Catfish fair on fresh shad

Hybrids No Report

Bass good on jig and pig in coves.

Carp No Report

Largemouth bass are still spotty during the day light hours. A few are being caught on jigs or Berkley worms around docks and brush piles, but the big surprise this week was some of the suspended largemouth reacting to slow rolling spinnerbaits on points and in the back of the creeks. This reaction bite is taking place early in the mornings while they are feeding on shad. 

Smallmouth bass have gone deep and are under ledges at the entrance of the cuts and pockets throughout the lake. Fish tube baits, Spider Jigs or drop shot baits down the bank for best results. The bite is slow so work the area over thoroughly before moving on. 

Kentucky bass have also been spotty but the reason is that they are traveling in schools in search of shad, so you need to do some graphing to find them. Once a school is marked, drop a spoon (white or silver) or a drop shot rig down to them. For live bait anglers a nightcrawler or shiner on a split shot rig will also trigger some bites.

Walleye are now on the bottom at 35 feet off points and the deep side of feeding flats. Bottom bouncers are working with crawler harnesses or leech harnesses in the mornings and early evening. There are walleye suspended at 35 feet over deeper water out in front of points and flats and these fish can be caught with lead core line pulling Rapalas Glass Shad, Reef Runners and Bill Norman lures at 1.5 to 1.7 mph. Keep your bait over the top of the walleye because they feed upward and will not go down after a bait.

NIGHT FISHING UPDATE: The bite is the best from sundown until midnight on points and chunk rock baits. Best baits are jig and pigs, tubes, 8 to 10" worms and brush hogs all in brown or blue/black colors.

Trout fishing on the White River has been good on Power Bait in yellow and white, Power Wigglers, Gulp Earthworms, salmon eggs and Belgian red worms. Buoyant Spoons, Mepps and Rooster Tails have been working when the generation is on. The fly fishermen have done well on olive and black Woolly Buggers, peach egg pattern, scuds, sow bugs and San Juan worms. Browns are being caught on Floating Original Rapalas, Countdowns, Rebel Floating Minnows and nightcrawlers.

Crappie- No Report

Catfish -No Report

Bass No Report

Crappie fair small minnows on main lake

Bass fair topwater in morning .

Bluegill good on crickets

Catfish good on nightcrawlers

According to AmerenUE, the current lake level is 659.38 with heavy generation scheduled for the next three days, which should give the lake a level of 659.5 by Friday, August 13th. The lake is clear with the exception of some coves that have a dingy color. The water clarity ranges between 5 to 10 feet with the dam area being the clearest. AmerenUE reports the water temperature taken at Bagnell Dam at 83 degrees.

LARGEMOUTH BASS - FAIR Bass fishing has slowed down compared to a few weeks ago. A few theories discussed are the cooler water temperatures this time of the year, the abundance of shad fry in the coves and the main lake causing the bass to be suspend underneath and the lake fluctuation. Take your pick, there's one thing for sure it's tough right now. Some anglers report they are catching a few keepers by swimming 7 and 10 inch power worms and Brush Hogs over deep brush piles on main lake, secondary points and in the creeks. The most productive colors are (June Bug, tequila sunrise and red shad) during the day, and (blue fleck, black and June bug) at night. There have also been reports that pitching and flipping a jig and trailer and tubes (brown/green. pumpkin, green pumpkin and black or black/blue) around docks with brush and lay downs is producing some keepers. The bass appear to be spread out because anglers are reporting bass being caught from 8 to 25 feet. Night fishing is definitely the best time to catch bass and avoid the heavy boat traffic during the day.

SPOTTED BASS - FAIR The spots are basically the same as they have been all year, small. The best areas to catch some spots is off the windy main lake docks, sea walls and wave breakers. The most productive baits are Flukes, medium diving crankbaits (shad and crawdads colors) and small live crawdads without weight pitched around the structure. The spots are hitting the bait on the fall.

CRAPPIE - FAIR The bigger crappie are suspended over brush piles in 20 to 30 feet of water on bluffs, bluff pockets and in the creeks arms. The smaller keeper crappie can be located in 12 to 18 feet of water suspended over brush piles around docks and the bluff pockets. Minnows are the best bite, but Road Runners (white and chartreuse) will work.

CATFISH - GOOD The cats are probably the most consistant bite. Jugs, limb lines and trot lines baited with cut shad, perch, gold fish, shiners and crawdads are taking nice 3 to 8 pound flatheads, blues and channels. Tight lining from the bank with night crawlers, stinkbait, hot dog chunks and cut shad are the most productive baits fished 12 to 30 feet in the coves and off rocky points.

WHITE BASS/HYBRIDS - GOOD Early in the morning and late evening the whites and hybrids are feeding on shad off the windy main lake flats and sea walls in 8 to 12 feet of water. White tandem spinnerbaits, medium size crankbaits (shad colors), spoons and Mepps Spinners are producing

BLUEGILL - EXCELLENT The bluegill are shallow in the morning and evening around docks and sea walls. Once the sun gets up, the blue gill can found 8 to 10 feet or near the surface under the foam of boat docks. Crickets, night crawlers, red wigglers and wax worms (grubs) are the best baits.

Date: 8/05/04
Lake Level : 608.88
Last Weeks Lake Level: 608.43
Normal Lake Level : 606
Water Condition: Clear
Surface Water Temp: 73 degrees

Lots of rain yesterday will get the water moving and make it stained in the very upper reaches of the South Fork, Elk and Middle Fork areas of the lake. Unseasonably cool weather will keep the water temperature down.

Bass fishing is better than it has been the last few weeks. Some of the best fishing has been in 2 feet of water using a variety of baits, white/chartreuse spinners, crankbaits or Carolina rigged plastics. Bass have been caught near lay downs along the shore line, whether it’s in coves or off of main lake points.

Catfishing continues to improve. Channel cats continue to be the best bite. Most reports during the past week, had fishermen working underwater humps near the river channels. Nightcrawlers, shad guts or crawfish. Flathead and blues are becoming more active, being taken on trotlines with goldfish. The rivers on the western end of the lake are flowing from the recent rains and should help improve catfishing even further.

The shad population this year is very healthy and plentiful.

Flathead slow

Largemouth Bass fair

Stripers slow

Crappie slow

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool:  Temperature:   

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 839.0 Temperature: 82 and Cloudy

Inflow: 100 cfs Outflow: 100 cfs Level: 0.54 feet high

Lindley arm: fair-good

White bass evening fishing is best on windy points, using Rooster Tails.

Crappie Fish about 10 feet deep at night with light using minnows

Catfish use trotline baited with stink bait or perch

Pomme Arm

Black bass use deep finesse approach 20 feet off points fish off bluffs use soft plastics .

Lower lake

Crappie use minnows and fish 20-25 feet deep along the timber

Black bass deep crankbaits in 15-20 feet of water around the mouths of coves.

Catfish bait trotlines or rod reel with cut shad on mud flats

Temperature: 81 Clarity:  Level: high and dingy

Largemouth Bass fair using spinner baits

Channel Cat  good using cut bait and nightcrawlers at night

Blue cat No Report

Bluegill fair using worms

Crappie fair

Water Temp: 76

Crappie fair using jigs and minnows in the brush piles

Blue Catfish good using night crawlers

Channel Catfish  good using night crawlers and stinkbait

Largemouth Bass  fair using plastic worms and salamanders

Bluegill good using night crawlers

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 864.2  Temperature: 74 to 76

Inflow: 15 cfs Outflow: 150 cfs Level: 0.33 feet high

Water Temp:73 to 76 degrees

CRAPPIE: Good: Summer patterns are here and the crappie will probably not change much the rest of the summer. You can pick you favorite type of fishing. Brush piles on the main lake in about 14' to 16' of water are producing. You can also catch fish 6' to 12' deep in trees in 20' to 30' of water. Minnows are working best but a purple and chartreuse jig will also work.

BASS: Poor: There seems to be a topwater bite if you are in the right place at the right time. Since the water is warming up the fish seem to be moving into the grass more. A variety of baits are working depending on where you are fishing. You can fish soft jerk baits on top of the grass or drop a worm in front of the grass. The grass is primarily on the main lake but is also extending up both arms of the lake quite a ways. Thursday evenings still are tough. Fishing in 8' to 10' of water is considered deep and is probably the max depth to try. (SEE TOURNAMENT RESULTS THURSDAY or WEEKENDS)

CATFISH: Good Most of the catfish have probably already spawned and are feeding up now. Some nice flatheads are starting to be caught on trotlines as well as channels and blues. A variety of baits will work depending on the way you like to fish. Fish in 10' of water or less along the flats but near the creek channels.

White Bass: Fair: The whites are showing up on main lake points in the evenings and mornings. If you are in the right spot when the fish start busting shad you can have some fun. The fish are also on the old Trimble dam and some of the main lake humps. The face of the dam is also starting to produce some whites especially on windy days. Use pepper spoons and vertical jig for them. You can also troll small crank baits around the main lake points.

WALLEYE: Fair to Good: Some nice walleye are being taken on the main lake using crawlers and leeches on a jig head. You can also fish points in the Trimble area or up Camp branch and catch larger fish. You can also troll or cast a #5 or #7 shad rap around main lake points. Stay in 4' to 10' of water most of the time. This should be the pattern for the rest of the summer.

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 867.7 Temperature: 80

Inflow: 270 cfs Outflow: 1521 cfs Level: 1.01 feet high

Black bass fair early morning buzzbaits and plastic baits off deep points

White bass fair early and late on topwater lures and Rooster Tails mid-day

Walleye fair drifting nightcrawlers

Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around trees 20 feet deep

Catfish fair using nightcrawler and shad on trotlines,

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 915.0 Temperature: 79 - 83

Release Rate: 2802 cfs. Level: 2.06 feet high

WATER LEVEL - 917.02 Normal Pool 915'
JAMES RIVER Upper 79-83
MAIN LAKE 79-81

James River, Kings & Long Creek,

I had a couple of good days towards the end of the week from Aunt's Creek to Cape Fair catching mainly Kentuckys in 22'-30', on main lake gravel flats and points. Some of these fish have been suspending over 30'-40'. Most of these fish I have been catching on drop shot rigs with 4" finesse worms or 3"-4" single tail grubs, also further up the river the largemouth's seem to bite one day and the not the next. Try using 3/4 oz. football jigs and Carolina rigs fished 15'-30' around main river gravel flats where the channel swings close to the flats.

Main Lake-Kimberling City, Baxter, Campbell Point and Dam Areas

The fish have been scattered, catching some on the same patterns as the Mid James in 22'-30' . I have also been catching some out of deep submerged timber in 50'-100', fish have been suspending 25'-40' deep. Try drop shot rigs or 3/4 oz. white or chrome spoons, watch for schools of shad whether fishing on flats and points or over submerged timber. If you find large schools of shad spend more time in that area. The fish will be in or under the schools of shad, try different baits and colors to trigger the strikes.

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Temperature:  Level:

GENERAL COMMENTS

Water Conditions: Generation pretty much the same as it has been for the past few weeks. On early in the morning - 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and off late, around midnight each week day. This week has been a little different in that that did not turn the generation off at all Monday or Tuesday nights. This past weekend we had one generator on for about four hours, from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Although the weather has been very cool, they are bringing Beaver down so this is probably impacting the flow on Table Rock. Once the weather heats back up, we will probably continue to see this pattern during the hot weather.

FLY FISHING TROPHY AREA (dam to Fall Creek)-SHALLOW WATER-WADING-
Last week continued to have some tough days. Trips were catching fish, but they really had to work for them. Saturday and Sunday seemed to turn the tide. Fished Saturday with one generator and caught fish on the red midge and the rust zebra. After the water was off for a little while, the fish started coming up and we each had a 30-40 fish afternoon on soft hackles and crackle backs. Best crackle back was the holographic green in a size 14. Soft hackles were partridge and orange and the dark olive. Sunday was another good day. Size 18 Lil Easy, and a holographic silver crackle back were our best flies. In the late afternoon I fished the crackle back in about 1-2 feet of water. Cast straight downstream as far as I could and retrieved with a strip-strip, then pause action. In that shallow of water, the strikes were explosive. Several times I would have a strike and miss it but kept the fly in action and get another take. Several nicer, 16-18 inch Rainbows caught this way. Also caught a couple 13-14 inch Browns. Yesterday, one of our boats caught a beautiful 21 inch Brown on the red tunghead midge. Fish are hitting much better than last week during the high water. Reports from some of our customers that they were doing very well in the Hatchery area with Renegades, size 14 over the weekend. Also know that crackle backs were working well in this area, bright colors, sizes 12 or 14. When the water is up and you don't have a boat the chute areas will probably be your best bets. Scuds, sow bugs and San Juan worms are good choices for the chute area.

STAN'S TIP: Seeing lots of nasty sunburns! Keep putting on that sun lotion while you are on the water. Also, don't forget to drinks lots of water. Standing in the cold water sometimes makes you misjudge how burnt or dehydrated you are getting.

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Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 722.00 Clarity:  Level:

Temperature: 78 and Dingy

Crappie slow

Bass slow

Channel cat good on setlines

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 706.0 Temperature:  78

Inflow: 5500 cfs Outflow: 13083 cfs Level: 1.20 feet high

Fishing Report from Sterett Creek Marina 8/4/04

I don't know what we did to make mother nature so mad but she is sure working on us this week. From 100 deg. yesterday to rain today. I guess that's what they mean when they say if you don't like the weather in MO. hang around for 5 minutes and it will change. Just when the fish started going we have to back up again. The water temp on Truman is still running 10 deg. behind last year.

LAKE LEVEL: 707.45
WATER TEMP: 78deg.

WATER CLARITY: We are right back where we started 2 weeks ago. Grand River to Long Shoal is dirty. Big and Little Tebo are a light stain. Sac River to Berry Bend are dirty, from Berry to the dam the water is good. Big and Little Pommie are both good.

CRAPPIE: The crappie bite is real good as the crappie are finally moving onto the summer pattern. The up and down water temp. has had a big effect on the crappie pattern. Even though we have had hot days, the cloud cover and cool nights have a big effect on these fish. Now you should concentrate your fishing on the flats. Fish water depths 10 to14 ft. Fish your minnow 4 to 6 ft. deep. Lots of keeper fish being caught along the bluffs in 30 to 40 ft. of water fishing about 15 to 20 ft. Big school of crappie hang around the bluff next to the river channel this time of year.

WHITE BASS: Fishing is spotty at times. Look for these fish on the drops and the humps. Some fish are coming to the surface on hot calm days. Most of the fish are being caught on top water baits. Fishing the humps and drops, use spoons in the 3/4 oz. as the shad are getting bigger and the whites seem to want the bigger bait. Concentrate your fishing where you find the shad. If its hot the shad will be on the surface and the whites will be close by or right underneath.

HYBRIDS: The bite is real difficult right now as the big fighting hybrids have gone away. If it turns hot and the wind dies down in the evenings you will see them come back and begin surface feeding. Lots of wind on the lake makes it hard for these fish to see the bait fish close to the surface, so they stay in the deep channels and feed. Calm hot days will put these fish on the humps, over river channels and some long points. Most top water baits will work when they are on the surface. Use large sassy shads with 3/4 oz. heads to fish for bottom feeding fish. Until the water warms again, you will have to use your electronic and lots of time searching for these hybrids.

CATFISH: Jug fishing is producing lots of catfish right now. Jugs drifting across shallow flats is producing some real nice fish. Limb lines in the trees and backs of the coves are producing also. Fresh cut shad and stink baits, along with leeches are the best baits. The upper river arms seem to have the better bite. The upper Osage and the Grand have a real good bite right now. These are the areas to concentrate on for good limits of catfish.

This weeks rankings from Sterett Creek Marina

Bass: # 1

Crappie: # 2

Whites & Hybrids: # 3

So till next week we bid you good fishing,

Tommy

Lake temp: 78

CATFISH: Not much to report, but did have a few guys bring in a 31.5 pound blue this morning caught on a trotline on a mainlake flat in 10 feet of water using leeches.

WHITE/HYBRIDS: Some surface activity early and late around windy mainlake flats just down a little from the marina. Just not too many chasing them right now.

Crappie fair using minnows and jigs

Bluegill fair using crickets and nightcrawlers

Catfish fair using nightcrawlers