April: White Bass, white bass and walleye

Sean and I made plans last month to fish three days together for white bass in April. The weather was ideal with the streams down a little due to lack of rain. Bull Shoals has dropped seven feet from two weeks ago and now at 655 ft, ideal for wading. Our first evening of fishing took place below power site dam in the Pot Hole.

Wednesday April 11, 2012: The highlight was catching seven species of fish; a few walleye, small white bass, a couple largemouth bass, a number of crappie, a hand full of bluegill, two perch and a 24-inch drum. The white bass were small; the crappie may have been legal but without a tape measure to confirm the length decided to release them back to the lake. It was after 8 PM; the sun was down with Venus bright in the evening sky. The belt of Orin was in the western sky. At 8:15 PM, the first walleye was caught; it was small, probably near 15-inches and was released. The next cast took a larger walleye that was measured later that night to be 20-inches. Sean had on a large fish and we finally figured it out when we turned on a flashlight to ID the drum. We called it a night of fishing at 9 PM.

Thursday April 12, 2012: We had a short day to fish. I had to be back in Springfield before 5 PM. So we drove north to the Little Sac River near Morrisville. We parked at Taylor Bridge and took a canoe upstream to the power line hole. I fished below the power line hole with six fishermen above me fishing the S-curve; all catching white bass. We fished until 3 PM and caught just short a limit.

Friday April 13, 2012: The day was wet with thunderstorms in the surrounding area. The rain was light for most the day but the passing storms did provide some lightning. The white bass were not interested in our flies during the heavy rain and storm activity. After the second storm passed, the white bass calmed down and took our flies. Sean and I had a good afternoon of catching white bass with only a few other fishermen in the area. At 4:30 PM, I took Sean back to Taylor Bridge; he was to return to St. Louis.

Rod came in at 4:30 PM and we went back to fish earlier. There were several fishermen in the hole, but we found other places to catch a few more white bass. Rod released a 16-inch walleye, since it was after 6 PM. It was about this time we could hear thunder off in the distance and it was rumbling and we knew in a short time another storm would be over us. We moved downstream at sunset, and made our way back to Taylor Bridge after 8 PM. The thunderstorm was over us with intense lightning and thunder. Several ground to cloud lightning hit near us and we rowed our way downstream. As we lift the canoe to the rack on my truck, all HAIL broke loose with pea size hailstones, heavy rain and lightning. I made it home for a sandwich and cleaned fish until 11 PM. Saturday the stream came up and foot and Sunday the data indicated the stream rose five feet. Fishing will be good next week with a new run of fish moving up during this high water.

Wednesday April 18, 2012: I met Rod on the Little Sac River, we planned to meet at Taylor Bridge but I was late getting there after a drive from Bennett Spring State Park getting ready for the MTFA State Derby. Rod had walked upstream an hour later, I found him near a feeder creek. He loaded his gear into the canoe and we continued up stream. Days earlier the Little Sac was up five feet and it dropped as fast. The level was at 3.5 ft with a good flow. There were many local fishermen near Taylor Bridge with no one up stream in the power lone hole. We found a few white bass along the banks with Rod catching and releasing a channel catfish. The catching was better after sunset, one could see moving fish in the shallow waters. We managed to put a limit in a cooler.

Saturday April 21, 2012: I received a call from Rod at noon, he and Keith fished Friday night in the Pothole and did well catching many species of fish, including a number of 17-inch white bass, a few walleye with one over 22-inches. That was all the information I needed. That evening I returned to the Pothole before 6 PM. I caught a few small crappies on a smaller fly. It was nearly 7:30 PM and I put on a large streamer tied for walleye. I managed three for the evening with the largest measured 21-inches. The cold front moved in during the day and the night was cool, there was forecast of local freezing. Now it is beginning got feel like spring.

Sunday April 22, 2012: Rod and I decided to return to Bull Shoals. I decided to check out a spot Paul and I would visit in the spring for white bass. There was a good flow from Taneycomo and a current in Bull shoals all the way to Swan Creek. We fished above Swan Creek and managed a few large white bass, one measured over 17-inches. We moved at 7 PM to fish the Pothole at sunset. There were only a few people fishing the banks, the two boats left when we arrived. Rod found his spot and caught several species of fish; a smallmouth over 18-inches, four white bass over 16-inches, three short walleye, and a few small large-mouth bass. I caught a few small white bass before 8 PM and picked up two walleye after 8:30 PM, one was 20.5 inches. The night was pleasant with a thin crescent moon following the sun into the western sky. Rod and I called it a night of fishing at 9:30 PM. 

March: Bull Shoals, Beaver Creek, Swan Creek and more...

I had an opportunity to fish three evenings this week. For me, fishing the Pot Hole below Power Site Dam is my best option to possibly catching a trophy walleye. I know the area from the dam to Swan Creek and places to fish.

Friday, March 9, 2012: I drove to the east side of the Pot Hole late afternoon; a clear blue-sky day, a moderate wind with some riffles on the water. After parking the truck, I watched Harvey Ragsdale cast for a short time into the pool near the three trees. He drove down solo, wanting to see if the white bass were biting. We talked for a short time, before he decided to call it a day. I walked straight out from the point just above the three trees and found the gravel bar. A short time later, Ty Ingram drove in and we fished together until 7:30, before he decided to call it a night. He did release a bluegill over nine inches. I fished until 9 PM with one 14-inch large mouth returned to the water. There was no generation from the powerhouse with the wind blowing towards the dam. It made for a tough evening of fishing.

Saturday, March 10, 2012: I attended a meeting for the MTFA at Bennett Spring State Park, which started at noon. It was almost 3 PM, when I returned to Springfield. I returned to the Pot Hole, hoping for some current. Again, the powerhouse remained quiet. Warren Wilkerson and Joe Davis pulled in behind me on the east side of the Pot Hole on River Run. We walked out to the gravel bar and in a short time I hooked a 16-inch walleye, which was returned to the water. A short time later, I hooked and released a seven-inch bluegill.

It was after 8:30 PM; Warren and Joe were getting ready to leave. I caught up with them and we decided to check out Swan Creek. There was some talk that Swan Creek had a few white bass caught a few days earlier. We walked the high banks of Shadow Rock Park walking from the bend to the mouth of Swan Creek and saw no movement in the water. It was after 9 PM and we all called it a night.

Sunday, March 11, 2012: It was a persistent overcast day, with forecast made by NOAA for increase chances of rain and possible thunderstorms. It was after 2 PM, and I made the drive back to the Pot Hole. It started to rain hard when I turned off of Hwy 65 and made my way to Forsyth on Hwy 160. When I drove down River Run several vehicles were on their way home. I parked the truck and saw the last of them leave. There were several flashed of lightning with little or no wind, but the rain continued to fall. While sitting in the truck when I realized my raincoat was in Springfield; going through my fishing bag I found a $ 0.99 light plastic poncho for an emergency. It actually worked with my overcoat and hood staying dry in the torso area. I fished the east side until 5:30 PM and decided since there was not any water flowing, perhaps a lost cause. So, I decided to look at Silver Creek, just .25 miles downstream. I drove cautiously down the wet, muddy lane and parked on some gavel some distance from the water and walked in. Silver Creek was muddy with a slow flow into Bull Shoals. A little farther down the road, I came across a Ford four-wheel drive truck stuck in the mid with a family of three. They were working to get it out with winches and straps, progressing an inch at a time. I helped for an hour before getting the truck moving again. The waders were wet inside due to perspiration and covered in mud on the out side. I walked back to the truck and drove to Swan Creek. The waters around Shadow Rock Park were dirty with low flow; again no movement in the water. I worked the water from the bend to 160 bridge, catching a small line bass and watching a small white bass chase my fly. I left Swan Creek and checked out the waters 200 yards upstream from the mouth of Swan with no takes. It was 8:30 PM; I decided to try one more spot. I drove back to the Pot Hole and fished the west side. I left the truck near the sycamore tree and walked down to several spots Paul and I use to fish. I tied on a purple/orange buck-tail streamer. The powerhouse was starting to push some water through with the currents beginning to move. With a first cast I hooked a large fish, after a short fight brought it to shore and hit it with a flashlight. It was a large walleye; I dispatch it and continued to fish until 9:30 PM without another bite.

I left the Pot Hole and drove to the fish cleaning station to measure the walleye and to my surprise; it was 27.5 inches with a 15.5 girth. A calculation later at home determined it to weigh 9.2 lbs.

Two fishermen came to the cleaning station; they caught a few walleye and told of the MDC coming in Tuesday night to shock the waters for their annual survey. It is my feeling the fishing will only get better.

MARCH 15, 2012: Another day off with unseasonably warm weather, my plan was to fish all day if there was rain. Instead the day turned out mostly sunny. So, I worked in the yard until 4 PM and I rode down with Rod Pennington after 4:30 PM to fish the Pot Hole, since there was moving water from Table Rock Dam and the water was passing through Power site dam with the water level steady at 654 ft. We parked on the west side and worked our way towards the dam since there was a good current with the water moving towards the island. We caught an assortment of fish including; white bass, large-mouth bass, walleye and blue-gill.

The walleye was legal, since it measured 18.5 inches. Rod and I watched the western sky after sun set, two planets; Venus and Jupiter were in close proximity and very bright before following the path of the sun hours after sun set. We finished the night on the east side fishing in front of the three trees and caught another white bass. We called it a night at 10 PM.

MARCH 20, 2012: Rod and I left his house at 4 PM and returned to waters below Power Site Dam. The rain started when we arrived and parked on the east side of the Pothole before we began to fish. There were a few fishermen in the area, with more on the west side throwing their bait and sitting on buckets. There were a few claps of thunder as we fished. The water was flowing through the power house and over the top of the dam with Bull Shoal lake level at 654 ft and on the rise; the water did come up six inches while we fished, actually reaching rod’s vehicle after dark. We watched a fellow with an ultra-light spinning rod with a small gray jig take a limit of white bass. Rod found the white bass some time later, his largest white bass for the night measured eighteen inches. He took ten fish to the cleaning station.

Ty Ingram drove down thirty minutes after we arrived and fished with us for a short time. He reported some activity at Beaver Creek. Ty did take a twenty-inch walleye and a few white bass. Most people left after 7:30 PM, Rod and I continued to fish until 9 PM. I caught two walleye, one fish was 22-inches and the other was ten inches and released. I kept seven white bass several measured seventeen inches with the smaller white bass returned to the water.

On this night, we did see the MDC return with their boats and shocking equipment. They took the boat to the powerhouse and worked another boat along the west bank below the pothole. Last Tuesday night, they shocked the water for their annual survey. We stop and talk with Justin and other MDC personal about their activities and why they returned. We were told they needed more walleye eggs and they had some eggs in a bowl mixing with a turkey feather. These eggs will go to Chesapeake Fish Hatchery. As of this posting, Bull Shoals has come up five feet. The rivers and streams are up, many at flood level. The fishing will begin to get interesting, time to start looking for the this weekend.

March 25, 2012: I made a return trip to Bull Shoals and carried along my kayak. The water level has risen since my last trip seven ft with a lake level of 661 ft. (March 20,2012: 654 ft)

My how conditions change with some rain. I did look at Swan Creek and drove up stream from Shadow Rock Park to the bridge. Since, the bridge and road project a few years back very little cover for the fish. I am sure the white bass will migrate up Swan Creek in the evening only to return to the lake during the day.

I drove down River Run and parked the truck just above the waters edge, unloaded the kayak and made my way out into the moving water. Taneycomo has been up (a normal lake level of 700 ft) and now at 710 ft with all four generators going. This water will stay in Bull Shoals for the summer with a slow release in Arkansas through out the summer. Of course wee know it is capable to rise and other 33 ft if necessary, recall last year.

View from my kayak

I fished along the tree edge and picked up a few large mouth bass and a thirteen white bass. It was after 7:30 PM, the sun went behind the trees on the west bank and I position myself near the three trees throwing into the deeper water, it was near 8 PM and I took another large walleye, figured 7.5 lbs, 26 inches in length and a 15.5 inch girth.

I fished until 9:30 PM, broke off on the bottom and decided to call it a night. I will probably look at new water and will get out on Thursday.

March madness for Walleye

March is the month for anticipation; the signs of spring with warmer temperatures producing crocus, jonquils and swollen buds on the trees waiting for the right time to flower. On a warm March day, the peepers can be heard announcing their time to reproduce and the arrival of spring. The fish become more active with a feeding frenzy before their spawn. I have for several years looked for walleye in the tail waters of Bull shoals or known as “The Pot Hole” in March. My late friend and fishing buddy Paul Henry taught me how and when to fish this water. He had more of a passion for white bass but was more than satisfied to find a walleye at the end of his tippet. Walleye are a predatory fish with well-developed eyes. They have the ability to readjust their vision quicker after dark and see movement in the water at night. There are only a few months out of the year to catch these fish on a fly rod with March and April my time to target these fish.



3/9/10: Jim Ludden picked me up at noon and we drove to Ozark to commute with Russ Doughtry. This was my first trip with Russ, who is a member of both fly fishing clubs in Springfield , a Vietnam Veteran and a proud Grandfather. This was Russ’s second trip to the Pot Hole and he was willing to hang out with Jim and me to fish. We spent the first hour talking and practicing with a spey rod. The wind was out of the south with a strong breeze going down stream. This particular wind direction allowed us only to practice the double spey cast on the right bank. Russ was happy to get some hands on practice with the spey rod. He hopes to find a blank to build his own rod some time soon.



Rain with possible thunder storms was predicted for this day, it turned out to be comfortable with mostly cloudy skies. We fished the right bank for several hours with a five blue-gills released. We made a move and fished near Swan Creek where Jim caught a rainbow. Later, that evening we moved to the left bank below the dam. There was some generation from the power house with some eddy currents flowing towards the rock pile. We managed to hook and landed a 24-inch walleye after sunset. It was quickly dispatched, filleted and served as dinner that night.



The Pot hole has not changed much over the year; it is my intention to fish there this weekend hoping to find another walleye.

March 14: Sunday was the first day of daylight savings time with spring one week away. I returned to the Bull Shoals fishing the Pot Hole area hoping to find some cooperative fish. It was late afternoon, an overcast day with some water coming through the powerhouse. The water was cool and for the most part clear. I started on the right bank. My first catch of the day was a 12-inch trout on a bunny strip. It was quickly returned to the water. There seem to be a number of trout working the surface; I am not sure why there are so many trout? Maybe with the high water of the past two years have pushed the trout over the dam? The MDC does not routinely stock the Pot Hole, and they have repeated this statement when asked. Due impart the tail water of Bull Shoals experiences extreme high water temperatures in the summer. It is considered a waste to stock the Pot Hole area, but over the years we usually find a few trout taking our flies.

It was dusk; I had changed my fly to a buck-tail streamer targeting walleye. Near the three trees, a walleye of eighteen inches was hooked, dispatched and placed in a cooler. I continued to work the same area without any other strikes. It was after dusk and decided to move to the left bank. On my drive to the other side, saw ten deer in the road and on the edge of the road near Silver Creek. I moved to the left bank above the walleye hole. I managed a sucker that caught a hook in his left fin. He was returned to the water. I fished unto the night and called it at 9 PM. My casting started to deteriorate; the break offs were more frequent and I decided it was enough. It was satisfying to have another walleye for a meal.



March 18 (Thursday): There was a break in the weather. The sky was clear, temperatures in the sixties. There was some cold and clear water coming through the powerhouse. A number of bank fishermen on both sides of the Pot Hole. (Possible clue fishing had been good). I did not see any one with a fish on while I sat for the first hour on the tailgate of my truck watching the water, the activities of birds and movement of cars coming and going. It was almost 4:30 PM; I took the kayak off the rack and placed it near the water’s edge. I considered hitting a few areas down current. With my waders on, I walked straight out into the area above the three trees. After navigating some deep troughs found a strip a wash that allowed for knee deep wading that was mid-lake and fifty yards in length. At the end of the run found some nice trout one over sixteen inches and well feed. It was good to tag a few trout even with a #4 streamer.



Many of the fishermen left the area near the dam, so I fished the edge from the power house back to the area above the three trees were I found a few more trout. As evening approached, I changed flies for walleye; large buck-tail streamers. I fished the basins and a few slow eddies. I did not find a walleye this evening. It had been dark for a few hours, without a strike, broke off to a snag, back stiff and decided to called it a night. The clock in the truck said it was after 10 PM, not great catching but the fishing was good.



March 26 (Friday): There has been about five inches of precipitation in the past week with numerous flooding warnings issued for southwest Missouri the past two days. The streams were too high for me to fish so I packed the kayak and looked at the Pot Hole. The lake level last week, the last time I fished was 452 ft, about normal with clear water. Today, the lake level was 458 ft with water flowing over Power Site Dam.

Here is a video of Power Site Dam:



There is too much water to wade, so the kayak came in handy. I paddle to several areas and fished in spots that were successful for Sean and me last year. I did catch a few white bass all over 14-inches and one walleye measuring 21-inches. I fished until 9 PM. On my way home I drove through Shadow Rock Park and saw several fishing carrying large stringers of fish out of Swan Creek. I may consider fishing Swan Creek tomorrow night.

March 27 (Saturday): The weatherman predicted possible thunderstorms later in the day. I left Springfield at 2 PM with a bright sun and a few clouds in the sky. There were a few boats in Swan Creek and numerous cars parked in Shadow Rock Park when I passed by on my way to the right bank. The water level in Bull Shoals remained high and at the same level as the previous day. I talked with a fellow walking back from the powerhouse before getting into the water. He had to walk the high bank to keep his feet dry. He was throwing spinners and roster tails with little success. He showed interest to fly-fishing and mentioned he had seen me fishing on several occasions and was curious. I showed him my flies and gave him several to try. I took the kayak off the truck and pulled on my waders. The sky was getting overcastted with a threat of rain to the south and west. The wind was blowing 20-30 MPR from the south. The skies darken and a few cloud to cloud lightening streaks, indicating my time on the water near trees was probably a bad idea. I banked the kayak and walked back to the truck. The wind started to blow forty MPR plus blowing limbs down and the rain started. I sat in the truck for thirty minutes waiting the storm out. The storm moved on and I walked back to the kayak.



I started at over the area fished earlier and found a few white bass, at sunset, hooked and saved a 21-inch walleye. I continued to find white bass. I caught and released twenty-one, all over fourteen inches and most were sows. It was near 8 PM, a boat had just passed by and I hooked another walleye measuring 23-inches and decided to call it a night.



Several hours sitting in the kayak can be tiresome. All of the fish were caught on one single fly without a change or breaking off. I consider this day of fishing an A+ outing.