Catfish fair on fresh shad

Hybrids No Report

Bass good on jig and pig in coves.

Carp No Report

 Report by: Wilderness Trail       "Braggin Board"

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 consistent 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: 8/12/04
Lake Level : 609.21
Last Weeks Lake Level: 608.88
Normal Lake Level : 606
Water Condition: Muddy to Dingy to Clear
Surface Water Temp: 74 degrees

The upper areas of the South Fork, Elk and Middle Fork are muddy, and get clearer the further downstream you go. The strong winds have been creating mud slicks off of dirt points. Unseasonably cool weather continues to keep the water temperature down.

Bass fishing has been tougher this past week. Some of the better fishing has been in 2 feet of stained water in the flooded grass. Carolina rigged plastics seem to be the best lure, also spinners or crank baits have been fairly productive as well.

Catfishing continues to be good. Channel cats have been the best for rod and reel fishermen using nightcrawlers, or small shad caught with a throw net. The rod and reel fishermen working out of boats and concentrating on underwater humps near the river channels reported doing the best. Flatheads and blues have been fairly good on trotlines using perch or goldfish.

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: 19 cfs Outflow: 100 cfs Level: 0.30 feet high

Lindley arm: fair-good

White bass No Report

Crappie No Report

Catfish No Report

Pomme Arm

Black bass No Report

Lower lake

Crappie No Report

Black bass No Report

Catfish No Report

Temperature: 83 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: 75

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: 76 to 78

Inflow: 75 cfs Outflow: 8 cfs Level: 0.04 feet high

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 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' to 15' 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: Poor: The walleye seem to have disappeared and have probably moved to deeper water. You can also fish points in the Trimble area or up Camp branch and catch some 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: 78

Inflow: 175 cfs Outflow: 40 cfs Level: 0.76 feet high

Black bass fair on plastic baits off points  

White bass fair early and late on topwater lures and Rooster Tails during middle of the day

Walleye fair trolling crankbaits and drifting nightcrawlers,

Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around timber and brush piles 

Catfish fair drifting shad and shiners, on trotlines with shad and goldfish

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

Release Rate: 3590 cfs. Level: 1.28 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: Generated all day Thursday, Friday and Saturday and Sunday. Although Sunday we only had one generator going. Shut it down at midnight Sunday and it was off until noon Monday. Started shutting it down Monday afternoon. It was at normal tailwater level by 5:00 a.m. Tuesday and off until 1:00 p.m. Four generators going right now.

FLY FISHING TROPHY AREA (dam to Fall Creek)-SHALLOW WATER-WADING-
Last week fished good. Saturday morning was a little tough, but after lunch, we caught some nice fish, 16 to 18 inches on the olive size 18 zebra midge. Since we were in the boat, we found slack water near the banks behind seams holding lots of nice fish. Late morning and early part of the afternoon Saturday, the shallow bank below Point Lookout fished very well drifting the size 16, red tunghead midge. By midday, the deep side below Point Lookout fished better, but still with the red midge. Sunday the dark olive soft hackle, size 16; green Lil Easy, size 18; and green holographic crackle back, size 14 were catching lots of fish. Probably other flies working, but these are so much fun. Floated the deep bank below Lookout with the red midge on our way out and caught lots more fish. Yesterday and today, before the water started, it was fishing well on most anything. When the fish were coming up, Renegades, soft hackles, and crackle backs. Wet flies included the tan flashback scud. Really did well on the tan scud today and the insect green soft hackle. Don't forget those terrestrials!

STAN'S TIP: Had another incident with a near miss from someone who did not have their sunglasses on. Protect your eyes! Wear eye protection.

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Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 722.00 Clarity:  Level:

Temperature: 78 and Dingy

Crappie slow

Bass fair

Channel cat good on setlines

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 706.0 Temperature:  78

Inflow: 1100 cfs Outflow: 5788 cfs Level: 1.19 feet high

Fishing Report from Sterett Creek Marina 8/11/04

Talk about a pretty week, for August the weather couldn't be any better. I wish we could say the same about the fishing. We are seeing a few crappie coming along with a few hybrids. One thing for sure is that you won't sweat much while fishing. The water temp. is still in the upper 70's and I almost believe the fish have missed the summer pattern, and we are starting the fall pattern.

LAKE LEVEL: 707.34

WATER TEMP: 78 deg.

WATER CLARITY: Upper Grand is dirty. Finny Creek to G 4 fishable. Upper Osage is dirty, ZZ bridge to Berry Bend is stained. Big Tebo lightly stained. Little Tebo, Big and Little Pommie are clear.

BASS: The bass fishing has really slowed up on Truman. Last night in the Hawg Fights, as much as it pains me to report this, Emil Tally and Mike Macdugal took first place. Even worse they took second place, and even worse they took third place. They also had big bass with a total weight and big bass weight of 1.90 lbs. It was a one fish tourn. last night. We have been doing this for 5 years and this is the first this has ever happened. Emil was trying to explain the pattern but he couldn't remember which one he caught the fish on. Must have been something to do with the weather yesterday. The guys that fished said it was a bad bite. Sundays bite was a little better with 9 1/2 lbs winning Team Supreme. Points seem to be where the fish are fish are and a Carolina Rigged baby brush hog in watermelon seems to be working. There was a few fish caught suspended on the outside tree rows on black and blue jigs. right now its make a lot of casts and catch a few fish.

CRAPPIE: Yes the bass fishing is tough right now, and so is the crappie fishing. You need to fish very slow to get a bite. The weather has changed the bite, and these fish are less than aggressive. Some fish are being caught in the channels over deep water. We need those hot warm days to get these fish back on the pattern. But don't let the tough bite stop you from coming down and going fishing. It's always better to be fishing than working.

WHITE BASS: This is going to sound like a repeat of crappie and bass, but the whites are just as tough. As soon as the COE runs water the bite is on, and lots of fish are being caught. The big question is, when do they run the water. Lots of time spent watching your depth finder will help you find a few fish. There just isn't much of a pattern right now, unless they run water.

HYBRIDS: Last night a few nice hybrids were caught during the evening hours. The COE were running a small amount of water and this made the hybrids more aggressive. Large sassy shads and spoons are producing some fish.

CATFISH: Now were talking fishing. Good stringers of catfish are being caught on jug lines, and rod and reel. Seems like the catfish don't mind this change in the weather. You can find these fish on the flats, back of creeks, and on the main lake. The upper arms are producing good stringer as well. This is the best bite on the lake right now, and these fish taste mighty good, when cooked properly. So if your fishing trip isn't going well, then try fishing for catfish, with shad, livers, leeches, worms, or some type stink bait.

This weeks rankings from Sterett Creek are:

Whites # 1

Crappie: # 2

Bass: # 3

Tommy

Lake temp: 78

CRAPPIE: A pretty good bite going down river from Bucksaw. Around the Finey Creek area, fish are being found on flats in 11 feet of water and about 7 feet deep. The bigger hardwoods are producing the best but don't pass up any scattered cedars. Seem some good sized limits this week. You still must work for keepers, but a keeper bite seems to be paying off with better fish than earlier this summer. Jig tipped with a minnow is the preferred bait.

BASS: A tough bite right now. Jig and pig and crankbait fished in 1-4 feet of water around mainlake points seems to be the only bite going right now. Down by the dam there is a fair suspended bite going on worms and jigs.

WHITES/HYBRIDS: Very sparse activity early and late on topwater. Nothing much through the day as these fish are suspended over humps. Roadrunners, 1/4oz pepper spoons and rooster tails have been working best.

Crappie fair using minnows and jigs

Bluegill good using crickets and nightcrawlers

Catfish fair using live bait on trotlines and jug lines