|
|
|
The lake level was 656.8 (660 is normal pool level); with minimum generation scheduled because of downstream high waters, the lake should hold at that level through the weekend. Truman Lake is six feet over pool. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 59 degrees with upstream temperatures of 56 to 61 degrees depending on location and time of day.
BLACK BASS – It took over 18.7 pounds to win the Mo. Angler Wednesday night tourney and 20 an 21 pounds to win the daytime Heartland tourneys. Lower Osage: Excellent Bullseye jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits like Norman’s N series and Storm’s Wiggle Wart. Glaize Arm: Excellent with crankbaits, spinnerbaits and Yum’s F2 Craw series. Mid-Lake: Excellent on jigs crankbaits like Wiggle Warts and Norman’s Deep Little N, cove mouth to halfway back. Niangua Arm: Very good on soft plastics like Berkley’s HAVOC Craw Fatty, white spinnerbaits and Norman’s Deep Little N on chunk rock banks. Gravois Arm: Very good on crankbaits and Bullseye jigs. Upper Osage: Very good on main lake points with jerkbaits. Osage 60 MM: Excellent on spinnerbaits and Eakins jigs, also some topwater bite.
CATFISH – Bagnell Tailwater: Good on cut bait. Lower Osage: Try traditional catfish baits using rod and reel. Glaize Arm: Good on shad sides and ‘perch’ fished deep. Mid-Lake: Good drifting with live shad. Niangua Arm: Good on rod and reel with shad sides fished on the bottom. Gravois Arm: Good drifting with live shad. Upper Osage: Good on cut shad or shrimp. Osage 60 MM: Excellent on rod-and-reel baited with traditional bait. Truman Tailwater: Good on cut shad.
CRAPPIE – The spawn is coming to an end in most parts of the lake. In muddy water, try very shallow pea gravel banks. Bagnell Tailwater: Poor to fair on minnows and red-and-white curly tail jigs. Lower Osage: Very good on small Sebile jerkbaits. Glaize Arm: Very good on small jerkbaits and Blakemore Road Runners fished on shallow pea gravel. Mid-Lake: Good, fish are 2 to 4 feet deep on pea gravel. Niangua Arm: Fair to good on minnows or jigs tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles or red-and-chartreuse Road Runners. Gravois Arm: Very good on minnows, Road Runners or small Sebile Koolies 2 to 5 feet deep. Upper Osage: Very good using Berkley Gulp Smelt 6-feet deep. Osage 60 MM: Very good on minnows or Slab Buster jigs tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles 10 feet deep. Truman Tailwater: Fair on minnows or Slab Hunter jigs.
The lake level was 656.8 (660 is normal pool level); with minimum generation scheduled because of downstream high waters, the lake should hold at that level through the weekend. Truman Lake is six feet over pool. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 59 degrees with upstream temperatures of 56 to 61 degrees depending on location and time of day.
BLACK BASS – It took over 18.7 pounds to win the Mo. Angler Wednesday night tourney and 20 an 21 pounds to win the daytime Heartland tourneys. Lower Osage: Excellent Bullseye jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits like Norman’s N series and Storm’s Wiggle Wart. Glaize Arm: Excellent with crankbaits, spinnerbaits and Yum’s F2 Craw series. Mid-Lake: Excellent on jigs crankbaits like Wiggle Warts and Norman’s Deep Little N, cove mouth to halfway back. Niangua Arm: Very good on soft plastics like Berkley’s HAVOC Craw Fatty, white spinnerbaits and Norman’s Deep Little N on chunk rock banks. Gravois Arm: Very good on crankbaits and Bullseye jigs. Upper Osage: Very good on main lake points with jerkbaits. Osage 60 MM: Excellent on spinnerbaits and Eakins jigs, also some topwater bite.
CATFISH – Bagnell Tailwater: Good on cut bait. Lower Osage: Try traditional catfish baits using rod and reel. Glaize Arm: Good on shad sides and ‘perch’ fished deep. Mid-Lake: Good drifting with live shad. Niangua Arm: Good on rod and reel with shad sides fished on the bottom. Gravois Arm: Good drifting with live shad. Upper Osage: Good on cut shad or shrimp. Osage 60 MM: Excellent on rod-and-reel baited with traditional bait. Truman Tailwater: Good on cut shad.
CRAPPIE – The spawn is coming to an end in most parts of the lake. In muddy water, try very shallow pea gravel banks. Bagnell Tailwater: Poor to fair on minnows and red-and-white curly tail jigs. Lower Osage: Very good on small Sebile jerkbaits. Glaize Arm: Very good on small jerkbaits and Blakemore Road Runners fished on shallow pea gravel. Mid-Lake: Good, fish are 2 to 4 feet deep on pea gravel. Niangua Arm: Fair to good on minnows or jigs tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles or red-and-chartreuse Road Runners. Gravois Arm: Very good on minnows, Road Runners or small Sebile Koolies 2 to 5 feet deep. Upper Osage: Very good using Berkley Gulp Smelt 6-feet deep. Osage 60 MM: Very good on minnows or Slab Buster jigs tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles 10 feet deep. Truman Tailwater: Fair on minnows or Slab Hunter jigs.
SPOONBILL – The season has closed.
WALLEYE – Bagnell Tailwater: No reported fish. Niangua Arm: Poor upstream. Truman Tailwater: Poor to fair on Brewer’s slider jigs and Slab Hunters.
WHITE AND HYBRID BASS – Bagnell Tailwater: Fair on white-and-black Worden’s Rooster Tail and Norman’s Deep Little N. Mid-Lake: No reported fish. Truman Tailwater: Fair on both white and hybrids.
BLUEGILL – Excellent on crickets and wax worms in the Bagnell Tailwater and very good on the main lake. Try around docks with worm pieces or Berkley’s Gulp nightcrawler pieces.
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
6 8:15 2:02 8:42 2:28
7 9:14 3:01 9:41 3:27
8 10:12 3:59 10:39 4:26
9 11:09 4:56 11:35 5:22
10 ----- 5:50 12:03 6:15
11 12:28 6:40 12:53 7:05
12 1:15 7:27 1:40 7:53
13 2:00 8:13 2:26 8:39
14 * 2:45 8:59 3:12 9:25
15 * 3:33 9:47 4:01 10:15
16 ** 4:26 10:40 4:55 11:10
17 *** (F) 5:23 11:39 5:54 -----
18 ** 6:26 12:10 6:56 12:41
19 * 7:30 1:15 7:59 1:44
20 8:33 2:19 9:01 2:47
21 9:33 3:20 9:59 3:46
22 10:29 4:17 10:53 4:41
23 11:19 5:08 11:41 5:30
24 ----- 5:53 12:04 6:14
25 12:24 6:34 12:44 6:55
26 1:02 7:12 1:22 7:32
27 1:39 7:49 1:59 8:09
28 2:15 8:26 2:36 8:47
29 2:53 9:04 3:15 9:27
30 * 3:33 9:45 3:57 10:09
31 ** 4:18 10:31 4:43 10:56
Day ratings for fish activity
* = Good ** = Better *** = Best
(F) = Full Moon (N) = New Moon
Compiled by Darrell Taylor
