March 14, 2007 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

[Thompson Fishing Guide Service]

March 14, 2007 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

Walleye: walleye have been few and far between for the last couple of weeks. I predict that this will change dramatically in the next few days due to the moon phase. The best place to spend your time is along the dam because a large percentage of the spawning fish will spawn on the dam. With my experience, 1/4 oz - 1/2 oz jigs white or chartreuse will be your first bet. From there, I would look at crank baits, such as your deep diving Rapala minnow type baits. Walleye are interesting in that they are either real hot or real cold fish. But when they turn on, they'll be HOT. Your best chance for a big fish will of course be this time of year. One thing I would like you to remember, that it is necessary to release the majority of the big females that you catch. If you and your kid catch a big fish and you want to get it mounted, that's good, but if you want eating fish, your legal males will turn on approximately a week to ten days after the spawn. When they do, catching a limit is no big deal.

Largemouth bass: I had two days this week that I was not booked to guide for WALLEYE, so I went bass fishing. I did quite well, actually. The fish are on the deeper sides of the larger main lake coves that have brush. The majority of the fish that I caught were on a black spinner bait in about 5 feet of water. There has also been some top water activity early and late in the same locations. I won't tell you exactly where I fish, but I will tell you this: I was in water that was 51 degrees.

Crappie: Crappie fishing has slowed down somewhat, but I expect in the next couple of weeks that they are going to be real serious about the spawn. At that time, they will be in about 15-20 feet of water as they stage to go make a nest. Everybody says look for pea gravel banks, but it seems like 90% of Stockton Lake's 300 mile shoreline is pea gravel banks! So what do I do? Locate large main lake coves that have depths in excess of 50+ feet and long tapering points that lead into the deeper water. South/southwest facing shorelines...fish the coves that have the most brush furthest out in the cove. You will catch more quality fish. As for now, I would fish the deeper water in these same coves. I still use a slow vertical presentation with a 1/4 oz jig and minnow. You think 1/4 oz is too big? I say "No" for 2 reasons: It takes a heavier jig to keep your line vertical (which is necessary for detecting a bite) and a majority of the fish you will catch will be in the SLAB class. The bigger the bait, the bigger the Crappie. If you want to go dabble a minnow on one of the hundreds of marked crappie beds on the lake, and catch a lot of short fish, that's ok. But if you want to catch the bigger fish, you have to fish where the bigger fish are. One thing I learned as an elk guide in Colorado, is that in order to get a big bull, you have to hunt where the big bull lives.

White bass: They are slow right now also. Some people are catching fish up Turnback, which will be a place to be when the walleye turn on. Try Birch Branch, or the mouth of Greaser Creek and you should run into the white bass. The white bass, like the walleye, are ready to spawn, and these would be places I would start.

Guide's tip of the month: 3 ways to get your fellow anglers to hate your living guts:

1. When you see a bass fisherman casting along the shore, motor your boat within 20 yards in front of his, both going the same direction, and begin crappie fishing.

2. When you see that a fellow angler is throwing markers to fish a certain secret area, pull up as close to one of the markers as you can, and begin fishing.

3. This one will get you more notoriety than Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction: pick a hot, busy, holiday weekend and load all of your fishing equipment in your tow vehicle. Go to your favorite, busiest boat ramp and back your trailer down to the water. All occupants must exit the vehicle at this time and begin loading the boat; this should take about 20 minutes. Then be sure to have everyone visit the restroom one last time. Voila! Everyone within earshot will hate your living guts and talk about it for generations.

If you have never experienced the thrills and spills at the boat ramp, it's some of the best entertainment there is...and it's free!

Next week: Advanced lessons in "How to be the Boat Ramp Jerk" (your wife will love this)!

Marty Thompson

Thompson Fishing Guide Service

www.fishstockton.com

417-424-BASS

[bojack]

i'm surprised that with the warm week we've had that the fish aren't more active. what is the water temp at stockton? thanks