1/10 Fishing Report

[focused fishing]

Kimberling City Area: Table Rock continues to be impressive this winter. The deep bite is really starting to turn on throughout the lake; Chompers 4” single tail grubs in smoke / pepper and salt and pepper has been the best deep bait. Look for schools of bait in the 40 – 60 foot range and fish the grub on a 3/8oz. darter or ball jig head. Back up baits for the deep bite include; Chompers’ drop shot worms, Bink’s spoons and Rapala Ice Jigs are all been effective when you find the right conditions. While not as strong as it was a couple of weeks ago the shallow bite continues to offer exciting action. Jewel 5/8 and ¾ oz. football jigs in green pumpkin candy flash and PB&J with green pumpkin Hyperflex grubs are still catching smallmouth 10’ – 20’ deep on pea gravel and mixed rock points and channel swings. The bite around the bigger community docks has also been good on Eakins Jig and Craw combos. Make pitches to the center walk way of the dock and feed line until the bait hits bottom, work the bait back to the boat with small hops.

James River: The bite up the river has changed with all of the rain water flushing in this week. The best bite has been toward the back of major creek arms, look for fish to be holding on channel swings throughout the back third of the creek. PB&J and Missouri craw Eakins Jig and Craw combos have been the best presentation; position the boat across the creek channel from the swing and work the bait from the bank and through the channel. Many times the fish will “hunker down” in the creek channel and if you’re sitting in the channel you will not get bit. On windy days there are still several fish being caught on wiggle warts, these fish are less than 10’ deep so position your boat around eight feet deep and parallel wind blown pea gravel and mixed rock / gravel banks and points to be successful

White River: The White River is still on of your best choices to fish. The deep bite has turned on over the past week with shad grouping up in the mouths creeks in the 40 – 60 foot deep range; Chompers Drop Shot Worms, Bink’s Spoons and Chompers 4” Single Tail Grubs have all been effective, locate the bait and schools of Kentuckies won’t be far away. Windy days will produce fish on wind pea gravel and mixed rock / gravel points with wiggle warts and even a few fish on jerkbaits. The Kings River has some impressive fishing as well, most of the fish have been shallow around wood and rock cover, an Eakins Flip’n Finesse Jig and Craw combo in black / blue flash or Missouri Craw has been the best bait, make multiple pitches to each piece of cover concentrating on shady spots.

Dam / Branson Area: The lower end of the lake has been fantastic this past week, shallow or deep several fish are being caught in the dam area. The deep bite has been strong in the mouths and guts of creeks with schools of shad being utilized by large schools of Kentuckies in the 40’ – 60’ depth range. Chompers 4” Single Tail Grubs and Ultra Tubes in smoke / pepper and salt and pepper have been the most effective baits, fish either on a 3/8oz. head in and around the schools of bait. In and around the larger community docks several smallmouth and largemouth have been caught this past week on Eakins jig and Craw combos in PB&J and green pumpkin / candy flash. Just like in the mid-lake area you will need to make a pitch to the center walkway of the dock, feed line until the bait reaches the bottom and work the bait back to the boat. The fish on docks can be anywhere from the gang plank to 35’ deep so work each dock thoroughly.

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[HUNTER]

AWESOME REPORT!!!!!!!! Thanks (hope you're keeping some secret weapons in your arsenal) Ha Ha (know you are) Thanks again for your time.

[focused fishing]

just doin' what i can to help out around the house........

[Danoinark]

Excellent report, thanks a bunch. I think its great that the pros here are posting their reports unconditionally sharing with us all.

Dano

[captmac]

Thanks for the report it is always nice to at least have a place to start ie: depth color type of bank ect. heck you did everything but catch em for us ha ha ha

[Jason Essary]

WONDERFULL REPORT!!! Finally going this week, getting everything out while watching football right now. I have one question if anyone has any comments, what about weather. Going to be in the Dam to point 5 area, probably fishing the deep bite of my sonar. Love that style. But whats better, sun, overcast. does the wind blown banks make a difference at that depth???

[ozarksfishin]

Coyote, the deep bite is better with the sun and no wind, it positions the fish in the deeper trees and makes them school up. If it is windy or cloudy, they will be more scattered, but you can still catch them, you just have to search around a little more. If you don't have any luck out deep, try some of the larger docks in the major coves and creeks, like Eric reported. That is where most of the Largemouth are right now. Hope this helps.