February 24, 2010 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

[Thompson Fishing Guide Service]

February 24, 2010 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

Water temperature: mid 30s

Lake level: 867.47 and falling due to gates being open

March is the time for the beginning of change. As we get a few warmer days, fish begin to think about moving into their spring pattern. The last 3 years have been fair for walleye and crappie, but I think that 2010 will be a better than average year. My spring calendar is getting full, so if you are planning a trip, call me soon.

Crappie and walleye: the reason I put crappie and walleye together is because the same location and the same presentation for the winter pattern applies to both, for the most part. Walleye and crappie are DEEP, in the 50 foot level...this is exactly where they are at this time very year. If you have read my past reports, reference winter patterns for crappie and walleye, you will remember that a number of things must be accomplished in order to be successful: 1) locate fish, obviously. Gizzard shad seek warmer water in the winter and they find it at these depths because of large springs that warm the water in the general area. Where the bait goes, game fish go, be it Wahoo. Bonita, Marlin, Jaws, or crappie and walleye. 2) Presentation: because of the depth, plus the water temperature, plus the fish being very lethargic, sensitivity is the key. When you are fishing 50 feet down, you must remain directly over the fish. If there is a bow in your line, as a result of the fish biting so lightly, bites will go undetected. If you have a windy day, you need to locate the fish in areas that are out of the wind. 3) Plan of attack: I use jigs with significant weight to keep my line tight depending on wind conditions. Half ounce is not too big. You’ll have to experiment. Before I go any further, I might add some of the best white bass fishing you’ll ever experience will be right now using the same technique as you do crappie and walleye. For more details see previous reports. If you look back over previous reports, you should have enough information that you should be able to compile a notebook that deals with all patterns for all species on Stockton Lake. I guide exclusively on Stockton Lake, not on Lake of the Ozarks, not Bull Shoals, not Truman, or the Gulf of Mexico. You can’t spread yourself too thin, you know, because there is too much water to cover to be efficient on more than one lake.

Another technique I use this time of the year for walleye, crappie and white bass is to tie a 1 or 2 ounce barrel sinker on the end of my line. Above the line you can attach Aberdeen hooks with a minnow, crappie jig, or even small flies and hair jigs about 24 inches from the weight and 24 inches apart and still get to where the fish are and the sensitivity is far greater due to the fact that the weight is at the bottom of the line and when a fish touches your hook, there is nothing between you and him. This is IMPERTIVE due to the fact that when the water is cold, fish metabolism slows down and they just don’t move that fast. I guarantee you that if you master what I have said in this report and previous reports over the last 8 years reference the winter pattern, you will have some of the best crappie, walleye and white bass fishing of the year.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is involved in planting new brush piles throughout Stockton Lake, which will enhance the fishing even more. I know where a lot of those new brush piles are located. Do you?

Guide’s note: if you want to see eagles, go to Hawker Point. We saw at least a dozen bald eagles, mature and immature, which have been gorging themselves on the large numbers of dead shad.

Marty Thompson

Thompson Fishing Guide Service

www.fishstockton.com

417-424-BASS

Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

[Trav]

What? Nothing on the Bass, Marty?

I know...... it is cold!!!..... Haha

[BolivarBasser]

So were you OFFERING to share information on the new brush piles, or just bragging?

[Thompson Fishing Guide Service]

So were you OFFERING to share information on the new brush piles, or just bragging?

I make my living as a fishing guide. Does McDonald's give away free Happy Meals? Does GM (Government Motors) give away free Chevys? Have you received your free money from Barack Obama yet? When people hire a fishing guide, they pay for information. I give as much information as I can in my FREE fishing reports. I owe it to my clients to withhold certain bits of information and aces in the hole, but my goal in posting fishing reports is to help fishermen better enjoy our God given resources. If you want to go a level above the fishing reports, you need to hire me.

Marty Thompson

Thompson Fishing Guide Service

www.fishstockton.com

417-424-BASS

Often imitated, never duplicated. Fish The Finest!

[Trav]

So were you OFFERING to share information on the new brush piles, or just bragging?

A pair of binoculars and a full tank of gas....add that to knowing what Marty's boat looks like and I bet you can get plenty of info...hehe

Sorry Marty...couldn't resist.

[BolivarBasser]

Nice trav...you provide lunch, I'll buy the gas, and we'll make a day of it haha. Good thing for Marty, I may be in the market for a day of guided fishing. If I read that message right, if you hire him he gives you a Chevy and a Happy Meal. Make mine with nuggets. By the way Marty, Your FREE fishing reports are gold, and I know I am one of many who appreciate them. Just givin you a hard time about the MDC brush piles.

[BolivarBasser]

And, while we're on the topic of brush piles, I have heard about green signs that tell you where brush piles are, but I'm not sure I've ever seen one. Maybe I'm not paying attention. Are they the signs on points that have a letter and a number, or are those different?

[straw hat]

The map of brush oiles (they call them "fish attractors") may be found at http://mdcgis.mdc.mo.gov/website/stocktonlake. This website also contains the gps coordinates of those brush piles.

[straw hat]

For some reason that website address didn't post right. (probably operator error). So lets try it again.

http://mdcgis.mdc.mo.gov/website/stocktonlake.

[straw hat]

OK &8%^@! I will try this another way. You can go to http://mdcgis.mdc.mo.gov. Then go to the botton line and click on "fish attractor locations". Then select Stockton Lake.