Dropping a Line

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Got into a school of schoolies and got our winter meat taking a couple friends out this week. These Strikers are what we call teenagers. Not wallhangers but all close to three feet long, measuring between 28 and 34 inches long and weighing 8 – 14 pounds made the rods bend for some fun.

We caught all on live shad and salties in water more than 50 feet deep with lines down 28 – 32 feet.

Best places for stripers now will be from the dam to Point 5 area. Best times to catch them now is between the hours of 10 p.m. – 10 a.m. so we’re running fishing trips 11 p.m. – 4 a.m. and also 5 a.m. – 10 a.m. They don’t like the heat (just like us) and the water is also cooler in the morning.

Here on Table Rock the best fishing is going across the Missouri Line for deeper water to find the white bass schooling with the spotted bass off the deeper points. If want to catch fish and stay on our side if the border, just head up river past the town of Beaver till you find cooler water after sunrise or before sunset.

You’ll know where to fish when you see schools of little shad on the surface. There you should find white bass mixed in with your green bass, and maybe also catch a trout or two along with some cooler, cleaner water for a swim if needed.

Well, I’m not fishing today so am going to take a break from it all for a day of running around enjoying some shopping. Oh boy. Enjoy the Ozarks and take a kid fishing or at least get them wet.