Summertime!!

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The Spawn is on. First flight landed with the full moon on April 26th. Last departure is scheduled for the full moon in May. Yes, the spawn is over a month long. The good Lord takes care of his own. Different dates and different depths is the key to survival in nature. We are catching post-spawn, pre-spawn and bedding fish as we now speak. If you can get yourself down here in the next three weeks the possibility of getting all over the top of these rascals is pretty good. Entire White River Arm from the dam to Eagle Rock, thru the second week of June.

Dam area; swim that 3-inch grub early and often. Clouds and wind really help. Toss it to the bank on major spawning banks and post spawn points and I bet you might get bit. Red Smoke Pepper, Grey, Salt and Pepper, and Green Pumpkin. I swim it on a 1/4-oz head and 6 lb. Pline. You can expect some nice smallies, kentuckys and lots of goggle eye in the dam to Kimberling City area. Rest of the river, count out the gogs.

On bright days and if the grub flops you can always go to the ole standby the split-shot rig, the carolina rig or the mojo-rig. Who cares what it’s called, it works. I fish it on a spinning rig, with 8-lb Pline and use a 1/4-oz; weight and a number 1-worm hook. I prefer the Eagle Claw Laser lite. Cheap and needle sharp. If they inhale the thing, just clip it off. DON’T MAKE THAT FISH BLEED.

Best bugs for the rig are the finesse worm, centipede and fish dr. A lizard in 4 and 6 inch will also get some nips. I like green pumpkin, watermelon candy, and snot. I think that may be a new color.

With the start of summer let’s go to mid-June. As the fish move from the spawn they will return to pre-spawn areas like bluff ends and cove mouths. They will also break from these locations and follow the bait, shad. They will also feed early and late as the light really penetrates the water and makes these fish early and late feeders. It also will position the fish when it comes, on the thermalcline. This bodes well for the deep bait fishermen. They will key on some of the winter areas such as channel swings, humps, bluff ends, and deep trees.

Live night worms, crayfish, and the new drop shot rig with small ringworms or meatheads shook in the face of these suspended fish will cause them to react in a most appropriate manner. I fish the live bait on a No 4-bait holder, and use a 1/4-oz split to get it to the trough. A lot of times the rod will just load and you will feel heavy on the rig rather than a tug, tug, type of bite. On the drop shot, lower it to the fish and just shake the rod tip, don’t jerk it like a spoon, just a slight shake will get the most of this rig. The 8-lb Pline still works. On the drop shot, you can use a 1/4 or a 3/16th. At the end with 2 baits up the line usually about 18 inches apart. Two works better than one as it stabilizes the rig and helps prevent line twists.

Summer also brings my favorite fishing, the top-water attack. My favorite top- water appetizers are the spook, chug bug, pop-R, spitting image, and of course the red fin. Colors that work on the Rock are clear, bone, blue, green, and white. The mouth of large coves, major creek mouths. Bluff ends and main lake channel, all get schooling activities from these top-water shad chasers. I have no idea how many times I have seen one fish chasing in the main channel, and wheeled the bass rocket around and caught a bucket of bass. A bucket being more than one, depending on the size of the bucket. Always have that grub rig ready as sometimes they just don’t want the surface bait and will hit a subsurface grub. You can fish it by smoking it thru the area or by just casting it out there and letting it swim its way back to you on a raised rod. You will just have to see what works as it can change as rapidly as the weather.

On these schooling chasing fish, don’t cast past these fish and then bring the bait to the location. Just hit them in the head with the bait or anticipate the direction they are headed and throw there. They are fast movers and by the time you work the bait in a politically correct manner to the rising fish, they will be gone. The better you can cast the more you will catch. A spoon is also a good tool to keep handy, as you can throw this a mile.

My son is great at the top-water game, as he is very patient. While I am fan casting and throwing here and there, he is waiting for fish to rise near the boat. When one does this, my bait is half way to Birmingham and he will just toss over and catch the fish. Enjoy the end of the spring season and then get your feet set for great summer top-water and deep action on one of the best-spotted bass lakes in the world.