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The lake level was 657.9 (660 is normal pool level); with minimum generation scheduled the lake should drop to 657.7 by the weekend. The annual winter drawdown has started. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 45 degrees with upstream temperatures of 43 to 49 degrees depending on location and time of day. Truman Lake is at normal pool. Anglers should observe caution; immersion in water temperatures under 50 degrees can quickly cause hypothermia.
BLACK BASS – One tournament reported taking over 25 pounds to win a one-day event. Fifth place was over 19 pounds. Lower Osage: Very good with jerkbaits like the Luck “E” Strike RC Stick Jerkbait or Smithwick’s Rogue on channel swing banks and rocky shorelines. Also, try Storm’s Wiggle Wart on ledges and jigs on chunk rock and submerged brush. Glaize Arm: Good, try RC Stick or Rogue jerkbaits along channel swing shorelines on cloudy warm days. Mid-Lake: Very good, try shaky heads on rocky shorelines early then along channel swing bluffs with Storm Wiggle Warts later. Niangua Arm: Good, try jerkbaits on rocky shorelines or jigs tipped with Berkley’s Chigger Craw fished around dock brush and jerkbaits on main lake points. Gravois Arm: Good, try jerkbaits along rocky shorelines; also try bluffs with Storm Wiggle Warts. Upper Osage: Fair to good on RC Stick Jerkbaits and Rogues, also try buzzbaits on rocky shorelines. Osage 60 MM: Fair, try jigs tipped with green pumpkin colored plastics or jerkbaits on rocky shorelines.
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: Excellent on nightcrawlers 10 to 12 feet deep. Truman Tailwater: Fair for blue catfish on whole or cut shad.
CRAPPIE – Crappies are the hottest bite on the lake 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 fished 20 to 25 feet deep. Glaize Arm: Very good, try jigs fished 20 to 25 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 jigs fished 6 to 10 feet deep. Upper Osage: Very good with minnows tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles. Osage 60 MM: Very good on orange or chartreuse jigs fished around large docks in 30 feet of water – fish are 5 to 6 feet deep. Truman Tailwater: Very good on minnows or Slab Hunter jigs.
The lake level was 657.9 (660 is normal pool level); with minimum generation scheduled the lake should drop to 657.7 by the weekend. The annual winter drawdown has started. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 45 degrees with upstream temperatures of 43 to 49 degrees depending on location and time of day. Truman Lake is at normal pool. Anglers should observe caution; immersion in water temperatures under 50 degrees can quickly cause hypothermia.
BLACK BASS – One tournament reported taking over 25 pounds to win a one-day event. Fifth place was over 19 pounds. Lower Osage: Very good with jerkbaits like the Luck “E” Strike RC Stick Jerkbait or Smithwick’s Rogue on channel swing banks and rocky shorelines. Also, try Storm’s Wiggle Wart on ledges and jigs on chunk rock and submerged brush. Glaize Arm: Good, try RC Stick or Rogue jerkbaits along channel swing shorelines on cloudy warm days. Mid-Lake: Very good, try shaky heads on rocky shorelines early then along channel swing bluffs with Storm Wiggle Warts later. Niangua Arm: Good, try jerkbaits on rocky shorelines or jigs tipped with Berkley’s Chigger Craw fished around dock brush and jerkbaits on main lake points. Gravois Arm: Good, try jerkbaits along rocky shorelines; also try bluffs with Storm Wiggle Warts. Upper Osage: Fair to good on RC Stick Jerkbaits and Rogues, also try buzzbaits on rocky shorelines. Osage 60 MM: Fair, try jigs tipped with green pumpkin colored plastics or jerkbaits on rocky shorelines.
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: Excellent on nightcrawlers 10 to 12 feet deep. Truman Tailwater: Fair for blue catfish on whole or cut shad.
CRAPPIE – Crappies are the hottest bite on the lake 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 fished 20 to 25 feet deep. Glaize Arm: Very good, try jigs fished 20 to 25 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 jigs fished 6 to 10 feet deep. Upper Osage: Very good with minnows tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles. Osage 60 MM: Very good on orange or chartreuse jigs fished around large docks in 30 feet of water – fish are 5 to 6 feet deep. 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 with spoons. Mid-Lake: Fair to good on spoons in open water. Niangua Arm: Fair, try points for whites and hybrids with large Rooster Tails or Dixie Jet Spoons. Gravois Arm: Fair, try open water with vertically jigged spoons. Osage 60 MM: crappie anglers around marina and condominium docks are catching a few fish. 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 – Guide Skip Surbaugh (573-365-0006); Midlake and Gravois – Mike Foree @ Osage Beach Bait & Tackle (573-348-9333); Niangua Arm – Darrell Taylor; Upper Osage – Guide John Blankenbeker (573-280-1455); 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
03 1:07 7:20 1:33 7:46
04 1:53 8:06 2:19 8:32
05 * 2:40 8:53 3:06 9:19
06 ** 3:28 9:41 3:54 10:07
07 ***(F) 4:17 10:30 4:43 10:56
08 ** 5:08 11:21 5:33 11:51
09 * 6:01 ----- 6:26 12:13
10 6:56 12:43 7:21 1:09
11 7:53 1:40 8:19 2:06
12 8:52 2:39 9:19 3:06
13 9:52 3:38 10:20 4:06
14 10:51 4:37 11:20 5:06
15 11:49 5:34 ----- 6:04
16 12:15 6:30 12:44 6:59
17 1:08 7:22 1:36 7:50
18 1:58 8:11 2:25 8:38
19 2:46 8:59 3:11 9:24
Day ratings for fish activity
* = Good ** = Better *** = Best
(F) = Full Moon (N) = New Moon
Compiled by Darrell Taylor
