Missouri Department of Conservation

Statewide Weekly Fishing Report

5/15/2008 at 11:46:17

Attention Fishing Report Subscribers:
Welcome to the 2008 fishing report season!

**PLEASE REMEMBER** IN MOST STREAMS SOUTH OF THE MISSOURI RIVER, BLACK BASS SEASON WILL OPEN 05/24/08, UNTIL THAT DATE ALL BLACK BASS IN THOSE STREAMS MUST BE RETURNED TO THE WATER UNHARMED IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING CAUGHT. FOR DETAILS SEE CHAPTER 6 OF THE WILDLIFE CODE.

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 "2008 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.

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CENTRAL REGION: (573) 882-8388

LAKES

Binder:

63 degrees, normal, dingy; largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits and tube jigs; crappie good on minnows; bluegill good on river worms and crickets; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Lake of the Ozarks (Bagnell Tailwater):

55 degrees, high, dingy; white bass fair on light-colored soft plastics and crappie jigs; crappie fair on crappie jigs; catfish fair on worms and cut shad. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Lake of the Ozarks (Glaize):

59 degrees, high, muddy; black bass fair on dark-colored soft plastics and buzzbaits; white bass slow on light-colored soft plastics; crappie fair on minnows and crappie jigs; catfish slow on worms and chicken livers. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Lake of the Ozarks (Gravois):

59 degrees, high, dingy; crappie fair; black bass fair; white bass slow; catfish good on chicken livers. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Lake of the Ozarks (Niangua):

59 degrees, high, dingy; crappie are done spawning and have retreated to deeper water, fair on jigs on minnows in 10 to 15 feet deep in brush; black bass are beginning to spawn, fair in the back of shallow coves under docks, try throwing gitzits grubs; catfish fair; white bass no report. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Lake of the Ozarks (Osage):

59 degrees, high, dingy; crappie are done spawning and have retreated to deeper water, fair on jigs or minnows in 10 to 15 feet deep in brush; black bass are beginning to spawn, fair in the back of shallow coves under docks on gitzits grubs; catfish fair; white bass no report. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Little Dixie:

59 degrees, normal, dingy; channel catfish good on stinkbaits; crappie good on live minnows and jigs; largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits; bluegill good on worms; all other species slow; area is closed for all activity (including fishing) from 10:00pm to 4:00am. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

RIVERS

Lamine:

56 degrees, falling, muddy; channel catfish and blue catfish fair on earthworms; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Missouri (Middle):

55 degrees, falling, muddy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Osage (lower, at Tuscumbia):

55 degrees, high, dingy; black bass and paddlefish closed; white bass slow but responding on spinnerbaits; crappie slow with some success using minnows; catfish slow, try using cut shad and turkey livers. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

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KANSAS CITY REGION: (816) 655-6254

LAKES

James A. Reed Area:

64 degrees, high, dingy; crappie, largemouth bass and bluegill good; channel catfish and redear sunfish fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/13/2008)

Montrose:

63 degrees, high, muddy; catfish fair; all other species slow; fishing pressure light. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Schell-Osage (Atkinson Lake):

63 degrees, dingy; catfish and crappie good; all other species fair. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Schell-Osage (Schell Lake):

62 degrees, high, dingy; catfish and crappie good; all other species fair. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Smithville:

60 degrees, high, dingy; catfish good on crayfish and nightcrawlers; all other species slow; Smithville Lake Spillway: all species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Truman:

62 degrees, high, dingy; catfish good using shad; crappie fair using jigs and minnows; white bass and hybrid bass fair using jigs and spoons; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Truman Tailwaters:

62 degrees, dingy; releasing 30,000 cfs; catfish good using shad; crappie good using jigs and minnows; white bass good using jigs; black bass fair using plastic worms. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

RIVERS

Missouri River:

high, muddy; catfish good on nightcrawlers. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

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NORTHEAST REGION: (660) 785-2424

LAKES

Hunnewell:

64 degrees, normal, clear; channel catfish fair on shad raps and stinkbaits; largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and Rapalas; crappie fair on marabou jigs; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Long Branch:

62 degrees, high, muddy; largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits; channel catfish fair on nightcrawlers and stinkbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Mark Twain:

64 degrees, high, dingy; crappie fair on jigs and minnows at a depth of 6 to 10 feet; largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits; channel catfish are good on setlines; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Sever:

64 degrees, high, dingy; largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits; channel catfish fair on nightcrawlers; bluegill fair on nightcrawlers and jigs; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Thomas Hill:

65 degrees, high, muddy; channel catfish fair on nightcrawlers and stinkbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

RIVERS

Mississippi (above St. Louis):

58 degrees, high, muddy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Salt (below Mark Twain):

63 degrees, high, muddy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

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NORTHWEST REGION: (816) 271-3111

LAKES

Bilby Ranch Lake:

54 degrees, normal, dingy; crappie good on or near banks and largemouth bass are in shallow coves all other species good. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Mozingo:

54 degrees, normal, dingy; channel catfish, crappie, black bass and bluegill good. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Paho:

62 degrees, high, dingy; channel catfish good; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Pony Express:

60 degrees, normal, dingy; largemouth bass and bluegill spawning actively in shallows on warm days; crappie is good on small jigs; channel catfish biting best at inflows to lake and catfishing is good overall. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

RIVERS

Grand:

62 degrees, high, muddy; channel catfish good; blue catfish and flathead catfish fair; all other species good. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Missouri (below Iowa line):

55 degrees, high, muddy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

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OZARK REGION: (417) 255-9561

LAKES

Bull Shoals (East):

64 degrees, high, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Norfork:

64 degrees, high, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

RIVERS

Big Piney (lower, Pulaski Co.):

61 degrees, normal, dingy; goggle-eye and smallmouth bass good on soft plastic lures and jigs. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Big Piney (Upper):

61 degrees, normal, clear; black bass and goggle-eye good on soft plastic lures and live baits. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Bryant Creek:

64 degrees, normal, clear; goggle-eye fair on soft plastic lures; all other species slow. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Current:

67 degrees, high, clear; smallmouth bass and goggle-eye good on jigs; all other species slow. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Eleven Point:

58 degrees, normal, clear; all species fair. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Gasconade (middle, Pulaski Co.):

62 degrees, normal, dingy; goggle-eye and smallmouth bass good on soft plastic lures and jigs; suckers and drum good on nightcrawlers. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Gasconade (upper):

60 degrees, high, dingy; goggle-eye and sunfish good on small grubs and live baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

Jack's Fork:

60 degrees, normal, clear; smallmouth bass and goggle-eye fair on soft plastic lures. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

North Fork:

59 degrees, normal, clear; goggle-eye good on soft plastic lures; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/14/2008)

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SOUTHEAST REGION: (573) 290-5858

LAKES

Clearwater Lake:

70 degrees, high, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Council Bluff:

66 degrees, high, clear; black bass fair on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Rapalas; channel catfish fair on cut baits and nightcrawlers; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Cypress Lake:

67 degrees, clear; bluegill excellent on worms, crickets and small spinnerbaits; black bass good on spinnerbaits and worms; channel catfish fair on cut baits and nightcrawlers; crappie slow on minnows and jigs. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Duck Creek:

67 degrees, dingy; bluegill fair on crickets and jigs; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Lake Girardeau:

63 degrees, clear; bluegill fair on crickets; black bass fair on topwater lures; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Perry County Lake:

62 degrees, clear; crappie fair on jigs; bluegill fair on worms and jigs. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Robert DeLaney Lake:

crappie good on minnows and jigs around structures; bluegill good on waxworms and jigs; channel catfish fair on natural baits and stinkbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Wappapello:

bluegill good on crickets; black bass fair on crankbaits and plastic worms; crappie fair on minnows and jigs in the spillway; channel catfish fair on live baits and nightcrawlers; white bass slow. Note: The annual boat races will take place on May 17 and 18 in the Redman Creek area; this boat ramp will be closed during the races (Report made on 5/15/2008)

RIVERS

Black River (near Annapolis):

62 degrees, high, dingy; all species slow. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Castor River (above Zalma):

high, muddy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Mississippi (below Charleston):

all species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

St. Francis (above Wappapello):

high, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

St. Francis (below Wappapello):

66 degrees, high, channel catfish fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

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SOUTHWEST REGION: (417) 895-6881

LAKES

Bull Shoals (West):

61 degrees, high, clear; water levels extremely high; black bass fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits; walleye fair on minnows and Rapalas; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Lake Taneycomo:

48 degrees, high, dingy; upper lake: trout good on olive and white marabou jigs, and purple Rapalas and Rogues; lower lake: trout good on orange and chartreuse Power Bait, and chartreuse Rooster Tails. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Pomme de Terre:

68 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits; white bass fair on spinnerbaits and jigs in upper portion of lake; catfish good on nightcrawlers and cut baits; crappie fair on minnows and jigs over structure; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Stockton:

63 degrees, high, dingy; crappie good on small crankbaits, Roadrunners and curly tail grubs; catfish fair on nightcrawlers or shad; black bass fair on spinnerbaits and plastic worms; walleye fair on jerkbaits and crankbaits. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Table Rock (James River arm):

63 degrees, high, dingy; catfish good on nightcrawlers and shad, catfish can be caught on reel and line and trotlines, bait trotlines with live sunfish to catch large flathead catfish; black bass good on large crankbaits or spinner baits; walleye good on large crankbaits that dive at least 15 feet. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Table Rock (main lake):

60 degrees, high, dingy; water levels 15 feet high; black bass good on large crankbaits or spinner baits, cast over gravel points at least 15 feet deep; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

RIVERS

Big Niangua:

60 degrees, high, dingy; All species fair. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

James River (lower):

65 degrees, normal, clear; goggle-eye good on brown and green soft plastics or crawdads; small mouth bass fair; all other species fair. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

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ST. LOUIS REGION: (636) 300-1953

LAKES

Busch Memorial Conservation Area Lake 33:

68 degrees, high, muddy; channel catfish good on prepared baits and shrimp; black bass good on crankbaits and soft plastics; bluegill good on mealworms; crappie good on jigs; carp fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Busch Memorial Conservation Area Lakes 3, 4, 5, 7, and 24:

68 degrees, high, muddy; catfish good on prepared baits and shrimp; catfish limit: 4; please remove litter. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

RIVERS

Big River:

58 degrees, rising, muddy; channel catfish fair on worms and liver; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Bourbeuse (middle, lower, Franklin Co.):

61 degrees, high, muddy; channel catfish fair on worms and bloodbaits; all other species slow on worms. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Meramec (above Sullivan, Crawford Co.):

56 degrees, rising, muddy; all species slow; 1.5 inches of rain last night, the river will be up again and fishing will be poor through the weekend; if no more rain occurs, it will be back in shape for the beginning of next week. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Meramec (below Eureka):

57 degrees, high, muddy; all species slow. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Missouri (below New Haven):

56 degrees, high, muddy; channel catfish fair on worms and cut baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

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TROUT PARKS:

Bennett Spring State Park:

54 degrees, high, dingy; water level is back up to about 5 inches above normal due to recent rains; flow is strong; successful lures and baits include: jigs (orange & white, black & yellow); mini-jigs (white floss and John Deere); glo-balls (any bright 3 color); other successful lures Rooster Tails in bright colors, and hot pink brassies; Power Baits (white and yellow colors) all fished deep; May Fishing hours are 6:30am to 8:15pm. For current streamflow information check the streamflow gauge provided by USGS and DNR: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/uv/?site_no=06923500&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060 (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Maramec Spring Park:

58 degrees, normal, dingy; fishing has been good; white has been a good color this week; fish size has increased considerably; try using scented baits and bright colors; May fishing hours: 6:30am to 8:15pm. Kid's Fishing Day is May 17th; upper half of springbranch is for kid's fishing only. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Montauk State Park:

57 degrees, normal, clear; fishing has been good; fly and lure fishermen have been catching fish on various wet flies, spinners and crawdad lures; try black, yellow, white, and green marabou jigs for best results; bait fishermen have been doing well with natural baits such as corn, worms, garlic scented doughbaits, and brown Power Bait, try Power Bait fished beneath a bobber. May fishing hours are 6:30am to 8:15pm. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

Roaring River State Park:

56 degrees, falling, dingy; river is down to near normal levels; water is more clear and visibility is more than 4 feet; 4 lb test line should work well; fishing is good with a little extra weight on the line; plastic eggs and worms are working well in zone 1; check local fly shops for flies that are working well; for current streamflow information check the real time streamflow gauge provided by USGS and DNR: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/uv/?site_no=07050152&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060 Kids' Fishing Day is May 17. Good weather is predicted. Everything is free. There will be over 30 outdoor eductional classes. Prizes will be given to kids who attend classes. There will be contests. Hotdogs, soda, chips to kids and their families 11:00am to 1:00pm. Lots of fish will be stocked all day. (Report made on 5/15/2008)

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