http://www.kansascity.com/2011/03/19/2738614/fishermen-are-busy-almost-around.html STOCKTON, Mo. | Les Jarman was working the night shift at Stockton Lake. A cold north wind swept across the water and temperatures were dropping quickly. But that didn't keep Jarman — or dozens of others for that matter — inside. The walleyes were moving in to spawn on the rocky banks and points near the dam. And that meant it was time to go fishing, no matter what the conditions were like. "This is about my favorite times of the year," said Jarman, who has guided at Stockton since the lake opened in the early 1970s. "The white bass start running, the big bass are hitting, these walleyes move in . . . there are a lot of things going on. "You can fish day or night, and catch a lot of fish." Jarman had already worked the day shift Friday. He and Ken White had gone up the Little Sac River and caught limits of white bass that were making their way upstream to spawn. Now it was time for the nightcap. As daylight began to fade, Jarman pulled his boat up to a point near the dam and started casting a suspending stickbait to the shallows. He darted the cigar-shaped lure through the water with a series of short jerks, then paused. When it stopped, he felt the solid hit of a walleye. The fish strained to get free, but it wasn't long before Jarman had it in the boat. "That will make some good eating," he said, tossing the walleye into a live well already full of white bass. That fish came as no surprise to Jarman. The fishing has been outstanding for the last four days. He and a guide party boated 13 walleyes Thursday and 12 the night before. The fish, which move in to spawn in rocky areas once the water temperature climbs into the mid to upper 40s, were on the move. "Water temperature and length of day play a big part in the spawn," said Jarman, 59, who runs the Specialized Guide Service. "And I think the moon phase is a factor, too. "We have a full moon right now, and that usually gets the spawn going." Jarman and the fishermen he was guiding had several points practically to themselves Wednesday and Thursday. No such luck Friday night. An armada of boats flocked to the rocky areas as night approached. The word was out. The walleyes were moving in. But the crowd didn't keep Jarman and White from catching fish. By dusk, they already had four walleyes in the live well. They also had a healthy school of big white bass, the result of daytime fishing. Almost 10 hours earlier, Jarman and White were on the Little Sac River, casting chartreuse grubs to the shallows with their ultralight rods. Almost immediately, they started catching fish. As soon as Jarman tossed his plastic bait into the shallows, he felt a tap. When he set the hook, he felt the frantic pull of a big white bass. The fish stripped out line and Jarman's ultralight rent bent sharply. But it wasn't long before the fish was in the boat and Jarman was casting for more. "The whites will start moving up these rivers by the first of March," Jarman said. "They'll leave the main lake and go up these tributaries to spawn. "The weather will affect the fishing. It can be off and on. But the run will last clear 'til the end of April most years." So many fish to catch, so little time. Already this year, Jarman has caught limits of white bass and walleyes, and he has caught bass as big as 6 1/2 pounds. His primary weapon for the bass and walleyes at this time of the year is a suspending stickbait. With its stop-and-go action and its ability to suspend in the water column, the lure imitates a shad struggling in the cold water. That bait has produced some memorable catches for Jarman over the years. He caught 10-pound, 4-ounce walleye at this time of the year in 2000. And he caught a 9-pound, 11-ounce bass several years ago. For the white bass, he often casts chartreuse Swimming Minnow grubs, bouncing them off the bottom to catch the eye of schooling fish. "You never know what you'll get with the weather in March," Jarman said. "We've been out here when it's snowing, but we've still caught fish. "The fish just start moving at this time of the year. This is when you can catch your big ones." Stockton Lake •WHAT/WHERE: Stockton Lake is a 24,900-acre reservoir located in southwest Missouri, about 135 miles southeast of Kansas City. •FISHING: The reservoir is known for its outstanding populations of walleyes, largemouth bass, crappies and white bass. •RIGHT NOW: The white bass and walleyes are making their spawning runs. Limits of white bass are being caught in the Little Sac River. Walleyes are being caught at night along the riprap on the dam and the rocky points and banks nearby. •MORE INFORMATION: Call Les Jarman of the Specialized Guide Service at 417-276-5568. @ Go to KansasCity.com for a photo gallery from Stockton Lake. To reach Brent Frazee, The Star's outdoors editor, call 816-234-4319 or send email to bfrazee@kcstar.com ================================================ Fishing reduces stress and gives you a break from our modern world where everything is going a million miles per hour 73 Check & Clear 6 LOC: 38-54-14.60N / 097-14-09.07W |
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