4/21-4/29 Kimberling Area

[dtrs5kprs]

Fished 10 days out of Schooner Creek starting last Tuesday after an all night drive from KS. Here is how I attempted to follow the changes.

4/21-4/22...decent stick bite and a consistent big rig bite for solid brownies in deep brush off the gravel spawn banks and coves. Rig fish were in 20-25', very slow. Stick fish were shallower in same areas. 4 keepers each day, more shorts showing up on a shakey head Wednesday in 4'-10'. Temps jumped from low 50's to 60-61 degrees by Wed pm in the areas I was fishing. Had to go to 6# seaguar 1/8oz head and Zoom meathead worms to make the shakey go. Flat water and bright skies Wed was the best day of the week for me.

4/23-4/25...bed fish started to show up in the coves in very shallow water, esp near bushes. Fish were in all types of coves and on all types of banks. Looked to be blacks or K's (stripes and black tipped tails anyway). Found them very touchy, scared many more than I caught. Wind became a nuisance for me, as it blew relentlessly on my better places, making finesse rig and shakey difficult. Tried to make them bite a blade and a grub in the wind with little success. After a tough day on Thurs, I sold out on the bed fish Friday with sub-par results. Went back to rigs and little worms Sat. Was staying next to one of the Hummingbird / Minn kota reps who was fishing the Sat tmt. Dave was having the same issues with the bed fish, and was going to run to Eagle Rock Saturday. Have not heard if that worked for him.

Saturday I managed 3 solid keeper brownies dragging little rigs with watermelon doctors (pepper, not red flake, that color preference seemed to continue ) in 2-10' on gravel areas around docks. Some short fish the same way. Had a moment with a guy in a Nitro who was tmt fishing the same area where that bite was on. Shared this area all week with other boats (and have in the past including last year in the high water), including one of the area guides and his parties most mornings, no issues. Dude in the Nitro was fishing with the wind, I was fishing the opposite way into the wind. Fished right up to each other & he watched me boat several fish, saw him boat several also, exchanged the usual pleasantries. Stopped to re-tie after breaking a strong fish off in a dock cable, and told them they were more than welcome to fish past me if they wanted, as I was just fishing. No reply. We fished pointed at each other until I felt it was awkward, and asked which way he wanted to go. Said he planned to fish back the way he came, I told him that was fine with me and I would fish back down the stretch I had fished and did so.

Fished about 20 minutes, looked back and saw him following me down the bank, contrary to his stated intent. As the wind had picked up, I did not think much of it, thought perhaps he had been blown around while he or his partner boated a fish or re-tied. When it continued, in clear contradiction of what I thought to be a pleasant and friendly arrangement, I took a dim view of that gentleman. Between that and the incessant wind, I trailered at around 10am, and went to Bass Pro in Springfield. I know this bit isn't really report related, but I feel better for the venting. I am beyond laid back when I fish, as I just fish for fun, and the learning experience each day on the lake provides, so an incident like that tends to bug me more than the usual cut offs you get on weekends. Anyway...

4/26-4/27...wind wore me out. Caught shorts and scratched a keeper here and there on rigs and shakey heads. Picked up a few blade fish on the windy banks. Tried to make a jig bite or a blade bite go in front of the beds. Had the idea fish should either be pulling up to spawn, or pulling off b/c of the falling water (thank you COE for all the high and dry nests, but that is for another post). Stuck a few on a little brown jig in 4-10' on banks that had bigger rock.

4/28...cloudy and less wind, some drizzle. Shallow fish starting to blow up on a spook. Picked up 3 decent keepers dragging the little rig and w'melon doctor in 4-10'. Same flat gravel places.

4/29...fished a spook most of the day. Had fish on it from 0-dark-thirty to about 2pm when I came in to pack up. Spook fish were shallow, esp around any cover left in the water. Lots more blow-ups than eaters. Same spawn areas. Did finally get some fish on the jig in front of beds. A very fun day, where you can just laugh at fish jumping clean over your spook, even if they are not killers.

Something seemed off with the brownies and spots I normally catch in this stage. Can typically whack the 15-17" fish dragging the doctor or on the shakey. Seemed like the staging / deep bedding fish just are not behaving as usual. Maybe we will get a big push with the coming moon.

Might have been a better way to fish (besides beds), but it worked fairly well for me. Am kind of hard-headed, I hate to give up on fish that are biting. Headed back down Monday. Sounds like there will be no shortage of baits in the lake this weekend.

Note on pics...these fish were staging on the c-rig & stick, and were swimming when last I saw them. Ranger can't make a fast boat, but the livewells are sweet.

[motoman]

Good report, and even better pix! Dems is some dandys!

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That tournament guy you were nose-to-nose with, that's one of those situations that would've irritated me too. What the heck!?!?!

[dtrs5kprs]

Moto...Must have had a re-size or link issue with the pics. Oh well, you get the idea. Nitroboy would not have bothered me if he had just done what he said he was going to do, I took him at his word and found the worth of it.

Your blade bite is unfortunately RIP, at least around 13.

[motoman]

Moto...Must have had a re-size or link issue with the pics. Oh well, you get the idea. Nitroboy would not have bothered me if he had just done what he said he was going to do, I took him at his word and found the worth of it.

Your blade bite is unfortunately RIP, at least around 13.

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dtrs, That made me chuckle. I'm with you on the fact that if people would do what they say they're gonna do........no problem. Taking people at their word, only to have the flop on yah; that's annoying.

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And...............I was afraid that blade bite would'nt hold..............oh well...................it'll come back around........................I'll just have to wait a while.