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The lake level was 658.6 (660 is normal pool level); with light to medium generation scheduled through Friday the lake should rise to 659.7 by the weekend. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 47 degrees with upstream temperatures of 44 to 51 degrees depending on location and time of day. Truman Lake is one foot over pool.
Moderate weather this weekend should improve fishing, otherwise very little has changed in the fishing report. Anglers should observe caution; immersion at these temperatures can quickly lead to hypothermia.
BLACK BASS – Lower Osage: Fair to good with jerkbaits like the Luck “E” Strike RC Stick Jerkbait or Smithwick’s Rogue on main lake points and rocky shorelines. Glaize Arm: Fair, try RC Stick or Rogue jerkbaits along shallow shorelines on cloudy warm days. Mid-Lake: Fair, try shaky heads early and dock corners later with jerkbaits on south facing shorelines. Niangua Arm: Fair to good, try jigs tipped with Berkley’s Chigger Craw fished around dock brush and jerkbaits on main lake points or small rocky juts into lake. Gravois Arm: Fair, try buzzbaits and jerkbaits along rocky shorelines; also try dock corners later with Fat Boy and Rebel Wee R crankbaits. Upper Osage: Fair to good on RC Stick Jerkbaits and Rogues, also try buzzbaits on rocky shorelines. Osage 60 MM: Poor, try jerkbaits over submerged brush.
CATFISH: Bagnell Tailwater: Fair, try ‘perch’. Lower Osage: Fair on juglines and trotlines baited with traditional catfish baits. Glaize Arm: Fair, try nightcrawlers or chicken livers. Mid-Lake: Fair, try cut shad 30 feet deep behind islands. Niangua Arm: Fair in coves with nightcrawlers, cut bait and chicken livers. Little Niangua River: Fair to good, drift with cut shad or chicken livers. Gravois Arm: Fair drifting with chicken livers. Upper Osage: Fair on cut shad or shrimp. Osage 60 MM: Good on nightcrawlers and chicken livers. Truman Tailwater: Fair for blue catfish on whole or cut shad.
CRAPPIE – Crappies are the hottest bite on the lake right now with many fish over 11 inches being caught on jigs tipped with red plastic and a red Berkley Crappie Nibble. Bagnell Tailwater: No reported fish. Lower Osage: Very good, try jigs tipped with minnows 9 to 12-feet deep. Glaize Arm: Very good on Shimmer Stix Crappie Carrot fished 9 to 10-feet deep. Mid-Lake: Very good, fish are 6 to 10 feet deep in front of docks. Niangua Arm: Very good on small jigs fished 3 to 8 feet deep, try Blakemore Road Runners. Gravois Arm: Good on minnows or Road Runners fished 10 to 12 feet deep. Upper Osage: Very good with minnows tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles or minnows. Osage 60 MM: Excellent on red and ‘any other color’ jigs tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles. Truman Tailwater: Very good on minnows or Slab Hunter jigs.
The lake level was 658.6 (660 is normal pool level); with light to medium generation scheduled through Friday the lake should rise to 659.7 by the weekend. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 47 degrees with upstream temperatures of 44 to 51 degrees depending on location and time of day. Truman Lake is one foot over pool.
Moderate weather this weekend should improve fishing, otherwise very little has changed in the fishing report. Anglers should observe caution; immersion at these temperatures can quickly lead to hypothermia.
BLACK BASS – Lower Osage: Fair to good with jerkbaits like the Luck “E” Strike RC Stick Jerkbait or Smithwick’s Rogue on main lake points and rocky shorelines. Glaize Arm: Fair, try RC Stick or Rogue jerkbaits along shallow shorelines on cloudy warm days. Mid-Lake: Fair, try shaky heads early and dock corners later with jerkbaits on south facing shorelines. Niangua Arm: Fair to good, try jigs tipped with Berkley’s Chigger Craw fished around dock brush and jerkbaits on main lake points or small rocky juts into lake. Gravois Arm: Fair, try buzzbaits and jerkbaits along rocky shorelines; also try dock corners later with Fat Boy and Rebel Wee R crankbaits. Upper Osage: Fair to good on RC Stick Jerkbaits and Rogues, also try buzzbaits on rocky shorelines. Osage 60 MM: Poor, try jerkbaits over submerged brush.
CATFISH: Bagnell Tailwater: Fair, try ‘perch’. Lower Osage: Fair on juglines and trotlines baited with traditional catfish baits. Glaize Arm: Fair, try nightcrawlers or chicken livers. Mid-Lake: Fair, try cut shad 30 feet deep behind islands. Niangua Arm: Fair in coves with nightcrawlers, cut bait and chicken livers. Little Niangua River: Fair to good, drift with cut shad or chicken livers. Gravois Arm: Fair drifting with chicken livers. Upper Osage: Fair on cut shad or shrimp. Osage 60 MM: Good on nightcrawlers and chicken livers. Truman Tailwater: Fair for blue catfish on whole or cut shad.
CRAPPIE – Crappies are the hottest bite on the lake right now with many fish over 11 inches being caught on jigs tipped with red plastic and a red Berkley Crappie Nibble. Bagnell Tailwater: No reported fish. Lower Osage: Very good, try jigs tipped with minnows 9 to 12-feet deep. Glaize Arm: Very good on Shimmer Stix Crappie Carrot fished 9 to 10-feet deep. Mid-Lake: Very good, fish are 6 to 10 feet deep in front of docks. Niangua Arm: Very good on small jigs fished 3 to 8 feet deep, try Blakemore Road Runners. Gravois Arm: Good on minnows or Road Runners fished 10 to 12 feet deep. Upper Osage: Very good with minnows tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles or minnows. Osage 60 MM: Excellent on red and ‘any other color’ jigs tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles. Truman Tailwater: Very good on minnows or Slab Hunter jigs.
WALLEYE – No reported fish.
WHITE AND HYBRID BASS – Bagnell Tailwater: No reported fish. Lower Osage: No reported fish. Glaize Arm: Fair for quantity and size on white jigs in coves and on points. Mid-Lake: Poor, look for sporadic surface feeding activity. Niangua Arm: Poor, try points for whites and hybrids with large Rooster Tails or Dixie Jet Spoons. Gravois Arm: Poor, try points and creek mouths with and Blakemore Road Runners. Osage 60 MM: A few fish are being caught by crappie anglers around marina and condo docks. Truman Tailwater: Fair on spoons and large swimbaits.
BLUEGILL – Poor, try worm pieces, Berkley’s Gulp Crickets or Nightcrawler pieces 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 – Bagnell Dam – Dam Bait Shop (573-216-2084); Lower Osage and Glaize Arm – Mike Foree @ Osage Beach Bait & Tackle (573-348-9333); Midlake – John Blankenbeker (573-280-1455); Niangua Arm – Darrell Taylor; Gravois – Mike Foree; Upper Osage – Guide Wayne Clemons (573-345-0123); Little Niangua River – Greenmill Campground, (573-363-5577); Osage 60 MM – Bryants Osage Outdoors, www.osagetackle.com (573-374-2278); Truman Dam – The Station Bait & Tackle (660-438-7664); Tourney Results – www724outdoors.com; Lake Level (573-365-9205).
Lake of the Ozarks
Best Fishing & Hunting Times
A. M. P. M.
Minor Major Minor Major
13 8:21 2:09 8:45 2:33
14 9:15 3:03 9:40 3:28
15 10:09 3:57 10:35 4:22
16 11:03 4:50 11:30 5:17
17 11:57 5:43 ----- 6:11
18 12:22 6:36 12:51 7:06
19 1:15 7:29 1:44 7:59
20 2:08 8:23 2:37 8:52
21 3:01 9:16 3:30 9:44
22 ** 3:54 10:08 4:22 10:35
23 ***(N) 4:47 11:00 5:13 11:25
24 ** 5:39 11:23 6:03 -----
25 * 6:30 12:18 6:52 12:41
26 * 7:19 1:09 7:41 1:30
27 8:08 1:57 8:29 2:19
28 8:56 2:45 9:17 3:06
29 9:42 3:32 10:04 3:53
30 10:29 4:18 10:51 4:40
31 11:15 5:03 11:38 5:26
Day ratings for fish activity
* = Good ** = Better *** = Best
(F) = Full Moon (N) = New Moon
Compiled by Darrell Taylor
