Fishing

by John Neporadny, jnoutdoors.com

The Fishing Report

Your guide to catching fish at LOZ!

The lake level was 658.9; generation of 7,500 secondfoot day (SFD) at the beginning of the week to 4,500 SFD at the end of the week for a level of 658.5 by the weekend. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam was 84 degrees. Truman Lake was at 705.1 level.

To Note

The Lower Osage is from the dam to the 22-mile mark; Mid-Lake is from the 22- to 38-mile mark, the Upper Osage is from the 38-mile mark to the Route 65 Bridge.

Bagnell Dam spillway/Osage River

Water clarity: Stained. Black bass: Fair on topwater lures and crankbaits along gravels bars and shallow logs.

Lower Osage

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Fair for sub-legal bass and small keepers on topwater lures and 7-inch plastic worms in the mornings and evenings along main lake points, docks and wave breaks. Crappie: Fair trolling crankbaits on the main lake. Catfish: Good on cut shad and bluegill.

Gravois

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Slow on shaky head magnum trick worms 15 to 25 feet deep along rocky points or square bill crankbaits and Missile Baits D-Bombs along shallow docks on flats. Crappie: Good trolling crankbaits along main and secondary points or shooting jigs 10 to 15 feet under main lake docks. Catfish: Good drifting cut shad and bluegill 15 to 20 feet deep along secondary chunk rock points or flats.

Mid-Lake

Water clarity: Stained. Black bass: Good on topwater lures along main lake seawalls in the morning and later in the day on heavy jigs or shaky head magnum trick worms along bluffs. Crappie: Fair trolling crankbaits along the main channel or shooting jigs under main lake docks. Catfish: Good tight lining or jug lining with cut shad.

Grand Glaize

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Fair on Chatterbaits and plastic worms worked around shad schools. Crappie: Fair on mini-jigs in brush 15 feet deep.

Niangua

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Slow on topwaters in the mornings or plastic worms later in the day 15 to 20 feet deep on bluff ends. Crappie: Slow on minnows 15 feet deep along docks. Catfish: Fair drifting cut shad or on jug lines and trotlines with cut shad.

Upper Osage

Water clarity: Stained. Black bass: Good on topwater lures, spinnerbaits, square bill crankbaits and Chatterbaits in the mornings around main lake docks. Crappie: Slow on minnows in brush 15 feet deep. Catfish: Good on cut shad, shrimp and hot dogs.

Truman Dam spillway

Water clarity: Clear. Crappie: Fair at night on minnows and jigs. White bass and hybrids: Fair on jigs and spoons at night.

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); and Ferg’s Bait & Tackle (660-438-7413). Tournament Results— Thanks to www.bassingbob.com.