kill the shiner and make it in effective.

Techno,

Don't know how you could rig it so it would hang up. Good idea though.

EP

[techo]

I don't fish with live bait anymore, but Eric's response to the dead minnow brought back memories. When I lived on the Canadian border in Minnesota...you weren't allowed to take live minnows into Canada. So most guys purchased dead minnows packed in sawdust like material. The dead minnows worked just as well for the deep wallaye bite up there. So.....if you are a live bait man....the difference of the dead minnow and the live one might not mean much as long as you gave it the action. Just a thought.....

I tried messing with the trailer hook on the Jewel jig and didn't care for it. I go to a little pond here and practice messing around with my tackle when I don't have time to go to th lake. The trailer gets caught on every little weed,stick, rock, or air bubble in the pond. It takes away some of the benefits of the Jewel jig. Didn't work for me. I do love the little jigs though.

[techo]

A couple of minnows from the weekend.