4/12/09 Fishing Report

[focused fishing]

Kimberling City Area: If water temperatures were a little higher the fish would be spawning by the end of the week, but with surface temps in the low to mid 50’s the fish are stuck in a pre-spawn pattern on main lake and secondary points close to spawning pockets. A variety of baits are effective in these areas; Split shot rigged fries and lizards, shaky head worms, Jewel 3/16oz. & 5/16oz spider jigs in PB&J or green pumpkin / green flash tipped with Jewel Jig trailers and scrubbing 4” single tail grus will all produce numbers and quality fish. On windy days Lucky Craft Pointers and Spro McSticks are still producing fish on these areas as well.

James River: The cooler weather has dropped water temperatures 3 – 8 degrees in the mid and upper James. The cooler water has helped the stick bait bite come back a little with numbers and quality being caught on Lucky Craft Pointers and Spro McSticks. The wiggle wart bite has been jumpstarted by the cooler water temps as well. Channel swing banks and rocky points near spawning pockets have been producing keeper bites on brown craw and phantom green wiggle warts. Eakins Jig and craw combos or Chompers Ultra Tubes have been effective in these same locations on calm days. Most of the fish have been 3’ – 8’ deep holding tight to rock transitions and any wood cover.

White River: Lower to mid White River has been the best area of the lake this past week. Several presentations have been effective; scrubbing grubs, Jewel Spider jig and Jewel Trailer combos, shaky head worms, split shot rigs, and Chompers Ultra Tubes have all been catching fish from 3’ – 12’ deep on gravel and mixed rock and gravel points close to spawning pockets. On windy days the jerkbait bite continues to hang on, Pointers, Mc Sticks and Vision 110’s have all been effective with some wind. The wiggle wart bite has started to give way to a spinnerbait bite in the Kings and upper White, look for fish to be holding tight to cover on transition banks near spawning pockets, slow roll Chompers McCutchen spinnerbaits through the cover to draw strikes.

Dam Area: Scrubbing a grub continues to be the most consistent pattern on the lower end of the lake. Smoke, salt and pepper, green pumpkin and pumpkin seed grubs have been the most effective colors thrown on ¼ oz heads. Look for main lake and secondary points near spawning areas, make long casts to the bank and work the bait slowly across the bottom allowing the bait to fall back to bottom anytime you loose contact. Back up patterns in these areas include; shaky heads, Jewel Spider jigs, Chompers Ultra Tubes and stickbaits. Look for the fish to be 8 – 15 feet deep in the morning and moving shallow as the water warms in the afternoon.

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[S&M]

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[focused fishing]

I'm with you, hopefully the warm rain will jump start the spawn. The fish sure look like they want it.

If we can weigh in a limit at each event we're happy, so far so good. I'd like to say we are gunning for the number one spot but I don't know that anyone will catch the Fann boys or for that matter Roger and Bobby in second.

Just like every event we'll put our heads down and try to grind out a limit....

Maybe we'll get lucky or they'll stumble and we can move up a notch.

Good Luck this W/E!

EP

[Bill Babler]

Just a quick piggyback from yesterday. Had two trips and the first was out of the Lodge. Started at old 86 6:30 airtemp at 57 water surface temp at 51.8. Ok for the first hour, then the wind started to blow and it cooled off in a hurry. My little gal got cold, so we took her in and her husbund and I finished the first trip around noon. Surface temps had dropped to 49.9. Caught 3 on a grub early and then 5 more on a stickbait, all by the back hook and just a sponge bite.

At 2 PM I went to State Park, with 3 footers rolling in on the ramp to pick up the afternoon crew, and if was just to cold, and the fish had really quit. 42 degree air temps and I told the guys to hang on till this afternoon and maybe we could fish a little more pleasant water. Since I was out, I went ahead and fished to 4 PM catching 5 more really quality keepers, that I really don't believe my clients could have caught, as the bite was not even a tick, but just something there went I touched the bait. Never felt a one of them, and I bet I missed at least that many or more.

When I cranked them in, they swam right to the boat, including a 4 pound jaw, and we all know that just aint' right.

4PM take out at old 86 with 47.7 surface temp. Really, Really tough day.

Surface temps fell like a rock all day, and that will just kill the bite for me. Talked to Buster and Tim, and believe they faired about the same, with it ok early till the water started to cool off.

[S&M]

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