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MISSOURI FISHING REPORTS

Posted: 02/08/2004

MISSOURI LAKES

 

Blind Pony Blue Springs Bull Shoals (East) Bull Shoals (West) Clearwater
Concordia City Lake Council Bluff S. Grand River Jacomo James A. Reed
Lake of the Ozarks Longbranch Longview Maple Leaf Lake Mark Twain
Missouri River
St. Joe
Montrose Mozingo Lake Norfork Pony Express
Pomme de Terre Sever Smithville Stockton Table Rock
Taneycomo Thomas Hill Truman Wappapello  
    This page was last updated 01/14/14
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BLIND PONY

Updated 02/08/04

Temperature:  

Lake Map

Report by: The Bait Stop   CLOSED

Channel Catfish No Report

Crappie No Report

Largemouth Bass No Report

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BLUE SPRINGS

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 802.0 Temperature: 

Inflow: 25 cfs Outflow: 22 cfs. Level: 0.48 feet high

Lake Map

Report by Forty Woods Bait & Tackle     Missouri Wildlife Check In Station    Braggin' Board

Catfish No Report

Hybrids No Report

Trout pond No Report

Crappie No Report

Striper No Report

Largemouth Bass
No Report

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BULL SHOALS

Updated 01/22/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 656.0  Temperature: 50's

Outflow: 1715 cfs Level: 7.23 feet low

Lake Map

Report by BULL SHOALS LAKE BOAT DOCK   Braggin Board

January, 2004 - updated every two weeks, or when fishing conditions change

GENERAL CONDITIONS

Lake Level: 650, staying steady

Surface temperature: 50's on surface and dropping

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Not many changes from last report. The water temperature is dropping with the cold temps we have had this last week. What a change!! Saturday January 3 it was in the mid 70’s, by Tuesday night it was in the single digits. Not may people fishing this week. With the water temp dropping, the fish should be in their winter patterns. They should be schooled up and slow to react. It seems that the largemouth are shallow as usual, the smallmouth are ranging from 10 to 30 feet, and the spotted bass are 40 to 60 feet. If the lake temperature gets down in the lower 40’s then we should have a good shad kill this year. I don’t expect the fishing to change until this happens. I will keep you posted on the water temperature.

From what I am being told and have heard the best patterns have been spinner baits and crank baits for largemouth bass in shallow water. For smallmouth bass use a jig-n-grub combination, crank bait, or plastics in 10 to 300 feet of water. For spotted bass drag night crawlers or jigs in 40 to 60 feet of water. The rest of the patterns below will also work as they do every winter.

Recommended Baits

-SPINNER BAIT- good pattern to use on a cloudy or windy day. Mostly around the brush piles or chuck rock banks, anything with cover on it.

-LIVE BAIT- Night crawlers are catching fish in the 35 to 60 foot range during the day. Main lake bluffs, bluff ends, lake flats, drop offs, timber and brush piles are the best places to look.

-DROP SHOT- This pattern is working well with night crawlers in 35 to 50 foot of water. There are several places to look- bluff ends, timber bluffs, brush piles, channel swings, and main lake flat points. I know this is a lot of places but the fish are really moving around to find the quality of water they need.

- SPOONING- This pattern is working well in 35 to 55 feet of water on the flats, drop offs and brush piles. The best thing to do is to try to locate the shad balls or bait fish and then drop your spoon around them. If there are any hungry fish around they should not be too far from the bait fish. The other thing to do is to look for bigger fish on your depth finder then entice them to bite by jigging a spoon in front of them.

-PLASTICS- The old grub, gitzit, tube jig, hula grub and any other variation of these are producing fish. Also, the lizards, french fry, salt craw and small plastic worm. Especially the bluegill or crawfish colored ones. Drag these in 10 to 60 feet of water depending on where the fish are on your depth finder. This has been the hottest pattern for smallmouth bass especially on the gravel flats and chunk rock banks on the main lake.

-JIG-N-FROG This pattern is working in the 15 to 25 foot range for smallmouth bass and 40 to 60 foot range for spotted bass

-CRANKBAITS- This pattern is producing fish esp. on cloudy windy days around the brush piles. Any perch-bluegill-sunfish color is working.

-TWIN SPIN- this pattern should also start to work on the timber bluffs any day.

Recommendations for Specific Species

WALLEYE - With the water temp increasing and the thermocline dropping the walleye are moving down past the thermocline. The old time fisherman will go way out on the gravel flats this time of year and look for the walleye hanging out there. They will look for shad balls and spoon around them or spoon around the blips on their fish finder screens.

1. Spooning in 35 to 55 feet of water on the main lake gravel flats.

2. Dragging a night crawler. This can be done with a basic split shot and hook rig, or with bottom bouncers. The walleye seem to be in the 35-45 foot range.

3. Trolling with chartreuse crankbaits. Flat trolling with deep divers is producing fish later in the day when the sun goes down and the walleye come up.

CRAPPIE- The crappie fishing is good. They are still coming in on small minnows, small jigs and small tube baits. Look around the sunken brush piles or standing timber in 30 to 40 foot of water.

CATFISH- The catfish are being caught on jug lines and trot lines off the main lake pockets and coves around brush piles and stumps. They are mostly feeding at night, however some day fisherman are catching them on night crawlers in 30 to 40 feet of water.

TROUT- There was a lot of trout caught on Bull Shoals Lake this last week. They are trolling spoons around the bluffs and deep water in the Bull Shoals Dam area and doing quite well. Most of the trout are in 55 to 65 feet of water.

White River- Fishing has been good. All of our guides are reporting good catches and activity. Same baits as always- worms, salmon eggs, power bait, night crawlers, corn, for live bait. Rapalas, spoons, spinners for artificial.

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CLEARWATER

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Map

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 500.0 Temperature: 

Release Rate: 935 Level: 4.90 feet low

Largemouth Bass No Report

White Bass No Report

Crappie No Report

Smallmouth Bass No Report

Spotted Bass No Report

Catfish fair at night using worms

Bluegill No Report

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CONCORDIA CITY LAKE

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Level: 

Lake Map

Report by: The Bait Stop CLOSED

Channel Catfish No Report

Crappie No Report

Largemouth Bass No Report

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COUNCIL BLUFF

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Map

Temperature:   Level: normal

Sunfish No Report

Largemouth Bass No Report

Crappie No Report

Catfish slow

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S. GRAND RIVER

(Below Urich)

 

Flatheads No Report

Channel Cats No Report

Blue Cats No Report

Crappie No Report

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JACOMO

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Map

Temperature:  Clarity:   Level: 0.00 feet low

The park registration office is now open seven days a week 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Lake Jacomo Park Headquarters.

Report by Forty Woods Bait & Tackle    Missouri Wildlife Check In Station  Braggin' Board

Catfish fair on shad

Bluegill slow

Crappie slow

Bass slow

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James A. Reed

Updated 02/08/04

Temp:

Lake Maps

Channel Catfish No Report

Largemouth Bass No Report

Bluegill No Report

Crappie No Report

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LAKE of the Ozarks

Updated 01/29/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 660.0 Temperature: 40

Inflow: 8700 cfs Outflow: 10300 cfs. Level: 3.28 feet low

Lake Map

Report by Missouri Angler    Missouri Angler Buddy Bass Derby

According to AmerenUE the current lake level is 658.53 with very heavy generation scheduled for the next three days, which according to AmereUE should give the lake a level of 657.5 by Friday, January 30th. AmerenUE reports the water temperature taken at Bagnell Dam at 40 degrees. The lake is dingy with an average visibility of 2 to 4 feet, which is causing the suspended jerkbait bite to be tougher than usual. Since the cold weather hit the lake area, ice is beginning to form around the banks and the back of some coves. The launch ramps have been closed, including PB# 2 because of the recent ice and snow storms. Because of the heavy generation this week and last, there is still a lot of debris floating in the main channel of the Osage River and it's tributaries.

LARGEMOUTH BASS - FAIR Because of the winter storm and inaccessible launch ramps there has not been any reports in three days. Before the storm though, a few reports received indicated the suspended jerkbait, Lucky Craft 100 (Aurora Black, Gold Shiner and Baby Bass) and the large Rouge (Black/Orange Belly and Firetiger) were producing a few keepers off main lake and secondary points, and creek arm channel swings with the larger chunk rock. The bass have been coming out of 10 to 15 feet of water with the boat setting in 25 to 30 feet, and the best results have been to let the bait set for over a minute or longer. The jig n trailer,(brown, brown/purple, brown/black, grn pumpkin) with (brown, black or grn. pumpkin) trailers and the Chomper twin tail and single tail grubs (grn. pumpkin, watermelon and dark melon pepper) are producing but has bite has slowed down considerably. The jig bite is hasn't changed, it is still a soft bite and difficult to detect especially on the windy days.

SPOTTED BASS (KENTUCKY) - SLOW No change from last week. Most of the spots being caught are averaging 11and 12 inches. The best bait has been live crawdads off points and bluffs. Crappie fisherman report catching small spots around docks on Road Runners and doll flies around the foam of deeper docks on the main lake and in the creeks. Some are being caught on the same colored grubs and jerkbaits that are catching the largemouth. Every once in awhile a 15 inch spot will be caught, but not many.

CRAPPIE - FAIR The larger crappie are suspended over brush in 18 to 25 feet off bluffs, in the creeks and coves. Minnows are the best bite and if available tip the hook with a Crappie Nibble. Road Runners and jigs (white, chartreuse/black, purple/white and blue/white) are also producing.

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LONGBRANCH

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 791.0 Temperature:

Inflow: 40 cfs Outflow: 50 cfs Level: 0.47 feet low

Lake Map

Channel Catfish No Report

Flathead No Report

Walleye No Report

Crappie No Report

Largemouth Bass No Report

Bluegill No Report

White Bass No Report

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LONGVIEW

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 891.0 Temperature:

Inflow: 15 cfs Outflow: 13 cfs Level: 0.17 feet high

Lake Map

Mouse Creek at Longview Lake has a new gate and the area will be closed at 9:00 p.m. and will not reopen until 8:00 a.m. All fisherman need to have their vehicles out of the area by 9:00 p.m. or their vehicles could be locked in for the night and/or ticketed.

Catfish No Report

Bass No Report

Crappie No Report

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MARK TWAIN

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 606.0 Temperature: 

Release Rate: 100 Level: 1.73 feet high

Lake Map

Report by

White Bass slow

Channel Catfish fair on trotlines

Flathead Catfish slow

Largemouth Bass fair

Crappie slow using minnows

Bluegill slow

Stripper slow

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MAPLE LEAF LAKE 

Updated 02/08/04

Temperature: 

Lake Map

No Report

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MISSOURI RIVER

ST. JOSEPH AREA

Updated 02/08/04

Report By Don Guess

Very few fisherman right now. Real slow.


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MONTROSE

Updated 02/08/04

Temperature:   Level: 2.5 feet low Clarity: clear

Lake Map

Channel Catfish fair

Flathead slow

Largemouth Bass slow

Stripers slow

Crappie slow

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MOZINGO

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool:  Temperature:  

Level: 7.00 feet low

Lake Map

Report By: Big Birds Bait                 Braggin' Board

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

lake is froze over

God bless the USA

thanks big bird
ride hard ride free
pray for the troops and pray for the POW's and the MIA's

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POMME de TERRE

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 839.0 Temperature:

Inflow: 500 cfs Outflow: 1000 cfs Level: 1.39 feet high

Lake Map

Largemouth Bass No Report

White Bass No Report

Crappie No Report

Bluegill No Report

Catfish No Report

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PONY EXPRESS

Updated 02/08/04

Temperature: 34  Clarity:  Level: low

Lake Map

Largemouth Bass No Report

Channel Cat No Report

Bluecat No Report

Bluegill No Report

Crappie good using minnows and jigs

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SEVER

Updated 02/08/04

Water Temp:   Level: high

Lake Map

Crappie No Report

Blue Catfish No Report

Channel Catfish No Report

Largemouth Bass No Report

Bluegill No Report

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SMITHVILLE

Updated 01/03/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 864.2  Temperature: 

Inflow: 15 cfs Outflow: 8 cfs Level: 1.98 feet low

Lake Map

Report by Burton's Bait and Tackle

Burton's Bait & Tackle Tournaments     WEEKEND    THURSDAY

Trimble Wildlife Refuge is now closed to all boat traffic. You may not go North of the W-hwy bridge from the W boat ramp for any reason.

CRAPPIE: FAIR to GOOD After the water cools down most people start fishing in the marina coves and around the docks. Some nice fish can be caught under the W-Hwy bridge also from time to time. More people are starting to fish around the docks at the marinas and are catching fish. Small jigs and spoons are catching fish as well as minnows. Minnows are still your most consistent bait but the jig bite is getting better. Try pink jigs.

BASS: Poor: Fewer people are fishing for the bass now. Sunny days along the rocks or lay downs on sunny banks in the Campbranch arm. Jigs, spinnerbaits or crankbaits should work.

CATFISH: Fair: Some people have been doing well on the catfish using shad or goldfish but fishing in the deeper water. 15' to 20'

WHITE BASS: Fair to Excellent: The whites are feeding up in shad and can most often be found on main lake points in fairly shallow water. 10' or less. Use jigging spoons for best results usually in less than 10' of water. Around the mouth of Sail Boat Cove and main lake points, in the Little Platte area are also good. Fish the shallower points with the shallow water markers on them.

WALLEYE: Slow: A few small walleye are starting to show up in the main lake points with the white bass. As the water cools they should start moving up into the shallower water and onto the points.  

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STOCKTON

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 867.7 Temperature: 

Inflow: 900 cfs Outflow: 40 cfs Level: 0.16 feet low

Lake Map

Report By: Square Deal Bait Shop

Largemouth Bass No Report

Bluegill No Report

Walleye No Report

Crappie in 10 to 20 ft of water around the stick up with a minnow and a jig. Boy were they some nice crappie

White Bass  are also hitting

Catfish No Report

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TABLE ROCK

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 915.0 Temperature: 

Release Rate: 38 cfs. Level: 6.44 feet low

Report by: Pete's Professional Guide Service

No Report

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TANEYCOMO

Updated 02/08/04

Temperature:  Level:

Report by River Run Outfitters

BRANSON CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED MEETING TUESDAY, February 27, 7:00 p.m. at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery.

GENERAL COMMENTS

Water Conditions: With the cold weather, they have been running water in the morning and then again in the late afternoon. Generally have 4-6 hours mid-day when you can wade.

FLY FISHING TROPHY AREA (dam to Fall Creek)-SHALLOW WATER-WADING-
Had a few trips on the water the past week. Boats out Friday and Saturday caught lots of fish on the olive zebra midge in the morning and then the dark olive soft hackle in the afternoon. The rain did not dampen fishing a bit on Saturday! The two guys probably caught 30-40 fish each. They were especially pleased as they had never done so well on soft hackles before. As they said, "lots of fun!". Weather is looking warmer for the rest of this week (40's) so we'll probably get out.

STAN'S TIP: Just a reminder of something we forget in the heat of stalking those beautiful trout...don't forget "stream etiquette". No one owns the river, but it is just nice manners when you first approach the water to look at the fishers already there and determine their "space". Look at how far up stream they are casting, the distance of their drift and pick you a spot outside this area. Wouldn't you like the next fisher to do the same? .

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THOMAS HILL

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 722.00 Clarity:  Level:

Temperature:

Lake Map

Report by Kaseyville Bait and Tackle

Crappie No Report

Bass No Report

Channel cat No Report

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TRUMAN

Updated 10/30/03

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 706.0 Temperature: 

Inflow: 3500 cfs Outflow: 4062 cfs Level: 0.35 feet high

Lake Map     Braggin' Board

MAIN LAKE Report by Sterett Creek Marina CLOSED

Fishing Report from Sterett Creek Marina 10/30/03

Seasons come and seasons go, for this year, ours is pretty well gone. We will be closing the marina store this Sunday, but will keep the campground open till Thanksgiving, So I guess that means that this will be the last fishing report for the year. As good as the fishing is right now I may try to run a week or so more, but I hear my tree stand calling. The weather is still great and the water temp. is still good and the fish are doing a good job of biting so you want to come and enjoy at least a couple more good fishing trips. The white bass are doing really good and the black bass are not to far behind. The wind has been a little tough this week, but it has helped the white bass and hybrid fishing. The fall colors are still great so come to the lake and enjoy.

LAKE LEVEL: 705.93
WATER TEMP: 60 de.
WATER CLARITY: Clear to lightly stained.

BASS: The bass have finally started to move on a fall pattern. Spinnerbaits have are starting to pick up allot of fish on the flats. Just look for lay downs in 1' to 4' of water. This can be on main lake flats or back in the creeks. White willow leafs seem to be working the best. Brush hogs and black and blue jigs will also work in these areas. You can use a buzz bait early and late or on cloudy days to pick up some good fish. The same jig will work on main lake points in 3' to 6' of water. The big thing is to have shad present. With the water temp. and the weather we have these fish should hold on this pattern for a couple of weeks.

CRAPPIE: I wish there was something good to say about the crappie fishing , but I don't know what it would be. This last month the crappie fishing has been as slow as I have see it. We know they are still there, but finding them is a different story. The best thing I have heard this week is 30' of water 25' deep on jigs close to a main lake point. Black and chartreuse was the best color.

WHITES & HYBRIDS: It's that time of the year and these fish are doing just what they are supposed to do. Windy points are the best of the best. Rooster tails and Rat L Traps are the only two baits you need, and I don't think you can fish them to shallow on the points. These fish are in 1' or less of water. Best time of the day seems to be from 4pm. to 6pm. If you have a young one that is starting to get into fishing, now would be the perfect time to get them in some fast action. Ed if you read this Tom Pollard is really catching fish and it's not to early.

CATFISH: No Report.

This weeks rating from Sterett Creek are:

Whites & Hybrids: #1

Bass: #2

Crappie: #3

I and the staff at Sterett Creek would like to thank all our friends and customers new and old for another good year of fishing. We will be reopening the second week of March 2004. So with that I wish you a Happy and safe winter and if you need something you can contact us at Sterett Creek Marina---660-438-2280.

TILL NEXT SEASON WE BID YOU GOOD FISHIN!

Tommy

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Grand River Arm

Updated 02/08/04

Lake temp:

Report for Grand River Arm by Bucksaw Marina

No Report

* New Missouri regulations require that jug lines be attended at all times.

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WAPPAPELLO

Updated 02/08/04

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 359.0 Temperature: 

Release Rate: 1500 Level: 2.91 feet high

Lake Map

Largemouth Bass No Report

White Bass No Report

Crappie No Report

Bluegill No Report

Catfish No Report

Note: On the waters of Wappapello Lake & its tributaries, all Walleye & Sauger must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught. Anglers are encouraged to harvest bass under 11" (daily limit 6) to reduce the numbers of small bass in Wappapello lake.

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