Missouri Lakes Fishing Report by Steve Wilson

Lake - Lake of The Ozarks 02/23/06:

Water temps took a dive along with the lake level at Lake of the Ozarks. Declining water temps and ice covered coves have shrunk the "fishable" portions of the lake. Fishable meaning above 40 degrees.

Lake level: 655.12 with light generation scheduled for the next few days. Predicted lake levels of 655.1, 655.0 and 654.9 are fore casted. Truman lake level: 705.95

Water temps: North Shore area 40-42 Gravois 37-41 Main Osage Toll Bridge to Hurricane Deck Bridge 39-41 Glaize 40-41 around 54 bridge upper 30's as you go up the Glaize. Nianguas 39-43 Many of the backs of coves in the lower end have ice and up lake the whole coves are frozen up river. But they are starting to thaw. Example: Ice was out to the swim beach ropes at PB 2.

Dam and North Shore area: Clear. Under these conditions this can be the best area of the lake. It takes some time just like everywhere else but a fisherman can put together a milk run of jerkbait spots in this area. The key is to fish them painfully slow. Fish bluff points on the Northwestern Shorelines. These banks draw more sunshine and the cold blooded bass responds accordingly.

Use Rogue, Pointers, Z-Wave and MegaBass Jerkbaits. Keep them natural in color in this clear water. It is very important that your jerkbait suspends perfectly when the water temps are 42-39. After fishing the bluff point fish any pea gravel secondaries that are close to the main channel point with the jerkbait. Fish enough of these rock transitions and you will find ones that hold fish everyday.

Gravois: Clear. The middle Gravois to the mouth are the most productive. That’s because you can go to far up river and the water temps get to cold. The finesse jig and jerkbait are the best bets in this area. Both in natural colors. The jerkbaits are working on the steeper bluff points.

The jigs both Eakins and Chompers are being fished along creek channel banks in the creeks in the middle of the Gravois. Fish both jigs slowly from the rocks out to about 12'. Some fish are coming from behind docks with brush. But most are relating to rocks.

Glaize: Clear. The Glaize has some pretty cold water right now. It’s around 40 degrees near the bridge 41 in the sunshine. If you go into PB 2 it drops into the 30's and you see ice. But I think that will be gone by this weekend. Most the fishing is in the main Glaize on the bluffs. Use a combination of jerkbaits and jig/chomper. Don’t be afraid to fish that jig right against the rocks on those bluffs. The ones at the mouth near the Osage are the warmest.

Main Osage Toll Bridge to Hurricane Deck Bridge. Clear to slightly stained. This area is suffering the most from the cold front. It’s pushed the water temps down to where it is hard to find 40+. These area really needs the benefit of some warm weather. Maybe in a week if it stays nice.

I live in this part of the lake. And it has been good all winter long. But now I am having to travel to the lower end to find more fishable conditions. But that is fishing adjusting to the weather is all part of it. But it has changed from going out and catching a limit on a four hour trip (before the cold front) to working hard all day to get a few quality bites.

Nianguas: Clear. There are some fish being caught in this area. But parts have turned too cold. Around the Larry Gale is good fishable water. The small creeks with good defined channels offer really good jig fishing. Chompers and Eakins jigs. Fish from 2'-14' down the vertical to 45 degree channel banks. Fish these on light Seaguar 8-10# for chompers and 10-12# for Eakins jig.

You can use the light line in the cold water. Don’t "snap set" the hook. Just lean into them and start reeling. Those little hooks will do the trick. They want to eat that jig. It’s cold and they are happy for the meal. The jig and the chompers are the best pattern in any arm of the lake. And they are easy to get. The MAO Store has a good selection.

There are times when the jerkbait is better. But the jig always catches fish. The jerkbait bite is not as good in this area as other portions. Instead of the jerkbait try wigglewarts in crawdad and shad colors worked along the same channel banks as the jigs.

Thanks and Good Luck!

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