Missouri Fishing Report

9/20/2007 at 11:52:27 The fishing report does not necessarily reflect current floating conditions. For current Missouri reservoir or river levels see the websites 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 For more information about the fishing opportunities in these and other Missouri waters, consult the "2007 Fishing Prospects at Selected Missouri Lakes and Streams" available at: www.mdc.mo.gov/fish/prospects/ PLEASE CHECK REGULATIONS CAREFULLY: Special regulations apply to designated portions of water bodies; some baits and lures may not be legal for all portions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CENTRAL REGION: (573) 882-8388 LAKES Binder: 81 degrees, low, clear; largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits and plastic worms; bluegill fair on river worms and crickets; channel catfish good on livers and stinkbaits; crappie fair on jigs; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Lake of the Ozarks (Bagnell Tailwater): 78 degrees, dingy; black bass fair on worms and plastic worms; white bass slow but some success on light-colored soft plastics and light-colored Rooster Tails; crappie fair on minnows and crappie jigs; catfish fair on cut shad, shad guts and chicken livers. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Lake of the Ozarks (Glaize): 80 degrees, dingy; black bass fair on plastic worms and crankbaits; white bass slow but some success on light-colored soft plastics and light-colored Rooster Tails; crappie fair on minnows and crappie jigs; catfish fair on hotdogs, worms, cut shad, shad guts or stinkbaits. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Lake of the Ozarks (Gravois): 80 degrees, normal, dingy; catfish good; crappie fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Lake of the Ozarks (Niangua): 80 degrees, normal, muddy; black bass good on crankbaits and spinnerbaits; crappie good off docks in 8 to 10 feet of water; catfish good on cut shad while drifting. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Lake of the Ozarks (Osage): 80 degrees, dingy; black bass good on crankbaits and spinnerbaits off points; crappie good off docks in 8 to 10 feet of water; catfish good on cut shad while drifting. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Little Dixie: 82 degrees, low, dingy; channel catfish good on livers and stinkbaits; bluegill good on crickets and worms; all other species slow. Area closed 10PM-4AM. (Report made on 9/19/2007) RIVERS Lamine: 82 degrees, falling, muddy; channel catfish fair on livers and stinkbaits; largemouth bass fair on plastic worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Missouri (Middle): 81 degrees, falling, muddy; flathead catfish fair on live baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Osage (lower, at Tuscumbia): 78 degrees, high, dingy; crappie good on minnows; catfish good on cut shad; white bass good at high flows using silver and yellow spinnerbaits; black bass fair. (Report made on 9/20/2007) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- KANSAS CITY REGION: (816) 655-6254 LAKES James A. Reed Area: 76 degrees, low, clear; channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass good; bluegill and redear sunfish fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Montrose: 82 degrees, clear; bass fair; catfish fair; crappie slow; fishing pressure moderate. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Schell-Osage (Atkinson Lake): 82 degrees, clear; catfish and black bass fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Schell-Osage (Schell Lake): 82 degrees, clear; catfish fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Smithville: 74 degrees, low, clear; crappie good on minnows, jigs and Pepper Spoons 8 feet down in main lake brush and trees along the channels; largemouth bass fair on plastic frogs and buzzbaits over the flooded grass early and on Senkos, jig & pig, plastic worms and Brush Hogs along laydowns and in the brush; catfish good on stinkbaits off the main lake points and back of coves using trotlines; walleye fair using deep diving crankbaits or jigs tipped with live bait on the flats; white bass fair using jigging spoons off the main lake points, also look for the fish breaking the surface in the early morning and late evenings; Smithville Lake Spillway: all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Truman: 82 degrees, high, clear; crappie fair using jigs and minnows; catfish fair using shad; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Truman Tailwaters: 82 degrees, clear; white bass fair; catfish fair using cut shad; crappie slow; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/19/2007) RIVERS Missouri River: all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHEAST REGION: (660) 785-2424 LAKES Hunnewell: 70 degrees, low, clear; largemouth bass fair on crankbaits; crappie and bluegill fair on Little Cleos; channel catfish fair on Power Baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Long Branch: 75 degrees, low, dingy; channel catfish fair on prepared baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Mark Twain: 75 degrees, normal, clear; largemouth bass good on lures; channel catfish good on nightcrawlers; crappie fair on minnows and Crappie Nibbles in deeper water; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Sever: 74 degrees, normal, clear; bluegill good on nightcrawlers; channel catfish fair on nightcrawlers and stinkbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Thomas Hill: 76 degrees, dingy; crappie good on minnows in deeper water; channel catfish fair on nightcrawlers; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) RIVERS Mississippi (above St. Louis): 74 degrees, normal, muddy; channel catfish good on liver, nightcrawlers and stinkbaits; drum good on nightcrawlers; flathead catfish fair on live baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Salt (below Mark Twain): 71 degrees, low, clear; channel catfish fair on stinkbaits; bluegill good on nightcrawlers; smallmouth bass good on small plastic worms, spinnerbaits and crayfish imitations around rock bluffs; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHWEST REGION: (816) 271-3111 LAKES Bilby Ranch Lake: 73 degrees, normal, clear; catfish, bass and crappie good; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Mozingo: 73 degrees, normal, clear; channel catfish, crappie, bluegill, walleye and black bass good. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Paho: 70 degrees, falling, dingy; crappie and catfish good; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Pony Express: 74 degrees, normal, dingy; largemouth bass good in submerged brush; catfish fair on cut and prepared baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) RIVERS Grand: 81 degrees, falling, clear; all species good. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Missouri (below Iowa line): 76 degrees, high, clear; flathead catfish good on live baits; channel catfish good on worms; blue catfish good on cut baits; carp fair on worms and corn. (Report made on 9/20/2007) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OZARK REGION: (417) 255-9561 LAKES Bull Shoals (East): 78 degrees, normal, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Norfork: 78 degrees, low, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) RIVERS Big Piney (lower, Pulaski Co.): 70 degrees, normal, dingy; black bass good on jigs; goggle-eye fair on soft plastic grubs and jigs; gigging for non-game species fair. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Big Piney (Upper): 72 degrees, low, clear; all species slow; extensive aquatic vegetation. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Bryant Creek: 74 degrees, low, dingy; smallmouth bass and goggle-eye fair on soft plastics; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Current: 77 degrees, normal, clear; smallmouth bass good on soft plastics; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Eleven Point: 62 degrees, low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Gasconade (middle, Pulaski Co.): 72 degrees, high, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Gasconade (upper): 70 degrees, high, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Jacks Fork: 77 degrees, normal, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) North Fork: 64 degrees, low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHEAST REGION: (573) 290-5858 LAKES Clearwater Lake: 84 degrees, normal, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Council Bluff: 83 degrees, normal, clear; channel catfish good on livers and worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Cypress Lake: dingy; black bass fair in the afternoon; all other species slow. During teal season September 8-23 fishing will be closed until 1:00 PM every day. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Duck Creek: 76 degrees, clear; black bass good on topwater lures; bluegill fair on crickets. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Lake Girardeau: 83 degrees, normal, clear; largemouth bass good on topwater lures; channel catfish good on chicken livers; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Perry County Lake: 84 degrees, low, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Robert DeLaney Lake: normal, channel catfish fair on natural baits and stinkbaits. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Wappapello: 73 degrees, black bass fair on plastic worms; crappie fair on minnows and jigs; bluegill fair on crickets and worms; channel catfish fair on live baits and nightcrawlers; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) RIVERS Black River (near Annapolis): 78 degrees, normal, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Castor River (above Zalma): low, clear; all species good. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Mississippi (below Charleston): normal, channel catfish fair on natural bait; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) St. Francis (above Wappapello): normal, clear; black bass fair on topwater lures; goggle-eye fair on small spinnerbaits; green sunfish fair on crickets and worms; channel catfish slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) St. Francis (below Wappapello): low, dingy; flathead catfish good on live baits; channel catfish good on worms and cut baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHWEST REGION: (417) 895-6881 LAKES Bull Shoals (West): 77-81 degrees, normal, clear; black bass good on jigs, nightcrawlers and soft plastics; catfish fair on nightcrawlers; walleye fair on nightcrawlers; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Lake Taneycomo: 55 degrees, normal, clear; upper lake (Dam-Fall Creek): rainbow trout fair on olive and white colored marabou jigs; brown trout fair on Wooly Buggers and Rapalas at night; lower lake (Fall Creek-Powersite): rainbow trout fair on orange and chartreuse colored Power Bait; brown trout fair on nightcrawlers; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Pomme de Terre: 77 degrees, normal, clear; catfish and crappie good; black bass and white bass fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2007) Stockton: 80 degrees, high, clear; white bass good on shad; crappie fair on brush piles in 12-15 feet of water; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Table Rock (James River arm): 82 degrees, normal, dingy; black bass fair on large minnows or nightcrawlers, try fishing around docks or brush piles along the bank, if night fishing try using a black or watermelon green plastic worm; catfish fair on stinkbaits and chicken livers, try fishing the mouth of a large cove with nightcrawlers; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Table Rock (main lake): 79 degrees, low, clear; black bass fair on soft plastic baits and spoons; bluegill fair on live baits. (Report made on 9/20/2007) RIVERS Big Niangua: 76 degrees, normal, clear; goggle-eye and smallmouth bass good; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/19/2007) James River (lower): 82 degrees, normal, clear; smallmouth bass good on brown and watermelon colored soft plastics; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/20/2007) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ST. LOUIS REGION: (636) 300-1953 LAKES Busch Memorial Conservation Area Lake 33: 77 degrees, low, dingy; largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and soft plastics; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Busch Memorial Conservation Area Lakes 3, 4, 5, 7, and 24: 77 degrees, low, dingy; catfish good on prepared baits; catfish limit: 4; please remove litter. (Report made on 9/20/2007) RIVERS Big River: 71 degrees, high, muddy; bluegill good on crickets and worms; smallmouth bass fair on crankbaits and minnows; channel catfish fair on livers and worms; flathead catfish fair on live bluegill 4-5 inches long. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Bourbeuse (middle, lower, Franklin Co.): 71 degrees, normal, dingy; bluegill fair on crickets and worms; black bass fair on minnows and spinnerbaits; channel catfish good on nightcrawlers, blood baits and cut baits; all other species fair but some success on worms. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Meramec (above Sullivan, Crawford Co.): 71 degrees, rising, muddy; channel catfish fair on minnows; black bass fair on plastic worms and minnows; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Meramec (below Eureka): 71 degrees, rising, dingy; carp fair on doughbaits and corn; drum fair on worms; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Missouri (below New Haven): 78 degrees, normal, muddy; catfish fair on natural baits; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/20/2007) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TROUT PARKS: Bennett Spring State Park: 56 degrees, normal, clear; fishing is good; successful lures are: marabou jigs (black and yellow and white), mini-jigs (white floss and John Deere); glo balls (easter egg 3 color and peppermint); dry flies: cracklebacks and renegades; other successful lures are white brassies and wooly buggers with spinners; zone 3: white Power Bait and yellow Power Bait. Bennett Spring experienced a flood event on August 20, 2007. This event caused some minor fish loss. However, it will not affect stocking at Bennett Spring for the remainder of the year or next year. MDCs cold water hatchery system was able to cover the limited mortality associated with this event. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Maramec Spring Park: 58 degrees, stream is normal and slightly off-color; fishing has been productive throughout the overcast days; fish early mornings or late evening for best results; brown floating doughbaits are most effective during early hours; try Rooster Tails with 2 pound test leader later in the day; other lures to try include marabou jigs, small plastic orange or lime green worms, chartreuse jigs and scented glo balls. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Montauk State Park: 59 degrees, falling, clear; fishing is good; 2 lb. test line or less is recommended; in the flies only area: midges, brassies and other small flies are doing well throughout the day; marabou and mini jigs are good choices, colors to try are white, black/yellow, green and brown; in the natural and artificial bait area: doughbaits in pink, yellow, orange and white and garlic scented are producing good numbers of fish. (Report made on 9/20/2007) Roaring River State Park: 58 degrees, falling, clear; water flow has decreased since last week; 2 lb. test line is recommended; trout are striking on marabou jigs (1/32) in olive, black/yellow, brown and white; plastic power eggs in brown, white, and yellow; plastic worms in cheese yellow, white, orange, and chartreuse; and Rooster Tails in black, skunk, brown, and olive; check locally to see what flies work best; for more information on current fishing conditions call 417-847-2430. (Report made on 9/20/2007)