Need Smithville advice

[Wilk816]

Hey guys. I've never fished Smithville before except from the bank before I got my boat last year. I was planning to go to Truman tomorrow but I'm undecided as it looks like a pretty rainy day in the forecast. Gotta make a decision here soon. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on general areas to fish at Smithville incase we end up there. Not asking for honey holes just a little direction as I've never been on the lake haha. I appreciate any help. I'll have to look up the launch locations too but that should be easy enough.

[keeferfish]

Either way good luck. I've never done good early at smithvile so no help sorry.

[love2fish]

Around bridge pillars and just off main channels. Hope you have fish finder on boat. Ones I've caught have been fairly deep so don't be afraid of deeper water! Luck to you.

[Joedog]

Not sure what the ice situation is, but after yesterday and today, you should have no issues on access to most of the main lake, but that might be about it.

Put in at Camp Branch or Crows Creek.

Main lake brush piles in deeper (25'+) water might produce this time of year. If it were me, I'd drop minnows on one pole and jigs on the other and see if it makes a difference. (I'm betting minnows.) On the minnow rigs, I'd use a drop shot setup. Put one of those bell/teardrop sinkers with the swivel at the bottom, and tie an aberdeen hook about a foot up from there. Maybe a second one a foot above that. The sinker will let you bump the tops of the brush piles without getting hung up, and keeping the line taut to feel light bites.

(And if anyone knows anything about getting hung up in tree branches, it's me!)

You'll need a GPS to zero in on some of those submerged brush piles. Coordinates can be found here, along with Burton's crappie fishing report which looks to be a couple days old. Gary Burton is doing a crappie seminar at Smithville Marine on Saturday at 11:00am if you're interested. Promises of "secret" brush piles.

They're not currently pulling [much] water. If they were, it negatively affects the bite. But bookmark this page to check current release and history.

Good luck and let us know how you do!

[Clownfish]

Didn't know that Gary was doing that on Sat. Thanks for the info Joe, might have to run by there.

[Slab Pirate 1]

i havent really been fishing brushpiles but large schools of fish. they seem to be around 15-25 feet of water and just try to stay on top of them. the school i found moved around a lot.