OutdoorMissouri.com

I fished the lower James/Upper TR lake this weekend. We found whites from McCord Bend along the rock bluffs and up into the river itself. The flow from the river seemed stronger than previous years, and I was able to motor up shallow spots that caused me in the past to drag the jonboat (no I don't have a jet). The large bass boats were still excluded to downstream of the McCord standpipe (water tower).



The whites were spotty, but the ones we did catch were mostly large females full of bloody eggs. Surface water temps were around 59 to 61 degrees in the lake and around 62 degrees in the river (according to my Eagle). The bluffs kept most of the wind off the water.



Lots of guys catching spoonbills downstream of McCord Bend.

Guy here said he and another caught a bunch of crappies and whites, smallies, LMB and a 22" walleye fishing jigs "way up the James" on Saturday. They were in a bass boat, though.

I will admit that I caught some nice whites up to 15 inches up the James yesterday. The river was really flowing. They were spotty though. Only catch one in an area then had to move on to catch another. I also caught some short crappie, goggle-eye and some small kentuckies.