Table Rock Fishing Report 4.6.2006

[Don House]

Fishing report for 4/6/2006

By Captain Don House of Chauffeured Guide Service

CRAPPIE

Long Creek Area:

Crappies are moving in and out of the shallows on a daily basis. Most of my fish are coming from the 12 foot to 20 foot range. Best bet as of this week is a swimming minnow in White or Chartreuse head white body with a 1/8 ounce jig head. Swim this bait on the bottom of the creek channel by any hard wood trees. Bite is slow and few in between. Also try swimming twin or single jigs tipped with Berkley power nibblets (White, Chartreuse or Orange) on the flats and pea gravel banks with a slow retrieve or vertical jigging the big trees in the channels and along the channel swings and just before and past the Marina and in Cricket and Yokum creeks. The best color still seems to be chartreuse and Red or all chartreuse with small 1/16 or 1/32 once jigs. A lot of males are in close to the banks and the big females are deep most fish are being caught everywhere if your there at the right time. Once cold fronts moves in fish move back out to deeper water and slow a lot.

James River Area:

Crappies are about the same up in the James also some fish are shallow and some are deep. One thing I have found and everyone else I have talked with is that none are up past flat creek in the shallow water yet, but it should be soon. Also a good way to start is trolling with small crankbaits that run in the in 8-12 feet range right in the creek channels 20-30 feet deep, it worked very well last year for bigger females that are in the pre-spawn mode and on hold for the weather to warm up. Swimming jigs has slowed but is still the best in this area with small 1/16 once jigs or 1/8 ounce or heavier in the wind, but we found a double jig setup with Berkley power nibblets (White, Orange or Chartreuse) is working the best. Colors change everyday but chartreuse colors in the dirty water and yellow and white, blue and white, chrome and white still seemed to be the best down on the south side of flat creek to cape fair. Limits are still coming out of this area but are still on a day to day basis and you have to work hard for it.

White River Area:

Reports show that a good crappie bite is going on down there past viola on the muddy flats and in the trees on the bluffs, but has slowed like everywhere else, but if you work for it you can find them. As soon as the water gets to the 60”s and stay steady these fish will go crazy and spawn. Some are shallow and some are deep, just start on the flats and start searching, like other areas you will work hard for 3- 20 fish one day and then limit out on them the next day. Colors I was told are White, White and Sliver, White and Yellow, Chartreuse and Red.

BASS

Long Creek Area:

Bass are starting to move into there pre-spawn modes also, look for fish midway back in the creek arms on secondary points and staging on hardwood trees in the 8 – 15 foot range and anything else they can find to hold on. Water temps are in the mid 50”s and rising back and forth. There are a lot of reports of great top water bites early and late with all types of baits including small spooks, chug bugs and wiggle-diggle baits. While there is still a stick bait bite going on with all types of colors and sizes, it’s a bite where you will work hard for a few great bites. Reports and pictures of a 6.2 smallmouth are flying around the internet from around the dam area are true and came on a stick bait last week.

Fish the stick baits in the deeper trees on points in the deep water and bluff ends or channel swings midway back in the creeks on secondary points and channel swings, On a strong windy day swim grubs or spinnerbaits on those wind blown banks and hang on, keep contact with the bottom. On calm days try a small Eakins or Critterbait brown / purple flash or green pumpkin and brown jig with a craw in the same areas or around brush piles or a ½ ounce or ¾ ounce football jig in the same colors on the long gentle sloping banks. Wiggle warts have slow for me but there are still some reports of this bite on windy days in the brown and green craw colors.

Kimberling City to DAM area:

Fishing has pickup in this area for me the last few weeks in this area. The best bite I have found is a spilt shot rig (Watermelon/Purple Watermelon/Red Zoom French fry) on 6 pound test is producing a lot of fish large and small. Shaky Jigs with (Watermelon/Purple Zoom trick worms) are still holding strong and producing good keeper fish, but seems to be more of a afternoon bite on the secondary points and in the creeks arms half way back on the hardwood trees. On windy days I throw a swimming grub on the same secondary points and channel bends in the creeks. Use a 3/8 ounce jig with a 3” Watermelon pepper with a very slow retrieve. There are a lot of fish coming also on top water early and late with all types of baits including small spooks, chug bugs and wiggle-diggle baits. Look for fish working shad to top on the points for the best bite.

James River area:

The James is a little dirtier and bit warmer (High 50’s – Low 60”s) than the rest of the river areas but is much shallower this water will warm up much faster. Look for windy flat banks with mixed small rock banks; throw spinnerbaits in White with Chartreuse and White willows blades right in and along the trees. Also don’t forget the plain do nothing looking flat banks fish seems to be moving up on these to feeding on shad. In the Channel swings and Bluffs swings I would go back to the Storm WiggleWarts in Green and Brown or Bandit crawdad colors crankbaits, fish these slow and parallel to the banks and all hard wood trees. Also try the same stickbaits in the color patterns of Silver and Black and Blue and Silver with an orange belly with easy jerks and long 30 second pauses. Also try small jigs in brown / purple flash or green pumpkin and brown with a craw around pole timber and brush piles with a very slow. This area the water is starting to rise but still be careful. There are still a lot of big trees just under the water in the creek arms and channels swings of the river, go slow and watch for trees just barely exposed.

Baxter, Camel Point, Shell Knob Area:

Reports are that is area is really turning on for black and spotted bass. All of my fish have come on swimming grubs in the back 2/3 of the creek arms. But reports of great stickbait and spinnerbaits bites are also coming in. The topwater bite is also active in this area too with the same type of baits used in other arms of the lake. This is basic Table Rock fishing, some days are great and some days are slow to just OK.

Good fishing Everyone