Truman Help

[Aaron Landis]

Hey guys,

I am doing a very informal and fun bass tournament at Truman on May 21st with a bunch of good guys I have never met before. They have done this for a bunch of years before me. Since I don't know these guys, I wanna make a decent showing. However, I have never even seen this lake. I am a pretty decent bass fisherman and I can probably hold my own with these guys by just looking at a map prior but I also don't want to embarrass myself. Can anyone out there give me a few pointers?

[Bluebasser86]

Move the tournament to a different lake would be my best suggestion. Spinnerbaits and jigs usually catch their share of fish in May at Truman. I had my best tournament in the Grand Arm fishing squarebills around the timber. I've also done really well in the Little Tebo arm throwing spinnerbaits in the very back of the coves. Truman has always been really tough anytime I've been down there and I've been down there a bunch of times for club tournaments. Usually takes about 15lbs to win and drops off fast from there.

[Mid-MO]

What ramp are you putting in at? You got any specific arm in mind to fish or just looking for a starting point?

[Mid-MO]

Sent you an email.

[KC Bass Fanatic]

Mid-May is a transition period around these parts (post spawn moving to summer pattern). A good bet would be a jig, big worm, or brush hog on secondary points in coves. You should be able to get a topwater (buzzbait or spook) & spinnerbait bite early or if there's any wind. If you find fish early on topwater or spinnerbait work that area hard with jigs and plastics. Don't rule out swimming a jig or big worm through timber on those points either - that can be deadly on Truman. You should be able to get a limit that way, which should get you in the money for that time of year.

Extra advice: Truman is a classic example of bigger bait, bigger bite. Other lakes in the Ozarks don't always hold to that but over the years I've found that big jigs, worms, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits produce much better quality on Truman than if you were throwing say a baby brush hog or trick worm.

[Getfished]

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Extra advice: Truman is a classic example of bigger bait, bigger bite. Other lakes in the Ozarks don't always hold to that but over the years I've found that big jigs, worms, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits produce much better quality on Truman than if you were throwing say a baby brush hog or trick worm.

X2. This lake fishes shallow. If you are near Bucksaw I have had plenty of success upriver from there approx. 10 miles fishing big worms and brushogs in timber on channel ledges in the timber. I also find em farther back from the channel in those flat timber filled pockets with squarebills. This option is not very easy but they like to be in there because the water is dark and there is lots of cover. If the shad are there it all comes together.

[Landis76]

Ok, its going to be raining and overcast all weekend. About 66 deg to 80 deg. Shallows and coves are definitely safe bets and I am thinking more opaque lures with darker colors. I'm focusing on coves and secondary points in the Bucksaw area only. Just from reading the map and looking for channel swings, that areas looks to have PLENTY of good spots. Any other suggestions guys?

I'm leaving early tomorrow morning to get in a day of prefishing.