Catfish fair to slow

Bluegill fair to slow

Crappie fair to slow

Bass fair to slow

Fishing Report by:   .bullshoalslakeboatdock.com 

Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Report - Sunday July 7th, 2008

Hello everybody. Lake level is still hovering around the 692 level. Yes we have been getting a lot of rain still. Most of the rain has been around the Springfield MO water shed. So, we end up with it in our lake. Most recent corp. projections put the lake back to normal level the first week of October. The water temperature continues to rise and is up in the lower 80's on the surface. There is a major thermo cline around 25 foot level. It is a 10-15 degree difference from 20 to 30 feet. You can see it on my water temp Water temp/ oxygen level link. Visibility continues to be poor from the surface to 25 feet due to all the brush in the water, then it clears up to the average visibility at 15 to 20 feet depending on where you are in the lake. The bluffs should be the best. Have some new fish pictures. SEE fish picture page.

Spear fishing season has been open a few weeks. Not much being brought in now that the catfish have finished spawning. There has been a few walleye. The divers are reporting them in the 25 to 30 foot level around the bluff ends and single trees out from t he bank.

We are into the summer patterns now that the water temp has risen above 80. Haven't had much activity reported but was has is below.

BASS-

NEW PATTERN- SPOONING 1/2 OZ IN 28 TO 32 FEET OF WATER IS PRODUCING ALL SPECIES OF FISH. MOSTLY WALLEYE AND BASS. Around the standing tree out from the back, bluff ends, and standing timber in the bluff ends.

1. Top water-- Flukes, spooks, and any other top water baits are working. This pattern is mostly in the early morning and late afternoon before the sun gets up and after it gets low in the sky. This patterns should start to slow down as the water temp warms up. However, with all the brush and trees in the lake, the fish have a place to hide from the sun and this pattern should continue.

2. night crawlers - with a small split shot worked over the top the brush and around the standing trees. Also, dragging them with a heavier weight in the 35 to 55 foot range in the old shoreline.

3. Minnows-- we are selling lots of minnows so somebody is catching fish on them.

4. 1/4 oz white road runners in 25 to 35 feet of water worked over the top of the brush.

5. Drop shot a small plastic worm or night crawler in 25 to 30 feet of water around the standing trees out from the bank. Use a weedless hook, leave a 12-14 inch tail of line after you tie the hook. Put a drop shot weight, swivel sinker or split shot on the end of the tail. Fish this straight down on the bottom, jigging it up and down off the bottom around the trees.

NIGHT FISHING- Night fishing under lights has slowed down almost to a halt. Regular bass fishing is also slow at night. Too much brush for the average fisherman to deal with.

White bass - . Day fishing has changed to trolling shad raps or other types on minnow stick baits-hard baits. 25 to 35 feet seems to be the depth to keep your bait in. Spooning is also producing some fish

Walleye - The walleye have moved down into the colder thermo cline water this week. They always go to this level when the surface temp warms up. They seem to be running in the 25 to 32 foot range. Spooning is the most productive this week around the trees out from the shoreline. Also try : split shoting a night crawler in on the old shoreline and ends of the timber bluffs. - trolling shallow to medium running reef runners and walleye divers along the shoreline above the brush in the 25 to 32 foot range. - Bottom bouncers with night crawlers on the old shoreline in 25 to 32 feet of water. - lindy rigs with night crawlers in that 25 to 35 foot range.

Crappie - Still haven't seen many crappie. One or two here or there. I would like with the lake level and all the brush in the lake that they would be hard to target. As the lake drops and there is less brush in the lake I would think we should start to catch some. The night fishing under lights has produced some fish.

Catfish- The catfish have moved up shallower. We have seen several BIG blue cats caught on limb lines this week. Trot lines and jug lines are producing some fish, it seems the limb line thing is working well. Just about any type of stink bait, liver, shrimp, blue gills, ect is working. I have been told anywhere from a 5 foot drop to a 35 foot drop.

White River:

The river fishing has been great!! Check out the picture page for photos of some big ones caught over the last couple of weeks. Nothing new on the patterns. --- Worms, night crawlers, power baits, salmon eggs, Count down Rapalas, spoons, rooster tails, jigs and just about any other type of trout bait or pattern you have heard of.

Come visit our expanded bait and Tackle department and good luck and good fishing to you all. For current fish pictures - see our picture page.

Check out our newer and expanded tackle selection!

Good luck and good fishing, and please come and see us at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock for all your fishing needs…Thank you!

Open around the first of January each year and close around the end of November. 

Anyway check when you get your lake permit. Also our permits have been lowered. 

Crappie No report 

Bass No report 

Catfish No Report

Bluegill No Report

Crappie No Report

Bass No Report

Updated: 07/14/08

Report By: Anthony Ford: Catfish & Spoonbill Guide 

Cat fishing on lake of the Ozarks is in full swing catching nice limits of 4-10lbs blues in just a couple of hours there is lots of current and should be really great for some time

The water keeps on coming....and going. The Corp drains some out and mother nature puts it right back in. The level is still a bit over 627 and the water temp is still about 71 at the tailrace. 

The crappies don't seem to mind as they are still biting at about 10' down in 20 feet of water. Minnows below a bobber, or on a jig seems to be working well. 

You will still pick up some white bass and stripers in the same areas. 

The cats are still biting as well. We had some nice flathead's in the 30# range come in this week. Same baits as always on the cats. Goldfish or perch for the flathead's, and the normal array of nasty stuff for the rest of them. 

The high water ramps (there are 4) are still the safest ones to use, thou those of you with small boats might be successful on

South fork ramp. I won't try it, but a jonboat should be able to manage Hopefully by next weekend the rest of the ramps will be open again. The lake is open, come and enjoy the fishing

Report by: Big Birds Bait and Tackle

80 degrees, normal and muddy;

Largemouth Bass fair in the mornings and evenings using topwater lures

Channel catfish good using cut bait and worms

Walleye fair using worms and crank baits on the rock piles

Crappie good in the deep brush

Bluegill good on small jigs

Nodaway River

Report  by Big Birds Bait and Tackle

Bass good on road runners

Bluegills good on worms

Crappie on jigs

102 River

Report by Big Birds Bait and Tackle

No Report

take a kid fishing
God bless big bird

The water at Pomme is about 82 degrees. The water is falling about 6" a day and the lake currently about 3.5' high. They are currently letting out 2500 cubic feet of water per second and that equates to approximately 18,750 gallons per second.

Fishing for muskies is extremely slow in fact we have quit fishing for them since the water is over the 80 degree mark. 

Bass and white bass can be had trolling small crank baits and baits such as Roostertails in deep and shallow water. 

Walleye have slowed down. 

Crappie are doing good on brush piles and bridge piers in about 15' of water.

Have A Muskie Day
Earle Hammond

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SEVER

Updated 07/18/08

Water Temp:  79 Normal and dingy

Lake Map

:Muskie  fair using large spinnerbait and jerk baits

Crappie good using minnows and jigs

Blue Catfish fair on cut baits

Walleye fair using minnows and leeches

Channel Catfish  good using night crawlers  liver and stink baits

Largemouth Bass   fair using plastic worms or spinnerbait

Bluegill good  on red wigglers

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SMITHVILLE

Updated 07/16/08 

Lake Elevation at Normal Poo3: 864.2  Temperature: 75

Inflow: 20 cfs Outflow: 8 cfs Level: 0.52 feet high

Lake Map

Report by Burton's Bait and Tackle 

CRAPPIE: Fair: The crappie are in the deeper summer structure. We are catching some in the brush piles on the main lake. Minnows seem to be working better than jigs. At least my wife caught all of the keepers the other night on minnows while I was able to catch only short fish. The minnow pattern is still working.

BASS: Fair to Good: The tournaments are starting to bring in more fish. Most of the fish are coming shallow on a variety of baits. Carolina Rigs, senkos, crank baits, jigs or worms. The secret seems to be finding a hungry fish and sticking something in its face.

CATFISH: Fair to Good: The cats are starting to bite as the spawn starts. Shallow water and a variety of baits.

White Bass: Excellent : The white bass have arrived at the main lake and are being caught on pepper spoons. Watch for the fish hitting the surface on the main lake points in the morning and evenings.

WALLEYE: Good: The walleye are on the main lake points. Crank baits or jigs tipped with a crawler or leech can catch you some nice fish. Fish the long shallow points on the main lake.

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STOCKTON

Updated 07/10/08

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 867.7 Temperature:  86 high and dingy

Inflow: 850 cfs Outflow: 5203 cfs Level: 11.40 feet high

Lake Map

Report By: Square Deal Bait Shop  

Walleye good on jigs tipped with night crawlers

Bluegill good on crickets

Catfish fair on shad and night crawlers

crappie fair on minnows and jigs in 10 t0 30 feet of water around timber

Black bass fair on grubs and crank baits.

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Fishing Report by Thompson Fishing Guide Service : www.fishstockton.com 

July 2, 2008 Stockton Lake Fishing Report 

Current lake level: 882.28
Normal pool: 867
Water clarity: stained
Water temperature: 80 degrees main body 

Walleye all of my efforts in the last week have been focused on walleye, therefore that is the only fish I am going to report on.  Walleye are being caught off main lake points throughout the lake on jigs and night crawlers, crawler harnesses and Road runners.  Fish are approximately 20-25 feet deep, the best way to use these type baits is to slow drift across the points.  Another good tactic is to slow troll crank baits such as bandits and deep diving bombers.  Shad imitation colors seem to work well, also lures with bright colors such as orange and yellows because they stand out better in the stained water.  Cedar Ridge is a place to start, as well as Masters and Crab Tree Cove.  Fish are also being caught around the Ruark Bluff area.  Night fishing has also been successful with the same tactics in the same locations.  Your best night trips should be planned around the full moon phase.  The fish are biting lightly to a degree.  They are not extremely aggressive probably because of the vast amount of bait in the water, so a slower presentation seems to work the best.  If you troll, the maximum speed should be about a mile and a half an hour. 

Marty Thompson
Thompson Fishing Guide Service

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TABLE ROCK

Updated  07/02/08

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 915.0 Temperature: 80 -82

Release Rate: 10931 cfs. Level: 12.47 feet high

Report By: Table Rock Guide Service    

White River Area Fishing has been exceptional the past few days.  Jewel Football jigs in peanut butter and jelly and brown and purple in 15-25 feet deep is working best for bass around main lake and secondary points in the creeks on the outside edge of the flooded timber.  Some fish are also starting to hit plastic baits, Carolina rigged centipedes and brush hogs on outside edge of flooded timber on gravel points in 15-18 feet of water.  Early in the morning and on cloudy days, Zara Spooks and Cordell Redfins are working good at catching fish that are schooling on the surface.  Drop shot rigs with chompers drop shot worms in plum, brown and purple and watermelon candy are catching fish around 24 to 26 feet over 30 to 40 feet deep.

Mid Lake-Kimberling City Area Fishing has been exceptional the past few days.  Smoke grubs and salt and pepper grubs with a 1/4 oz, jig head on main lake and secondary points are producing allot of numbers of bass.  Jewel Football jigs in peanut butter and jelly and brown and purple in 15-25 feet deep is working best for bass around main lake and secondary points in the creeks on the outside edge of the flooded timber.  Some fish are also starting to hit plastic baits, Carolina rigged centipedes and brush hogs on outside edge of flooded timber on gravel points in 15-18 feet of water.  Early in the morning and on cloudy days, Zara Spooks and Cordell Redfins are working good at catching fish that are schooling on the surface.  Drop shot rigs with chompers drop shot worms in plum, brown and purple and watermelon candy are catching fish around 24 to 26 feet over 30 to 40 feet deep.

Lower End-Dam Area Fishing has been exceptional the past few days.  Jewel Football jigs in peanut butter and jelly and brown and purple in 15-25 feet deep is working best for bass around main lake and secondary points in the creeks on the outside edge of the flooded timber.  Some fish are also starting to hit plastic baits, Carolina rigged centipedes and brush hogs on outside edge of flooded timber on gravel points in 15-18 feet of water.  Early in the morning and on cloudy days, Zara Spooks and Cordell Redfins are working good at catching fish that are schooling on the surface.  Drop shot rigs with chompers drop shot worms in plum, brown and purple and watermelon candy are catching fish around 24 to 26 feet over 30 to 40 feet deep.

Upper End-James River Fishing has been exceptional the past few days.  Jewel Football jigs in peanut butter and jelly and brown and purple in 15-25 feet deep is working best for bass around main lake and secondary points in the creeks on the outside edge of the flooded timber.  Some fish are also starting to hit plastic baits, Carolina rigged centipedes and brush hogs on outside edge of flooded timber on gravel points in 15-18 feet of water.  Early in the morning and on cloudy days, Zara Spooks and Cordell Redfins are working good at catching fish that are schooling on the surface.

Crappie are in 5-15 feet deep in spawning pockets around standing timber.  Crappie jigs in white or chartreuse and white and minnows are working best.

Lake Taneycomo 

Trout I'm catching some nice rainbows and a few browns on a small Rapala in the morning and also swimming a white 1/16 ounce jig.  The trout in the trophy area will also take pink or green micro jigs under a float and a zebra midge has also been very good.  Below the trophy are from Fall Creek down, the trout are biting very good on night crawlers or power baits.  In the early morning you can catch them swimming a 1/16 ounce jig or little Cleo spoon, in line spinners are also good in the mornings.

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TANEYCOMO

Updated 07/18/08

Temperature:    level:

Report by River Run Outfitters 

Gina had Scott and Rhonda from Winconsin on the water all day Tuesday. They had a wonderful day on the water. Caught lots of nice fish. Rhonda is just getting started and she did quite well. They were fishing the olive bugger on a sink tip, the black zebra midge and the red midge. Jim had Brian and Brandon from Oklahoma. Brandon is 11 and just getting started. Jim worked with him on indicator fishing. It was almost nip and tuck for a while. Red midge, black midge and olive bug eyed bugger.

Wednesday Darrell had Rick from Canada out. He had fished the previous 2 days with Stan and Darrell finished him up with another good day. Jim was out with Andy from Branson and his friend Greg from out of town. Greg is a beginner and was soon catching fish on the red midge and #18 black midge. They boated a lot of fish in a half day. Stan and Carolyn had Doc, his son Pat, and two grand daughters, Conner, and Hannah. In addition to getting out and collecting rocks as various places, Conner and Hannah each boated from fish. Doc and Pat, who were Stan had a real good half day on the red midge, pink midge and pink San Juan. The girls were fishing the red midge and black zebra. Everyone hooked fish stripping the holographic green crackleback.

Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 722.00 Clarity:  high and dingy

Temperature:  78

  Lake Map

Crappie slow

Largemouth Bass slow

 Channel Cat fair using night crawlers

Flathead Cat slow

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Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 706.0 Temperature:  81

Water Clarity: Light stain to stained

Inflow: 5900 cfs Outflow: 49297 cfs Level: 12.61 feet high 

Lake Map     Braggin' Board

Report By: Sterettcreek.com  

Fishing Report from Sterett Creek Marina 7/16/08

Finally a break in the weather. We have had no rain this week and it's Wednesday, that is really strange. The COE is still pulling the lake down and even though they are running in the high 40's the lake is in fantastic shape. The water clarity is the best I have seen it in a long time and that is lake wide. The level is getting down to where the whites and hybrids should start getting on the humps. The shad are still running on the banks and I would hope that they will start pulling out over the deeper water and get the whites and hybrids to start surfacing with some regularity. All in all the fishing here on Truman is real good. The bass and crappie are making up for any lake of a bite on the whites right now.

LAKE LEVEL: 720.10
WATER TEMP: 81 deg.
WATER CLARITY: Clear to light stain.

BASS: After the weekend with some of the 20 lb.+ stringer weights that were posted I looked for some heavy stringers to be weighed in last night in the Hawg Fights. There were lots of fish caught but the best weight turned in was 8.88 lbs. caught by Mike and Dave Kephart. Second went to Steve Blake and Jim Lehares with 8.69 lbs. Third was Ernie Cox and Russell Beck with 7.72 lbs. Big bass was 4.44 lb caught by Crist Fanning and Terry Close. The pattern was the same for everyone, fishing points in 4' to 10' of water. Big worms and brush hogs were the two hot baits. Steve Blake did tell me they had some fish that were starting to suspend. Right now you will catch allot of little fish on the points so if you have a youngster that's just getting into bass fishing now would be a good time to get them out there. Heck it's even fun for us old guys. If anyone sees Ozzie tell him Doug is still waiting at the ramp.

CRAPPIE: Even with the high water the crappie have moved to their summer pattern. 20' to 25' of water fished down about 16' with minnows has produced allot of limits this week. The fish are starting to suspend in both the cedars and the hard woods. Fish are on the flats just like when the water is at a normal level. If you are fishing the bluff banks you will be looking at 30' to 40' but the fish are still holding at about 16'.

WHITES & HYBRIDS: Saturday we saw some real nice whites come in. These fish came on spoons in the KK Island area. Since the sun came out they must have gotten confused. I think by the weekend that the water level on the humps will be low enough that these fish will really get going.

CATFISH: Trot lines and jugs on the flats in 12' to 16' of water baited with cut shad or perch is the winning ticket right now. Set baits about 8' for best results.

That's it for this week from Sterett Creek Marina

Till next week

    Tommy

Berry Bend (Osage Arm)

Updated 07/18/08

Lake Temp:

Report by: Trailside General Store

No Report

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Tebo Arm

Updated  07/18/08

Water Clarity 

Lake Temp: 

Report by:  TEBO Creek Bait Shop  

No Report

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Grand River Arm

Updated 07/17/08

Lake level 707.06  Water clarity: Great Shape

Lake temp:  82

Grand River Arm by Bucksaw  

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

The resort is open, and our restaurant is serving daily specials. Come down for a breakfast pick up some bait and go catch some fish.

July 17, 2008 Water Temp 82

Lake Level 720.22, Discharge 40,000 Water Clarity Great shape

Crappie fishing is good. lots of fish coming in !!! The bite is good all over. Fish the flats in 20 ft of water or more and fish 15 ft deep. Minnows are the bait of choice. Look for isolated trees and fence rows in that range. The bite has been good all day and will continue to be.

Bass fishing is good the fish are on the main lake and secondary points. There is some current so the bass are eating good. Early morning fish a buzzbait and as the sun come up switch to a worm.

Black Bass are being caught on points humps. Fish a top water early and as the sun comes up go to a big worm or a Carolina rigged brush hog. Good fish being caught. we had a Central Pro Am tourney last weekend and it took 44 lbs to win. It was a two day event.

Catfish are being caught on flats in 15 ft of water using cut bait. jugs and trot lines working well. mostly bluecats and channels coming in.

White bass fishing is fair late in the evenings. Fish the points or humps using any bait that resembles a shad. Best time is just before dark.

All in all, the fishing is good and the lake is in great shape. Come and see us.      

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Lake Elevation at Normal Pool: 359.0 Temperature: 80

Release Rate: 330 Level: 0.87 fee high

Black bass fair on spinner baits and plastic worms

Bluegill good using crickets and worms

Channel catfish fair using live bait and night crawlers and on jug lines and trotlines at night

White bass fair using on small spinnerbait

Crappie fair using minnows and jigs 

Anglers should note the new 9" minimum length limit regulation for crappie.

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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