Lake Of The Ozarks

[Missouri Bass'N]

LOZ should be heating up with along with this weather! Look for those big girls to start thinking about spawning in a couple weeks! pea gravel boat docks and back under dock cables can land you a big sack! LOZ is a fantastic fishery and it's only going to get better! Get on the lake, it's well worth your time!

[Oldplug]

LOZ is not heating up in the lower end. It is still in the 40s the Gravois was 47-48 degrees yesterday. The problem is that there are only a few hours a day that get into the lower 50s. Then drops quickly. Best fishing is currently around the 50mm and above. It might change fast but there will be no spawning in 2 weeks anywhere on this lake. There is also a lot of problems right now with moss in a parts of the lake. Anything and everything git loaded with slop.

[Missouri Bass'N]

Anytime there are 10 bags with 20 + lbs in a tournament, id say the lake is definatley getting better to fish. Fish will be on beds in 2-3 weeks. With the weather we're having. I understand it's cold water bite right now, but these fish are biting close to the d**n, and 24 lbs sack came out of MM1 - 5. Trust me it's gonna cetch fire, you just need to know how to catch them!

[Oldplug]

I am 74 yrs old I been fishing this lake for over 60 yrs. I do not have any problem catching them.

I see you live in the Sullivan area I used to guide the Meramec from Birds nest to Onandaga about 45 yrs ago.

[Missouri Bass'N]

It wasn't a shot at you, I just believe the fishing will be better than the past month.. Meramec river is so much fun to go fish, especially smallies! Tough to get a couple big bites though!

[conorsixtakc]

LOZ is not heating up in the lower end. It is still in the 40s the Gravois was 47-48 degrees yesterday. The problem is that there are only a few hours a day that get into the lower 50s. Then drops quickly. Best fishing is currently around the 50mm and above. It might change fast but there will be no spawning in 2 weeks anywhere on this lake. There is also a lot of problems right now with moss in a parts of the lake. Anything and everything git loaded with slop.

 

I was down at North Buck Creek cove this past weekend and noticed the moss as well. Saw a 6.5#er get boated on a jerkbait, aside from that just a few keeper sized fish all weekend. I agree with you Oldplug, we definitely won't see spawning for a while but it does look like we're finally settling into a warming trend. Crappies are another story though... 

[Oldplug]

What I meant was water temperature. That has been a problem. We are not having enought of the days warmer temperatures. We have just been having a few hours of anything above the 50s then a fast drop in the low 40s. I just was out about a hour ago looking for a warm spot. I found one on a flat shelf bank near a channel. First cast I caught a small bass. I could feel the lure hitting shad and could see a lot of them on the finder. Spent about 10 minutes there and and the wind changed at right away the temperature went down to 48. I then went back in cedar creek to see what it was like back there because it is protected. Father up I went the colder it got.when I turned around at the last cove the temperature was 44.8 The best temperature I had in the short time I was out was on that flat and it was 49.8.

Yeah Conor I seen that warming trend I sure hope so but it takes awhile for the lake to warm at the spawning depth. I do not fish much this time of year. I have blood circulation problems and my hands cannot take it under 45 degrees.

MISSOURI BASS'N --20 lb stringers are not so uncommon in the winter. The thing is knowing what ledges there on at 25 ft or better.

I know the tournament your referring to someone was telling me about it. That guy that won I was told was burning a awful lot of gas. He must have been making long runs. I used to do that( I do not do tournaments but have friends who do) myself. We called it the milk run. That and fishing 25ft is tradition down here in the winter. I have younger friends ( and I never say use there name ) here that are very successful full time professionals. I wish you luck but your barking up a real hard tree to make your fortune being a pro. My friend are not wealthy by any means.

[Oldplug]

Before I leave here I am Kerry for some if the typing etc. this IPad is one awful headache. If your not watching carefully it will put words in before you can type them it seems to have a mind of its own. I am a untrained Tyler to begin with and must look at the board plus I am slow. You can be half way through a word spelling something and it will put in another word because your a bit to slow for it. Where it is a word right wrong are even immaterial does not matter.

[Harva]

I was at the Lake last weekend. Caught a couple of small ones and a nice 4 pounder. The warmest water I found was 47 in Linn Creek. I think this coming week with the warmer days and nights staying in the mid to upper 40's should help a lot. Looking forward to being back there next week.

[Harva]

Oldplug, you certainly don't owe anyone an apology for your typing. Hat's off to you for using the ipad. Keep adding your comments. I always like hearing what the 'experienced' fishermen are doing on Lake of the Ozarks.

[Oldplug]

HAVA----the new things seem to be hard to keep up with is all.

I am not a bit sure but I do believe the length of day has a lot of effect on fish behavior. The few I caught lately even off the dock act and look very stressed. I just wonder if the temperature f the water being in the 40s when their time clock tells them it should be in the 50s is causing this. I did find fish in places I find them this time of year but they are certainly not active.

You know this past 2 yrs has been some of the best bass fishing on LOZ in a long time. There will be ups and downs but the past 2 yrs have been some of the best for me. Especially the number if fish 17 to 19 inches long. I do not rate my fish by weight. Here n LOZ fish tend to be thinner. A 18 inch bass in the spring will not go 4 lbs but it will in June. I do not think I have ever caught as many bass between 17-19 inches for the time spent fishing as I have in the past two years. I wish it could last forever but I know there will be a down turn in the cycle as there has always been.

[Jim Fish the Zarks]

Hi all!  I'm heading to the Ozarks tomorrow and will get to fish Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday around the 13MM. 

 

Does anyone know what the current water temp is?

 

Are the fish on their beds yet?  Or are they still staging?

 

Any suggestions are appreciated.  I will return the favor with a full report.  Please and THANKS!

[Oldplug]

What area are you going to fish. It ranges from mid 50s to upper 40s. That does not mean thy are getting ready to spawn. That is the surface temperature. There is a awful lot of moss in many parts of the lake. Making it hard to fish the channel banks. Bass fishing has been generally very slow. The upper lake might be best bet. Be real careful out there thy are talking about big storms tonight and tomorrow. It is not a good place to be in a tornado. I been there and done that.

Because of the moss I have been fishing a small 3/16 oz jig with a 5in Bass Pro shakes worm for a trailer. It comes through the moss better but you have to fish it ultra slow,and wind can defeat your efforts. I tried a 1/4 oz it it sinks sinks in the moss and turns into a stinking glob . Have only been out in spurts. Only one keeper . In 3 tries.

[Jim Fish the Zarks]

Thanks for the info Old Plug. 

 

I noticed some of the algae bloom a few weeks ago, and I'm guessing it only got worse.  Definately hard to fish through this stuff.

 

I have a house around the 13 Mile Marker of the main chanel so I'll be fishing in this area.  I'll definately be watching the weather. 

 

If the bass are that tough I might just get out the blue cat gear and give that a try.

[Jim Fish the Zarks]

Old Plug have you tried throwing around jerk baits?  When I was out 2 weeks ago I had pretty good luck with jerk baits.

[Oldplug]

I lost the post. I am not a big fan of this IPad.

Yes I did a bit of fishing with the jerk type baits. The present problem is the moss is floating, suspending and on the bottom and everything else. In the Gravois were I fish most of the problems seems to be worse. I am basically a worm and jig person anyway. They are so versatile. At my age and after over 60 yrs of fishing I tend to just want to go out and fish. I do not go down as far as the 13 mile marker much anymore. I tend to stick around the Gravois and the area were it junctions with the Osage. A lot of guys do not like the Gravois and that is understandable. It can be a beast to fish at times because if the topography of the bottom. It is hard to figure out. I have not been out hardly at all until the past few days. I am 74 and have blood circulation problems that make my hand useless very fast in temperatures under 45 degrees.

The crappie showed up in good numbers around my dock yesterday. They got very shallow. I think they were just in for the day and the warm surface temperatures I caught some but only kept 3 for my wife and I for supper this evening. I seen some really large females in that group. I imagine the females will all go back to the deeper water in a day or so until the spawn. Might be a good bet if nothing else if they hold for a few days.

You mentioned blue catfish. I dearly love fishing for them with spoons. There are times when the White Bass are in the jumps that big blues will fll to a spoon real easy. Because the whites slash and kill about twice what they eat the other injured and dying shade fall to the bottom. You can see the catfish a lot if the time down there scooping up those shad on your depth finder. I have caught many in the 15 to 20 lb range doing that. Try it sometime. On 10 lb test and a light rod it is a poor hill billies salt water fishing.

[conorsixtakc]

I lost the post. I am not a big fan of this IPad.

Yes I did a bit of fishing with the jerk type baits. The present problem is the moss is floating, suspending and on the bottom and everything else. In the Gravois were I fish most of the problems seems to be worse. I am basically a worm and jig person anyway. They are so versatile. At my age and after over 60 yrs of fishing I tend to just want to go out and fish. I do not go down as far as the 13 mile marker much anymore. I tend to stick around the Gravois and the area were it junctions with the Osage. A lot of guys do not like the Gravois and that is understandable. It can be a beast to fish at times because if the topography of the bottom. It is hard to figure out. I have not been out hardly at all until the past few days. I am 74 and have blood circulation problems that make my hand useless very fast in temperatures under 45 degrees.

The crappie showed up in good numbers around my dock yesterday. They got very shallow. I think they were just in for the day and the warm surface temperatures I caught some but only kept 3 for my wife and I for supper this evening. I seen some really large females in that group. I imagine the females will all go back to the deeper water in a day or so until the spawn. Might be a good bet if nothing else if they hold for a few days.

You mentioned blue catfish. I dearly love fishing for them with spoons. There are times when the White Bass are in the jumps that big blues will fll to a spoon real easy. Because the whites slash and kill about twice what they eat the other injured and dying shade fall to the bottom. You can see the catfish a lot if the time down there scooping up those shad on your depth finder. I have caught many in the 15 to 20 lb range doing that. Try it sometime. On 10 lb test and a light rod it is a poor hill billies salt water fishing.

 

Oldplug,

 

I hear you about the moss. I quickly lose patience while bass fishing if I can't get my lure halfway back to the boat or dock without a ball of moss on the end of my line, at which point I usually target another species. I'll be heading down Friday evening to get after some crappies on Saturday. I've been monitoring the water temperature over the past week and it seems that they're finally starting to balance out in the low to mid 50's. Based on what you've seen, would you say the crappie are staging for their spawn yet? Assuming this cold front doesn't drive them out too far. I'm at 7mm on the KC side, so with you being on the Gravois I figure your input will apply to where I am as well. 

 

CS

[Jim Fish the Zarks]

I was able to fish for a few hours today. I caught two really nice 3 pound bass on jerk baits near gravel banks with an incredibly slow retrieve. I also caught a 6 oz bass...almost the same size as the bait...that lil one was on over achiever!

The wind picked up and I got tired of fighting the boat so I threw the cast net and caught some shad...tied up to a dock and threw out some shad chunks looking for blues...I ended up with another 3 pound bass on a cut chunk of shad.

The wind died so I threw the jerk bait around...and actually snagged a 5" shad. First time for that.

A major storm started rolling..so I headed to the dock...I got the lift up just in time for some crazy wind!

Hopefully the weather will participate in tomorrow's adventures.

[Oldplug]

Well the lake has rose a good bit today and the moss is less if a problem. Tomorrow is Crappiethon. I have to be up in Laurie at 4:30 to help clean fish for a fish fry. They done this last year and the Elks lodge cleans and helps with the fish after the weigh in. Judging from what going on around here in my area there is going to be a awful lot if crappie coming in along with some big ones. It is real cold and windy right now and I just went down to check on the covers on my Hosta plants( we have a small collection of about100 of them that is another one if my passions ) and caught 2 about 11 inches.

I bet next week the bass are going to be terrific. I have seen giant schools if shad coming by the dock in preparation to spawn. No wonder you caught bass on that shad. Around here the shad are about 3-4 inches long. Wait till the blue been munching on all those shad awhile. That is going to help the catfish fishing. I think thing will really be popping next week. Have to leave Thursday morning for Ohio and won't get back till Saturday sometime. Then I will have the grandkids until about Wednesday. But until it starts I am going to be out there daily as much as I can.

[conorsixtakc]

Spend my Saturday on the water at 7mm. High skies, lower 70's, murky/stained water and a light breeze. After a few small largemouth I switched over to crappie, and man they were on... I know this is a bass forum but I couldn't help it, I was hungry!

[Oldplug]

I cleaned fish from the Crappiethon national tournament here last Saturday. They brought in between 4-500 crappie. Took 6 or7 of us over 2 hrs to clean them. Nearly every single competitor in the tournament fished above the 40 mile marker. That is where they should have been and anyone wanting to really catch crappie would be well advised to fish that end of the lake. It has always been that way. In this tournament a awful lot of the fish they brought in were 1lb or better. They were so awful thick. These fish were donate to the Elks lodge and will be used to raise money for local children's needs.

The moss has started to abate some. I would be out this evening except it to windy and I have to go pick up some stuff for my hosta plants.

[bigfishtim]

just want to say thanks for your effort!!  We eat the fish diner at the Elk's lodge on Fridays, when the family goes and See's the grand parents. grandpa has been an Elk all his life..

I cleaned fish from the Crappiethon national tournament here last Saturday. They brought in between 4-500 crappie. Took 6 or7 of us over 2 hrs to clean them. Nearly every single competitor in the tournament fished above the 40 mile marker. That is where they should have been and anyone wanting to really catch crappie would be well advised to fish that end of the lake. It has always been that way. In this tournament a awful lot of the fish they brought in were 1lb or better. They were so awful thick. These fish were donate to the Elks lodge and will be used to raise money for local children's needs.

The moss has started to abate some. I would be out this evening except it to windy and I have to go pick up some stuff for my hosta plants.

[bassman1282]

Any updates on the bass fishing from anyone who has been out in the past few days? Looking for some advice for the big bass bash this weekend. Thanks.

[Brian6428]

Any updates on the bass fishing from anyone who has been out in the past few days? Looking for some advice for the big bass bash this weekend. Thanks.

I would be interested to know this too, If anybody has any input.

[Oldplug]

I was out a.couple of hours ago. Got nervous about some dark cloud and got off the water. We have been under tornado watch all day. I have been there and done that on this lake and get myself off now real early.

I can tell you many areas on the lake are getting a lot of color into them. The temperature in the Gravois is about 55 degrees at the surface. I have no idea what's being caught in the way of bass. There are very few people fishing.