Bass fishermen hit area lakes

Sticking it to them...that's what Les Jarman, Stockton and Brent Frazee, Parkville, did last week while bass fishing on Stockton Lake.

The day's fishing wasn't planned that way -- it started out to be a white bass fishing trip -- but when the whites couldn't be found, it turned out to be a black bass trip.

Hitting some of the early white bass hot spots and finding the fish uncooperative, plans were changed. Other anglers we passed were also looking for the whites without success. Several bank fishermen we passed told us the old story about how great the fishing was just a couple of days ago, it was that you-should-have-been-here-yesterday story.

After an hour without a strike, it was time to move on to places where Jarman had been catching big black bass using stickbaits. "I know we will have some action on the main lake for bass and even a walleye or two," he said.

Pulling into a cove where Jarman had been catching some big bass, Frazee hooked onto a fighting Kentucky bass that would have easily topped 3 pounds. "That is one healthy Kentucky," Frazee said as Jarman hooked a fish. Jarman's fish was a walleye in the 4-pound range. "Using these stickbaits, you never know what you might catch from a big crappie, white bass, Kentucky, largemouth, smallmouth or walleye," Jarman said.

The Stockton lake guide should know, he started using stickbaits in November, right up to May with good results. "This year has been unusually good for taking big bass," he said. Jarman attributes the good fishing for big bass to the high water over the past two years and the amount of baitfish. "We have had good spawning years and in another few years, the fishing will be even better," he said.

After landing another big Kentucky, Jarman's next cast resulted in hooking a smallmouth and then a largemouth while Frazee was landing a big Kentucky. "This is some great bass fishing," Frazee said.

Jarman has caught smallmouth bass up to 3 pounds, Kentucky's also in the same range and largemouth up to 7 pounds while using stickbaits. "There's something about fishing with stickbaits that produces big fish," he said.

"It doesn't seem to matter if the cold wind is blowing or the temperature drops to the 30s. I have catching bass on them since November and as long as stays around 50 degrees, I think the fishing will continue to remain good. After that I will switch to spinners."

Jarman did switch to spinners for awhile last week and still caught fish.

Some of the other big impoundments are also producing good catches of bass on stickbaits, including Table Rock where Tom Roberts, Springfield, has also caught lots of big bass this spring.

"I had one of my best days ever on the lake last week," Roberts said. "I had three smallmouths over 2 pounds, six largemouth with the largest a 6-pounder and several Kentucky's in the 3-pound range. It was a cold and damp day, but the good fishing kept me warm."

Most of the big impoundments had high water for the past two springs, adding a lot of new territory for the fish to feed and making it harder for the anglers to find them. Now that the water level is nearly normal, the fishing has gotten better.

"I look for good bass fishing in most of our large impoundments for the next several years," Roberts said.

After catching and releasing more than 20 big bass, Frazee and Jarman were happy they changed from a white bass trip to a black bass one.

"The whites are in the river and we will find them soon when the weather cooperates, but right now the big black bass are keeping us pleased," they said.