AREA FISHING REPORT FOR JULY 5
LAKES
BLUE SPRINGS LAKE: 77 degrees, clearing, normal; crappie fair on minnows, jigs near timber; bluegill fair on crickets; channel catfish fair on worms, liver; bass fair on plastic worms (report provided by Blue Springs Lake Marina, 795-1112).
JAMES A. REED AREA: 82 degrees, clear; largemouth bass, bluegill and redear sunfish good; channel catfish fair; all other species slow.
LAKE JACOMO: 76 degrees, clear, slightly high; channel catfish fair on liver, shad near points; crappie fair on minnows, jigs in brush; bluegill good on crickets; bass fair (report provided by Lake Jacomo Marina, 795-8888).
LAKE OF THE OZARKS: Bagnell Tailwater: 79 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair on worms and dark-colored soft plastics; white bass slow on light-colored soft plastics and crappie jigs; crappie fair on minnows and crappie jigs; catfish fair on cut shad, stinkbaits and shrimp; Glaize: 81 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair on dark-colored soft plastics and buzzbaits; white bass slow on light-colored soft plastics; crappie fair on crappie jigs and minnows; catfish fair on worms, stinkbaits and cut shad; Gravois: 81 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair; white bass slow; crappie slow; catfish fair in the evening on shad sides; Niangua: 81 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair at night on 10 inch black Power Worms; crappie good on minnows in 10 to 15 feet of water in brush; catfish good using cut shad and chicken livers; Osage: 81 degrees, high, dingy; black bass good at night using 10 inch black Power Worms; crappie good on minnows in 10 to 15 feet depth in brush; catfish good on cut shad and chicken livers.
LONGVIEW LAKE: 78 degrees, 20 inches of clarity, near normal; crappie good (but small) on minnows, jigs off marina docks; channel catfish fair on worms, chicken livers off marina docks; bass fair on plastic worms (report provided by Longview Lake Marina, 966-0131).
SMITHVILLE: 75 degrees, normal, dingy; largemouth bass fair using Carolina-rigged Brush Hogs, plastic lizards and plastic worms in the flooded vegetation; walleye fair using minnows, worms, leeches and crankbaits along the points and flats; white bass fair using Pepper spoons, jigs and minnows along main lake humps, along dam and Trimble Dam; catfish fair using shad sides and nightcrawlers in the shallows; crappie fair using minnows and jigs in the brush piles; Smithville Lake Spillway: all species good.
TRUMAN: 78 degrees, high, muddy; black bass good using topwater lures off main points and secondary flats at three to five feet depths; crappie fair using minnows and jigs at 20 feet depth; white bass and hybrid bass fair using spoons and Sassy Shad; all other species slow; Truman tailwaters: 78 degrees, dingy; releasing 31,000 cfs; catfish fair; all other species slow.
RIVERS & STREAMS
MISSOURI: Kansas City area: high, muddy; fair for all species; Middle: 69 degrees, muddy; river at flood stage but falling; substantial debris floating in water; all species slow; Below Iowa line: 71 degrees, high, muddy; all species slow.
GRAND: 67 degrees, falling, muddy; channel catfish and blue catfish good; flathead catfish fair; all other species good.
TROUT AREAS: Bennett Spring: 54 degrees, clear; 5 inches above normal; successful lures and baits include: dry flies (No. 12 crackleback and renegade); jigs (ginger, black & yellow); mini-jigs (white floss and John Deere); glo balls (flame w/ cheese dot and peppermint); also successful are Rooster Tails, kapok flies and white Power Baits and white plastic worms; July fishing hours are 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Maramec Spring: 58 degrees, falling, clear; fishing has been good; fish size has increased considerably; water is going down and clearing; white and yellow baits and lures are working well; July fishing hours are 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Montauk: 58 degrees, falling, clear; fishing has been good, use light line no heavier than 2 pound test for best results; fishing has been good on various wet flies, inline spinnerbaits and crayfish lures; try gray, white, brown, green/yellow, and black/yellow marabou jigs for best results; check at the lodge for up-to-date fishing information and for good fly choices; bait fishermen have been doing well using corn, worms and garlic scented doughbaits; try Power Baits fished beneath a bobber or drifted without a sinker; July fishing hours are 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Roaring River: 57 degrees, normal, dingy; water is clearing; 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. 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
