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 23, 2004

This week’s weather was a mixture of warm days, cool evenings and a little rain. The day time temperatures were in the 70’s and 80’s and the lows at night were in the high 60’s. Lake temperature came up to 80 to 82 degrees. All in all a great August so far. Lake level is at 656.39, two feet above normal pool and the thermocline is steady at 35 to 37 feet. Crappie are hunkered down in brush piles located in 35 feet of water. Best baits are crappie minnows using a colored jig head, and Swimming Minnows in Blue Thunder and Purple Mist.

Largemouth bass are located in 20 to 30 feet of water, under docks, around blow downs and along steep chunk rock banks. Top water in the mornings is good on a Zara Spook or Spit’N Image. Once the sun is up, the largemouth will slide off into a little deeper water, then change over to Carolina rigged flukes in watermelon or a centipede again in the watermelon color, fish the Carolina rig very slow. Crankbaits will also trigger a few largemouth around the docks. 

Smallmouth bass are in 25 to 35 feet of water along steep chunk rock banks. Hold your boat is 35 to 40 feet of water and fish 28 to 35 feet of water with your baits. Spider jigs in peanut butter and jelly or cinnamon purple colors with a cinnamon purple trailer and tube baits in cinnamon purple and watermelon purple, have been the best this week. Other baits working well are brush hogs and centipedes on a Mojo or Carolina rig, and hula grubs in green pumpkin or watermelon on a ¼ oz jig head. 

Kentucky bass are in 50 to 55 feet of water under balls of shad. Drop spoons down through the shad, a drop shot with small drop shot bait for the feeding Kentuckys, or a Carolina rigged fluke in watermelon.

Walleye are have gone a little deeper. They are now at 40 to 45 feet. They are still around the points and flats. For the most part they are still hugging the bottom, the walleye that are suspended are not biting. To catch the ones that are on the bottom, use a bottom bouncer and nightcrawlers harness or split shot a nightcrawler. Just this week the spoon bite for walleye has turned on. The best spoon bite is with a Bink’s ¾ or 1 oz spoon in Chartreuse/silver or Blue/silver.

Trout fishing on the White River has been good on Power Bait in yellow and orange, Gulp Earthworms, and Belgian red worms. Buoyant Spoons, Super Dupers 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 soft hackles. Browns are being caught on Smithwick Rogues, Shad Raps, 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 659.65 with medium generation scheduled for the next three days, which should give the lake a level of 659.2. The water temperature taken at Bagnell Dam is 81 degrees. The mid and lower end of the lake is clear with visibility ranging from 4 to 10 feet and the upper Osage River and it's tributaries are off color with visibility ranging from 2 to 5 feet. According to bass boat temperature gauges the last few days, the surface water temperature has varied between 75 to 78 degrees and as a result of the cooler water temperatures and cool rains, the shad fry are everywhere, main lake points and pockets, creeks and coves. The bass are suspended and spread out making it difficult to catch a limit without working overtime and putting a lot of effort in each cast. Although the fishing conditions are tough, the bass being caught are averaging 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds with very few non keepers.

LARGEMOUTH - FAIR With the bass being spread out and suspended like they are, especially in the mid and lower end of the lake, a variety of baits are producing. During the daylight hours, deep diving crank baits (shad color), Texas rigged 7 and 10 inch plastic worms rigged with 1/4 and/or 5/16 ounce slip sinker and Chompers rigged on a 1/4 and 3/8 ounce Chomper head (blue fleck, red shad, plum and dark melon pepper) have been taking some keeper bass of main lake and secondary points, and around the deeper docks. The doesn't appear to be any set pattern since bass are coming out of water anywhere from 10 to 25 feet in brush and on plain chunk rock banks. In the upper Osage River the bass are starting to get on the flats where swimming a Melton jig and/or tube bait (green pumpkin, white and black/blue) around boat docks and laydowns is producing. Also producing are tandem spinner baits (white or chartreuse/white) and shallow diving crank baits (shad colors and crawdad colors) around the docks and laydowns. There have been reports of a few keepers being caught on buzz baits and Pop R's worked off main lake points with medium size chunk rock and flats early in the morning. Night fishing is still the best time to fish, however, it can be just as tough. The most productive baits have been the 7 and 10 inch plastic worm (blue fleck, black and red shad), the Melton jig (black and/or black blue), Brush Hog (blue emerald, red shad and black/blue) either Texas or Carolina rigged. Basically the same type of structure fished during the day is working during the night. Flipping or pitching a jig or plastic worm behind the docks with brush later in the night will produce as well.

CRAPPIE - GOOD Since the water temperature has been averaging 78 to 80 degrees and with the shad moving shallower, the crappie have move somewhat shallower too. Nice sized keepers are being caught suspended over and around brush piles in 15 to 18 feet of water in the creeks and on main lake bluffs and bluff pockets. Minnows are the best bait, but Road Runners (white, chartreuse and red/white) are working as well. Try tipping the bait with Crappie Nibbles, they do work.

CATFISH - GOOD Jugs, trotlines and limb lines baited with cut shad, gold fish, shiners, perch and crawdads are the best methods of catching large cats. Tight lining off the bank with stinkbait, hot dog chunks and night crawlers are producing channel cats in 10 to 18 feet of water.

BLUEGILL - EXCELLENT The bluegill are around boat docks and sea walls near the surface in the morning and late afternoon, and suspended under the boat dock foam during mid day. Night crawlers, red wigglers, wax worms (grubs) and crickets will produce a limit.

WHITES/HYBRIDS - FAIR The whites and hybrids are like the bass, there're everywhere, but the most productive areas have been on the windy main lake points and flats throughout the day, except when there is heavy boat traffic. Medium diving crank baits, tandem spinner baits, spoons and Rooster Tails worked on the points and flats are producing. Trolling off the same type of structure with deep diving crank baits, spoons and Rooster Tails will also work when the boat traffic is heavy.

Date: 8/26/04
Lake Level : 608.44
Last Weeks Lake Level: 607.79
Normal Lake Level : 606
Water Condition: Upper reaches muddy, then dingy to mostly clear.

Surface Water Temp: 76 degrees

More rain has the lake on the rise again, and will make the upper reaches of the lake muddy. Look for the western end of the lake to rise the most, as usual.

Crappie fishing could be better, it’s been kind of hit and miss during the past week, mostly miss. However I did talk to a few guy’s over the weekend that got limits of decent size crappie, 9 to 13 inches. They were the exception, most fishermen struggled while catching nothing but small crappie in the 5 to 8 inch range. The better crappie continued to be deep, about 18 – 20 feet near the bottom. The clearer the water, the better your chances. Minnows were the preferred bait, whether alone or tipped on a jig. Bridge piers, or tree lined bluffs were productive areas. The trees do not need to be visible.

Bass fishing continues to be tough. The best fishing has been shallow, about 3 – 5 feet deep, using Carolina rigs, jigs or spinner baits.

While still not as good as this past spring, catfishing has gotten better. Channel cats continue to make themselves available for rod and reel fishermen, using nightcrawlers, crawdads, or shad pieces. A few flatheads have been reported lately, being caught on trotlines using goldfish or perch. With the rivers flowing from the recent rains, the cats should be on a feeding frenzy.

Flathead slow

Largemouth Bass good

Stripers slow

Crappie slow

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool:  Temperature:  75.8 

Catfishing was good this week seen some nice cats this week the Iowa catfish drifters tournament was this weekend they had 26 teams caught 109 fish 

The water temp was 75.8 the 1st place team had 58.74 lbs of fish that's a 6 fish total 2nd 54.24 lbs and 3rd was 50.76 lbs they had a good time they were treated to a pancake feed put on by big birds bait and bows CJ had the big fish 15.20 lbs later on Sunday a lady brought in a 10.4 lb cat 

Remember take a kid fishing or hunting 

The Graham street fair is this weekend its' a good time 

Bow season will be here in less than a month so lets get ready be safe stop in and check out the hunters safety vest in stock for the tree stand hunter

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 839.0 Temperature:

Inflow: 150 cfs Outflow: 50 cfs Level: 0.54 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: 74

Crappie slow using jigs and minnows in the brush piles

Blue Catfish slow using night crawlers

Channel Catfish  good using night crawlers, stinkbait and liver

Largemouth Bass  fair using jig and pig 

Bluegill slow using night crawlers

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

Inflow: 525 cfs Outflow: 8 cfs Level: 0.31 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: 150 cfs Outflow: 1840 cfs Level: 0.08 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 nightcrawlers and trolling crankbaits

Crappie fair on minnows around trees

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

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

Release Rate: 3270 cfs. Level: 1.42 feet low

Aug 24, 2004

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

Main Lake Areas
The Dam and Indian Point area have been slow for me. The more you go towards Kimberling City, Baxter, or the mid James fish have been 30'-40' deep on bottom or suspended out over 40'-50' on long gravel main lake points. Try using a 4" finesse worm on drop shot rig. Watermelon candy or watermelon red seem to be working best for me. If the fish are on bottom, try using a 3/4 oz. Brown & Purple football jig tipped with purple or brown twin tailed grub. Most of the fish on the drop shot have been Kentuckys, and we are catching some small mouths on the football jig early in the morning. Try fishing 15'-20' on and just inside the main lake gravel timbered points (hardwoods) with 3/8 oz. Team Supreme brown jig tipped with twin tail grub. Some small mouths are starting to move up and feed early in the morning. This bite should get better as the water cools even more.

James River
Same patterns as above but fish are a little shallower 22'-30' on bottom or suspending over 30'-40'. There have been a lot of shad moving into the creeks, the bass should start to follow the bait. Try fishing spinnerbaits and shallow running crankbaits under and around the shad in the creeks early. As the sun comes up the shad move out to the center of the creeks, try tail spinners or chrome/ white jigging spoons at 20'-25' deep.

Long Creek
Long Creek has had lots of shad moving into the backs of Cricket Creek and Yokum Creek. I've been catching some small largemouth's on crankbaits and spinnerbaits, but with as much shad as what is back there, there should be some good fish back in there also. Just keep trying try different baits and colors to trigger the strikes, best bite has been early morning, or right before dark.

Back to Top

Temperature:  Level:

Branson Trout Unlimited Meeting - August 31, 2004, 7:00 p.m. at the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery.

GENERAL COMMENTS

Water Conditions: Did get some low water, one generator, and off water time this past Saturday. So far this week they have been generating two or more most of the time.

FLY FISHING TROPHY AREA (dam to Fall Creek)-SHALLOW WATER-WADING-
Saturday while the water was off, we hit the banks most successfully with size 16 caddis and parachute Adams. The other hot fly was the green holographic crackle back. Fish were taking it both on the drift as well as the strip. Sunday, they ran two generators most of the day. Fished in the late afternoon and caught fish on the dark olive soft hackle, green holographic crackle back and the red midge. Monday the water level was too high to wade so we went to the gravel bar at the City Campground just downstream from the old Taneycomo bridge. Four of us fished the downstream bar and caught several fish on the same flies we fished Sunday. Nothing big, probably best fish was 16 inches but we had a good time. When the water is down or even with the generation, folks are catching fish in the hatchery area and the "chutes". Tan or gray scuds, San Juan worms, and sculpin patterns are what most people are fishing.

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.

Back to Top

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 722.00 Clarity:  Level:

Temperature: 78 and Dingy

Crappie fair using minnows

Bass fair using lures

Channel cat fair using prepared baits, nightcrawlers and leeches

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 706.0 Temperature:  78

Inflow: 8500 cfs Outflow: 15600 cfs Level: 0.58 feet high

Fishing Report from Sterett Creek Marina 8/25/04

I don't really remember the last time it rained that hard. We had over 3 1/2" the first part of the week and from what I understand the people north of us had up to 7". As of this morning we are not seeing a real fast rise in the lake but I would bet it will come up a foot or two. It dirtied up the back ends of the coves but the main lake is still in good shape.

LAKE LEVEL: 706.97

WATER TEMP: 78 deg.

WATER CLARITY: The back ends of the creeks have muddied up other wise the lake is the same as last week. The Grand and the Osage are dirty way up but clear up the closer you get to the dam. Big and Little Tebo are heavily stained in the upper reaches but there again clear up the closer you get to the dam.

BASS: Well last night it was the Doug and Ozzie Wallace show. 7.29 lbs. was the winning stringer of the Hawg fights. Larry Wright and Ron Taddiken were second with 2.43 lbs and they also had big bass. With the amount of rain we had yesterday that was a good string of fish. And where was Emil last night, no one knows. The suspended bite is still the best bite. Tree rows in 20' of water fished with a light jig will produce your better fish. Watch your line real close, the bites are soft and some of the fish are only 2' down. Worms on flat points in 6' to 8' of water will also work.

CRAPPIE: Still a very slow bite. Mon. and Tues. we had a lot of rain which made the bite even tougher. River channel fish are still being caught in 20 to 30 ft. of water. Fishing the flats around cedar trees in 10 to 12 ft. of water is producing some crappie. Also fishing the outside tree rows is producing some fish. The water temp. has cooled off once again, and this has effected the crappie almost all summer. Try these patterns on sunny days.

White bass: Some fish are being spotted on the surface feeding. The white bass have been tough to follow the past couple of weeks. There doesn't seem to be a pattern on them right now. Some of the wind blown flats on points are producing whites, on rooster tails, and small sassy shads. The best bite is when they are on the surface feeding. Lots of shad on the surface right now. And these whites can appear almost anywhere on the lake.

Hybrids: Some occasional surface feeding in the evening. Again there doesn't seem to be much of a pattern on these fish either. Lots of searching with the depth finder may produce a few fish. Top water baits when they are on the surface, and sassy shads when you find them on the bottom.

Catfish: The good ole dependable catfish. There is still a good bite on catfish. With rising water, these fish will go on a feeding spree in the upper ends of the creeks, and rivers. Backs of coves with runoff will also produce some nice stringers. Cut shad, nightcrawlers, livers, and leeches will work good on these fish. Concentrate your fishing in the stained or muddy water at the very backs of pockets or creeks. Fish shallower than normal, as these fish will get very shallow during rising water. Now is the time to give that old rod and reel a real workout.

This weeks rankings from Sterett Creek Marina

Crappie: # 1

Bass: # 2

Whites: # 3

So till next week we bid you good fishing.

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 main lake 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.

CATFISH: Good bite on trotlines and jugs. Seem some real nice fish in the last week. Most being caught in 6 feet of water on main lake flats near creek channel swings with drops set at 18". Cut shad and leeches seem to work best.

Crappie good using minnows and jigs

Bluegill good using crickets

Catfish good using live bait on trotlines and jug lines