Missouri Lakes Fishing Report by Steve Wilson

Lake - Lake of The Ozarks 01/18/06:

Keep it Simple for the Best Results during Winter. Jigs, jerk baits, wiggle warts and spinner baits cover all the bases at Lake of the Ozarks.

Lake level: 656.68 There is no generation scheduled for the next few days. Steady lake levels of 656.7 are expected.

Garmin Surface Temps: 41-45 Dam and Gravois. 41-43 Glaize. 43-44 main Osage to Hurricane Deck. Nianguas 41-upper 40's and Osage river 40-43

Dam and Gravois: Clear. From here to Linn Creek the water conditions are great for winter fishing. And that’s why this portion of the lake is receiving the most fishing pressure. You might have to work a little to locate the fish. But once you do you can catch some good ones.

The best bite has been on secondary points in pockets just off the main lake. The ones that have good defined steep points and channel banks. Look to the pea gravel or shallower point for the jerkbait and wiggle wart fish. And the steeper banks for the jig fish. The jerk bait on secondary points works best in the afternoons.

Some good jerk baits are Rogues, Pointers, Specialty Tackle and MegaBass. Use shad colors. Some of the translucent Japanese baits with combinations of blue and white work awfully good in this clear water. Use 8-10# line to give these baits the best action. 5/16 jigs worked slowly on steep channel banks seem to be the best bet early in the day. Green Pumpkin and PBJ jigs fished from 6'-14' behind docks and around brush are producing.

Grand Glaize: Clear. The water gets colder as you go up the Glaize. It is 43 around the bridge. In this area the jig and jerk bait work the best. Fish the jig up against the steep banks where the main Glaize touches bluff. Pitch jig close to the rocks and fish it from 2'-8' against the bluff. Fish the jerk baits on the main points. These fish are suspended 8-12' down and they are coming up the 4-6' range to hit these jerk baits. So sometimes you have to let them sit a good 30 seconds to a minute for that fish to come up and get it.

Tan Tara to Hurricane Deck Bridge: Clear to slightly stained. The same patterns that are working in the Dam and Glaize are working here. The fish are a little more scattered in this part of the lake. Meaning you can fish longer here before catching fish than in the Dam area. But once you find some there is less pressure on them and they will be more predictable.

There is some 44 degree water in this area. And some slightly stained water. These are good conditions for fishing the 5/16 jig. Fish it on 12# Seaguar Fluorocarbon for the best results. Look for short channel banks fish the jig right up against the rocks out to about 8-10'. The wiggle wart in green crawdad works good in this area on the secondary points.

Nianguas: Clear. There is good fishing water all throughout the Big and Little Nianguas. Temps range from 41 on up to upper 40's. The best fishing has been from Larry Gale to Big Island. The small creeks in this area have good channels. These are excellent places to fish 5/16 jigs and chompers twin tails. Same colors greens and browns work best. Along these same channels fish a wiggle wart and spinner bait depending on what kind of day it is. During the last couple of really warm days it was hard to beat a spinner bait in the afternoon. The fish were right against the rocks.

Osage River: I haven’t been fishing past the green bridge lately. Though I know you can catch them there. The fishing has been too good close to my house to stray too far away from them. There is only so much time in the day. And it’s hard to leave biting fish.

Thanks and Good luck!

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