Calling Fall Trollers

[ten_scoach]

Hello Stockton Trollers. I have been trolling Stockton now for 2 years now and absolutely love it. It's a fantastic fishery. I typically spend the fall in a tree stand, but this fall I would like to spend a little time pulling some crankbaits like I do in the spring. What adjustments do I need to make in fall fishing as compared to spring? What depths should be targeted? What contours should be targeted? What depth of crank should one pull? Thank you for pointing out a few basic fall tactics to a would be bow hunter. Typically I target crappie and walleye, but love to catch whatever bites. I don't discriminate based on race or gender!

[Smithvillesteve]

two buddies of mine and I spent last wed, thurs and fri fishing at Stockton. One of my buddies is 73 yrs old and about all he can do is troll. Bad shoulders and wrists. Oh, and he can drink his margaritas too I almost forgot. Anyway, we caught quite a few fish trolling. Probably around 20 walleyes and 20 bass. Mostly all small fish however. Only 2 15 in walleyes and a couple of nice 15-16 bass. We released everything. My 1 buddy got really hot with a Rick Clunn crankbait that ran about 15 ft deep. black top with a clear body with a bb rattle inside it. Had a square bill. Never seen a deep diver with a square bill before. We fished the main lake wed and thurs and went up the Big Sac friday. I would try and target 15 ft of water and every now and then you will look up and be in 10-12 ft and thats ok. Might want to have a lure knocker when you get hung up. Good luck.

[Haulin Bass]

We were just out trolling Saturday, and there wasn't anything going on until late in the day. We started to catch some NICE crappie off of the Gizzard Shads. But we had NO LUCK all day until 6;00pm or so. Last year this time, we caught Walleye, Crappie, and Small Mouth in the same areas with the Flicker Shads, but we didn't get a nibble on them last Saturday.

When we switched to the Sexy Shads/ and the Gizzard Shads,,, then we caught a few 12-13" Crappie. (* We only totaled 6 between the 2 of us) It was a tough day with that cold snap for sure. But I am certain that the Walleye will start hitting from now until the end of October as the thermocline starts to threaten to turn.

One thing to note was that I caught like (3) Walleye that were just an inch or 2 bigger than my bait! We were excited to see that the Dept. of Conservation was putting more fingerlings in the lake,,,, I know they put in over a million from 2007-2011. and then they stopped. So to see 3 in one day tells me that they stocked the hell out of the lake recently (* Either that or the Walleye are successfully spawning!) ""FINALLY!""

Lastly, we were about ready to give up and switch to the bottom bouncers, but we saw another local doing that, and he said they weren't catching much on crawler rigs either! (* So that is when we switched from shallow cranks to deep cranks.)

I would suggest to you, that you could almost troll any point in and around 20-25 foot, run your cranks about10 to 15 foot, and start out slow,,,, and speed up little by little,,, then change cranks, and start out slow again. We found that the fish will actually hit faster trolling baits in the fall than they do in the spring! (* So we go a little faster, and watch out depth closely.)

But we really haven't found any trends to speak of yet! (Keep trying')

[clandt]

Hi I am new to Stockton lake. I moved from WI 4 years ago and like to troll with my bass boat as I have kids (2-4 years old) I am planning a trip from Neosho MO to Stockton and have no idea what boat landing to use or what part of the lake to troll on? Any help would be great. I troll with planer boards and looking for walleye. pull cranks.

Thanks

[ten_scoach]

Stockton is a great lake in most any area. I typically put in at cedar ridge and work the coves and points just to the west of that area. I think just about anywhere you go on that lake in the mid section to dam area of the lake would produce similar results. The big keys are to get a contour map and look for the structures that you think would hold fish......channel swings in the main river channel, long gravel points, steep bluffs, etc. The best advice I have for Stockton is just go and see what happens and build from there. I have no idea about fall trolling, which is why I started this thread. It sounds like some fish could be caught if you cover some distance and vary your presentation. Good luck and let us know how you do.

[capndan]

well said tennis coach! Time for us to load up that livewell with slabbolas.

[fishbait3]

clandt, I pmed u on some info that might give u an idea or help good luck.

[Champ188]

two buddies of mine and I spent last wed, thurs and fri fishing at Stockton. One of my buddies is 73 yrs old and about all he can do is troll. Bad shoulders and wrists. Oh, and he can drink his margaritas too I almost forgot.

I don't know that a 73-year-old man out there trolling and drinking margaritas is a good thing for himself or anyone else on the water.

[Haulin Bass]

Hey Clandt.

I am originally from Wisconsin too.

I lived in Door County and Milwaukee, and still have relatives our in Delefield/Brookfield areas.

I live down in Christian County now,,,, but I prefer Stockton over Table Rock anyday!~

You might do just as well jigging standing timber because the Crappie are just too good tasting to pass on!

But, if you want to troll, just get some flicker shads. (because they are cheap). Put those on 10lb line, use bright colors on sunny days, and dark colors on cloudy days. And you might want to invest in a lure retriever, can't tell you how many times that thing has paid for itself over and over again!~

Throw your motor in low, and let your line out about 60/70 yrds. Stay in 20-25 foot of water, and just watch your depth.

Just remember, it's not where your boat is,,,, it's where your lures are. And I have a small boat, and can still get 4 poles out easily.

You'll catch some bass/crappie/walleye, and probably some white bass too!

Head out to the marinas (any) and try to stay in the river channels, or just cruise around the points.

You don't need to do much else accept "PULL" when your poll bobs.

If you are going camping, and you are going to State Park,,,, just troll wherever your boat lets you!~

best against the wind, and good on points with the wind blowing into them,,, but I've caught them in dead flat clam too!~

Stockton is an AWSOME fishing lake,,,, and water should be well warm enough to go swimming still too!~

be more concerned with enjoying that time, rather than catching anything, because it's actually been "slow" all over!

But with this nice stable cool weather, I would bet the bite will turn on any day now,,, and it will be GLORIOUS!~

(* hint, Walleye are about to hog-wild any day now) And they are the Prize fish in the lake!~

[ten_scoach]

well, I figure I'll post back how it went. Tried to stay in 20-30 fow. Brought home 2 keeper crappie and 1 white bass. A long afternoon. Still haven't figured out the fall pattern. I've spent so many years in a tree this time of year, I don't know how to fish the fall!! Advice still welcome!!