The lake level was 659.2 (660 is normal pool level). With heavy generation scheduled and 11 spill gates open, the lake should hold at this level. The surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 60 degrees and 59 to 64-degrees upstream depending on the location, time of day and air temperature. The upper lake and feeders are very murky; Truman Lake is 18-feet over normal pool.
LARGEMOUTH AND SPOTTED BASS – No major tournaments reported last weekend. Bagnell Tailwater: No reported fish. Lower Osage: Fair on spinnerbaits, jigs and Carolina-rigged lizards. Glaize Arm: Fair on jigs and tubes along rocky secondary points, better in the backs of coves on Carolina-rigged Zoom lizards. Mid-Lake: Good, try jigs, tubes and large spinnerbaits in the backs of coves and last points in a cove. Niangua Arm: Poor, try jigs, spinnerbaits and Carolina-rigged Berkley lizards in the backs of coves. Gravois Arm: Fair, try jigs and soft plastics toward the backs of coves. Also, try Norman’s Deep Little N’s and Storm’s Wiggle Warts on the last points in a cove. Upper Osage: Fair, try spinnerbaits and Carolina-rigged lizards on secondary points. Osage 60 MM: Excellent on Carolina-rigged lizards and green-pumpkin tubes – secondary points.
CRAPPIE – Bagnell Tailwater: Good on jigs and minnows. Lower Osage: Fair to good on jigs 2 to 3-feet deep around brush. Glaize Arm: Excellent 2 to 3-feet deep over brush. Mid-Lake: Fair to good, try jigs 3 to 5-feet deep over brush. Niangua Arm: Poor, try minnows or red-and-chartreuse colored Blakemore Roadrunners 4-feet deep in front of spawning banks. Gravois Arm: Good, try jigs or small jerkbaits around brush in front of spawning banks. Upper Osage: Fair, try chartreuse jigs over brush. Osage 60 MM: Good on minnows or dark colored pony-head jigs. Truman Tailwater: Good in the slack-water channel on white or chartreuse jigs or minnows.
WHITE AND HYBRID BASS – Bagnell Tailwater: Fair to good on jigs. Lower Osage: No reported fish. Glaize Arm: No reported fish. Mid-Lake: Poor, try Road Runners or Worden’s Rooster Tails on windy main lake points. Niangua Arm: No reported fish. Gravois Arm: No reported fish. Upper Osage: No reported fish. Osage 60 MM: No reported fish. Truman Tailwater: Good in the evening for hybrids and white bass, try pearl Sassy Shads.
CATFISH – Bagnell Tailwater: Good on cut shad. Lower Osage: Very good on nightcrawlers. Glaize Arm: Good on nightcrawlers. Mid-Lake: Good on nightcrawlers or shad halfway back in coves. Niangua Arm: Fair on shad sides while drifting with a rod and reel. Gravois Arm: Poor for blue cats on cut shad. Upper Osage: Poor to fair using trotlines baited with perch 10-feet deep. Osage 60 MM: Excellent on cut shad, rod and reel, juglines and trotlines. Osage 89 MM: Poor to fair on shad. Truman Dam Tailwater: Very good on live shad.
WALLEYE – Truman Tailwater: No reported fish. Niangua Arm: No reported fish.
BLUEGILL – Fair, try nightcrawler pieces, Berkley’s Gulp Earthworm or pieces of Gulp! Alive! Minnows around docks.
NOTE: The Lower Osage is from the dam to the 22-mile mark; Mid-Lake is between the 22 and 38-mile marks; the Upper Osage is between the 38 and 55-mile marks; the Osage 60 MM is between the 55-mile mark and the 89-mile mark; and the 89 MM is between the 89 MM and the Rt. 65 Bridge.
UPDATES – Riverview RV Park, (573-365-1122) – Bagnell Dam; Osage Beach Bait & Tackle, Mike Foree, (573-348-9333) – Glaize Arm; Osage Guide John Blankenbeker (573-280-1455) - Mid-Lake; Darrell Taylor – Niangua Arm; Upper Osage - Guide Wayne Clemons (573) 345-0123; Osage 60 MM - Osage Tackle Co., (573) 374-2278; White Branch Marina (660-438-6344) - 89MM; the Station Bait & Tackle (660) 438-7664 - Truman Dam Tailwater; tourney results - 7/24 Outdoors. Lake level; (573) 365-9205.
Compiled by Darrell Taylor.
Fishing times
A. M. P. M.
Minor Major Minor Major
15 10:59 4:48 11:22 5:11
16 11:46 5:35 — 5:57
17 12:06 6:19 12:30 6:40
18 12:49 7:00 1:10 7:21
19 1:28 7:39 1:49 8:00
20 2:06 8:18 2:29 8:40
21 2:46 8:59 3:11 9:23
22* 3:31 9:44 3:58 10:11
23** 4:21 10:36 4:51 11:06
24*** 5:19 11:35 5:51 —
25** 6:24 12:08 6:57 12:40
26* 7:33 1:17 8:05 1:49
27 8:43 2:27 9:14 2:58
28 9:49 3:35 10:18 4:04
Day ratings for fish activity
*Good, **Better, ***Best
— Compiled by Darrell Taylor
