The lake level was 659.6 (660 is normal pool level); heavy generation is scheduled to accommodate flow Truman Lake. The lake should rise to 659.3 by the weekend. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 83 degrees with upstream temperatures of 83 to 89 degrees depending on time of day, most of the lake is clear. Truman Lake is 8-feet over pool.
BLACK BASS – The Wednesday Evening Tournament reported taking 16.8 pounds to win, Big Bass was 5.3 pounds. Lower Osage: Good, try shaky head jigs, Berkley’s 10-inch Power Worms or Norman’s DD22 on main lake points. Glaize Arm: Very good, try Eakins’ jigs with soft plastic chunks on main lake and secondary points. Mid-Lake: Good, try jigs with green pumpkin colored soft plastics on points. Niangua Arm: Very good, try Texas-rigged 10-inch Power Worms, Eakins’ jigs or DD22s on main lake points. Gravois Arm: Very good on jigs with soft plastic chunks. Upper Osage: Good on Carolina-rigged 8-inch lizards on main and secondary points. Osage 60 MM: Very good with DD22s, Carolina-rigged Brush Hogs or red shad-colored Texas-rigged 10-inch Power Worms on main and secondary points, try blue/black colors. Also try topwaters early and late.
CRAPPIE – Bagnell Tailwater: Fair, try minnows. Lower Osage: Fair early 6 to 8-feet deep around large dock complexes, later poor. Glaize Arm: Fair, try minnows or jigs 12 to 15-feet deep around dock brush. Mid-Lake: Excellent at times, try blue-ice colored jigs over 18 feet of water. Niangua Arm: Poor, try jigs or minnows in front of docks, also try trolling Norman’s Deep Baby N crankbaits over humps and points. Gravois Arm: Fair, try minnows or Blakemore Road Runners in front of docks 8 to 12-feet deep. Upper Osage: Fair on small jigs and medium minnows; some fish are small. Osage 60 MM: Fair, try tube jigs or minnows 18-feet deep over brush. Truman Tailwater: Fair on minnows or jigs.
WALLEYE – Bagnell Tailwater: No reported fish.. Niangua Arm: Fair on points and flats trolling Firetiger-colored Cordell’s Wally Diver or Norman’s Deep Little ‘N. Mid-Lake: Fair on Firetiger-colored Wally Divers and Deep Little ‘Ns trolled on main lake points. Osage 60 MM: Some accidental catches on main lake points while fishing for other species.
WHITE AND HYBRID BASS – Bagnell Tailwater: Good on white Flukes. Niangua Arm: Fair on underwater humps and flats. Try casting or trolling 1/4-ounce Road Runners, Wally Divers or Deep Little ‘Ns. Little Niangua River: Poor, the fish have moved back down to the lake. Osage 60 MM: Good trolling Road Runners just over 1 mph over points and flats.
CATFISH – Bagnell Tailwater: Very good; blues on shad sides, flatheads on ‘perch’, channel catfish on Sonny’s prepared bait. Lower Osage: Excellent on traditional baits like nightcrawlers. Glaize Arm: Excellent on nightcrawlers and ‘perch’. Mid-Lake: Excellent on rod-and-reel using cut shad and nightcrawlers. Niangua Arm: Excellent on all methods using any catfish bait. Gravois Arm: Very good on cut shad or ‘perch’. Upper Osage: Excellent on cut shad or nightcrawlers. Osage 60 MM: Excellent in front of docks on fresh bait and nightcrawlers. Truman Tailwater: Try ‘perch’
BLUEGILL – Excellent on worm pieces throughout the lake, feeder streams and Bagnell Tailwater on nightcrawler pieces or Berkley’s Gulp Alive! Crickets.
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 – Mike Foree @ Osage Beach Bait & Tackle (573-348-9333); Glaize Arm – Mike Foree; Midlake – John Blankenbeker (573-280-1455); Niangua Arm – Darrell Taylor; Upper Osage – Guide Wayne Clemons (573-345-0123); Little Niangua River – Greenmill Campground, (573-363-5577); Osage 60 MM – Osage Tackle Co. (www.superslabseries.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
9 * 3:18 9:33 3:48 10:03
10 ** 4:14 10:29 4:44 11:00
11 *** (N) 5:12 11:27 5:43 11:58
12 ** 6:13 12:04 6:42 12:28
13 * 7:14 1:00 7:42 1:28
14 8:14 2:01 8:41 2:28
15 9:13 3:00 9:39 3:26
16 10:10 3:57 10:35 4:22
17 11:04 4:51 11:29 5:16
18 11:56 5:43 ----- 6:09
19 12:20 6:33 12:46 7:00
20 1:09 7:22 1:36 7:49
21 1:57 8:11 2:24 8:38
22 * 3:33 9:46 3:59 10:12
Day ratings for fish activity
* = Good
** = Better
*** = Best
(F) = Full Moon (N) = New Moon
Compiled by Darrell Taylor.
