Missouri Lakes Fishing Report by Steve Wilson

Lake - Lake of The Ozarks 07/25/07:

Even though the lake is staying relatively stable at full pool there is heavy generation at both Dams. Truman is still really high and falling fast. All the water being released is heading down the Osage on its way out of Bagnell Dam. This is making the Osage very muddy from Truman Dam down to around 6 miles before you get to Bagnell Dam. There is also a lot of floating debris. A good portion of this debris is from dock damage during this winters ice storm. So look out for boards with nails. They are not good for the bottom of the hull of your boat if you were to hit one.

Lake level: 660 with heavy generation scheduled till they get Truman down. The lake should stay around 660. Truman: 723 and falling as fast as they can let water out.

Water temps 81-85 degrees

Dam and Gravois areas: Muddy in main Osage with a muddy/stained water line at the 6-7 mile marker area. Stained in the first couple miles of the Gravois and 6 miles of the Osage till you get to Bagnell Dam. In a few days though that color line that is at the 6-7 mile range will be sucked down to the Dam. The areas of stained water on the lower end is where the best fishing is. With all the current going through the main lake. Points and other structure has been the way to go. The best ones you will see baitfish all over the screen on your depthfinder. Tuesday we caught all our keepers 11'-16' deep. But this seems to be changing daily since the muddy water has reached the lower end. What I been doing to keep catching them is let the baitfish tell me what level the bass are at. I watch the screen on my depthfinder and notice the activity level (fish clutter in the form of bait and larger fish) Once that level is determined I look for structure at that level. If it has cover in the form of brush piles the structure is better. But they will set up on any vertical changes in the bottom if it is within that activity level. They are so keyed in on that activity level that they will suspend above deep structure to stay in that activity level. You will notice this whenever you are catching them as you are reeling you bait back in from the depths. Say you are fishing a hump or point in 20' of water and you get bit a couple of times reeling your bait back. Take a note of the depth you got those bites. Example: Say it was between 8 to 6 feet of water where you got those bites reeling you bait in. The fish are telling you that you need to be fishing that depth range. The bait that have been catching them have remained the same. Football jigs from ½ to 1 ounce size, Texas rigged big worms, Carolina rigs and deep crankbaits. Pick your colors based on water color.

Glaize: Stained. The best fishing has been on the structure in the first couple of miles of the Glaize. I launched here Tuesday to head to the 6 mile area were that water color is mixing. My customer asked if there had been a fish kill since there was floating keeper bass everywhere. This is from stock piling along with not properly tacking care of the catch. Please read the instructions on the back of Bassmedics release products. When water is over 75 degrees steps have to be taken to keep fish alive. And if the tournament you fishing doesn’t have a release boat. You may want to think about not fishing it. And 13 hour night tournaments are a death sentence for bass. The same lures that are working on the lower end are working here and of course there are a lot of fish to catch here. A good way to catch them is by using something slightly different than the normal lures these fish see all the time. A simple color variation can make all the difference. Try using spike it dye to create custom colors. Keep them subtle and natural for the best results. But sometimes bright off the wall colors work. Just experiment.

Nianguas: Stained to clearing. The first couple of miles of the rivers provides the best structure fishing. Points, humps and river channel ledges are holding fish. Texas rigs, football jigs, deep diving cranks and carolina rigs all are producing fish. Brush around docks on steeper banks (best if around points) has been holding quality fish. Jigs and Texas rigged worms are best. During cloudy days the topwater bite has been good in this area of the lake. Steep main lake points have been good for walking baits such as the spook. There is some shallow dock fishing starting but it is mostly smaller fish. I think the all the current in the lake is making the larger fish stick to the structure. They know they can set up and wait for the current to bring them a meal. Big bass are so lazy. If there was no current those fish would have to go out and hunt a meal down.

Osage River: Muddy with some small pockets of stained water. Lots of floating stuff in the main Osage. The positive thing about all the muddy water is the fish up here are adjusted to it. There is always ways to find clearing water in any river system no matter where the river is located. It can be done with map study and a good understanding of which direction the current is running. With experience and knowledge a good river fisherman can find fishable water on any river. That is a lesson taught on Bassfactory Instructional Fishing Trips that will keep an angler from getting confused during flooding or high current conditions. Remember the Super Stars Tournament in 1993 when the Pros caught them at Peoria, Ill. They were fishing the Ill river during the 93 flood. The good Pros knew how to manage that body of water and find the clearing portions. Same thing here. Look for water that is out of the main current that is starting to clear out and fish the docks with brush and the points in that area. The current will still have them positioned on points just not main lake points. Fish 10" Power Worms in Dark colors and 3/8 to ½ Rattleback jigs. You can use much large line right now. I like 25#. I don’t break off too many and right now there is enough color in the water the fish can’t see it. They don’t know what line is anyway. Fish on the bottom in the mourning and if it is real sunny, calm and hot try swimming your bait along the sides of the docks.

Good Luck!

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Good Luck!

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