Crappie- good - being caught on minnows

Catfish -good - using night crawlers and Minnows in the evenings

Bass No Report

According to AmerenUE, the current lake level is 659.54 with heavy generation scheduled for the next three days, which should give the lake a level of 659.7 by Friday, May 28. The water temperature is reported to be 77 degrees. Most areas of the lake are clear or clearing and have visibility ranging from 3 to 10 feet, however, some coves in the mid-lake area are still off color with about 2 feet visibility. The Gravois, Grand Glaize, Big and Little Niangua's are clear, but with the heavy rains last night and discharge from Truman Lake some of these areas will probably getting dirty soon, especially the Osage River. There is still a few logs and trash floating in the lake, so keep alert.

LARGEMOUTH BASS - EXCELLENT Most of the bass are off or coming off their beds, but there are still some bedded. Since the lake has been on a slow rise, the bass seem to be spread out and can be located anywhere from 4 to 12 feet on the steeper chunk rock banks and secondary points. Some bass have been caught in brush, but the majority are still hanging on plain banks. A variety of baits have been producing nice keepers. Topwater baits like the Pop R's and baby Chug Bug are taking keepers early off the points of pockets and secondarys, tube baits (brown and green pumpkin and), Carolina rigged baby Brush Hogs and American Fries (watermelon candy, watermelon purple and green pumpkin) and jig n trailer (brown/grn. pumpkin and brown/chartreuse)green pumpkin. The trick worm (white, bubblegum and watermelon) and Fluke (white and shad colors) have been producing too. The 7 and 10 inch power worm and medium diving crankbaits are beginning to pick up a few keepers off points and around the steeper docks.

CRAPPIE - FAIR The crappie have moved to deeper water and are suspended over brush 18 to 25 feet in main lake pockets and in the creek arms. Minnows are the best bite, but Road Runners and tube jigs will produce, but if the bite gets tough tip the bait with Crappie Nibbles. Once the crappie are located, a limit is fairly easy.

CATFISH - EXCELLENT - With the lake rising, the catfish have really become active, especially in the creeks and upper portions of the rivers. Jug lines and trotlines with drops down 18 inches baited with cut shad, perch and crawdads are producing some big flatheads, channels and blues. Tightlinning from the banks 12 to 18 feet is also producing with cut shad, nightcrawlers, shrimp and hot dog chunks.

BLUEGILL - EXCELLENT The bluegill are shallow and preparing for their spawn. Red wigglers, wax worms (grubs) and pieces of nightcrawlers will produce a boat load.

Last Weeks Lake Level: 607.10
Normal Lake Level : 606
Water Condition: Dingy - Muddy
Surface Water Temp: 75 degrees

We’ve had a lot of rain and the lake is on the rise! One feature that I’m adding to the trip planning info above, is a link to the USGS Real Time Gauges, that measures surface water flowing in the streams and creeks that feed Mark Twain Lake. More on this later.

The crappie spawn is winding down. As of today a LOT of small crappie continue to be caught on the banks. Several of them with eggs that look like they’re ready to spawn. The larger crappie are done doing their thing as they move out to deeper water and are harder to catch at this point. Minnows continue to be key, whether by themselves or tipped from a jig. For the larger crappie try cedars and other areas of good cover and work the area patiently. Don’t settle in one place for too long, move on and look for the bigger fish. The Middle Fork and South Fork have been good areas, we’ve also gotten good reports out of the Indian Creeks.

Last week, guide Bruce Carpenter reported on what crappie fishermen can expect as the crappie enter their post spawn era. It’s still pertinent and worth repeating. The post spawn era is that period of time when crappie move from the nesting areas back into their summer pattern areas. Fishermen should start fishing the transition locations in 10-20 feet of water around structure 7-10 feet down. Bruce prefers cedar trees, but most structure will hold crappie that are on the move, and foraging their way to their summer locations. Minnows and or chartreuse jigs tipped with crappie niblets will be effective. Fishing will probably be spotty, one here and one there during this time, so keep moving. This transition should be 3-4 weeks long for the movement to complete itself. "Be patient and keep moving. Good luck, Bruce"

The bass fishing continues to be good. Main lake and secondary points, halfway back into the coves, has been the best areas to fish. The bass have been caught along rocky banks with good laydown cover, in shallow water anywhere from 1 – 4 feet deep. A variety of baits have been successful, spinner baits, crankbaits, tube jigs, plastic worms, and buzzbaits. White or chartreuse have been the best colors. Several areas of the lake have provided good fishing, especially the Spaulding area, Lick Creek, North, and South Forks.

Catfishing has been very good, a slight downgrade from last week. Several nice size cats have been caught, not as many large flatheads and blues as the week before. Still some respectable size flatheads in the 30 lb. range have been caught. Lots of pan size channels, with some around 10 lbs. have been caught on trotlines and rod and reel. Perch and gold fish have been the best trotline baits. Rod and reel fishermen have had the best luck using shad chunks and nightcrawlers. With the creeks and rivers flowing from the recent rains, catfishing should continue to be very good.

White bass are still providing good action. One fisherman reported finding a school and having a blast. The action took place "near an underwater hump in a main body of water". As the week before, the best color was silver, spoons or rattle traps were the lures.

Good luck and good fishing, and more importantly have a safe Memorial Day weekend.

Both on the road and on the water.

Flathead slow

Largemouth Bass slow

Stripers slow

Crappie slow

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool:  Temperature:   

Crappie time at mozingo fishing is good lots of fish being caught crappie good on jigs and minnows in about 5 ft water in the trees 

bass are biteing good on plastic and spinners 

bluegill good on worms

catfish good worms large minnows 

Remember the best of the Midwest 3-d Tripple Crown the 3rd will be at graham on June13th these shoots are fun and you will improve you shooting skills remember kids ask your parents to take you fishing this week thanks big bird

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 839.0 Temperature: 63

Inflow: 150 cfs Outflow: 100 cfs Level: 1.74 feet high

Pomme Arm Good

Black Bass are starting to spawn on pea gravel Use soft plastic tubes or salt craws 4 to 12 feet

Crappie good Crappile are suspended over brush 16 feet to 12 feet minnows

Catfish good Trotlines and llimblines use cut shad or shiners shallow

Lindley arm Fair to Good

Black bass try soft plastics off the spawning banks

Catfish go up the river use cut shad and liver \

Crappie fish about 10 feet in timber off the bottom

Lower lake Fair to Good

Crappie off the bottom in 18 to 20 feet use minnows

Black bass fish ae starting to spawning use soft plastics

Bluegill fish are shallow fish around docks use worms.

Temperature: 72 Clarity:  Level: low

Largemouth Bass slow using Rattle traps in 6 feet of water

Channel Cat  good using night crawlers in the arms where the water is running

Blue cat No Report

Bluegill No Report

Crappie slow using minnows and jigs

Water Temp: 66 and Dingy   Level: high

Crappie good using jigs and minnows in the brush piles

Blue Catfish good using night crawlers

Channel Catfish  fair using night crawlers

Largemouth Bass  fair on spinner baits

Bluegill good using night crawlers

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 864.2  Temperature: 70 to 76

Inflow: 50 cfs Outflow: 8 cfs Level: 1.40 feet high

Water Temp:70 to 76 degrees

CRAPPIE: Excellent: The fish are starting to spawn and are doing different things in different parts of the lake. Above the free ramp they are probably done. Below the free ramp they are starting as weather permits. There are a lot of the smaller males near the bank now and with the warm weather this week the females should move in and start spawning in some areas. Minnows and jigs are still the ticket. Fishing around the rocks in the marinas and the bridges are good bets. Find brush along an old creek channel that is about 10 feet deep and you will find some better fish.

BASS: Poor: Some of the bass have spawned and we are finding schools of fry. I'm sure not all of the fish have spawned yet but it won't be much longer. Since the water has come up a few small fish are being taken out of the grass. Most are coming on tubes, jigs or brush hogs, while there is still a good spinner bait and crank bait bite when you are on a windy bank. The numbers of fish caught in the evening tournaments are going down and more small males are being caught.

CATFISH: Good Lots of catfish are being caught on minnows by the crappie fishermen. As the crappie spawn gets going the cats will move into the shallows to feed on eggs and fry. The Platte and Little Platte rivers are also producing some fish. Head to the crappie spawning areas to catch a nice stringer of channels. The face of the dam is an excellent spot.

White Bass: Good: The river run is over and the whites are back on the main lake. The fish are on the old Trimble dam and some of the main lake humps and points. The face of the dam is also starting to produce some whites especially on windy days.

WALLEYE: Fair: Lots of nice walleye are being taken on the main lake using crawlers and leeches on a jig head. Drift or troll the points. You can also troll or cast a #5 shad rap around main lake points. Stay in 4' to 10' of water most of the time. This should be the pattern for the next month

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 867.7 Temperature: 73

Inflow: 450 cfs Outflow: 40 cfs Level: 2.54 feet high

Crappie close to shore with smaller spinners

Walleye in 5 to 8 on the little sac with small spinner or 10 to 20 on the big sac with spinners or nightcrawler rig

Black bass off the pea gravel points. 

White bass off the windy points

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 915.0 Temperature: 67 - 68

Release Rate: 3921 cfs. Level: 0.91 feet high

WATER LEVEL - 920.67 Normal Pool 915'
JAMES RIVER Upper 67-78
MAIN LAKE 67-74

Dam, Baxter, Campbell Point

Many fish have already moved deep, about half of the fish we’ve caught in the past few days are coming out of 25’-35’ deep and haven’t spawned. I don’t know if they will because of the crazy water levels these past few weeks. A lot of these fish are moving deeper instead of shallower. We are catching them on ½ & ¾ oz football jigs, Carolina Rigs, and some on 4" worms drop-shotting. Most of the fish have been on a long gradual sloping main lake gravel points. The main key sees to be to finding one of these points with lots of shad. You have to move around a lot to find the bait, once found work the point slowly. There are still fish being caught shallow in the creeks on Senco’s & floating worms, mostly small fish. Top water activity early & late on jointed Rapala’s, Red Fins & Spooks. Also in the same areas as the Carolina rig fish (main lake gravel points). Fish are still on main lake and secondary points with shallow cover such as willows & buck brush, flipping. Team Supreme jigs or Eakins jigs, Team Supreme Tournament tubes, & Brush Hogs

James River & Long Creek Arms-

Same patterns working as the main lake in the lower to mid river sections. In the upper sections fish are starting to get on the drops and humps. Try throwing DD 22’s, DT-16’s & Fat Free Shads in 10’-20’. Also, try Carolina rigged lizards & Brush Hogs. In these same areas we are catching fish flipping the cover on the shallow flats around brush and lay downs

Temperature:  Level:

GENERAL COMMENTS

Water Conditions: Table Rock Lake is just a little over a foot over normal pool. Last Thursday and Friday, they did not completely shut off the water. Ran one for two to six hours then increased generation, and ran water all day both days. Saturday they ran two to three generators during the day and shut down at midnight Saturday. No water on Sunday until 3:45 p.m.!! Sunday evening they only ran one generator then turned it off about 11:00 p.m. It was off for about six hours then turned on one. By noon they had 3-4 running. Seems to be the same pattern last night and so far today. We have our fingers crossed then will turn it off some time again this weekend!

FLY FISHING TROPHY AREA (dam to Fall Creek)-SHALLOW WATER-WADING-
Had boats on the water Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Good days on the water, even with the generation. Friday and Saturday each guest boated 40 plus fish. For the most part, they were fat and lots of good color. All days, the best consistent fly is still the size 16 red tunghead midge. We did catch several nice fish on a gray scud, size 16 on Friday but when the fish stopped hitting this, back to the red midge and more fish. Sunday was one of those days everyone deserves every one in a while! The water was down so wade fished with a friend in the area near the hatchery. Know each of us landed 100 fish! Don't have days like that very often. We fished from 11:00 a.m. to about 3:45 p.m. (when they turned on one generator). I started with the caddis green soft hackle, size 16. Lost all those so switched to insect green. Fishing slowed down on that around 1:30 so I went to a holographic green crackle back, size 14 with a No. 6 shot about 12 inches up. Stan and our friend were fishing size 22 midges - a white body with glass bead head and a tan or black foam post emerger. Not a lot of people fishing. At one time I counted everyone I could see and there were less than 20. One of our other guides was fishing downstream just above the MDC boat ramp. He was fishing the ramp side up by the rock ledges. Olive woolly buggers caught several nice 18-20 inch beautiful Rainbows, and a couple of 17-18 in Browns.

STAN'S TIP: RESPECT THIS HIGH WATER AND KEEP HEADS UP! - We have had two boats capsized in the past three weeks, and added a collision this past week. Fortunately, no fatalities. Don't let your anchor drag. Give yourself lots of slack line if you anchor or tie up to anything. Better yet, don't tie up or anchor. Things happen in a hurry with the moving water. Make certain you know what is in the water around you all the time!!

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 722.00 Clarity:  Level:

Temperature: 74 and Dingy

Crappie slow

Bass No Report

Channel cat good on setlines

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 706.0 Temperature:  72 and stained to dirty

Inflow: 9200 cfs Outflow: 18912 cfs Level: 2.54 feet high

That's it for this week from Sterett Creek Marina