By Don House of Chauffeured Guide Service

Fishing is great on Table Rock right now, average catches from 20 – 40 fish in 8 hours trips on live bait and on plastic if you know of any or can find some the deep water hangouts with some days producing more and bigger fish. Water temperatures are in the mid 80's in just about all parts of the lake. Boat traffic is slowing down now! Early morning from 6:00am to 8:00am seems to be the best for the calm water and really good top water action.

But once that slows down head to the deep water structure and look for schools of shad suspended above these deep water structures and you will find the bass. It's time to use and understand your electronics, I spend a lot of time looking for all types of deep water structure, once I find some really good deep water (60 foot to 120 Feet) I use my Humminbird 987c SI graph (www.humminbird.com) and the side imaging technology to look for structure that will hold fish, once you see this guy work you can't believe the amount of fish you will find on the sides of your boat not just below your boat, this guy brings a whole to view to dock fishing! Not only can you see what is in front of the dock but how about what is under the dock itself! If you have not seen one you really need to, this guy is worth every penny. Now let's go onto the fishing reports.

Kimberling City Area:

BASS

Once again your electronics is the primary key to finding Deep water tree's, hump's, brush piles, long points and bluff ends which are still holding fish in this area, start looking for groups of shad in the 35 – 45 foot range. Early morning start off with topwater baits like a baby chug bug or a baby spook in white, baby bass, green frog or clear colors. Work these baits slow across the top of these structures and watch for shad and minnows breaking the surface. Be ready for the bass to break with surface and start to chase shad, throw the bait right at or just past the fish surfacing and get ready for the bite.

Once that bite slows move on out to the deep water structure and pickup a drop shot rig with a 3/8 ounce weight on the bottom to get past the smaller fish or a big spoon in the ½ to ¾ ounce size in all white. Most fish are moving out to the 25 – 45 foot range and suspending with the smaller fish just above and the bigger fish hanging out deeper in the 35 – 50 foot range. Use your electronics to find the fish suspended just above or right on the structure put the bait in there face and hang on.

Dam, Indian Point, and Long Creek Area:

WHITE BASS

One hot spot right now on Table Rock is the mouth of new relief dam, just look for all of the boats. Fish are suspended in the 40 to 60 foot range just above all of the shad schools. Spoons seem to be the ticket to catching some of these guys. 3 to 4 pound white are common. Also another great spot that I have found is in the Old 86 Hwy camp grounds and ramp in long creek, these fish seem to always come up around 5:30am to 6:30am and will supply some great topwater action for a small amount of time, after that just get on top of them and fish with a spoon.

BASS

Pretty much the same as Kimberling City with the topwater early then back to the drop shot and spoon fishing is the main key to catching fish. Look for anything from man made structure to natural structure, the fish will be close by. The all species of bass have moved out deep and are hanging out in water around 40 – 120 feet and are suspended in 25 – 50 feet following the schooling shad. Smaller fish are hanging out in the 10 – 15 foot range with the bluegills. If you start to get bluegill bites go deeper.

Look for fish suspended in and around deep water trees, long deepwater main lake points with brush piles and on the main lake flats with any type of structure close to the channel drop off's in these same depths. Just about any deep water structure on the lake will hold a good supply of fish, even if you do not see them on your graph they are there. A lot of fish I'm seeing don't show up on the graph until my drop shot goes down to the depths I have talked about, you see one fish drop it down there and 5 more will show up really fast.

Baxter, Camel Point, Shell Knob Area:

BASS

All areas are about the same but, once again your electronics is the primary key to finding Deep water tree's, hump's, brush piles, long points and bluff ends which are still holding fish in this area, start looking for groups of shad in the 25 – 45 foot range. Early morning start off with topwater baits like a baby chug bug or a baby spook in white, baby bass, green frog or clear colors. Work these baits slow across the top of these structures and watch for shad and minnows breaking the surface. Be ready for the bass to break with surface and start to chase shad, throw the bait right at or just past the fish surfacing and get ready for the bite.

Once that bite slows move on out to the deep water structure and pickup a drop shot rig with a 3/8 ounce weight on the bottom to get past the smaller fish or a big spoon in the ½ to ¾ ounce size in all white. Most fish are moving out to the 25 – 45 foot range and suspending with the smaller fish just above and the bigger fish hanging out deeper in the 35 – 50 foot range. Use your electronics to find the fish suspended just above or right on the structure put the bait in there face and hang on.

James Arm:

BASS

James River has a little better topwater bite going on right now up the river on the flats with any type structure just below the surface, look for these places in the 15 – 25 foot range with dirty water. The best colors I have found for the spooks are all silver shad or silver with a blue bottom. Throw a spook right past this structure and walk it right by, and stop at the structure, pause for a few seconds and then move the bait forward. Strikes will come right after you start to move the bait again.

Shakey Jigs fished in the same areas also are producing some good fish all day. Use a ¼ once to a 3/8 ounce jig head and put a Zoom Trick worm in Watermelon Green with a chartreuse tip on the tail. Drag these baits on the bottom and shake them well. No doubt about the bite, they will hit it hard. Some crankbaits like the DD-22 are still producing some fish, a lot of the tournament guy's are using this to find deep water brush piles and crashing them into the piles on the flats and long points up past the Flat Creek areas.

Football Jigs in a ¾ ounce size are producing good fish from the mouth of the James all the way up to Cape Fair . Colors are the Purple Flash and Brown with a green twin tailed grub for the trailer and PB&J with the same trailer. Fish these baits in the 25 to 50 feet of water and switch between dragging and hopping the bait seems to produce the bigger fish. This technique paid off for me with a great kicker fish a 4.83 spot in a tournament a couple weeks ago.

And of course don't forget in the clear water drop shots and spoons are working well too in these areas, pretty much the same as above.

That pretty much touches all areas and most techniques to catching fish on Table Rock right now. Deep water is the key go find some and just go fishing.

Good Luck

Capt. Don

Fish Species: Bass
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About The Author: Captain Rick LaPoint

Company: Rick's Chauffeured Guide Service, Inc.

Area Reporting: Branson Missouri Lakes

Bio: Hi, my name is Rick LaPoint. I am a U.S. Coast Guard licensed, fully insured, professional guide. I guide on Table Rock, Taneycomo Lakes I have over 30 years of bass tournament experience, with many wins.. I specialize in deep water tactics for bass, and love to take kids out fishing! I will provide all that is needed for an enjoyable trip.

800-869-2210
Click Here For Past Fishing Reports by Captain Rick LaPoint