Kimberling City

[drs]

Can somebody tell me why the fishing in the Kimberling City area is so tough this time of year. I know I should be going up the rivers if I want to catch fish. I've got a condo in the KC area and my boat is on a lift. I don't know the river (James, White, Kings) areas at all. When will the KC area fish start biting?

[dtrs5kprs]

Anymore I fish from Baxter back to the Cow creeks most of the time. The rivers do warm up earlier (color, shallower) and I used to die hard from Viola to Arkansas fishing shallow.

KC area is a lot more of the finesse stuff, and more brownies. Drop your line size to 6# for grubs and shakey heads, 8-10# for sticks, that sort of thing. Weather, especially wind is a real key. Have to find the right types of places where fish pull up also, not always pretty places. Stay off the banks unless it is blowing, any wind is better than none. Should be able to catch some on smoke grubs, sticks in Schooner, Whites, maybe Little Cow for starters. Gravel places, transition banks, swing banks.

[drs]

Thanks for the reply. Guess I'm just not fishing in "the right type places". I guess I'll learn sooner or later. I can catch fish at Truman, Lake O, and Fork, but TR is a different thing altogether. Once again thanks for the reply.

[LarrySTL]

Depending on what size motor you have, the lower end of the James River is , guesstimating, 5 or 6 miles upstream from Kimberling City. From the mouth of the James at point 9 to that large creek with no fish in it is probably 5 more miles, and the middle part of the James is certainly within reach if you are have the horsepower behind you. The James in terms of water color and patterns will usually look a lot more familiar to you than the KC area. Think L of O, but subtract 98 % of the L of O boatdocks.

[techo]

I was waiting for some of the other guys to reply first as my answer is a wild guess. The Kimberling City area is slower to warm up than the two river arms, so it is slower to turn on. The spring rains turns the water darker up the rivers, then the sun warms that water faster. Of course....I could be wrong.

As far as boating from KC to the James River area.....I think it is 11 miles from KC to point 10 and 11 more miles to Cape Fair. It is a long way on tourney day, but not so far on a fun fishing day,

I don't think you have to worry about long trips though as the whole lake is about to turn on. I think I would stay in your area if looking for small mouths soon!

Either way....I wish I Was fishing today instead of working.

[focused fishing]

Everything on here is accurate, the water is clearer and slower to warm in the KC area and that does slow the bite. This year is a little different, there was a massive shad kill from around Campbell point to the dam, great for the fishery tough on the fisherman. I noticed a few still dieing off yesterday in Mill Creek even though the water was in the low 50's, some sort of suicide pact I guess.... Anyway, KC is starting to get better slowly but surely, we had a few there yesterday mostly shorts on a grub, had to keep it up out of the moss to get bit. Look for it to improve a bunch in short order as the water temps get closer to 60. On the bright side it looks like the moss is breaking up a little in the KC area.

As far as running to the James, Aunts Creek is only 5 or 6 miles from the KC bridge...... Right Tim????

[motoman]

........

As far as running to the James, Aunts Creek is only 5 or 6 miles from the KC bridge...... Right Tim????

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Ouch, ole Tim can't catch a break here!

[techo]

My gosh!

[focused fishing]

My gosh!

I'm just saying, isn't that about the right distance????

[motoman]

I'm just saying, isn't that about the right distance????

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Sorry guys, I misread that as maybe a tongue and cheek kinda thing.

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Lordy, I need to watch my late night posts and those at work while I'm busy.

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Twin toddlers at home at night and busy work days, do strange things to a man!