Table Rock Lake in Branson, MO Fishing Report
Capt. Eric Prey
January 23, 2011
Table Rock - Freshwater Fishing Report
Lake - Table Rock
1/23/11:
Kimberling City Area: Not allot of changes over the past week, water temperatures remained constant even with the mid week snow fall. The biggest factor this past week has been the amount of current the Corps has been running. The lake level is more than seven feet below pool and the electricity needs have the Corp generating for ten to twelve hours everyday. In the mid lake this has held much of the bait closer to the mouths of larger creeks on the inside of main lake and secondary points, look for bait to be suspended thirty to fifty feet deep over as much as ninety feet of water. War Eagle spoons and Rapala Ice Baits have been the best options; look for fish to be holding below the schools of bait feeding aggressively when a single bait fish falls from the school.
James River: Steeper and deeper banks have been the key in the James River; Jewel Eakins and Football jigs with Eakins craw trailers have been the top presentation. Look for large rock broken away from bluff walls on channel swing banks to hold multiple fish. Best presentation has been to throw the jig to the bank and bring it down several ledges allowing it to fall on semi slack line. Work the jig as deep as thirty feet deep to draw strikes. A secondary pattern has been using SPRO McStick or Lucky Craft Pointers around isolated cover on these same steep banks; wind and cloud cover helps this bite. Allow the bait to pause fifteen to twenty seconds before jerking it, sweeping the rod has been more effective than hard jerks of the rod.
White River: The deep bite continues to be a great option throughout the White River; much like the mid lake area the bite is concentrated near the mouths of the bigger creek just off of main lake and secondary points. The shad have been bunched up a little tighter than in the mid lake and seem to be concentrated closer to tree tops making fish easier to find. War Eagle spoons have been a better choice around the timber, look for fish to be holding in the top third of trees. Further up stream the Jewel jig and stickbait bite has been very good, areas around Big M marina have been producing nice fish; larger rock on channel swing banks has been the most productive area.
Dam Area: The deep bite remains the number one pattern on the lower lake, the shad have been "stretched out' a bit more on the lower end that anywhere else. This can make finding aggressive fish a little more difficult on barren points so stick to points and bluff ends with plenty of deep trees. Much like up the White River War Eagle spoons have been a better option than ice jigs in and around the tree tops. The extra current has moved a few fish shallow on the lower end, SPRO McSticks and Lucky Craft jerkbaits have been very effective around isolated cover and boat docks this past week. It is important to allow the bait to sit long enough to draw strikes, so pay attention how long the bait has been motionless whenever you catch a fish.
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