October 22, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

[Thompson Fishing Guide Service]

October 22, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

Lake level: 869.41

Normal pool: 867

Walleye are being caught off of main lake points trolling deep diving crank baits above the 215 bridge. Not only are a few fish turning up on crank baits, but some fish are also being caught on weighted crawler harnesses. Blue back silver side seems to be the best pattern for your crank baits. Fish are also being caught by slow drifting jig and night crawler or jig and minnows off the same main lake points and also on secondary points in large coves like Orleans Trail.

White bass have been turning up around the Masters and Cedar Ridge and Aldrich areas. Troll Rattle Traps, or deep diving crank baits. Experiment with color.

White crappie are being caught off main lake points with jigs and minnows or crappie jigs and crappie niblets vertically fished in around 20 feet of water. A few big white crappie have turned up while trolling deep diving crank baits while walleye or white bass fishing. White crappie have a tendency to suspend over deep water as they are transitioning from the fall to the winter habits. Black crappie are being caught in your timbered coves; cedar trees on creek channels are the best place to look for them.

Largemouth bass fishing is still pretty good; fish are being caught by fan casting deep diving crank baits along shorelines adjacent to main lake points. Key colors seem to be browns and oranges this time of year as far as crank baits re concerned. Spinner bait bite is hit and miss, but I have caught a few nice fish (3-6 pounds) on spinner baits from time to time. To escape the clutches of Junior Jaws (which you will catch a lot of on spinner baits and crank baits) I have been fishing main lake points and some top secret locations around the lake on various bluffs. I am a worm man and proud of it. Happiness is having worms. Any other soft plastics fished 15-25 feet deep away from Junior Jaws should be productive if you are skilled.

Guide’s note: the lake turns over at approximately 55 degrees. The water now is in the mid to high 60s in places, so it has a ways to go for that. Prior to the cold water of winter, the shad begin to group up in larger schools than what they are in during the summer. As the water cools, these fish will concentrate in the mouths of large coves anywhere from 40-60 feet down. I believe that a lot of these coves contain creek channels which have springs…spring water is 54 degrees when it comes out of the ground which draws the shad. The shad draw the walleye, white bass and crappie. I’ll give you some techniques and some locations for this pattern when it comes into full swing as the water cools. For now, whatever you are fishing for, you need to cover a lot of water. There will be two or three slow days, and then for some unknown reason, you’ll have a real good day. I have potential clients call and ask me the infamous question, “Do you think we’ll catch fish?” I say if I had a crystal ball that could predict the fishes’ habits exactly, I would already be a multi millionaire and would have retired from the fishing guide business altogether and would have my own fishing show alongside Bill Dance. That being said, the more time one spends on the water, the better chance he has of catching fish. If I didn’t think we would catch fish, we wouldn’t go.

Marty Thompson

Thompson Fishing Guide Service

www.fishstockton.com

417-424-BASS

Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!

[trambia]

  Thompson Fishing Guide Service said:

October 22, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

Lake level: 869.41

Normal pool: 867

Walleye are being caught off of main lake points trolling deep diving crank baits above the 215 bridge. Not only are a few fish turning up on crank baits, but some fish are also being caught on weighted crawler harnesses. Blue back silver side seems to be the best pattern for your crank baits. Fish are also being caught by slow drifting jig and night crawler or jig and minnows off the same main lake points and also on secondary points in large coves like Orleans Trail.

White bass have been turning up around the Masters and Cedar Ridge and Aldrich areas. Troll Rattle Traps, or deep diving crank baits. Experiment with color.

White crappie are being caught off main lake points with jigs and minnows or crappie jigs and crappie niblets vertically fished in around 20 feet of water. A few big white crappie have turned up while trolling deep diving crank baits while walleye or white bass fishing. White crappie have a tendency to suspend over deep water as they are transitioning from the fall to the winter habits. Black crappie are being caught in your timbered coves; cedar trees on creek channels are the best place to look for them.

Largemouth bass fishing is still pretty good; fish are being caught by fan casting deep diving crank baits along shorelines adjacent to main lake points. Key colors seem to be browns and oranges this time of year as far as crank baits re concerned. Spinner bait bite is hit and miss, but I have caught a few nice fish (3-6 pounds) on spinner baits from time to time. To escape the clutches of Junior Jaws (which you will catch a lot of on spinner baits and crank baits) I have been fishing main lake points and some top secret locations around the lake on various bluffs. I am a worm man and proud of it. Happiness is having worms. Any other soft plastics fished 15-25 feet deep away from Junior Jaws should be productive if you are skilled.

Guide’s note: the lake turns over at approximately 55 degrees. The water now is in the mid to high 60s in places, so it has a ways to go for that. Prior to the cold water of winter, the shad begin to group up in larger schools than what they are in during the summer. As the water cools, these fish will concentrate in the mouths of large coves anywhere from 40-60 feet down. I believe that a lot of these coves contain creek channels which have springs…spring water is 54 degrees when it comes out of the ground which draws the shad. The shad draw the walleye, white bass and crappie. I’ll give you some techniques and some locations for this pattern when it comes into full swing as the water cools. For now, whatever you are fishing for, you need to cover a lot of water. There will be two or three slow days, and then for some unknown reason, you’ll have a real good day. I have potential clients call and ask me the infamous question, “Do you think we’ll catch fish?” I say if I had a crystal ball that could predict the fishes’ habits exactly, I would already be a multi millionaire and would have retired from the fishing guide business altogether and would have my own fishing show alongside Bill Dance. That being said, the more time one spends on the water, the better chance he has of catching fish. If I didn’t think we would catch fish, we wouldn’t go.

Marty Thompson

Thompson Fishing Guide Service

www.fishstockton.com

417-424-BASS

Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish the Finest!