Annual Prospects Report
Fishing for black bass should be excellent in 2026. Largemouth bass are plentiful throughout the lake as a result of the high lake levels in past years. Fall 2025 electrofishing surveys revealed good numbers of largemouth bass in the 15”-18” range. These surveys also revealed an abundance of spotted bass in the 11”-14” range, with just three percent of the spotted bass captured in the fall 2025 surveys exceeding 15”. Due to the high abundance and slow growth rates of spotted bass in Table Rock Lake, the minimum length limit is planned to be reduced to 12” in 2026. Anglers are encouraged to harvest spotted bass to help reduce overcrowding and improve growth. Smallmouth bass fishing should be good in 2026 with good numbers of keeper size fish available. Largemouth and spotted bass comprise the majority of the black bass population in the river arms, while smallmouth bass comprise a substantial segment of the black bass population in the main lake from the Highway 86 bridge to Campbell Point. Anglers need to fish a variety of water depths and types to find bass. Outside of the spring spawning period and in the fall, bass are often found in deeper, offshore water. Extended main lake points, humps, and bluffs are productive areas. Jigs, spoons, and drop-shot rigs are effective during summer months in the 10-25 foot range or deeper, depending upon the depth of the thermocline. Largemouth and smallmouth bass can typically be caught fishing on the bottom while spotted bass are commonly found suspended over deep water following schools of baitfish. Good electronics can greatly increase your chances of finding suspended schools of spotted bass.
Crappie fishing should be fair in 2026. Fall 2025 netting surveys in the James River Arm revealed fair numbers of black and white crappie in the 7”-9” that should reach the legal-size limit of 10” in the fall of 2026. Forty percent of the black crappie captured in the fall 2025 netting surveys were greater than 10” and 10% were greater than 12”. Thirty-six percent of white crappie captured in the fall 2025 netting surveys were greater than 10” and 3% were greater than 12”. Crappie fishing will be best in the James, Kings, and Long Creek arms where crappie densities are higher. The best crappie fishing will be in the spring and fall during which small plastic jigs and minnows are very effective for catching crappie around woody structure and the numerous brush piles throughout the lake. Crappie fishing is also fair during the winter months, and they can be caught fishing around deeper brush piles and under docks that extend over deep water.
White bass fishing will be fair in 2026. The best opportunity to catch white bass will be when the fish congregate far up in tributary streams to spawn in March. Anglers willing to troll or fish jigging spoons can also catch white bass during the summer months. Gravel flats 25’ to 50’ deep are the best areas to troll or spoon for white bass. Trolling can also be effective in February and early March when these fish begin to move up the river arms. As water temperatures warm, the white bass will move further up the river into shallower water but will congregate in deeper holes in the channel up the river arms of the lake before moving up. Quality sized white bass are present with fish commonly exceeding 15”.
Walleye fishing should be good in 2026. Areas around the dam, and the upper reaches of the Kings River Arm, the James River Arm, and the upper White River Arm can all provide good spring walleye fishing. Walleye typically move up the river arms to spawn around the first part of March and are often caught in the same areas as spawning white bass. However, recent studies indicate that walleye may migrate back to the main portions of the lake in the summer months and can be caught fishing or trolling near deep points and channel swings during this time. Electrofishing surveys conducted in the James River in March 2025 showed good numbers of keeper sized (> 18”) walleye present. In this area, 100% of walleye were > 15” and 56% were > 20”. Spawning conditions were ideal for walleye in the springs of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023 resulting in good natural reproduction throughout the lake. The Missouri Department of Conservation also stocked surplus walleye in the James River Arm in 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2025 which will greatly supplement this fishery.
For experienced bluegill anglers, Table Rock Lake can provide quality fishing. Good numbers of quality sized fish in the 7"- 9" range exist. The best time to catch bluegill is late May through early July. Look for gravel areas, points, and pockets in 10-20 feet of water. Fish on the bottom with live crickets or worms with light tackle. Redear sunfish are also present, especially in the James River and Upper White River Arms. In fall 2025 surveys, 21% of the redear sunfish captured were greater than 9”. Goggle-eye are present in good numbers and can also reach large sizes (greater than 10”) in Table Rock Lake. They can often be caught in the same areas as smallmouth bass around larger rock structures. Brush piles in the main lake areas also congregate good numbers of goggle-eye.
Both channel and flathead catfish are present in the lake in good numbers. Channel catfish are more prevalent in the river arms, while flathead catfish are more common in the clearer sections of the main lake. Electrofishing surveys for flathead catfish in spring 2024 revealed a fair number of fish present with 45% of fish captured being greater than 20”, 8% greater than 28”, and 2% greater than 34”. Flathead catfish are typically caught near woody structure such as standing timber and brush piles. Both prepared and live baits are effective when using setlines, jug lines, or rod and reel, especially in late spring and early summer.
Snagging for paddlefish should be excellent in 2026. An abundance of paddlefish in the 34”-36” range were observed in netting surveys in 2025 with 84% of paddlefish captured exceeding the minimum length limit of 34”. Quality numbers of larger paddlefish in the 40-to-60-pound range were also present in the 2025 surveys, including a few fish over 100 pounds. Paddlefish concentrate each spring in the upper reaches of the James River Arm above Cape Fair. Early in the snagging season, most paddlefish are caught between Virgin Bluff and Point 15. As water temperatures warm, the paddlefish will move farther up the James River Arm. If the James River rises enough to stimulate a spawning run, paddlefish will migrate upstream to spawn. The extent and duration of these migrations are dependent upon river flows and water temperatures but can extend as far upstream as Lake Springfield Dam. A smaller number of paddlefish make spawning runs up the White River Arm each spring and can be caught from Eagle Rock all the way up to Beaver Lake Dam in Arkansas. Paddlefish can be legally harvested in Missouri from March 15 through April 30 and the limit is two paddlefish per day. Because paddlefish feed on zooplankton, the best way to catch them is by snagging them with large treble hooks. Look for schools of paddlefish in the lake channel using a depth finder and cast to them or troll over the school with a boat while snagging. A project to help determine the number of paddlefish harvested each year is currently underway. Many paddlefish have been tagged with metal jaw bands and anglers are encouraged to report tagged paddlefish they catch to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
A large-scale fish habitat project was conducted in Table Rock Lake from 2007-2013 wherein over 1,400 fish habitat structures were placed in the lake. Another project funded by Bass Pro Shops ran from November 2022 to March 2024 in which 751 of the brush pile structures in the lake were rebuilt or newly created. Anglers can find the locations of these structures on the Missouri Department of Conservation’s website at: https://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/where-fish. Anglers can also download the free MO Fishing App to find the locations of these habitat structures using a cell phone.
