April 9, 2009
Lake Level: 915.94
Water Temps: 50-57
Weather will not stay warm enough to get the lake temperatures to rise! It's time to dig out those top water baits such as Zara spooks and Red fins. You won't get many bites this time of the year, but you will get some quality fish on them.
Dam, Kimberling City, Baxter & Shell Knob areas
The areas noted above are where you will find the clearest water. Temperatures in the morning are about 50-51 and in the afternoon around 53-55. fish are wanting to come in and spawn, they are stacked up on staging areas, just outside the spawning areas and pockets. Jerkbaits are working well if windy conditions, if not windy try split shot, Carolina rigs with 4" French fries, or 4" twin tailed Chompers in watermelon, green pumpkin, and pumpkin colorations.
If the fish quit biting the jerkbait or if it's a bluebird day, try swimming a 4"-5" single tail grub in smoke or salt & pepper in 6' – 10'. Working well also are ½ oz. & 5/8 oz. football jigs tipped with 4" twin tailed grubs in peanut butter & jelly or green pumpkin or browns fished in the same areas or main lake and secondary points leading in spawning flats in 5' – 15'.
Fish the Zara spooks and Red fins on bluff ends and secondary points with submerged timber, the same type areas we were fishing jerkbaits on in February and March.
James River, Long Creek, & Kings River
The water temperatures in the river arms is around 52-57.
Many of the same techniques will work in the rivers that are working in the clearer water with fish being shallower the more the water is stained. 4" worms or ¼ oz. – 5/16 oz. jigs fished in 2' – 8' on channel swing banks in the creeks. Try slow rolling 3/8 or ½ oz. chartreuse and white spinnerbaits in these areas as well as the back ends of creeks and pockets. Sencos rigged wacky style on steeper channel swings is also starting to work in the river arms.