Smallmouth And White Bass In Missouri

[tkite]

Saw on a Missouri fishing report today that smallmouth fishing is excellent on Bull Shoals right now. Is it any good from Taneycomo dam to the Arkansas line? If so are tube jigs and football heads good like at Table Rock? Any help is greatly appreciated

[troutgnat]

tkite,

I'm in the same boat. I've mostly fished Table Rock and do not have much experience on Bull Shoals. I need to learn this lake also but know very little. Sadly, unlike the Table Rock forum this forum gets very little hits. We need to seek HAM'S help. He seems to be the main poster on here.

I have heard that you can pretty much duplicate what you do on the Rock to catch fish on Bull Shoals. It is very similiar. I can tell you right now Bull Shoals is not getting much action from the bass fisherman as it is really high water right now.

[troutgnat]

where did you get your report? everybody i know is staying away from B.S.

[Sam]

I can't answer for sure because I haven't been since the water came up. Bull Shoals is about 20 feet above normal right now, and that could make fishing pretty tough.

That's the area of the lake I fish, though, year after year. I sure wouldn't consider it a smallmouth hole even when conditions are good. I've caught smallmouths there occasionally, but I don't remember ever catching a keeper. For me, Upper Bull Shoals is for crappie, walleyes, white bass, largemouth, and Kentucky bass when conditions are right (which they probably aren't now).

If I wanted a smallmouth trip, I'd go to the Tablerock dam area - the islands and points around State Park, Indian Point, and Powerline Cove.

[Dutch]

Personally I am giving mother nature time to settle down and let BS drop about 15' before I start down there again.

I have found most of my smallmouth from Tucker Hollow down the lake. White bass will be migrating up streams from January to April. However, if the water is way high they will be hard to find as their usual hangouts will be very deep.

[tkite]

K guys thanks for the info. Guess we'll just stay over at Table Rock. I saw the good smallmouth report in the KC Star fishing report.

[Wayne SW/MO]

The upper BS isn't really good Smallie habitat and I think many of those caught in the spring are returning to the creeks, after wintering in the lake. BS is a good Smallie lake, but I think the best is down closer to the dam. While I'll probably leave myself wide open, I think you need three things to really attract them deep drops, pea gravel and chunk rock. The upper is short on gravel and deep drops.

[abbfish]

The upper BS isn't really good Smallie habitat and I think many of those caught in the spring are returning to the creeks, after wintering in the lake. BS is a good Smallie lake, but I think the best is down closer to the dam. While I'll probably leave myself wide open, I think you need three things to really attract them deep drops, pea gravel and chunk rock. The upper is short on gravel and deep drops.

Sorry for a dumb question, but how do you know where the pea gravel is? Are you looking at the bank and assuming it goes out a ways under the water or are you using your electronics?

[Wayne SW/MO]

Sorry for a dumb question, but how do you know where the pea gravel is? Are you looking at the bank and assuming it goes out a ways under the water or are you using your electronics?

Just looking at the bank. Its a spawning area and it doesn't have to extend very deep. Its not something I would look for now, its just one of the things to help predict a Smallie population in a lake.

TR is much the same way, as you get farther east into the area where all three things are present in quantity the Smallie population increases.