July 18, 2007 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

[Thompson Fishing Guide Service]

July 18, 2007 Stockton Lake Fishing Report

Lake Level: 874.35

As of late, the majority of my fishing has been from late afternoon til dark, so this report should be considered applicable to those times.

Walleye: Stockton Lake has fluctuated anywhere from a few inches to 3 feet in a few hours, and I think that has affected the fishing somewhat. The walleye bites that I have been involved in have come off of main lake points with a noticeable rock pile. These fish seem to stage around the rock pile to ambush the massive schools of shad that are in this lake. A bottom bouncer rig tipped with a minnow slow drifted over these rock piles have been my number one choice in the last few days. Slow trolled deep diving crank baits also have been working right around dark. If you are going to fish during the heat of the day, you’ll find the walleye at around 30 feet deep as they follow the shad aimlessly throughout the lake. You could catch a limit of fish along the dam one day and the next day they’ll be gone. So spend a little time with your sonar and you’ll save a lot of fishing time. After dark, slow trolled deep diving crank baits or fan cast the shore and you should catch fish in around 8-10 feet of water.

Largemouth bass: Top water bite is still hit and miss, but I have had a couple of clients who have caught fish on Scum Frogs. Crawdad colored jigs have been working well off the same main lake points that the walleye have been hanging out in…you are looking at 20-25 feet of water sometimes. Like top water, the crank bait bite has been an off and on deal too, but the fish that we have taken on crank baits prefer medium running shad colored crank baits. Same with spinner baits as far as hit and miss is concerned, but I have caught a few nice legal fish slow rolling it through the brush just under the surface. Willow leaf blades fit the purpose the best, because they slide through the brush. I have not been using a trailer hook. For the time you spend getting unhung, you could probably make an extra 150 casts a day.

Crappie: If you want to have a real hot crappie bite, between sundown and midnight is your best opportunity. I use a submergible crappie light to draw in the bait which bring in the crappie. Stake out some brush piles off secondary points; if there’s no wind, you should be able to stay on top of your spot with no problem. Or tie up to a stump or bridge pillar. Medium sized minnows on an Aberdeen hook have been the best bait, however crappie jigs should work well also. Your minnows are a guarantee…why mess around with anything else?

Channel cat fishing has been real good up the Sac River and the Son’s Creek arms of the lake. Night crawlers have been good, along with your other classic baits that we mention here every week. Because the lake is way high in the brush, bank access is still limited. One place you could go and take your kid, though, is the floating dock next to the swim beach off Ruark Bluff or the floating dock by Cedar Ridge.

Marty Thompson

Thompson Fishing Guide Service

www.fishstockton.com

417-424-BASS