Catfish good on fresh shad

Hybrids fair on liver

Bass fair on plastic worms around timber

Carp fair on corn, prepared bait

July 19, 2004
The week started out with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the 90's, but by the weekend a weak front came in dropping some needed rain and cooling things down. Lake temperature pushed up to 85 degrees and the thermocline is at 32 to 34 feet this week. Generation continues around the clock and pool level is now at 658.37, four feet above normal. The draw down has affected the feeding patterns of the game fish and the bite is falling off because the fish can't settle into any comfortable holding areas. Crappie moved back into the brush piles over the week and started striking artificial baits. Crappie tubes and swimming minnows in pumpkinseed, shad, pink and pearl colors are working the best.

Largemouth bass are scattered and there is absolutely no pattern of where you might catch one. If you spend all day flipping docks and submerged brush you might find one or two. Football jigs in 40 to 50 feet of water off points can catch a few although you need to fish a number of points before you get bit. Best technique is a Carolina rig with a lizard, finesse worm or brush hog and drag the bottom on the chunk rock banks. This is one way to cover a lot of water, which is necessary when the bass are scattered.

Smallmouth bass can be taken early in the mornings on pea rock flats and along channel swings where big rocks are present. Spider Jigs and tubes are the best baits in green pumpkin or watermelon purple colors. After the sun is up and shining on the surface, switch to Mojo rigs and fish them in 32 to 35 feet of water around secondary points.

Kentucky bass are schooled under balls of shad and will stay with the shad throughout the summer. Graph the bluff walls ends, middle of cuts in the creeks or deep sides of underwater points until you mark the Kentuckys. Best technique is drop shot rig with finesse baits or vertical spooning with ½ to ¾ oz slab spoons in silver or white colors.

Walleye are down in the thermocline both on the bottom and suspended. The bite is not impressive but a few can be triggered each day. Bottom bouncers in 30 feet of water off the points will work with a crawler harness with bronze, red or orange and chartreuse blades. Long liners are having success with Reef Runners and Bill Norman DD22's trolling at around 2 mph over 40 to 45 feet of water. Trollers are also finding that pulling lead core line enables them to fish smaller lipped lures. Some of the best lures at this time are Hot'N Tots, Wally Divers, Rogues and the new Rapalas Glass Shad Rap.

Mike Gofron, winner of the PWT on Bull Shoals Lake teamed up with Denny Brauer, BASS leading money winner at the ESPN Great Outdoor Games for two days of fishing on the Madison Chain of Lakes in Wisconsin. They won top honors and Gold Medals in the fishing competition known as Freshwater Doubles.

NIGHT TIME UPDATE: The bite remains so-so as the bass are struggling with the pool pull down. Most of the fish are being caught on points or in brush piles. Jig and pigs, hula grubs and 8 to 10" worms are the best baits.

Trout fishing on the White River has been good on Power Bait in yellow and white, Power Wigglers, wax worms and Belgian red worms. Buoyant Spoons, Little Cleos, Super Dupers and Rooster Tails have been working when the generation is on. The fly fishermen have had a hard time because of the generation but are doing well on olive and black Woolly Buggers, scuds, sow bugs and San Juan worms. Browns are being caught on Suspending Rogues, Countdowns and Jointed Countdowns, Rebel Floating Minnows and nightcrawlers.

Crappie- No Report

Catfish -No Report

Bass No Report

Crappie fair small minnows

Bluegill good on wax worms and crickets

Catfish good on liver, shrimp, nightcrawlers

According to AmerenUE the current lake level is 658.98 with medium to heavy generation scheduled the next three days, which should give the lake a level of 658.6 by Friday, July 23, 2004. The water temperature taken at Bagnell Dam is 84 degrees and the lake is clear.

LARGEMOUTH BASS - EXCELLENT The best bite continues to be at night. The Texas rigged 7 and 10 inch power worm (tequila sunrise, red shad and June bug) with 1/4 and 5/16 ounce slip sinkers have been the most productive colors and the Melton jig n trailer (green pumpkin/brown, black/blue and black) seem to be the most productive colors with the jig. The Chomper (green pumpkin, dark melon pepper and black/blue) with a 3/8 ounce head is producing also. The bass are in brush piles or suspended just over the top 15 to 25 feet. In the last couple of days, the bass have been on the inside of the main lake points and on the secondary points in the creeks to about half way back. Brush is the main structure to key on and work the bait super slow. The bite is very subtle and at times the bass can be on the bait without even feeling them until they spit it out. If something doesn't feel quite right set the hook, especially with the worm. The deep diving crankbait is producing a few bass off the points early and late, but hasn't been as productive as it normally does this time of the year. There have been some bass late at night and early morning before light being caught in brush piles behind boat docks by pitching or flipping worms or jigs. Because of the heat and the clarity of the water, the day bite has slowed down considerably. Some reports have been received that a few anglers are catching some keeper bass with drop shot rigs over main lake humps and points, and in the deeper creeks over schools of shad.

SPOTTED BASS (KENTUCKY) - FAIR The only report of spots being caught of any size has been around the windy main lake wave breaks and deeper docks on the main lake. Medium diving crankbaits and Flukes (shad color) and small crawdads fished weightless have been the most productive bite.

CRAPPIE - SLOW The crappie are deep, 18 to 25 feet suspended over brush piles in the creeks, main lake bluffs and bluff pockets. Minnows tipped with Crappie Nibbles have been the best bite. Road Runners (white and/or chartreuse) is producing also, but not as well as minnows.

CATFISH - GOOD The best method for catching some nice blues, flatheads and channels is by jugs, trotline and limblines baited with cut shad, goldfish, crawdads and perch on bluffs and in the larger creeks. Tightlining from the bank has been best in the evening just before dark using nightcrawlers, stinkbait and hot dog chunks fished in 12 to 18 feet of water.

WHITE BASS/HYBRIDS -SLOW The whites and hybrids have been very slow this year and the best time to find them busting shad on the surface is early morning and at night off the main lake points and on main lake flats. Topwater baits such as the Pop R, Rapalas, Lucky Craft 100 and the Mepps Spinner with produce. Trolling deep diving crankbaits and spoons off the main lake points and flats during the day is also producing.

Date: 7/22/04
Lake Level : 609.74
Last Weeks Lake Level: 611.33
Normal Lake Level : 606
Water Condition: Clear
Surface Water Temp: 85 degrees

Bass fishing continues to be tough. Shad activity can be a good indicator for locating them. Carolina rigged plastics have been doing good.

Catfishing has been fair. Channel cats have been biting good, especially up the rivers and creeks. Rod and reel fishermen are still catching them using nightcrawlers, shad guts or crawfish.

Flathead slow

Largemouth Bass fair

Stripers slow

Crappie slow

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool:  Temperature:   

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 839.0 Temperature: 

Inflow: 40 cfs Outflow: 100 cfs Level: 0.60 feet high

White bass No Report

Black bass No Report

Crappie No Report

Bluegill No Report

Walleye No Report

Temperature: 84 Clarity:  Level: high and dingy

Largemouth Bass fair using spinner baits

Channel Cat  fair using cut bait and nightcrawlers at night

Blue cat No Report

Bluegill fair using worms

Crappie fair

Water Temp: 77

Crappie fair using jigs and minnows in the brush piles

Blue Catfish good using night crawlers

Channel Catfish  good using night crawlers and stinkbait

Largemouth Bass  fair using plastic worms

Bluegill good using night crawlers

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 864.2  Temperature: 73 to 76

Inflow: 100 cfs Outflow: 396 cfs Level: 1.67 feet high

Water Temp:73 to 76 degrees

CRAPPIE: Good: Summer patterns are here and the crappie will probably not change much the rest of the summer. You can pick you favorite type of fishing. Brush piles on the main lake in about 14' to 16' of water are producing. You can also catch fish 6' to 12' deep in trees in 20' to 30' of water. Minnows are working best but a purple and chartreuse jig will also work.

BASS: Poor: There seems to be a topwater bite if you are in the right place at the right time. Since the water is warming up the fish seem to be moving into the grass more. A variety of baits are working depending on where you are fishing. You can fish soft jerk baits on top of the grass or drop a worm in front of the grass. The grass is primarily on the main lake but is also extending up both arms of the lake quite a ways. Thursday evenings still are tough. Fishing in 8' to 10' of water is considered deep and is probably the max depth to try. (SEE TOURNAMENT RESULTS THURSDAY or WEEKENDS)

CATFISH: Good Most of the catfish have probably already spawned and are feeding up now. Some nice flatheads are starting to be caught on trotlines as well as channels and blues. A variety of baits will work depending on the way you like to fish. Fish in 10' of water or less along the flats but near the creek channels.

White Bass: Fair: The whites are showing up on main lake points in the evenings and mornings. If you are in the right spot when the fish start busting shad you can have some fun. The fish are also on the old Trimble dam and some of the main lake humps. The face of the dam is also starting to produce some whites especially on windy days. Use pepper spoons and vertical jig for them. You can also troll small crank baits around the main lake points.

WALLEYE: Fair to Good: Some nice walleye are being taken on the main lake using crawlers and leeches on a jig head. You can also fish points in the Trimble area or up Camp branch and catch larger fish. You can also troll or cast a #5 or #7 shad rap around main lake points. Stay in 4' to 10' of water most of the time. This should be the pattern for the rest of the summer.

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 867.7 Temperature: 83

Inflow: 175 cfs Outflow: 1153 cfs Level: 1.78 feet high

Black bass fair on buzzbaits first hour of daylight and on plastic baits off points

White bass fair trolling small crankbaits and Rooster Tails, walleye fair drifting nightcrawlers and trolling crankbaits

Crappie fair on minnows and jigs in 25 feet of water, bluegill fair on nightcrawlers and rolling crankbaits

Catfish fair on nightcrawlers and shiners

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 915.0 Temperature: 79 - 85

Release Rate: 6433 cfs. Level: 0.99 feet high

WATER LEVEL - 916.48 Normal Pool 915'

JAMES RIVER Upper 79-85

MAIN LAKE 79-83

Water temp is finally start to warm up after staying in the high 70's (77-80) for the past month, due to below normal temperatures. Lots of water running through the lakes from the heavy rainfalls & high lake levels , this should trigger the fish to group up better on the main lake points and as the water levels drop, the fish will get on the humps and drops in the river arms better as well

James River, Kings River, Upper White & Long Creek,

Kentucky's are starting to group up again on main river gravel humps and points in 18'-25-, and can be caught in !/2 & 3/4 oz. football jigs still seem to be producing best, with deep water close by, Try Carolina rigged Chompers, 4" finesse worms drop-shorted. As water levels continue to drop use some deep cranking baits should start working better such as DD-22's, Fat Free Shads. & Dt-16's in shad patterns. In the heat of the day try going way up the James or Flat Creek and the other river arms and fish the channel swings with 1/4 oz jigs in brown or black or Texas Rigged 7"-9" worms or Team Supreme Tournament French fries, Brush hogs, or lizards in green pumpkin, watermelon, or pumpkin colors. Watch for the shad activity on the flats in the same area, if shad are on the flats throw small crankbaits in 3'-6' running depths around the shad and any cover on the flats such as stumps, lay downs, & brush piles. Some fish are being caught on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits early in the upper river arms around lay downs and bushes. In the Mid river the drop shot bite has slowed down, but should pick up when the weather stabilizes.

Main Lake-Kimberling City, Baxter, Campbell Point and Dam Areas

Fish long gradual sloping main lake points in 30'-40' with drop shot worms. Some of the fish are on bottom and some suspended off bottom. The key seems to be finding a point with lots of bait fish , we are catching fish suspended around 25'-35' over 50'-80' on top of submerged timber. This should get better as the water warms up more. These areas have been real tough for me this past week, the bait fish are the key. Find the shad and you'll find the fish. Also try drop shotting 3"-4" grubs or chrome or white jigging spoons in the same areas. Good Luck!!

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Temperature:  Level:

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 722.00 Clarity:  Level:

Temperature: 78 and Dingy

Crappie slow

Bass slow

Channel cat good on setlines

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 706.0 Temperature:  78

Inflow: 3500 cfs Outflow: 7433 cfs Level: 1.69 feet high

Lake temp: 78

White Bass  No Report

Crappie fair using minnows

Bluegill fair using crickets

Catfish slow using nightcrawlers