Fishing Report For Stockton Lake, MO

Current Report: Good

WINTER. Winter fishing techniques for white bass, is a continuation of Fall patterns, except slightly deeper, around 10 to 25 feet. Currently, they are somewhat inactive. However, they are still being caught on spoons, jigs, and live minnows, using a slower presentation. They often concentrate in the main lake basin, around drop offs, points and humps. Good reports come from anglers fishing around mouths of major coves on the Big Sac Arm and Little Sac Arm.

SPRING. The Spring run, when white bass move into the river sections of the lake, inflowing creeks, or along windy points where they stay for several weeks. to spawn. This makes it easier to locate schools in 2 to 8 feet of water. Live minnows on a bobber, underspins, small swimbaits and small crankbaits all work for white bass in the shallows. Some proven spawning areas include protected, shallow flats and points in the mouths of smaller inlets on the Big Sac Arm and Little Sac Arm. White bass start their spawn run once the water temperature reaches the mid 50's. Early Spring is a prime time to fill the livewells with some fat white bass. Spinnerbaits, curly-tail jigs, underspins, small crankbaits, small jerkbaits, and most any lure that resembles baitfish, will catch these feeding whites. As the water temperatures continues warming, they move out of spawning areas, into slightly deeper water. Look for them following schools baitfish in 8 to 15 feet deep. Also, watch for feeding frenzies when they chase schools of bait to the surface, and the fishing can be spectacular.

SUMMER. Summer finds white bass congregating in the main lake area, following and feeding on baitfish. They tend to stay in 3 to 15 feet of water, moving up and down the water column with the baitfish. Often they will chase baitfish very shallow, for short periods. They are being caught on slow-rolled spinnerbaits, curly-tail jigs, underspins, spoons, blade baits and small crankbaits, depending on the depth of the baitfish. Middle of the lake channel edges, points and flats hold all bait and white bass in the warmest months. Popular areas include wind-blown points, flats and channel edges around the area from the dam to the split of the Big Sac Arm and Little Sac Arm.

FALL. Early Fall finds white bass following baitfish into shallow coves and bays, into 5 to 25 feet of water. Spoons, jigs, underspins and minnows are catching good numbers of whites. Later, once the shallows cool considerably from chilly Fall temperatures, schools of white bass and baitfish, move deeper. They will relate to most any structure, which includes drops, humps, timber, and creek channels. Trolling small crankbaits and spoons, or casting spoons and swimbaits, will catching them feeding on schools of baitfish.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Largemouth compete here with both smallmouth and spotted bass, for food and cover. The fishing has been good lately for all three species, but largemouth are favored by anglers.

WINTER. The cold of Winter has isolated largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are currently in the low 40's, and bass can be found from 12 to 25 feet deep, 6 to 12 feet deep on warm, sunny days. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools in 5 or so feet deeper water. They are currently being caught around brush piles and artificial fish attractors in upper Big Sac and Little Sac arms, and along deeper channel swings near the Stockton Dam. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs, finesse worms, or lipless crankbaits are often the key to getting bites.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water near spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 6 to 12 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 1 to 8 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. A popular spawning area is the upper reaches, and shallow flats, of the Big Sac Arm. Immediately after spawning, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 20 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, drop shots, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they are typically caught in 3 to 20 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 15 to 35 feet deep. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Some of the best reports typically come from anglers fishing around wind-blown main-lake points, and brush piles on mid-lake flats and humps.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 5 to 15 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps. Here flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 15 to 20 feet of water, or deeper. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Crappie fishing reports have been quite good lately at Stockton Lake.

WINTER. The current water temperature is in the mid 30's. Now that the shallows have turned cold, crappie have migrated to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Currently they are being caught using a very slow presentation, in 10 to 25 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerged timber, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. Good reports are coming from artificial fish attractors and brush piles, in the upper Big Sac and Little Sac arms. When they suspend in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into 10 to 14 feet of water to feed. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 8 to 15 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as crappie have moved shallow to spawn. Good spawn areas include shallow coves and creek mouths on the Big Sac Arm and Little Sac Arm. At that time, they are typically caught in 1 to 8 feet of water. Vegetation, rip rap, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 12 to 15 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 3 to 10 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 8 to 18 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around mid-lake fish attractors and brush piles, bridge pilings and deeper rock piles. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. As Fall begins warming the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 5 to 20 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward winter holding areas. Small flutter spoons, fished in 10 to 14 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles. The points and channel bends in the Big Sac Arm and Little Sac Arm are popular areas in Fall.