Catfish fair-hot dog

Bluegill good-wax worms

Crappie good-small jigs

Bass fair-crankbaits

 Report by: Wilderness Trail       "Braggin Board"

We certainly had a week of fall weather with high winds, a little cold rain and temperatures in the low 50s down to the mid 30s. Lake temperature dropped a few degrees this week. Most of the lake is at 57.6 degrees warming to 58.7 on sunny days. Pool level has been steady for the last month, it’s at 652.60 this week, 1.8 feet below normal pool which is great for this time of year. Lake clarity is around 16 feet but with the 25 mph winds last Friday and Saturday there should be some color around the banks and at the back of a few creeks. Crappie were active this week around brush piles in the creeks and around pole trees along the bluffs. 25 – 35 feet was the key depth with crappie minnows or shad colored crappie tubes. Best bite seems to be from 9:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon.

Lake Rating: Bass continue to move into the back of the creeks, crappie are feeding on small shad around brush piles and walleye are reacting to spoons so this weeks rating (good).

Largemouth bass are holding on big boulders, brush piles, blow downs and around docks in the back third of the creek arms. Fish any isolated structure you see with spinner baits, crankbaits or Spider Jigs. There are also some largemouth bass that are staying deep off the drop offs on secondary points. Carolina rigs and 7/16 oz or football jigs are the best baits and technique in these areas. 

Smallmouth bass are on pea rock points and chunk rock channel swings. Numbers of small (12" – 14") smallies are up in 20 to 30 feet of water and are foraging on crawdads. Spider Jigs and tubes are working well if the wind is down. On windy days throw Wiggle Warts or Bandit crankbaits in crawdad colors. The keeper smallies are still in 40 – 45 feet of water off the same points. Carolina rigged Brush Hogs and finesse worms or football jigs will trigger the deeper 3 – 4 pound smallies. 

Kentucky bass are with the shad wherever they are, in the back of the pockets and cuts, at the back of the creeks or along the bluff walls. The shallow Kentuckys are foraging on crawdads as well as shad. Tube baits and Spider Jigs are the best baits on the shallow Kentuckys. Drop shot rigs with 4" finesse worms and silver or white spoons are working the best on the Kentuckys under the shad.

Walleye are sitting off ledges and the outside of feeding flats in 40 – 48 feet of water. The bite is not very aggressive but a few can be triggered on spoons fished vertically over their heads and ball jigs with a 2 – 3 " shiner as bait. There should be some walleye up in 20 – 30 feet or water this time of year, as yet we can’t find any.

The PWT will return to Bull Shoals on May 11 through 13, 2005 and entry blanks for amateurs are now available. The can be ordered by phone from PWT at 218-824-2542, or by downloading them from the PWT web site at www.professionalwalleyetrail.com. They are now available at Wilderness Trail. The PWT is a Pro-Am and this past June one-third of the field consisted of local anglers. The PWT television show that will air the week of Nov. 29 features Pat Richards of Lakeview. He is the subject of the PWT "Amateur Angle."

Trout fishing on the White River has been good on Power Bait in yellow and orange and Berkley Gulp earthworms, Buoyant Spoons, Colorado spoons and Mepps Spinners have been working when the generation is on. The fly fishermen have done well on olive Woolly Buggers, scuds, egg patterns and San Juan worms. Browns are being caught on Suspending Rogues, Flat Fish and nightcrawlers.

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 659.54 with the water temperature taken at Bagnell Dam being 57 degrees. There is heavy generation scheduled for the next three days, which according to AmerenUE should give the lake a level of 659.5 by Friday, December 3rd. The current level of Truman Lake reported by the Corp of Engineers is 712, six feet over normal pool and will most likely mean heavy generation during the week causing Lake Ozark to continue to be muddy and dingy throughout except for the larger tributaries. The Grand Glaize, Big and Little Niangua and Gravois Rivers are clear with visibility ranging from 4 to 8 feet. Bass boat temperature gauges indicate the surface water temperatures ranging between 48 to 50 degrees in the upper Osage River and 50 to 52 degrees in the mid to lower end of the lake. For the most part bass fishing has been tough mainly because of the high winds and inclement weather over the past several days, however, there was a big stringer of bass weighing over 17 pounds caught in a local tournament last Saturday. The water temperature is dropping and once the weather settles down fishing should improve drastically.

LARGEMOUTH BASS - FAIR The best bite continues to be the Melton and Eakins jig (black, black/blue and brown/purple) with trailers to match. The darker colored jigs in the dirtier water and the brown in the clearer water. The bass seemed to be concentrated on the chunk rock banks in the creeks and tributaries in coves and points anywhere from 8 to 12 feet. The smaller crank bait like the Wiggle Wart and Bandit 200 (crawdad colors and shad colors) worked on this structure is also producing a few keepers. The same baits worked on the main lake points and just inside the points has also been producing, mainly Kentucky's, but some largemouth. There have been reports that a few bass are being caught in brush piles, but on the most part the bass have been coming off plain chunk rock banks. The spinner bait and buzz bait have produced a few keepers worked next to the boat dock foam and parallel to the bank, but that has slowed down too because of the conditions. The jerk bait worked in rapid jerks is starting to produce some keepers in the clearer water off secondary points and creek arm bluffs.

CRAPPIE - FAIR The crappie are in 12 to 20 feet suspended over brush piles in the creeks and main lake pockets. Minnows and Road Runners (white and white/red head) have been the best bite. Tipping the baits with Crappie Nibbles will help when the bite slows down.

CATFISH - GOOD The cats are still the best bite going right now, especially the channels. They can be found anywhere from 8 to 12 feet on creek arm bluffs and chunk rock points. Jugs, limb lines and tight lining from the bank with cut shad, gold fish, night crawlers, shiners and crawdads will produce.

WHITES/HYBRIDS - SLOW There hasn't been very many reports of whites or hybrids being caught. The reports received have been mostly from bass anglers catching one or two on spinner baits off windy rocky banks, and they have been small, 12 to 13 inches.

Date: 11/25/04
Lake Level : 609.10
Last Weeks Lake Level: 610.75
Normal Lake Level : 606
Water Condition: Muddy to Dingy

Surface Water Temp: 52 degrees

Crappie fishing is still pretty much as it has been, which is a challenge for most people. A limit can be had with perseverance. The reports are varied with crappie being caught at a lot of depths, however some of the best reports are from fishermen catching them near the bottom in 20 - 25 feet of water. Expect to go through a lot of small crappie, keeping bigger ones as you can and hopefully finding a good hole where several keeper size ones may be hiding. The bite is very light, with minnows being the best bait. Look for the clearer water.

Bass fishing continues to be poor. Haven’t heard of any catfish reports this week, defaulting to last weeks report. The rivers and creeks are flowing from recent rains.

Reports of White Bass have been good.

Black Jack Marina will be open year round, with varying hours, but basically from 9 - 3.

Indian Creek marina is closed for the season.

Campers – The water has been turned off at the State Park.

Boaters – In preparation for the coming freezing weather, the Corp has pulled both walkways at the South Fork Ramp, and probably the rest of them as well. The State Park walkways are still in place, as of today.

Duck season is open, fishermen please be respectful if you see decoys and blinds set up, by giving them a wide berth. The waterfowl refuge (Middle Fork and Elk Fork area) is closed to boaters and waterfowl hunters from October 30 until December 31. Buoys are setup to indicate the closed off area. Land based activities are still permitted, such as bank fishing, hiking and other in-season hunting.

Flathead fair

Largemouth Bass good on black/blue jigs and brush hogs

Stripers slow

Crappie fair

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool:  Temperature:  

Fishing slow 

Take a kid fishing or hunting they need it

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 839.0 Temperature:

Inflow: 1100 cfs Outflow: 2000 cfs Level: 6.55 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: 47

Inflow: 20 cfs Outflow: 100 cfs Level: 1.12 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: 1600 cfs Outflow: 1102 cfs Level: 4.52 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: 8997 cfs. Level: 2.18 feet high

No Report

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Temperature:  Level:

WE ARE MOVING! - EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1, 2004, OUR NEW LOCATION WILL BE: 2626 STATE HIGHWAY 165 (just north of the Dam). That is the only thing changing. Our phone numbers, e-mail, etc. will all remain the same. Hope to see you at our new location!

GENERAL COMMENTS

WE WISH YOU AND YOURS A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING DAY!! In reflecting back over the years we have had our shop, we have much to be thankful for with the great friends and customers we have come to know.

Water Conditions: Sorry to say, they are still running lots of water. Starting up the day early with two on and generally four by 8:00 a.m. Off late in the afternoon or early evening.

FLY FISHING TROPHY AREA (dam to Fall Creek)-SHALLOW WATER-WADING-
Boats out Monday and Tuesday. Red tunghead midge was the ticket with the high water Monday and worked pretty good Tuesday. The best fly Tuesday was a San Juan worm. Either hot pink or red. Did catch nicer fish. Most in the 14-18 inch range. Monday was a 25 fish day and yesterday one boat caught at least that many but came off the water around 2:00 p.m. as that was when the sky opened up with lots of water. The second boat braved the weather and caught a few more fish. About the only place to wade or fish from the bank is up around the "chutes" in the hatchery area. Tan scuds, San Juan worms, and woolly buggers are some of the flies being used in this area.

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: 27500 cfs Outflow: 23454 cfs Level: 7.26 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