Fishing

by John Neporadny Jr., jnoutdoors.com

Where the fish are

The lake level was 657.8, generation of 1,500 cubic feet per second (CFS) throughout the week for a level of 657.8 by the weekend. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam was 77 degrees. Truman Lake was at the 704.8 level.

To Note: The Lower Lake 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.

Tournament Results

Matt Ells won the Major League Fishing (MLF) BFL tournament last Sunday with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 35.07 pounds.

Bagnell Dam spillway/Osage River

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Slow on topwater lures around laydowns along the mud flats. Crappie: Good on small swimbaits. Catfish: Good on cut shad and skipjack herring.

Lower Lake

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Slow on topwater lures halfway back in coves. Crappie: Fair on jigs 6 to 12 feet deep around docks in the creeks. Catfish: Fair on jug lines baited with cut sunfish.

Gravois

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Fair on jigs, creature baits, Flukes, swimbaits and topwater lures either around shallow docks in the backs of creeks or for fish suspended 6 feet deep under main channel docks. Crappie: Good on swimbaits and jigs 6 to 12 feet deep around docks in the creeks. White bass: Fair on topwater poppers around shad schools in the middle of creeks.

Mid-Lake

Water clarity: Stained. Black bass: Fair on topwater lures in the morning along main lake points or jigs around brush and docks later in the day. Crappie: Slow trolling crankbaits in the coves filled with shad.

Grand Glaize

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Fair on jigs, plastic worms and crankbaits around shad schools on the main channel and in the coves. Crappie: Fair on jigs and minnows in brush piles and around docks 15 to 20 feet deep. Catfish: Fair on jug lines baited with cut bluegill.

Niangua

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Slow on jigs and Texas-rigged soft plastics along main and secondary points. Crappie: Fair on jigs in brush piles 8 to 12 feet deep.

Upper Osage

Water clarity: Clear. Black bass: Fair on spinnerbaits, topwater lures and glide baits around shallow docks in coves. Crappie: Fair on minnows and jigs 10 to 12 feet deep in brush around docks. White bass: Fair trolling crankbaits and inline spinners along main and secondary points. Catfish: Good tight-lining cut shad and nightcrawlers.

Truman Dam spillway

Water clarity: Clear. Fishing is poor for all species.

Sources Guide Alfred Chapman (573-465-3810), www.lakeozarkfishingguideservice.com; Big Ed’s Guide Service (573-692-6710) www.bigedsguideservice.com; Guide Jack Uxa (573-4342570) 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 (913-4493176) and Cody’s Bait & Tackle (660-723-5115). Tournament Results—Thanks to www.bassingbob.com.