Catfish biting good around jacomo where the creeks are running in

Catfish No Report

Bluegill slow

Crappie fair

According to AmerenUE the current lake level is 656.08 with light generation scheduled for the next two days which should give the lake a level of 656.1 by Friday, April 16^th. The surface water temperature taken at Bagnell Dam is 53 degrees. The water clarity is still dirty in the main lake and some coves, but there are areas of the lake that are beginning to clear up since generation out of Truman Lake has been reduced. The Grand Glaize, the Big and Little Niangua and Gravois Rivers have good color. The lake has been on a slow rise all week.

LARGEMOUTH BASS – EXCELLENT Bass fishing hasn't’t changed other than it is getting better each day. The recent cold front has moved the larger bass off the banks into 8 to 10 feet of water. The single spin and/or tandem spinnerbait (chartreuse/white, white and chartreuse) continues to be the best bite. The Wiggle Wart and Bandit crankbait are also producing nice keepers. The bass are beginning their pre-spawn stage and are hanging off small chunk rock banks with a pea gravel mix and plain pea gravel flats off channel swings in the pockets and points of these pockets. The jig n trailer, Chomper twin tail grub and tubes (brown/grn. pumpkin, brown/chartreuse and black/blue) worked on the larger chunk rock banks and points are producing, but the spinnerbait and crankbait seems to be producing the best, especially the larger bass. There have been reports that Carolina rigged small plastics have been producing, but the bite has been so soft that it has been difficult to detect the bite. The best bite continues to be below the lodge, but this could change overnight if the weather reaches the 70's and 80's as forecasted the end of this week.

CRAPPIE - FAIR Since the slow rise of the lake this week there has been some small crappie being caught off the bank in 4 to 8 feet of water, mainly in the dirtier water. There hasn't been any reports of large crappie being caught, but again this can change overnight if the warmer weather moves in this weekend. Minnows tipped with Crappie Nibbles has been the best bite. Road Runners, tubes and jigs (white/blue, white/red, chartreuse/white and chartreuse) are working as well.

CATFISH - FAIR There hasn't been many reports on catfish, but the reports received indicate jugs baited with cut shad, crawdads and shrimp have been the best baits in the larger coves and creeks.

WHITE BASS/HYBRIDS - FAIR There have been small whites busting shad in the creeks and large pockets off the main lake during the afternoon and evening, but no reports of large white or hybrids being caught. Road Runner and Rooster Tails are producing.

Catfish No Report

Bass No Report

Crappie No Report

Date: 4/15/04
Lake Level : 605.40
Last Weeks Lake Level: 605.72
Normal Lake Level : 606
Water Condition: Dingy - Muddy
Surface Water Temp: 55-59 degrees

Crappie fishing has been tough this week, however as of yesterday it is starting to heat up. The latest report is that a lot of small crappie are being caught up in the creeks, with the best fishing taking place in the warmer water. Sandy Creek and Lick Creek are the best bets as of this morning. Near record highs should warm the water up even more and get the crappie on the move as they go about their pre-spawn activities. The usual minnows or black/chartreuse jigs are the best bet, don't forget the crappie nibblets if the bite slows down. Expect to catch a lot of small crappie for every keeper, and try shallow water first and keep on the move. Don't tie off to anything for long if you're not catching keepers.

Hopefully the crappie fishing will continue to heat up for the Crappie USA $10,000 Mega Bucks tournament this Saturday. We will be hosting the Crappie USA Kids Rodeo tournament in our pond. It is free, and a lot of fun, if you're in the area stop by and enter your kid in this event. Here's a link to pictures from last years kids tournament- CrappieUSA Kids

Finally, a report on bass fishing. It's been good for the past week, using spinner baits from the shore out, in water about 6 feet deep. A lot of sub legal bass have been caught (just barely under the 15 inch limit), and they've been fat and healthy.

Catfishing continues to be good. Some nice size blues and channels have been caught on trotlines using goldfish or cut shad. Elk Fork and South Fork are still provided good action. This is the time of year when catfish like to come up to the warmer waters and forage for food. Look for water 8 feet or less near drop-offs and fish it.

Black Bass Fair Worms , or Spinner Baits use at back of coves

White Bass up the rivers on chartreuse spinners or jigs.

Muskie fair 4-10 feet of water use black spinners on Martins flat.

Crappie fair 5-10 feet of water around brush use minnows or chartreuse jigs.

Lower Lake fair

Water Temp:54 to 60 degrees

CRAPPIE: FAIR Crappie are scattered and you can catch them at about any depth, depending on which part of the lake you try. They seem to be scattering some while they are following the creek channels toward the backs of the coves and the shallower water. You have to move around some to catch a limit. Jigs and minnows as usual are the best. The water has more color and is warmer up the river. Darker colored jigs are the best. The crappie have not moved up yet.

BASS: FAIR: Bass fishing is getting better if we can keep the water warm. Suspending rogues in the cleaner water around the main lake and jigs or spinnerbaits if you are fishing up the arms of the lake. Some nice fish are being caught. Look in Burton's Tournaments and see weekend results. Thursday evening tournaments start 4-15, this Thursday.

CATFISH: Good Worms, shad sides, or shad guts are all catching fish. The Platte and Little Platte rivers are also producing some fish since the rains. When it rains the fish move into the backs of the creeks and fishing can be great. The normal areas would be to fish the mouths of the coves in the little Platte river arm of the lake. Start at the mouth and work your way back till you find the fish.

WHITE BASS: Good The whites have started their annual run up the river towards Plattsburg. Fish the Little Platte arm of the lake from the free boat ramp to the public access on 116 hwy between Plattsburg and Lathrop. Throw rooster tails and road runners and you can catch both whites and some crappie.

MAIN LAKE - DAM, KIMBERLING CITY, BAXTER & CAMPBELL POINT & SHELL KNOB

Table Rock showed itself this past Saturday at one of the Central Pro-Am MO-Ark events. Once again it showed why it is called one of the best foul weather lakes in the country. Fish started moving on to the beds last week and Saturday a cold front came thru with much needed rains, steady winds and falling temps, and the big fish hit good. It took over 27 lbs. to win in the MO-Ark tournament on Saturday, while 20lbs didn't get a check. The two big bass were over 8lbs! Over the years I've have learned that the worst the weather gets in the spring, the more the fish turn on, they like it! After the front came through, cold temperatures with bluebird conditions, fishing got tougher on Sunday and then improved on Monday. Many of the fish will pull back off the beds for a few days, but with temperatures expected to be in the high 60's & 70's later on in the week the fish should be spawning all over. Water temps dropped to the low to mid 50's after the front. should be back into the high 50's to 60's by the weekend. Many of the same patterns will work from last weeks report so leaving it up for this week also.

Quality fish can be caught on stick baits and wigglewarts, bites can be few and far between but excellent quality fish when you get bit. Early bite is best or if the winds picks up in the afternoon. Fish secondary points with submerged timber (stickbaits), & channel swing banks in the creeks. Try to key on banks that change from football size rock to pea gravel. We are also catching lots of fish on 4" finesse worms, French fries, & centipedes, in watermelon or green pumpkin fished on 1/8 oz. to 1/4 oz. jig heads. Try also split shot rigged or on a drop shot rig in 10'-15' main lake and secondary gravel points. Many smaller fish being caught on these patterns. Carolina rigs with 4" worms or 4"-5" lizards, along with Twin tailed Chompers or Yamamoto grubs. Single tail grubs will catch fish staging out over 20'-30' on main lake points at 10'-15'. Use shad colors, watermelon, on 1/4 oz. jig heads. Top water baits should start working as the warms continues to warm up.

LONG CREEK & JAMES RIVER

Branson Chapter Trout Unlimited next meeting April 27, 2004, 7:00 p.m. at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery.

It looks like spring has sprung here in the lakes area. The turkeys are gobbling, the shrooms are popping and there are a few fish biting. The weather has been a little chilly the last couple of days but the weather man has given us a reprieve for the rest of the week. If his weather forecast is correct we will be in the 70s the rest of the week and by the weekend we will have fish jumping in the boat. I just hope my boat is one they are jumping in. We are starting to see some crappie being caught and the bass bite is pretty good. The lake is still off colored but it is very fishable.

LAKE LEVEL: 707.73 2'
WATER TEMP: 53deg.
WATER CLARITY: Stained to dirty.

BASS: 2hr. 45min. - 10.15lbs tells me the bass fishing is not to bad. That was the result of the Sterett Creek Hawg Fight last night. Marty Watson and Jeff Hook took home 1st place honors. They also had big bass weighing 4.05lbs. 2nd place went to Chuck Strohman and Mike Green with a 8.09lb. stringer. 3rd place went to Mike Simons and Kevin Smith with 5.98lbs. Spinner baits and jig and frog were the best baits going last night. Chartreuse spinner baits with gold blades fished on the points next to deeper water worked pretty good. The fish seem to be holding in 4' to 6' of water and the spinners have to be moved pretty slow. Black and blue jigs fished on the steeper banks in 4' to 8' of water also worked. Fish seem to be holding about 1/2 way back in the coves. We are now asking for donations to buy Emil Tally a watch so he can get back to weigh ins on time, either that or to send him to school to learn to tell time.

CRAPPIE: The crappie are still slow but its just a matter of time.

I saw a couple of limits caught off the bank night before last but these fish have gotten pushed back with the two frosts we've had the last couple mornings. The Crossroads tourn. that went out last Sat. took 10 1/2lbs. to win, 10 fish limit. Big fish was 1.91lbs. Winning team was Fernandez and Markey brought in the winning string. With the weather they are calling for for the rest of the week we should have bedding fish all over the lake this weekend.

Fish the pea gravel banks with a jig and bobber set about 2' deep. A roadrunner will also do a good job. The lake is still 2' high so I think the crappie will spawn on the original bank line. I really think the fishing is going to get going this weekend.

WHITES: No reports.

CATFISH: Jug fishing for cats is still good. Set stages 10' deep and bait with cut shad. Most of the fish in our area are coming off the flats.

This weeks ratings from Sterett Creek are:

Bass # 1

Catfish # 2

Crappie # 3

This Sat. we have the Sedalia Lions Club Crappie Tourn. out of Sterett Creek. This is a big tourn. and a very good cause. If interested call us at the marina and we can get you in contact with them for details.

That's going to be it for this week from Sterett Creek Marina

So until next week we bid you good fishing.

Tommy

* New Missouri regulations require that jug lines be attended at all times.