Fishing Report

by John Neporadny, jnoutdoors.com

The Fishing Report

Your guide to catching fish at LOZ!

The lake level was 655.7, generation of 6,000 cubic feet per second (CFS) at the beginning of the week decreased to 4,500 CFS by the end of the week for a level of 656.7 by the weekend. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam was 58 degrees. Truman Lake was at the 706.8 level.

Tournament Results: Kaleb Allison won the Spring Big Bass Bash last weekend with a 7.58-pound largemouth bass.

Bagnell Dam spillway/Osage River

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Slow on Ned rigs along the rocky banks. White bass: Good on Roostertails and Mepps spinners. Catfish: Good on cut shad.

Lower Osage

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Good on suspending stickbaits, crankbaits and spinnerbaits along windy gravel banks in coves. Crappie: Fair on jigs 10 to 15 feet deep around docks.

Gravois

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Good on trick worms and Carolina-rigged Baby Brush Hogs along gravel banks. Crappie: Good on jigs or minnows 2 to 8 feet deep along the transition chunk rock/gravel banks in the evenings.

Mid-Lake

Water clarity: Stained. Black bass: Good on Carolinarigged creature baits and trick worms along gravel banks. Crappie: Good on minnows or jigs 2 to 8 feet deep along gravel banks in the evenings.

Grand Glaize

Water clarity: Muddy in the upper arm and clear in the lower section. Black bass: Fair on spinnerbaits, jigs and Carolina-rigged creature baits along gravel banks in coves. Crappie: Fair on jigs 20 feet deep close to the spawning banks during the day or jig-and-bobber rigs along the gravel banks in the evenings.

Niangua

Water clarity: Muddy. Black bass: Slow on shaky head worms, suspending stickbaits, spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits and squarebill crankbaits in backs of coves or secondary points. Crappie: Fair on jigs 5 to 10 feet deep along gravel banks.

Upper Osage

Water clarity: Muddy above the 60-mile mark. Black bass: Fair on spinnerbaits and plastic lizards along transition gravel banks. Crappie: Excellent on jigs or jig-and-bobber setups along gravel banks. Catfish: Good tight-lining cut shad or nightcrawlers.

Truman Dam spillway

Water clarity: Stained. Crappie: Good on jigs in the evenings. White bass: Good on jigs and swimbaits in the evenings. Hybrid white bass: Fair on jigs and swimbaits.

Sources: Guide Alfred Chapman (573-465-3810), www.lakeozarkfishingguideservice.com; Big Ed’s Guide Service (573-692-6710) www.bigedsguideservice.com; Guide Jack Uxa (573-434-2570) www.lakeoftheozarksfishingguide.com; Guide John Blankenbeker (573-280-1455); Guide Terry Blankenship (573-480-2835); Guide Jim Dill (573-204-9005) www.jamesdillguideservice.com; Fitz Fishing (573-693-9299); Bryants Osage Outdoors (573-374-2278); Casey Scanlon (913-449-3176) and Cody’s Bait & Tackle (660-7235115). Tournament Results—Thanks to www.bassingbob.com.