AREA FISHING REPORT
LAKES
BLUE SPRINGS LAKE: 85 degrees, clearing, near normal; crappie fair on minnows, jigs in deep water; bass and bluegill fair; catfish fair on liver; hybrids fair to good near dam while trolling (report provided by Blue Springs Lake Marina, 795-1112).
JAMES A. REED AREA: 84 degrees, clear; largemouth bass good early and late in the day; bluegill and redear sunfish fair; crappie fair fishing deep water brush piles; channel catfish good on baits fished 3 feet below surface.
LAKE JACOMO: 84 degrees, clear, normal; bass fair on plastic worms; channel catfish good on liver, shrimp at night; crappie good on minnows, jigs; bluegill good on wax worms, crickets near banks (report provided by Lake Jacomo Marina, 795-8888).
LAKE OF THE OZARKS: Bagnell Tailwater: 82 degrees, high, dingy; white bass slow with some success on light-colored soft plastics or light-colored Rooster Tails; black bass slow but try using worms and crankbaits; crappie slow with some success on minnows and crappie jigs; catfish fair using whole shad, cut shad and stinkbaits; Glaize: 84 degrees, high, clear; white bass slow with some success on light-colored soft plastics or light-colored Rooster Tails; black bass slow but striking on worms and crankbaits; crappie slow with some success on minnows and crappie jigs; catfish fair using whole shad, cut shad or stinkbaits; Gravois: 84 degrees, high, dingy; crappie slow with some success on minnows; all other species slow; Niangua: 84 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair in the backs of coves early in the morning or in late afternoon using worms or shallow-diving crankbaits; crappie fair in the brush in 10 to 15 foot depths on minnows; catfish fair using trotlines with bluegill halfway back in coves; white bass and hybrids good up at Ha Ha Tonka trolling for bait fish on imitation shad; Osage: 84 degrees, black bass fair in the backs of coves early in the morning or in late afternoon using worms or shallow-diving crankbaits; crappie fair in the brush in 10 to 15 foot depths on minnows; catfish fair using trotlines with bluegill halfway back in coves; white bass and hybrids good up at Ha Ha Tonka trolling for bait fish on imitation shad.
LONGVIEW LAKE: 83 degrees, 46 inches of clarity, normal level; bass fair on minnows, plastic worms, topwater lures early and late; crappies good on minnows off marina docks; catfish fair on liver off marina docks (report provided by Longview Lake Marina, 966-0131).
SMITHVILLE: 80 degrees, normal, dingy; catfish good using nightcrawlers in the shallows; largemouth bass slow with some success using Senkos, shallow-running crankbaits near vegetation and flipping Brush Hogs or jigs to the tree lines above the bridges; walleye fair using minnows, worms, leeches and crankbaits along the points and flats; white bass fair using topwater lures; crappie slow with some success using minnows and jigs at brush piles and bridge pillars; Smithville Lake Spillway: all species slow.
TRUMAN: 84 degrees, high, clear; catfish good on the flats using rod and reel with nightcrawlers and in 30 foot depths using juglines with perch; crappie good at 12 foot depths in the cedars using minnows and jigs; black bass good on the main lake points using plastic worms and spinnerbaits; white bass and hybrid bass fair using spoons and Sassy Shad; Truman tailwaters: 84 degrees, clear; releasing 500 cfs; catfish fair using shad; white bass and hybrid bass fair early morning and late evening; all other species slow.
RIVERS & STREAMS
MISSOURI: Kansas City area: high, muddy; catfish good using shad sides on trotlines and jug lines; Middle: 83 degrees, rising, muddy; channel catfish good on stinkbaits; all other species slow; Below Iowa line: 82 degrees, normal, dingy; flathead catfish good on worms and sunfish; channel catfish good on worms; blue catfish good on cut baits; carp fair on worms.
GRAND: 78 degrees, falling, muddy; flathead catfish fair; all other species good.
TROUT AREAS: Bennett Spring State Park: 54 degrees, clear; water level near normal; successful lures and baits include: dry flies (No. 18 renegade); jigs (black and yellow); mini-jigs (peacock with yellow eye); glo balls (baby pink); also successful are kapok flies and yellow Power Baits. August fishing hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Maramec Spring Park: 58 degrees, falling, clear; fishing has been good; fish early in the day for best results; late evening has been good as well; white and yellow baits and lures are working well; green rubber legged jigs are working well; trout worms doing well. Aquatic weeds will be cut August 18-21; Montauk State Park: 59 degrees, normal, clear; fishing is good; use light line no heavier than 2-pound test for best results; fishing has been good using various wet flies; inline spinnerbaits, crayfish and creature lures are also producing nice fish; marabou jigs in gray, white, black and black/yellow are good choices; bait fishermen have been doing well using worms, various garlic scented doughbaits, corn and marshmallows; try drift fishing baits beneath a bobber with and without a sinker; August fishing hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Roaring River: 58 degrees, normal, clear; 2-3 pound test line is recommended; plastic eggs, worms and marabou jigs are working well in zone 1; check local fly shops for flies that are working well. The “Back to School Kids’ Fishing Day” will be held on Aug. 16. Lots of trout stocked all day, classes, prizes, and contests. Everything is free for the kids and their families. For current or detailed information call 417-847-2430.
NOTE: Fishing report is from the Missouri Department of Conservation unless otherwise noted. Fishing report does not necessarily reflect current floating conditions. Please check regulations carefully. Special regulations apply to designated portions of water bodies; some baits and lures may not be legal for all portions. For more information about the fishing opportunities in these and other Missouri waters, visit the Missouri Department of Conservation Web site at: www.mdc.mo.gov/fish/. For current Missouri reservoir or river levels, see the Web sites listed below:
Rivers: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/current/?type=flow&group_key=huc_cd
Reservoirs: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/current/?type=lake&group_key=basin_cd
