The lake level was 658.3 (660 is normal pool level); with medium generation scheduled the lake should rise to 659.2 by the weekend. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 71 degrees with upstream temperatures of 61 to 67 degrees depending on location and time of day. Truman Lake is three feet over normal pool.

The word naturalist, when I was a boy in the pool hall back home, meant someone who ran around naked. The old guys on the front bench got things mixed up when a nudist colony sprang up on a river somewhere south. They called them naturalists. Today there are some "master naturalists" being created in classrooms here and there, fully clothed authorities on the outdoors and the wild creatures that live there. I think it might cost $40 to become one and it may take two weeks of night classes to be awarded the title.

Anglers are missing a bet if they ignore the lake’s sea bass species of white, striped (stripers), and hybrid striped (hybrids) bass. Native to North America’s freshwater streams and lakes, white bass are the most plentiful sea bass in Lake of the Ozarks and the Bagnell Dam tailwaters. Stripers, normally a saltwater species, were discovered years ago in the Santee Cooper reservoirs after they had migrated upstream from the ocean and were trapped when the dams for Lakes Marion and Moultrie were closed. They fed aggressively and grew rapidly, often achieving weights over 50 pounds.

The lake level was 658.2 (660 is normal pool level); with heavy generation scheduled through the week the lake should hold at that level through the weekend. According to Ameren the lake will NOT be held low for an extended period, it should be full by Memorial Day. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 69 degrees with upstream temperatures of 61 to 67 degrees depending on location and time of day. Truman Lake was five feet over normal pool.

Missouri park officials will be teaching people camping skills this summer at state parks.

I wrote last week about a big fish fry we are going to have on Saturday, June 9. It will consist of a dinner catered by Richard's Hawgwild Barbecue out of Aurora, so we will have more than just fish. His food is sensational. The reason for the get-together will be the organization of a group we call "Common Sense Conservationists". We will get together most all day on the grounds of the Countryside Assembly of God Church along Highway 13 in Bolivar.

(MDC) —  The Missouri Department of Conservation allows youth hunters to get an early start to spring turkey season every year across the state. This spring was no different and proved to be a memorable one for one lucky youth hunter. Camden County conservation agent Tyler Brown and district supervisor Mike Jones are very passionate about getting youth involved in the outdoors. In order to get kids outside and away from video games, Jones and Brown accompany youth on hunts during various youth seasons throughout the year.

The lake level was 658.3 (660 is normal pool level); with heavy generation scheduled through the week the lake should rise to 658.5 by this the weekend. According to Ameren the lake will NOT be held low for an extended period, it should be full by Memorial Day. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 64 degrees with upstream temperatures of 61 to 67 degrees depending on location and time of day. Truman Lake was three feet over normal pool.

Sometimes everything goes wrong. First of all, I didn’t get out there at daylight; it was mid-morning before I walked into the woods. Things were quiet but for a bunch of geese honking away on a nearby pond, absolutely sure I was there to steal eggs. I hate geese during the turkey season. And crows… and bluejays, which one old-timer at the pool hall referred to as “warnin’ birds." When I got settled down in the woods I took out my turkey call, which is a little box call I make myself, and found out I didn’t have a striker to use with it. Guess I left it at home, a couple miles away.

Most people think bluegills are just "fun fish" and best used for teaching youngsters how to fish, so like Rodney Dangerfield, they “get no respect," They are a great species for learning how to fish because they are such eager eaters, but make no mistake about it, their sweet-tasting fillets are among the best.

The Mid-County Firefighters Association will sponsor a crappie tournament on Saturday, May 5 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Larry R. Gale Access off Hwy. AA in Roach, Mo. Cost to enter the tournament is $50 per 2-man team. Sign-in begins at 6 a.m.

The lake level was 656.7 (660 is normal pool level); with light generation scheduled through this week the lake should rise to 657.0 through the weekend. According to Ameren the lake will NOT be held low for an extended period. It should be full by Memorial Day. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 62 degrees with upstream temperatures of 61 to 65 degrees depending on location and time of day. Truman Lake is two feet over normal pool.

When I was a kid, in the woods or on the river all the time, I listened to wild creatures around me and tried to imitate them. I picked it up from my grandfather, learning quickly to imitate owls, doves, crows, coyotes and a variety of birds. When I started hunting turkeys and listening to them in the wild, it wasn't hard to imitate a wild turkey, and I picked that up quickly as well. They sounded much differently according to the seasons and their age. But a wild turkey is easy to imitate.

Climax Springs resident Nancy Fletcher set out earlier this month on a mission. She had been trying for three years to catch a spoonbill at Lake of the Ozarks.
Mission accomplished. And what a catch it was. Fletcher hauled in a 50-pound spoonbill after a lengthy battle. She described the fish, which took about 10 minutes to bring in, as a "fighter."

The lake level was 657.1 (660 is normal pool level); with heavy generation scheduled through this week the lake should drop to 657.0 through the weekend. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 63 degrees with upstream temperatures of 61 to 65 degrees depending on location and time of day. Truman Lake is 3.7 feet over normal pool.

I don't think I ever saw a more beautiful Easter morning. I spent most of it alone, out in the woods on my ridge top. Amongst all the greenery, in the stillness of morning below big oaks and hickories and walnut trees, I felt like I was in the most beautiful of cathedrals. On most past Easter mornings, I have been in church somewhere, and I thought about the thousands of people around the Ozarks who were in church that morning, dressed up in their Easter finery, listening to the beautiful music of choirs, remembering the significance of the spring day when Jesus' mother found an open tomb. It is a good place to be on Easter morning, in church with others who believe as you do.

Winter is over, which means it’s time to stock up on items more fitting for summer patterns. Here is a quick look at some new products you might find useful this year. ALL STAR optimized their ASM fishing rods to fit technique-specific applications and then labeled them to help anglers select rods that fit their needs. They boast a Micro Titanium guide system, Fuji skeleton reel seat and a split grip design for added hand contact. There are 12 baitcast and 5 spinning rods with an MSRP of $129.99. See them at www.allstarrods.com/.

The lake level was 655.8 (660 is normal pool level); with medium generation scheduled through this week the lake should hold at 655.8 through the weekend. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 61 degrees with upstream temperatures of 58 to 64 degrees depending on location and time of day. Truman Lake is five feet over normal pool.

Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance is starting a LOWA Paddlers Club and have some fun Kayak Meets at Ha Ha Tonka State Park planned beginning April 14.

After I wrote the article about mushrooms, and encouraged those who find hundreds of them to share them with those who are unable to get outdoors, I had several calls and e-mails from folks wanting me to get them some mushrooms. I just can't find enough to share with everyone, and I am sorry I cannot. If God gave me the ability to do that, I would.