December 1, 2009 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

[Thompson Fishing Guide Service]

December 1, 2009 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

Lake level: 869.34

Normal pool: 867

Sorry I have been delinquent in posting my fishing reports; no I haven’t been hunting, due to the fact that fall fishing is my second busiest time of the year, and I was booked solid through November. Thank God for the good weather. Plus by the time I got home, I was too tired to do a report. BUT, I do have some good information.

Walleye fishing has been slow, but we have been able to coerce a few keeper fish (18-20 inches and a couple of fish up to 24 inches). Main lake points are the places to be, and some of these fish will be down to 50 feet. Jigs and minnows (large minnows if you can get them) work the best. The bite will be light, so you need to concentrate and position the boat over the fish you mark. Later in the day, (particularly if it is cloudy, and with the early moon) walleye move shallower. Same technique, but you’ll be fishing in 20-30 feet of water. As I said, the bite has been tough, so to be perfectly honest, the key is for the fish to turn on and bite. Change locations often. Later in the day, when the fish get shallower, try trolling or casting deep diving crank baits. The best way I can think of to get warm when it is really cold is to cast and retrieve those deep diving crank baits that are designed to plow the bottom.

Crappie fishing is good; crappie are being caught in 25-30 feet of water on minnows and jigs over brush piles. The key to being successful is twofold: remember the bite will be light, so pay attention. The second consideration is you need to move often. You can play out a good brush pile in no time, especially if your brother in law, Reginald , keeps slamming boat storage lids. If you are unfamiliar with the lake, spend time with your sonar and locate brush piles at the depths mentioned above. You’ll catch more fish if you hunt first and fish later.

Bass metabolism (like crappie) has slowed down considerably in the 52 degree water. They have a tendency to move up shallower in the backs of coves later in the day, and can be caught on shallow running crank baits and spinner baits. I like the choice of spinner baits over crank baits in this situation because the bass move up in the brush due to the lake being high and you get hung up less. That way you don’t have to be constantly digging your brother in law’s crank bait out of the bushes and messing up the whole location. For deeper bass during the day, like I always say, when the water gets cooler and cold, you need to slow down. Plastic worms, jigs, and Colorado blade spinner baits will attract more attention. Remember this, bass people: the majority of the time, where you caught bass in the summer is where they will be in the winter. They don’t move far from home. If it’s a good place to be when the water is hot, it’s a good place to be when the water is cold. You just have to fish differently. Winter is a prime opportunity to catch a hawg.

Marty Thompson

Thompson Fishing Guide Service

www.fishstockton.com

417-424-BASS

Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

[Ämp]

ty for the report.. I have a little to add on the bass fishing.. green grub on a pbj 1/8oz jig 3-20 ft or a good coffin bill that runs 10ft.. get em excited with the crank then clear the area with the jig .. had one of my best trips all year yesterday, find a good hump in a main lake cove or a good hard wood with water behind it in the same coves and you will tear em up..I was also hitting walleye on jerkbaits in these shallow areas 3-6 ft on shad colors.. hope this puts you on the fish , good luck.

[Ämp]

here is a look at how one of the coves I fished yesterday played out to give you a better Idea. 13 ft deep on the top side of the humps.