I caught a pretty good fish last week in the Ozarks, with high water everywhere after the heavy rains. I went to the Pomme de Terre River above Truman Lake, where the high waters had back the lake way up into the stream. Several miles above the lake, in a swollen current created by heavy releases of water from Pomme de Terre Lake, white bass were running in large numbers, but scattered all over.

Boaters urged to practice safe boating habits and remember the slogan, “Boat Smart. Boat Safe. Wear It”

Rest easy. There really are no flesh-eating piranha lurking beneath the  surface of Lake of the Ozarks, waiting to feed on unsuspecting victims.

Despite the recent attention focused on Lake of the Ozarks by the History Channel’s MonsterQuest TV program called the Piranha Invasion, the coves are not teeming with piranhas.

Fishermen — or women — cast your reels. March 1 is almost here, and with that comes trout fishing season. Anglers will get out their rods and reels at one of three Missouri state parks, including Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, for the opening day of trout fishing season.

The Missouri Department of Natural resources expects a good turnout for this year, as many anglers will turn the event into a three-day fishing weekend.

Darrell Taylor's fishing report for Lake of the Ozarks

You don’t have to be a great walleye fisherman to fish for walleye. I do it every year about this time and catch very few of them. I catch lots of them in Canada, but not so many in the Ozarks.

Darrell Taylor's fishing report for Lake of the Ozarks.

Darrell Taylor's fishing report for Lake of the Ozarks.

The leaves have fallen and winter officially arrived this week. For some anglers fish seem to hide out for the winter, other die-hards pursue bass and crappie throughout the entire coldwater period.
They know the secret to catch fish during winter is to locate forage. But fishing isn’t easy now; first you have to deal with the weather and cold hands plus the line can freeze to rod guides on almost every cast.

Darrell Taylor column

Darrell Taylor's fishing report for Lake of the Ozarks

Larry Dablemont column

Darrell Taylor's fishing report for Lake of the Ozarks

Darrell Taylor column

Darrell Taylor's fishing report for Lake of the Ozarks

Darrell Taylor column

Darrell Taylor's fishing report for Lake of the Ozarks

Darrell Taylor's fishing report for Lake of the Ozarks