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"

August 16, 2004

Another week and another cold front and this front was major. The day time temperatures stayed in the 60’s and 70’s and the lows at night went down into the 50’s – what a strange summer wearing jackets in August. Lake temperature dropped 3 degrees this week down to 79 to 80 degrees. Lake level is at 656.44, two feet above normal pool and the thermocline is steady at 35 feet. White bass are starting to push shad up onto the surface again with the cooler lake surface. Casting a spoon or Pop R into the schooling feeders will create some fast action while the whites stay up. Crappie anglers are catching a few off brush piles located in 25 to 30 feet of water on crappie minnows and Swimming Minnows. The crappie are tucked inside of the brush so take a lot of hooks and crappie jigs with you when you go out.

Largemouth bass continue to move towards the back of the creeks, cuts and pockets taking up residence under docks, around blow downs and along large boulders. Early morning buzzbaits and Spit’N Image top water action is present. After the sun is up switch to Spider jigs or brush hogs out in front of the structure. Bandit Series 200 crankbaits are also triggering a few largemouth around the secondary points and docks.

Smallmouth bass remain scattered using points and chunk rock banks for ambush feeding areas. Smallies are in deeper water, not up on the banks. Hold your boat is 38 to 40 feet of water and fish 28 to 35 feet of water with your baits. Spider jigs and tube baits in watermelon purple, gourd green or brown and purple have been the best this last week. Other baits working well are brush hogs and centipedes on a Mojo or Carolina rig, finesse worms or meatheads on a drop shot rig and hula grubs in green pumpkin or watermelon on a ¼ to 3/8 oz jig head. 

Kentucky bass are right where they should be for this time of year, under balls of shad. Graph the middle of the coves in the creeks and around the points on the main lake for shad and you will find the Kentuckys. Drop spoons down through the shad or fish a drop shot with a 3 to 4" drop shot bait to trigger strikes.

Walleye are using the thermocline big time for this year’s summer homes. They are still around the points and flats in 32 to 40 feet of water, however, they are on the bottom and not suspended making it difficult to graph them. Two techniques are working at this time, long lining with lead core line and crawler harnesses with bottom bouncers. Best lures for the long liners are Reef Runners, Bill Norman DLN and DD14, Wally Divers and Hot ‘N Tots. With the crawler harness use red, brass or chartreuse/orange blades and add a colored float to your rig.

NIGHT TIME UPDATE: The bite has started to pick up around 9:00 on pig and jigs and hula grubs in brown/purple or black/blue colors. Main lake and creek secondary points are areas the bass are feeding on throughout the night. A few hours after dark bass are moving into brush piles in the pockets. Jigs, brush hogs and 8" worms are your best baits fishing the brush.

Trout fishing on the White River has been good on Power Bait in yellow. pink and orange, Gulp Earthworms, 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, scuds, and San Juan worms. Browns are being caught on Floating Original Rapala’s, Countdowns, Flat Fish 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 659.32 with light generation scheduled for the next two days and no generation scheduled for Friday, August 20th, which should give the lake a level of 659.0. The lake is clear with some coves and pockets having a dingy color from the boat traffic. 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 78 degrees.

LARGEMOUTH BASS - FAIR Bass fishing can be good when located, which right now seems to be the biggest problem for some anglers. The coves and pockets on the main lake are full of shad fry and the water is cooler than usual this time of the year, which seems to have the bass spread out and not schooled like normal. The dam area and Gravois arm has been the most productive part of the lake recently and night fishing continues to be the best time to catch a good limit. The best bite is till the 7 and 10 inch plastic worm and Brush Hogs (June bug, tequila sunrise, blue fleck and black) worked over brush piles 10 to 15 feet on the inside of main lake, secondary points and in the creeks around boat docks. Some keeper bass are being caught later in the night by pitching and/or flipping a jig and trailer and tubes (brown/grn. pumpkin, green pumpkin and black or black/blue) behind and around docks with brush, and around lay downs in the creeks and upper Osage River. Day fishing is very slow, but the same baits and locations are producing some keeper bass, but very few.

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 18 to 25 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

Date: 8/19/04
Lake Level : 607.79
Last Weeks Lake Level: 609.21
Normal Lake Level : 606
Water Condition: Dingy to Clear
Surface Water Temp: 74 degrees
The lake has been dropping.

Bass fishing continues to be tough. The bass have been scattered about, being caught anywhere from 2 – 10 feet down. With the lake on the drop, the water is no longer in flooded vegetation. Carolina rigged plastics seem to do the best, while spinners or crank baits have been fairly productive also.

Catfishing has been fair and the report is pretty much the same as last week. Channel cats continue to be the best catch for rod and reel fishermen using nightcrawlers, crawdads, or small shad caught with a throw net. Flatheads and blues seem to have slowed down for the trotliners.

Flathead slow

Largemouth Bass good

Stripers slow

Crappie slow

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool:  Temperature:   

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 839.0 Temperature:

Inflow: 25 cfs Outflow: 50 cfs Level: 0.10 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: 82 Clarity:  Level: high and dingy

Largemouth Bass slow using spinner baits

Channel Cat  fair using cut bait and nightcrawlers at night

Blue cat slow

Bluegill slow using worms

Crappie slow

Water Temp: 77

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 

Bluegill good using night crawlers

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 864.2  Temperature: 76 to 78

Inflow: 5 cfs Outflow: 8 cfs Level: 0.08 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: 81

Inflow: 100 cfs Outflow: 1517 cfs Level: 0.52 feet high

Black bass fair early morning on buzzbaits and spinnerbaits, middle of day on plastic baits,

White bass fair on topwater lures early mooring and late evening

Walleye air drifting nightcrawler and trolling crankbaits

Crappie fair on minnows around trees

Catfish fair drifting shad, shiners and nightcrawler, fair on trotlines using bluegill.

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

Release Rate: 6009 cfs. Level: 0.42 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: Did get some low water, one generator, and off water time this past Saturday and Sunday. So far this week they have been generating two or more most of the time. Had 4-5 hours of off water Monday and Tuesday before between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

FLY FISHING TROPHY AREA (dam to Fall Creek)-SHALLOW WATER-WADING-
Saturday and Sunday were dry fly days as soon as the water dropped to tailwater normal. Hitting the banks with hopper patterns, Humpies and caddis. Saturday did best on a yellow bodied hopper cast right up near the bank just above fish rising. Didn't catch anything under 16 inches and several in the 18-20 inch range. Sunday the color was red. Did well on red Humpies or a hopper with a red body. Also did well both Saturday and Sunday with the green holographic crackle back. Fish were taking it both on the drift as well as the strip. Monday, a black body caddis, size 16 was the ticket. Did catch a few on a yellow Humpy but they seemed to take the smaller caddis best. Yesterday morning was tough. Had two boats out and they fished everything. Finally started catching fish late morning on the size 18 black zebra. Other good fly yesterday with the high water was the tan flashback scud.

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: 80 and Dingy

Crappie fair using minnows

Bass fair using lures

Channel cat fair using prepared baits & nightcrawlers

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 706.0 Temperature:  78

Inflow: 950 cfs Outflow: 8175 cfs Level: 0.87 feet high

Fishing Report from Sterett Creek Marina 8/18/04

Its been another pretty week weather wise here on the the lake. Temps are great and not much rain. The water temp is still in the upper 70's and the shad are thick, and the water color is really clearing up. The fishing has even started picking up a little.

LAKE LEVEL: 707.13

WATER TEMP: 78 deg.

WATER CLARITY: All arms are lightly stained except the Grand which is still dirty to Finey Creek.

BASS: The bass fishing is starting to pick up a little here on Truman. Last nights Hawg Fights were won by Ernie Cox and Russell Beck with a winning stringer of 8.13lbs. Second went to Crist Fanning and Terry Close with 5.75lbs. and third and big bass Went to Randy and Jim Lutjan with 3.76lbs. That was a whole lot better than last week. But where was Emil ?? Ernie said they caught their fish on baby brush hogs. The flatter timbered points seem to be holding some better fish. Best depths are from 3' to 9' deep. There are still some fish in the tree rows and they seem to be liking the hedge trees right now that will bite a jig. Colors are watermelon red and black and blue. Had a couple of fisherman in this week that had fish on top water. Buzz baits and Zara spooks seem to be getting the fishes attention. If you get fish blowing up on top water but they really don't seem to want it switch to a Rat L Trap and go right back in after it. With the number of shad we have on top right now the trap should start working. Just the way the fish are acting it looks to me like they could start the fall pattern early. With these cool fronts we are having don't be afraid to check the backends of the bigger creeks. you might try slow rolling a spinner bait through the shad.

CRAPPIE: Just like the bass the crappie have started to bite again. Crappie like these real hot days and that seems to concentrate them more to the trees. The hotter it gets the better the bite will be. The summer pattern is the best choice for crappie right now. Minnows on long poles fishing about 6 to 8 ft. deep will put you in the strike zone. Some of the bites are very suttle so you will need to pay attention to your line. Tight line or using a bobber will produce for you.

White bass: The bite has started to come back on again, but it is still slow. Although the shad are on the surface, the whites aren't coming up in big numbers to feed. The more hot weather we get will certainly change that bite. If you can be here when the COE. is running water you will find the whites. You will still need your depth finder to locate these fish. Running water really puts these fish on the bite. It seems to move the shad more, and in turn the whites go on feeding sprees.

Catfish: This bite has been the best for several weeks now. Catfish don't seem to be bothered by the changing weather. These monsters of the deep seem to be hungry all the time. We are still seeing good stringers being brought in. Jug lines, and rod and reel are producing well. Try drifting the flats, and dragging your bait on the bottom, and hang on.

This weeks rankings from Sterett Creek Marina are

Bass: # 1

Crappie: # 2

Whites: # 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 good using minnows and jigs

Bluegill good using crickets and nightcrawlers

Catfish slow using live bait on trotlines and jug lines