Saturday, March 24

[Champ188]

Donna and I met Denjac for breakfast at 6:30 Saturday morning at Ma's Place. Glad we fueled up because we proceeded to fish til 5 p.m. Launched at Mill Creek at 7:30, well past daylight, and counted only seven other trucks/trailers there. Was really surprised there wasn't more.

Saw some schooling fish in an established spawning pocket near the KC bridge and caught one out of them. Had two fish, including one that appeared to be a big smallmouth, come up and roll on a Fin but wouldn't eat.

Fished most of the good gravel in Schooner Creek with only one keeper spot to show for it. Went to the Cows and caught a few more spots off of steeper, rocky banks with timber.

Broke and ran for lower end of the White and fished several of my better areas between the mouth and Baxter and pretty much came up dry except for a couple more spots off steeper stuff with wood.

Bottom line ... only way I could get bit was shaky head or finesse jig on 45-deg chunky stuff with wood. Obviously, that kind of stuff is gonna hold spots.

Went to the very back of some excellent spawning pockets and saw no beds and no fish. Threw a Fluke weightless for at least 45 minutes and had NO FOLLOWERS, not a single one. When fish are shallow and about to spawn, you will have little bucks by the multitudes follow that Fluke. Warmest water temp we saw was 60, very late in the day. Otherwise, was 56-57 most everywhere we went.

Yes, some of the James River fish are spawning. Some are already done. Not so on the main lake. Not even close.

Rick Clunn once said that one of the reasons he moved to Missouri was to become better at fishing highland reservoirs. A few years later, he said, "I've been trying for years and these White River lakes still kick my butt on bluebird days."

I'm with him. I figure a good part of the problem on the middle to lower lake yesterday was that those fish in that clear water have had cloud cover every day for a week until Saturday. First bright day after several dark ones is never a good thing.

[dtrs5kprs]

Excellent report, but you should know there are no fish in Schooner...

Between your post and Denjac's it looks like the reports of the spawn may be a bit early, which is ok by me. Takes a long time for that deep clear water in the lake end to warm up. Believe we are ahead of the fish, at least for now. That old smoke grub should be starting up pretty soon.

[Quillback]

Thanks for the report, Champ. I know if it's tough for you and Donna then it is tough! But you can't beat the weather and the scenery. I was up by Baxter looking at a boat today, driving over on 86, some great views out there, air was really clear. Redbuds, Dogwoods starting to bloom, great time to be out in the Ozarks!

[abkeenan]

I'll chime in but don't have much to offer. FISHING WAS BRUTAL THIS WEEKEND! Just terrible....as bad as I've ever done. Between myself, dad and brother we had 8 total bass, 3 in which measured and 2 of which were nearly unmeasurable, fishing the Dam Area. One really nice 3lb12oz chunk spot with the biggest gut I've ever seen on a bass. All fish taken shallow (4-10 ft) on either a wiggle wart or mcstick.....all fish seem to have been in the brush and came out to get it. Didn't get a single bite today (Sunday) from 8AM-2PM. Just pathetic and talked another guy putting his boat back on the lift around 11 that said he didn't have a single bite either starting at 7AM. Said he tried grubs, jigs, gitzits, cranks, warts and yes even the A-Rig to no avail. So I didn't feel as bad about myself. Threw the A-Rig for the first time on Saturday, kinda fun to throw but not productive as I didn't land fish with it. Had something big on it (thinking it was a big cat) that took me into a tree and played tug of war for 15 minutes with him on the 65# braid until I couldn't feel it/them pulling back anymore and had to break off. Whatever it was it was big. Well I am lying about the rig I did catch a 5 pound rock on one of the arms. Tried crappie for about an hour in the Brushy Creek with no luck on the swimming minnows in spots that are usual producers for us. Water from 86 Bridge into Bushy and on down Long Creek towards Ark is just chocolate milk. Visibility in that part of the lake was 6" inches deep....muddy as heck.

Bottom line....tough this weekend. TOOOOO many boats and bluebird skies/ no wind = ROUGH GO. Kind of pissed about the amount of fishing pressure. Not a square inch of any point, bank, pocket or nook and cranny in the dam area didn't see a bait. Anything you fished had been fished by 5 other boats before you. Tournaments gallore, pre fishing galore and 2/3 boats flinging the A-rig. Hope its not like this every time I come down from now on. Really would like to see the tournaments more regulated and kept to a minimum....JEEZ I've never seen that many boats. Stupid.

[Quillback]

Yeah ab, lots of wrapped rigs in the parking lot, practicing for next weeks FLW I believe. Of course that means next weekend pressure again.

[Fishin Hodge]

Glad to know it wasn't just me. Fished Long Creek Saturday morning, defined mud line working its way out to around Clevenger. Caught 2 keepers on an a-rig, channel swing bank with some wood, in the first 30 minutes with several short fish, and then it went dead. One of those being a nice meanmouth. Had another one straighten the snap on my Alabama rig I wish I had saw, but that is fishing. Caught one more nice black on a spinnerbait about noon on a pea gravel bank I like in the dirty water, and then nothing again. Loaded up the boat and put in at Mill Creek. Fished the Kimberling area from the main lake to the backs of the pockets for 2 or 3 hours and caught 1 random keeper on a Carolina rig. Tough day. 4 keepers and we had to work for them. Here is my buddy with our best two. Held them for the photo op and were released.

[buckcreekmike]

I hope gets a little better, I'll be there Wednesday in the area you guys are talking about, we'll see.

[CaptainJoe]

Champ,

I spent the day in Schooner Creek as well. Managed only 4 small keepers. Water temps were 57-59, so we are close, but not there yet. I caught all of my fish on a fire tiger Wiggle Wart. Two smallies and two blacks. Tough day; however, managed 2nd Place in the ABA tourney since the rest of the field also had a tough day.

Should be just about right for the FLW this weekend.

[Fishin Hodge]

Captain Joe,

Were you fishing that ABA 64 out of Cape Fair?

[CaptainJoe]

Yes, I was. I wanted to get away from the Chocolate water up there, so I made the trip to Schooner Creek.