KimberlingCity Area: Deep patterns continue to dominate the mid lake area; drop shot rigs and spoons are producing spotted bass on gravel flat and point roll offs, look for schools of shad holding between twenty five and thirty five feet deep near the bottom and the fish will be close by. Jewel football jigs with J tail trailers have been producing smallmouth and largemouth in these same areas; green pumpkin green flash and PB&J have been the most productive colors with most of the fish holding tight to brush or rock piles.
James River: Deep crankbaits, football jigs and Carolina rigs continue to dominate the James River. Roll offs and gravel flats with isolated cover have been the best locations, look for cover in twenty to twenty five feet deep to be the most productive. Further up the river a shallow crankbait and flipping bite has taken shape in and around shallow cover. Look for shallow laydowns and stumps to be holding most of the fish and throw Lucky Craft RC crankbaits tight to the cover to draw strikes. These same locales will produce with an eight or twelve inch worm in red shad, red bug or blue flake on heavy line and a quarter ounce weight. Flip the worm into the shady areas around the cover to be effective.
White River: Just about every pattern that is working on the lake is working somewhere on the White River. In the Baxter area the deep bite remains the most productive pattern with good numbers and quality coming on drop shot rigs and spoons fished on gravel roll offs throughout the area. Further upstream Jewel football jigs and Carolina rigged brush hogs are producing on drops and ledges from twenty to thirty five feet deep. In the Kings River brush piles and laydowns are producing with eight or ten inch worms worked slowly through the cover.
Dam Area: The white bass continue to amaze on the lower end, fish can be caught on spoons in and around schools of shad on gravel points and in pockets. Look for shad and the fish will be close by. Bass fishing is dominated by the deep bite right now: drop shot rigs with Chompers plum drop shot worms or Oxblood ROBO worms have been the most consistent. Look for most of the fish to be holding close to drops on gravel points and flats in twenty five to thirty five feet of water.
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The generation has been fairly consistent over the past week; a small amount of current in the morning followed by an increase in the afternoon. When the water is running jigs continue to be a great option; ginger, olive and sculpin have been top colors, the more current the heavier jig. During slack water night crawlers with a small amount of air injected into them rigged on a split shot or drift rig will produce. As always Gulp or Power Bait eggs are a good choice regardless of current.
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