Catfish biting good around jacomo where the creeks are running in

GENERAL CONDITIONS

SPRING- First, thanks to all of you that have had patience waiting on a new fishing report. I am finally back in Bull Shoals after spending most of January, February and March on the road doing sport shows. Spring is here on Bull Shoals Lake. It looks like it will be an early spring unless the weather changes soon. The long range forecast is for warm temperatures so fishing should start soon. It actually has up the lake. The small bluegills and perch are up near the surface here at the marina. This usually doesn't happen until April some time. They have been up a week or so, which is early. The Dogwood and Redbud trees are also starting to bloom, which is early, and that is another indication of an early spring. So fishing should start early.

WATER TEMPERATURE- One of the guides got a new water temp gauge from Cabela's. He took readings off of our gas dock on Saturday.

Surface- 60.2 degrees
5 foot- 59.3 "
10 foot- 56.8 "
15 foot- 55.4 "
20 foot- 52.1 "
25 foot- 51.0 "
30 foot- 50.3 "
35 foot- 50.0 "

As you can see, the water temp is warming up quickly.

WEATHER- The weather has been warm for March. We have had a couple of good rains but they were cold. We are supposed to get some more the later part of this week and it looks like it will be a warm rain.

VISIBILITY- It is very clear here at the Marina. The backs of the creeks have some color in them, as does most of the upper lake from point 18 to the other end of the lake. With the water temp warming up the lake should clear up unless we get a lot of rain.

FISHING-FISHING-FISHING-FISHING-FISHING-FISHING-FISHING-FISHING-FISHING-FISHING

We never did have the shad kill this winter. The water temperature never got below 45 degrees too much. It usually has to get in the lower 40's before the shad start to die.

LARGEMOUTH BASS- As usual, most of the largemouth are shallow in 10 foot of water or less. I have seen a couple of 5-6 lb. fish listed on the tournament sheets over the last couple of months. So, Bull Shoals has started to make it back from the LMBV virus that took its toll on this lake.

SPOTTED KENTUCKY BASS- These are in their usual deeper pattern then the largemouth bass, mostly on the channel swings and brush piles back in the creeks.

SMALLMOUTH BASS- I have seen three 4 lb. fish caught and released here at the marina this week. These are on the gravel flats and pre- spawn banks.

 BASS PATTERNS-

1. Crank baits in 5 to 15 feet of water are producing all species of bass. We have a tremendous small bluegill population since the high water of 2002 and the fish have been feasting on bluegills since then. Light colored shad is another favorite color or crawfish color will work. Try to match the water color. The more colored the water the brighter or more colored the crank bait should be. In clear water your bait needs to look as natural as possible.

2. Spinner baits is shallow water way back in the creeks. This has been producing some largemouth bass. Same as the crank baits on color. The more colored the water the more colored the spinner bait.

3. jig-n-frog on the chunk rock banks or gravel flats for smallmouth.

4. all types of plastics off of the channel swings, gravel flats and brush piles. Tube jigs, hula grubs, plastic crawfish, gitzits and any other normal plastic bait.

5. deep running rouges and rebels are producing some good fish.

6. live bait is producing some fish- mostly live minnows.

WALLEYE- NOT MUCH BEING REPORTED YET EXCEPT WAY UP THE LAKE

WHITE BASS- NOT MUCH ACTIVITY YET, SHOULD START SOON

CRAPPIE- NOT MUCH BEING CAUGHT YET OR BEING REPORTED

CATFISH- The trot liners did well over the winter. Not much going on yet. 

Catfish fair on shad

Bluegill slow

Crappie slow

According to AmerenUE the current lake level is 654.36 with a water temperature taken at Bagnell Dam of 44 degrees. AmerenUE reports there will be heavy generation for the next three days which should give the lake a level of 654.3 by Friday, March 26. Truman Lake is 6 feet over pool and because of the generation from Truman Dam, Lake O is muddy with visibility ranging from 0 to 6 inches. The clearer water or dingy water can be found in some of the coves and creek arms where the visibility will be 1 to 2 feet. The good thing about the muddy water is the bass and crappie fishing has improved and they are shallow. The Gravois, Grand Glaize and the Big and Little Niangua are muddy. The surface water temperature according to bass boat temperature gauges average 46 degrees in the morning to 54 to 57 degrees in the afternoon. There has been signs of shad surfacing in the back end of the creeks and coves during the afternoon.

LARGEMOUTH BASS - GOOD Bass fishing has picked up and seems to be getting better everyday. Over the weekend there were several tournaments that took at least 16 pounds to get a check and there were several fish over 6 pounds brought to the scales. One day the best bite has been the spinnerbaits (white, white/chartreuse and chartreuse) worked with a slow steady retrieve and the next day the Wiggle Wart crankbait (brown craw, firetiger or any chartreuse color) the next. The bass are tight on the banks early and seem to move out in 5 to 8 feet of water later in the morning and afternoon on windy chunk rock/ pea gravel mix banks and points. Some bass are being caught in the back end of the larger coves and creeks around stumps and logs on spinnerbaits, especially in the afternoon where there is shad activity. The suspended jerkbait, Lucky Craft and Smithwick Rouge (black w/silver sides and orange belly, chartreuse and firetiger) is still producing off main lake and secondary points, but has slowed down mainly because of the muddy water. The jig and Chomper bite has also slowed down, but a few are being caught on (blue/black and black) around laydowns and behind docks with brush.

SPOTTED BASS - SLOW A few spots are beginning to show up, but they are still averaging 12 to 14 inches. The colored spinnerbaits and crankbait on the same type of structure producing the largemouth are producing the spots.

CRAPPIE - FAIR The muddy water conditions have moved the crappie shallower, 6 to 10 feet, around brush piles in the creeks, coves and in main lake cuts and pockets. Minnows tipped with Crappie Nibbles is the best bait, but Road Runners (yellow/white and chartreuse/white) will produce a few.

Catfish No Report

Bass No Report

Crappie No Report

Pomme Arm good

Crappie: around the brush, Go 1020 feet deep with jigs(black and chartreuse) or Minnows.

Bass Throw white Rooster Tails in the river stay to main points at 10-20 feet.

Catfish; Stay up the river channel use worms, hot dogs or liver.

Lindley arm Fair

Crappie 20-25 feet deep using minnows

Bass Lake is murky and 45 degrees so not much action

Lower Lake Fair

Crappie 12 feet around brush and structure use minnows or jigs.

CRAPPIE: FAIR Crappie are still slow and fairly deep. Say 20' of water 10' deep. Some are being taken in the deeper water where you would find them during the winter. They seem to be scattering some. You have to move around some to catch a limit. Jigs and minnows as usual are the best. The water is muddy if you go into the arms or up the river very far. Darker colored jigs are the best.

BASS: Poor: No report We hope one will be caught soon.

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: Some are being caught along with the crappie at the marinas.

WATER LEVEL - 915.12 Normal Pool 915'
JAMES RIVER Upper 45-50
MAIN LAKE 43-47

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

A lot of fish have moved up onto and around gravel flats and points. Try swimming single tail grubs3"-5" in smoke, slat & pepper, or pearl on 1/4 oz. jig heads with no weed guards in 10'-20'. If your not showing any fish suspended try fishing twin tail grubs in green pumpkin, watermelon or crawdad colors on bottom in the same depths. Also try Carolina rigging the same baits, or split shot 4" worms. Suspended jerkbaits will catch fish suspended around cedars and hard woods on main lake points, bluff ends & secondary point with submerged timber. Bites are few and far between on jerkbaits but will produce quality fish. You can try crankbaits-DT10, wigglewarts, 6A-TA Bombers in crawdad patterns in the same areas as the grub fish and further back into the creeks on channel swings. It's the time of the year where a variety of lures will catch fish. If you have more confidence in a certain lure throw it in these areas.

LONG CREEK & JAMES RIVER

Branson Chapter Trout Unlimited next meeting March 30, 2004, 7:00 p.m. at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery.

LAKE LEVEL: 714.91 and rising slowly
WATER TEMP: 44 deg. at the dam
WATER CLARITY:

The lake continues to rise from the hard rain last week. It looks like the COE has just about caught up with the incoming water. The water is warming up with reports that the backs of the coves are in the 47 to 48 degree range. Not many fisherman out due to the windy conditions.  

This weeks rating from Sterett Creek are:

Whites & Hybrids:

Bass: