Stockton Lake Fishing Report

[Stockton Lake Guide Service]

Water temp today was 36-37 in the main lake. It hasn't really warmed up much in the past couple days, but since it is finally warming up outside this will probably start to change. DONT FORGET IT IS TIME TO GET YOUR 2010 LICENSE. MDC did a great job putting the brush piles in for us to fish over, so make sure you get a license before you try them. No need to pay twice for the brush piles, save yourself a $100.00 and spend it on one of us guides to take you fishing. I had to turn around 1/2 way there today and go back to get the guy I was taking out, and good thing we did. The law was watching us fish from the ramp and he would have been a nervous wreck if he would have not had it with him. Buy a license, don't keep short fish, and don't go over your limit. Another rule that most don't understand is once you put a fish into your livewell, it counts to your daily limit. If you catch 15 crappie, and keep fishing, you can't release the smallest and keep the 15" one you just caught. By law you must release the 16th fish of the day, the biggest in this case. If you are catching 10" and looking for bigger, just let them go as you catch them. MDC has done a great job keeping this lake full of great fish so if you see someone doing something illegal, no shame in turning them in (or telling the person doing it that they are wrong) I would love for the fishing to stay this good for another 20 years. Just wanted to add all this in to hopefully keep someone from doing something they didn't even know was wrong. The agents will answer any questions for you before you do it wrong. Just don't walk up to them with a spotted owl on your stringer and expect them to show you some sympathy, just give your agent a call and ask. In this case you would have clearly been told that you couldn't shoot spotted owls. Thanks for reading now back to the fishing report:

The walleye bite has been a little spotty, with most of what I have caught and some other being caught while crappie fishing. Most of these have been smaller males that have moved into the creeks. I have heard of a few being caught on jerkbaits on points and some in creek channels. I think they will start moving next week for some spawning areas. I hope so, its easier to clean 4 walleye instead of 15 crappie.

Last spring was awesome for catching the spawning walleye. We had several trips that got limits and a lot of happy fishermen. I think it should be just as good this spring. If you are looking to catch some spawning walleye book a trip fast. I am booked thru April on Saturdays, and have several trips during the week. Marty has been saying for quite a while that he is getting booked up, and I am sure that Les and JR are about the same way. If you want a trip, get in touch with one of us soon and book a trip. I have a few weekdays open for the walleye spawn, but like I said, weekends are gone for now. (you can still try just in case someone has to cancel.) If possible for you, I can still work in some 4 hr trips for walleye in the evenings.

The crappie have been excellent all week long. Nothing has really changed since the last report, and lots of crappie are being caught. 1.8 oz jigs with a 2" grub of some type is catching lots of fish. Locate the shad in the creeks, about 30 foot down, and go to the bottom. Come up about 3 cranks, or about 8-12" and wait. Todays bite was very lite, and several of the fish we caught were taken while slowly raising the jig and you would feel some weight. Or you can very slowly use the trolling motor to stay on the move and you can feel the bite a little better. I don't mind telling anyone where I am fishing (usually) but we had 15 boats out there today and there wasn't much room for anymore. But if you go to places like hawker point, price branch, etc and find shad in the channels, you should find crappie. Even back in the area of rb or orleans trails would be great. The bite was the lightest I had seen this winter today, so you really have to pay close attention and always have tension on your line. You can't let it set on the bottom. This bite should continue until the water warms enough and the shad move. I have had a trip everyday this week and am booked on saturdays thru April now. The weekdays are really better, less pressure, for fishing anyways.

Bass have been fair up the rivers on jerkbaits and jigs. Most of the fish have been feeding on the shad that have been moving around up there. Try fishing close to channel drops and points and fish slow. You can get some big bass this time of year. The fish depth have been changing, so don't want to confuse by telling you how deep, just work deep to shallow and see how you do.

Catfish are still in the freezer section of summer fresh and price cutters. I tried the other day but guess I had spent to much on my debit card and was denied. I will keep eating crappie instead. If anyone has a real catfish report, let us all know. A coupld of people have asked and I can only tell them to fish under the shad out in the channel. They gotta be there.

OK, thanks for reading and again thanks to everyone that had a part in putting out the brush, doing the program for us to get the gps spots, and everyone that helped get the info out to the fisherman that paid for these spots thru their licenses (and fines in some cases)

I really hope this report helps everyone. I am open this coming wed and thur but booked the rest of the week. If someone wants to go one of those two days let me know. We can fish, search brush piles/take side imager pics/or a little of both. Great way to learn where to fish for later.

As always, please call me if you have questions or need anything and thanks to everyone that has recommended people to me over the past couple of months. So far this has by far been the busiest spring I have ever had.

I also understand that several of you only have sundays to fish, which makes things really tough. I only have sunday to go to church, so I can't fish until afternoon on sundays. If you too want to go to Church, feel free to contact one of the members on here that are Christians. Myself, Shockley32 or one of the others and let us know. Maybe we can take you fishing for a day and do a little talking while we fish. Who knows you just might find a secret place and some stuff about Church. OK, enough of being on the soapbox.

If you want the newest coordinates on a .gpx file then send me an email asking for me to forward them to you.

Keep your hook sharp!!

See you on the lake!!!

[Zac Seale]

Bob,

My wife are fishing from the shore at stockton tomorrow because my boat is not ready for the lake yet this year. We usually fish south of CC from the shore or across from the ramp at cedar ridge if we shore fish. Which do you think would be more productive right now? I just haven't been out on stockton enough this winter to know where they are going to be more active. Any help would be greatly appreciated. THank you!

Zac

[Stockton Lake Guide Service]

I would hit the shore to the right of the ramp at cc. The channel swings thru there and you can catch some crappie and bass this time of year, and could catch some walleye heading up the rivers.

Good luck and hope you catch some

[Scott Samuels]

I would love to get a gpx file of the new brush piles. Thanks!

I would hit the shore to the right of the ramp at cc. The channel swings thru there and you can catch some crappie and bass this time of year, and could catch some walleye heading up the rivers.

Good luck and hope you catch some

[Zac Seale]

Thanks Bob! I actually didn't check the post before we left and we ended up fishing south of the bridge on the east shore. My wife caught 5 or 6 largemouth and i managed a keeper white crappie. I have never fished on the ramp side, but will definitely try next time. We saw a bunch of boats catching crappie in the middle of the channel and a few guys right up the shore caught a monster white bass, probably 18-19" long!! Thanks again!

Zac