Keepers still missing

[Dutch]

I had 17 bass Monday evening with only one keeper.  Tuesday 18 with 2 keepers.  I still don't know where those old girls are hiding out.  Spinner baits, jigs, tubes, and Ned have been producing for me.

[Phil Lilley]

Talked to a guy yesterday that fishes out of Tucker Hollow on Bull Shoals.  He said he had 24 keepers there last week (one day of fishing).  Dragging crawlers.  He said there's no one down there fishing...

[Mhyde]

2017 STOCKTON LAKE  FISHING PROSPECT REPORT

"Largemouth bass are the most numerous black bass species in Stockton Lake, especially in the upper portions of the lake.  Spotted bass and smallmouth bass are present throughout the lake, but make up larger percentages of the population in the lower portion of the lake.  Sampling is conducted on each of the major lake arms on alternate years.  In 2016, largemouth bass catch rates on the Big Sac Arm were improved from 2012 and suggest good recruitment the last few years.  The data revealed a very high number largemouth bass in the 13-14.5 inch range.  This is consistent with recent reports from anglers, catching an overabundance of sublegal fish.  The good news is that these fish should provide anglers with more keeper fish in the next couple of years.  Catch rates from 2015 on the Little Sac Arm were below the long-term average, in fact the lowest since 2007.  However, this could be partially attributed to less than optimal sampling conditions at the time.  Fortunately, successive strong year classes should continue to produce quality fishing for anglers."

 

just spit balling not trying to start a conspiracy here, but when I read this I wonder if the 'overabundance of sublegal fish" could contribute to the growth of the class stunting out? If there were an overabundance of short fish in the big sac arm could that lead to a growth issue? I don't believe there is shortage of food (shad), but TOO MANY or "over abundance could lead to an issue with that class of fish maturing?

this also reads that  in the Little Sac arm in 2015 catch rates were "below the long term average, in fact the lowest since 2007" could it be that the floods the last 2 years just have not produced good spawns and have actually hurt the fish more than they have helped?

I'm no biologist but I just wonder if you read between the lines in this report that maybe the lake is just on a down  and we all just shouldn't be surprised by the lack of keepers this year ...anyone else have any thoughts??????

[blacknoseddace]

58 minutes ago, Mhyde said:

2017 STOCKTON LAKE  FISHING PROSPECT REPORT

"Largemouth bass are the most numerous black bass species in Stockton Lake, especially in the upper portions of the lake.  Spotted bass and smallmouth bass are present throughout the lake, but make up larger percentages of the population in the lower portion of the lake.  Sampling is conducted on each of the major lake arms on alternate years.  In 2016, largemouth bass catch rates on the Big Sac Arm were improved from 2012 and suggest good recruitment the last few years.  The data revealed a very high number largemouth bass in the 13-14.5 inch range.  This is consistent with recent reports from anglers, catching an overabundance of sublegal fish.  The good news is that these fish should provide anglers with more keeper fish in the next couple of years.  Catch rates from 2015 on the Little Sac Arm were below the long-term average, in fact the lowest since 2007.  However, this could be partially attributed to less than optimal sampling conditions at the time.  Fortunately, successive strong year classes should continue to produce quality fishing for anglers."

 

just spit balling not trying to start a conspiracy here, but when I read this I wonder if the 'overabundance of sublegal fish" could contribute to the growth of the class stunting out? If there were an overabundance of short fish in the big sac arm could that lead to a growth issue? I don't believe there is shortage of food (shad), but TOO MANY or "over abundance could lead to an issue with that class of fish maturing?

this also reads that  in the Little Sac arm in 2015 catch rates were "below the long term average, in fact the lowest since 2007" could it be that the floods the last 2 years just have not produced good spawns and have actually hurt the fish more than they have helped?

I'm no biologist but I just wonder if you read between the lines in this report that maybe the lake is just on a down  and we all just shouldn't be surprised by the lack of keepers this year ...anyone else have any thoughts??????

Can't wait to see more on this one. Are the quality fish just roaming open water following Shad which makes them hard to pin down like others have stated on the forum? Most of us love to fish our favorite techniques because we have confidence in them. 

[Mhyde]

6 minutes ago, blacknoseddace said:

Can't wait to see more on this one. Are the quality fish just roaming open water following Shad which makes them hard to pin down like others have stated on the forum? Most of us love to fish our favorite techniques because we have confidence in them. 

I do agree with you on this, we have not had a GOOD shad kill for a couple of years. need a good  freeze this winter.

[redshad]

I live in Willard and fish Stockton for bass on a regular basis.  My experience over the past few years ditto's what the report states.  I have caught numbers of in the 13-14 inch range.  that has been going on for the last 3 or 4 years.  I like them keep thinking that next year I will catch more 15-16 inchers.  That has not been the case.  Each year there seem to be an abundance of just under the 15 inch mark with few over the 15 inch mark.  Logic would tell us that as that yearly class matures there should be close to the same numbers getting a little larger each year.  That does not seem to be the case for me.  I don't know that if around the 15 inch mark the fish start relating to the deeper water more and are more difficult for me to catch or if they don't seem to be getting any larger than the 13-14 inch range.  Last fall early winter when the spinner bait bite was going well I would catch 35 to 40 in a day and about half would be keepers.  A lot of 15-17 inchers.  I guess the fish are there just a little more difficult to catch than the shorts.  One thing I have noticed at Stockton is that most of the bass are long and skinny.  A 15" inch bass will not weight a pound and a half.  The are 1 lbs 5 ounces to 1 lbs 6 ounces.   On Table Rock the same fish will weigh 1lbs 9 ounces to 1 lbs 12 ounces, on Lake of the Ozarks that same 15 inch fish will be pushing 2 pounds.  Stockton has a abundant shad population and tons of crawfish so I don't understand why the bass are so much skinnier there.  The white bass seem to be nice and fat.  Any other thought?????

[MoCarp]

Hate to say this but Stockton has be bow fished to death the last 7-10 years, less carp = less baby carp to eat, LMB do better when they have shallow feed..................with the walleyes stocked and white bass population up crappie as well the shad  open water swimmers get hammered ..not much to eat,... IMHO Stockton should stock muskies and more small mouths and quit managing for largemouths...toss in a million red ears and yellow perch....we would be good to go..they stocked silversides a few years ago...don't think they took, I also noticed less plankton in the lake than I remember.....

 

 

[Dutch]

I got to fish 2 mornings and 2 evenings.  Most of my fish were on spinner baits but no more than a couple of keepers per trip.  Numbers were pretty good, 49 for the 4 short trips.  Best fish a 4# lmb.

Personally, I don't want to see any toothy critters put back in there.  I'm not sure about stocking smallmouth.  Biologists say it takes 10 years for a smallmouth to reach 15".    I find plenty of them below Edge Island.   

[livingtofish]

Have not fished Stockton in a month or so but was down last Thursday and found fishing pretty slow, but then again when there is no wind and clear water it is usually tough there. Put in about 7am and fished till 2:30 and caught about a dozen largemouth and spots with 4 being keeps. Nothing big with 16.5 being the largest. Fished mainly piles and drops on the main lake with drop shots, and finesse type baits. Fish were in a funky mood we would see fish on our electronics but could not get them to commit. We would catch one or two and that was it, if we returned later we could usually catch another. Fished several spots and kept moving but it was slow. Did catch 1 almost 16in largemouth and it looked really sick, very skinny and had sores on it. Don't see many like that there usually the fish look healthy.

[mikeak]

I like Stockton just fine the way it is.