April 4, 2007 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

[Dutch]

Those crappie for sure have been close to the bank for the last couple of weeks up the rivers. We have been doing quite well with several double limits.

[Thompson Fishing Guide Service]

April 4, 2007 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

Walleye: The best bet for walleye right now is just before and after dark. The dam will have the best concentration of fish, and we have been catching a few legal fish on deep diving jerk baits on the face of the dam and around Orleans Trail cove. The fishing should get better, due to the fact that these fish shut down for a week or ten days after the spawn and then start up again. During the day I would slow troll or drift a jig/minnow combo in the same areas, but try a little deeper water, in around 25-30 feet deep.

Crappie fishing is starting to pick up throughout the lake, particularly in the area around the Greenfield boat ramp all the way down to Birch Branch in the Sac River Arm. These fish up the river are starting to spawn, and in the area of the dam they are getting ready to spawn. I would search out pea gravel shores in coves that have access to deep water. From Road runners to Rooster tails, slow drifting or casting to the shore around the brush should catch fish. I've also been catching crappie on small crank baits; light colors seem to work the best.

Largemouth bass: bass fishing has started to pick up quite nicely, with a few still being caught on suspended jerk baits and deep diving crank baits, such as Wiggle Warts. Lures with orange, brown or green work real well in the spring for 2 reasons: they match the blue gill that are getting ready to spawn and crawdads, which have emerged from their winter haunts. Top water bite is good early and late, particularly on cloudy days. If the fish aren't in the brush around 5-8 feet deep, use a Carolina Rig in the deeper water on the points in the area.

White bass: are somewhat scattered, but if you can find a school, you should load the boat. Medium sized white or chartreuse jigs work well, along with chartreuse in line spinners, such as rooster tails. I would start my quest for white bass around the Ruark Bluff campground area, either slow troll or cast to the fish that you mark on your sonar unit.

Marty Thompson

Thompson Fishing Guide Service

www.fishstockton.com

417-424-BASS