Catfish fair-hot dogs

Bluegill good-wax worms

Crappie good-small jigs

Bass fair-crankbaits

 Report by: Wilderness Trail       "Braggin Board"

WALLEYE SEMINAR

MARCH 5th and 6th

DETAILS WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER JANUARY 1ST

If you are interested in this seminar call 870-445-2703 to receive a registration form

Weather patterns can be crazy this time of year, one day the sun shines and it’s 60 degrees, the next day the wind is blowing 30 mph and the temperatures are in the 40’s. Last week was just that kind of week with a little rain thrown in for good measure. Here’s a surprise! The lake level is at 656.28 which is two feet above normal pool. I can’t remember the last time the lake has been this high in December. Lake clarity remains around 16 feet and water temperature is in the low 50’s, perfect conditions for the fall bite which was a little spotty this last week. Crappie backed out away from the brush piles and are now suspended in 30-35 feet of water. There is a feeding bite in the afternoon other than that it’s been tough. Crappie minnows with a bare hook and swimming minnows are the best baits.

Lake Rating: Bass are moving in with the wind otherwise the bite is slow, crappie are suspended and only feeding a few hours a day, walleye are scattered and hard to pattern, so this week we will call it "fair".

Largemouth bass are on the banks on windy days holding on blow downs and large boulders. Crankbaits (Wiggle Warts or Bandits) and spinner baits will trigger some good largemouth's. When conditions don’t have the bass pushed up onto the banks fish secondary points with Spider Jigs or Mojo rigged Brush Hogs. 

Smallmouth bass remain in deep water on the drop-off side of points. They’re moving up onto the points to feed then returning to the deep water drop-offs. Fish the deeper side of the points first with football jigs or Mojo rigged centipedes. If you don’t get bit throw a Spider Jig or tube bait up onto the points. 

Kentucky bass are with the shad and on the chunk rock banks foraging for crawdads. Spoons and drop shots are the key lures for some success with the suspended Kentuckys that are swimming with the shad. Check the end of bluff walls and the middle of main lake cuts for the balls of shad. Fish chunk rock banks with tube baits and Spider Jigs in crawdad colors for the Kentuckys that are up shallow.

Walleye have not been very cooperative this last week. They have moved off the points and are suspended 40-48 feet down over 50-55 feet of water. We think they’re moving back onto the points to feed at night but the weather has been a little nasty to check it out. A few walleye have been caught in 35-40 feet of water but they’re gone by 8:00 am or so. We will se if any changes take place this upcoming week.

PWT Tour Offers Walleye Anglers a Challenging 2005 Brainerd, Minnesota…The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail announced a challenging 2005 season for the world’s top-ranked walleye anglers. The PWT is a Pro-Am format. Pro anglers are fishing ambassadors who share their boats, tackle and tactics with amateur/co-anglers and those who’ve always wanted to fish a special lake can do it as amateurs/co-anglers. Call PWT headquarters at 218-824-2542, for entry blanks, or go to www.professionalwalleyetrail.com. Entry forms are also available at Wilderness Trail and Bull Shoals Boat Dock.

Trout fishing on the White River has been great this week as some of the trout are already spawning. Power Bait eggs in fluorescent yellow, pink and red have been great. Corn and salmon eggs are also working well. On high current, Buoyant Spoons, Colorado Spoons and Rapala Countdowns have been hot. The fly fishermen have switched over to egg patters flies and are having great success. Browns are being triggered on bigger baits. Suspended Rogues, Shad Raps, Flat Fish and Lucky Craft Pointer 78s have produced many nice browns in the 4-8 pound range this week.

Crappie- No Report

Catfish -No Report

Bass No Report

Catfish fair-shrimp

Bluegill good-wax worms

Crappie good-small jigs

Bass fair-crankbaits

According to AmerenUE the current lake level is 659.27 and the water temperature taken at Bagnell Dam is 51 degrees. There is heavy generation scheduled for the next three days, which should give the lake a level of 658.5 by Friday, December 24th. The Corp of Engineers is still releasing water from Truman Lake, which is 709 and dropping fast, causing the muddy conditions on Lake Ozark. Although AmerenUE reported the water temperature at 51 degrees, the average surface water temperature is 43 to 48 degrees especially from the mid lake to the upper portions of the Osage River. Some areas of the Grand Glaize, Big and Little Niangua and the Gravois Rivers are clear, but are dirtier closer to the Osage River. There hasn't been many bass fisherman on the lake recently due to the last week of deer season and the cold front that moved in a few days ago.

LARGEMOUTH BASS - FAIR The largemouth being caught are coming off the Melton and Eakin jigs and tube bait (brown, brown/black, green pumpkin and black/blue) in 8 to 15 feet of water on chunk rock banks and main lake and secondary points. Some largemouth are in brush, but it seems brush is not a big factor. The smaller crank bait like the Wiggle Wart, Bomber A and Bandit 200 (shad and crawdad) are producing some keepers worked slow parallel on the chunk rock banks in 8 to 10 feet of water. If any clear water is located, the suspended jerk bait (clown, aurora black and grey ghost) is taking a few keepers worked on secondary points and around boat docks located on chunk rock banks.

CRAPPIE - EXCELLENT Because of the muddy water, the crappie have moved shallower and are being caught in 8 to 12 feet of water suspended over or near brush piles in the creeks, bluff pockets and coves. Minnows, Road Runners and tube jigs (white, chartreuse/white and red/white) are some of the better colors. To catch a limit, the pattern has been four or five crappie out of brush pile then they stop. Move to another brush pile and catch another four five and move on. The crappie are averaging 10 1/2 to 12 1/2 inches. Tip the bait with Crappie Nibbles they work, especially when the bite slows down or stops.

CATFISH - FAIR The catfish bite has slowed down some, but they can be caught on jugs, limb lines and tight lining from the bank. With the lake as high as it is and the water clarity being muddy, the cats have been shallow and limbs lines set on main lake and creek arm bluffs have been been the best method for catching a limit of cats, mainly channels. The most productive baits have been cut shad, gold fish, crawdads and night crawlers.

Date: 12/17/04
Lake Level : 608.80
Last Weeks Lake Level: 611.86
Normal Lake Level : 606

Water Condition: Muddy to Dingy
Surface Water Temp: Cold......

This season has pretty much wound down. There are not many fishermen or fisherwomen out these days, it's been mostly duck and deer hunters, so there's not much to report on. There have been a few deer taken during this last deer hunt (antlerless) and yesterday was a good day for duck hunters.

It's been cold enough for ice to start forming on the lake, mostly in the back coves facing north. A small amount of ice is forming out on the main lake during the night, but it is usually gone later in the day. It's getting to the time of year when ice may start drifting and boaters should exercise caution while underway. If you have to get out on the lake, go prepared with snacks and emergency supplies and something to keep warm with, such as a sleeping bag. Know the area you're going to be boating in, just in case you need to hike out. Take a cell phone and file a "flight plan" with a buddy.

The Corp of Engineers has pulled all the walkways from their ramps. The State Park ramps still have one walkway in place, however that will change as soon as we start getting some serious ice.

Flathead fair

Largemouth Bass good on black/blue jigs and brush hogs

Stripers slow

Crappie fair

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool:  Temperature:  

Check out river bottom lures we stock 8 colors in 4 and 6 inch
Check out the new lx bow by Matthew's

This is Big Bird. Merry Christmas, may God bless you guys with good health

The boat pass price changed to $5.00 day pass and $35 for the year also 

Come in and see the new switchback bow from Mathews
Tell the people God bless and merry Christmas

You guys do a real good job on the web site

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 839.0 Temperature:

Inflow: 400 cfs Outflow: 2000 cfs Level: 5.41 feet high

Black Bass No Report 

White Bass No Report 

Crappie No Report 

Catfish No Report 

Muskie No Report 

Walleye No Report 

Bluegill No Report 

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Temperature: Clarity:  Level: high and dingy

Largemouth Bass No Report 

Channel Cat  No Report 

Blue cat No Report 

Bluegill No Report 

Crappie No Report 

Water Temp: 

Crappie No Report 

Blue Catfish No Report 

Channel Catfish  No Report 

Largemouth Bass  No Report 

Bluegill No Report 

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 864.2  Temperature: 

Inflow: 20 cfs Outflow: 100 cfs Level: 0.80 feet high

CRAPPIE: Good: Lots of crappie are being caught in 20 feet of water along creek edges and in brush piles. All of the marinas produce fish during the winter months. Most of the fish being caught are nice keepers. Minnows are still good and the jig bite is getting better. The docks at Campbranch are open to the public and fish are being caught. $2 per day to fish.

BASS: No Report: Not many people are fishing for the bass right now.

CATFISH: No Report

White Bass: Fair: Some are being caught around the docks by the crappie fisherman.

WALLEYE: No Report

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 867.7 Temperature: 

Inflow: 1500 cfs Outflow: 2889 cfs Level: 6.04 feet high

Black Bass No Report

White Bass No Report

Walleye No Report

Crappie No Report

Catfish No Report

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 915.0 Temperature: 

Release Rate: 9011 cfs. Level: 1.02 feet high

No Report

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Temperature:  Level:

Report by River Run Outfitters

FROM ALL OF US AT RIVER RUN OUTFITTERS, WE WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND BEST FOR 2005....ESPECIALLY MORE DAYS ON THE WATER!

GENERAL COMMENTS

The good news is, we moved and we can almost find everything! Our new address is 2626 State Hwy. 165, just north of the Hatchery. The bad news is, the water is still running.

Water Conditions: They are still running lots of water, 24 hours a day.

FLY FISHING TROPHY AREA (dam to Fall Creek)-SHALLOW WATER-WADING-
Have not had any boats on the water this past week. Do know that some folks are catching fish from boats with high water. Main thing is to use enough weight to get your fly down to the fish. Not many people fishing the chute area by the hatchery. Think it's too cold?! Stan has run up there a few days and caught some. Small egg patterns, micro San Juan worm in hot pink, tan scud-size 16 are a few of the patterns he has caught fish with. Lake still has not turned over and think the oxygen level is down. This colder weather should help.

STAN'S TIP: With all the fishers out trying to catch that big one, the fish have been getting a lot of pressure. We have seen lots of dead fish in the water. Remember to try and not play your fish until they are exhausted. If you do, take time to revive them. Use care when handling the fish. Even though it is not required, consider barbless hooks. This certainly makes it easier and faster to release the fish and get them back into the water.

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Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 722.00 Clarity:  Level:

Temperature:

  Lake Map

Crappie slow using minnows in the deep brush piles

Bass slow using lures

Channel cat good using worms and minnows

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 706.0 Temperature:  

Inflow: 10500 cfs Outflow: 23358 cfs Level: 6.92 feet high

We will be closing the marina for the season on Nov.7th. We will keep the campground open till after deer season. 

Tommy

Lake temp: 

Crappie No Report

Bluegill No Report

Catfish No Report