Best of July kayak bass fishing: Stockton, Beaver, Dardenelle, Sherwood

Mark Twain Lake, Monroe County, Missouri: fishing was so slow, just had to write about it

Kayaking Mark Twain Lake, Missouri

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This is the path I took with the kayak on beautiful Mark Twain lake in northern Missouri.  I think this lake can be one of the more challenging lakes out there (I have caught nice sized bass in the past).  The lake is very low, just like all of the lakes in the Midwest.  I was throwing deep diving Wiggle Warts, 10" Mann's Jelly Worms, Chartreuse spinners, white spinners, Zoom trick worms, Red worms, almost everything I can imagine...it just goes to show, sometimes you "O-fer"...and that is alright.

I am looking forward to coming back in the fall to explore the lake even more....I love Mark Twain for its remote location.  It is chock full of structure, and reminds me of an undeveloped Lake of the Ozarks..

Fish ON!

Mike

Beaver Lake, Prarie Creek Access, Benton County, Arkansas: Water low, clear, and productive!

I got a chance to kayak fish Beaver Lake in Northwest Arkansas.  This was about the 3rd time I have fished this lake, and the experience was awesome.  The lake reminds me of my "home water" lake of Table Rock.  Nice rocky bottom with deep drop offs and clear water.

My strategy was to take (4) rods...(2) spinner rods with a topwater plug on one, and a Wiggle Wart on the other, with the two baitcasters rigged with a texas rig and a white spinner.  I got out about 5:00 pm., but the bite did not really start until 6:30 or so.  I got a little interest on the plug, but I started to catch them on my "go to" bait for summer: texas rigged with watermelon Zoom trick worm on the end.  I was catching them about 6' off shore. 

Before I headed in (I saw lightning in the distance.....time to get off the water!) I fished the cliffs that were right across the put in point.  These deep cliffs are really, really productive.  The bass like to lay towards the bottom against the cliff waiting for either things to go past or things to drop.  I dropped the worm in a couple of times, and the third cast I caught the pig.  I could have fished another couple of hours, but I really need to rig my kayak with some lights and night fishing stuff....maybe that will be what I work on for the rest of the weekend :)
I cannot wait to get back to Beaver Lake to do some more bass fishing.  It is an incredible lake with some awesome angling opportunities!

Fish ON!

Mike

Kayak fishing Beaver Lake, Arkansas

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Stockton Lake, Dade County, Missouri July 18th, 2012: Hot Temps and Big Pigs lurking off shore!

Stockton Lake is not a lake I have had an opportunity to fish all that often.  I think this trip may have been the second time I have ever fished this lake.  It is not really close to anywhere (It is north of Springfield, MO kind of between Springfield and Joplin.

The outside temp has been really high.  I put the kayak in around 3:30 or so.....It was 100 degrees when we put in at the Mutton Creek Access point.  My strategie starting off was to bring (2) spinning rods and (2) bait cast rods.  The (2) spinners had a wiggle wart and rebel popper, and the (2) bait cast had a white spinner and a texas rigged Zoom trick worm.

I caught the largest fish on this day off the main channel, in the rocks, about 8' from shore in about 10' of water.  I let the spinner sink all the way to the bottom and had a slow, inconsistant retrive.  It hit the spinner hard!  He was a nice, nice piggie bass!  After I released him, I got out of the kayak and took a quick swim (it was so hot outside).

The cove on the way back had some bass as well.  I caught a smaller one on the Wiggle Wart crank bait.  This has been a very productive lure this year for me in these Ozark reservoirs, big time.
Stockton Lake is a very interesting lake to me.  It is know as one of the top sailboat lakes, and it lived up to its reputation.  Everytime I have been here it is windy and choppy.  The bottom of the lake reminds me of Table Rock Lake...just not quite as clear.

Fish ON!

Mike

Stockton Lake, Kayak Fishing Mutton Creek Area

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OBX Fishing, June 2012: Weather was good in the first part, rough in the second

This blog is dedicated to fishing in the Midwest/ Mid-South, however, about once a year we like to venture out to the east coast for a family vacation, which always includes plenty of fishing and kayaking.

The weather was great in the first half of our week long trip.  We opened up by surf fishing Ocracoke Island.  My brother, Charlie, caught a nice, nice Cobia, but was unable to land it...plum snapped the 50# test we had rigged up.  I caught my first blue, which was small and was thrown back into the water.

The next day I was able to venture out and kayak fish the sound.  I was throwing a bottom rigged curly Gulp! white grub on a jig head, and I managed to catch my first speckeled trout...exciting!

Then came the wind....It got incredibly windy and cool (which, sitting in 100 degree + weather currently) sounds not so bad.  The sound was too choppy and white capped to paddle and fish with any degree of sanity, and the ocean side had 15' waves and rip current warnings, so the fishing and kahyaking came to a complete halt for the rest of the trip.  Maybe next year the weather will be excellent the entire week.  We have been lucky in the past to have outstanding weather.

Fish ON!

Mike

Kayak fishing Pamilico Sound, Outer Banks, NC

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Table Rock Lake, Aunts Creek area, Stone County, MO April 2012....nice bass on Wiggle Wart!

Late in posting this one.....crazy business stuff going on that has kept me from updating.  This video pretty much says it all.  They were deep and not biting on a lot of soft plastics so I switched over to a Wiggle Wart and BOOM!
Table Rock is an interesting lake due to the fact that the water is generally more clear than other lakes, and the fact that it is so deep (mid channel on this arm is about 80' deep)
Great day of kayak fishing on the lake!

Fish ON!

Mike

Whetstone CA, Callaway County, MO April 22nd, 2012: Rainy but got on some fish anyhow

Whetstone CA in Callaway County, MO (between Columbia and St. Louis) has some great fishing opportunites not only in the big lake, but also in Whetstone Creek and the other smaller lakes surrounding the bigger lake.
The weather was not the best, but I decided to take my chances and get a day of fishing in anyhow.  I was throwing slip bobber and texas rigged Zoom trick worms.  The slip-bobber/nightcrawler rig was not working out to well, however, the trick worms were doing the trick.  I would not say this was the worlds best day of fishing, but I got enough action to make it entertaining.  What was interesting was the bass were not hitting the worm very hard at all.  It seemed like when I would pull my rod tip up, that is when I would know I had one on the other end....like they were putting it in their mouths like a cigar, or something.

Water temp was around 68 degrees, and it was windy and raining on again/off again.  Good news was I had the entire lake to myself....always a plus!

fish ON!

Mike

Kayak Fishing Whetstone CA, Missouri

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