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The Statewide Weekly Fishing report is published from the first Thursday
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It is not updated between October
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The Statewide Weekly Fishing Report gives general fishing conditions at selected lakes, rivers, and trout parks across Missouri.
Water Levels
The fishing report does not necessarily reflect current floating conditions. Get current Missouri reservoir or river levels from the US Geological Survey.
Statewide Weekly Fishing Report
5/7/2008 at 16:32:51
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.
CENTRAL REGION: (573) 882-8388
LAKES
Binder:
62 degrees, normal, dingy; largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits; crappie good on minnows and jigs; bluegill fair on river worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Lake of the Ozarks (Bagnell Tailwater):
52 degrees, high, dingy; white bass good on light-colored soft plastics and crappie jigs; crappie good on crappie jigs; catfish slow on worms and cut shad. (Report made on 5/6/2008)
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 (chartreuse/white, chartreuse/black or blue/clear); catfish slow on worms and chicken livers. (Report made on 5/6/2008)
Lake of the Ozarks (Gravois):
59 degrees, high, dingy; crappie good on jigs about 5 to 10 feet off the bank, if the weather stays good, we will see great crappie fishing; black bass fair; white bass slow; catfish good on chicken liver. (Report made on 5/6/2008)
Lake of the Ozarks (Niangua):
63 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair on Carolina rigs on secondary points; crappie good off banks in early afternoon using chartreuse or white jigs; catfish slow with some success using stinkbaits. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Lake of the Ozarks (Osage):
63 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair on Carolina rigs on secondary points; crappie good off banks in early afternoon using chartreuse or white jigs; catfish slow with some success using stinkbaits. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Little Dixie:
58 degrees, normal, dingy; channel catfish good on stinkbait; crappie fair on live minnows & jigs; all other species slow; area is closed for all activity (including fishing) from 10:00pm to 4:00am. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
RIVERS
Lamine:
60 degrees, rising, muddy; channel catfish and blue catfish good on nightcrawlers and chicken livers; largemouth bass fair on earthworms; all other species fair. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Missouri (Middle):
59 degrees, falling, muddy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Osage (lower, at Tuscumbia):
52 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 5/6/2008)
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 5/7/2008)
Montrose:
64 degrees, dingy; catfish good; black bass and crappie fair; fishing pressure light. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Schell-Osage (Atkinson Lake):
65 degrees, dingy; crappie and catfish good; all other species fair. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Schell-Osage (Schell Lake):
66 degrees, dingy; crappie and catfish good; all other species fair. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Smithville:
58 degrees, high, dingy; catfish good on shad sides and nightcrawlers; crappie good using jigs in 1 to 2 feet of water; largemouth bass good on crankbaits and other plastic baits in 2 feet of water; all other species slow; Smithville Lake Spillway: all species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Truman:
60 degrees, high, dingy; catfish good using shad; crappie good near the banks using jigs; black bass good in coves at 3 to 5 feet of water using plastic worms; catfish good using cut shad. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Truman Tailwaters:
60 degrees, high, dingy; releasing 31,000 cfs; all species good. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
RIVERS
Missouri River:
high, muddy; catfish good on nightcrawlers, goldfish, bluegill and shad. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
NORTHEAST REGION: (660) 785-2424
LAKES
Hunnewell:
72 degrees, normal, clear; channel catfish fair on cheese baits; bluegill fair on nightcrawlers; largemouth bass fair on Rapalas; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Long Branch:
61 degrees, high, muddy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Mark Twain:
57 degrees, high, muddy; channel catfish good on nightcrawlers and stinkbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Sever:
64 degrees, high, dingy; largemouth bass good on spinnerbaits and jerkbaits; channel catfish fair on nightcrawlers; crappie good on jigs and minnows; bluegill good on nightcrawlers and jigs; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Thomas Hill:
62 degrees, high, muddy; channel catfish fair on nightcrawlers and stinkbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
RIVERS
Mississippi (above St. Louis):
56 degrees, high, muddy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Salt (below Mark Twain):
62 degrees, high, muddy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
NORTHWEST REGION: (816) 271-3111
LAKES
Bilby Ranch Lake:
60 degrees, normal, dingy; crappie good in wood near brush piles, bass good in shallow coves; bluegill good and walleye good on rock piles. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Mozingo:
60 degrees, normal, dingy; crappie excellent on the banks in 2 feet of water, walleye good off channel near structure. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Paho:
60 degrees, high, dingy; channel catfish good; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Pony Express:
64 degrees, normal, dingy; crappie and black bass are fair on minnows and jigs; bluegill fair on worms; muskie have been spotted in the extreme shallow portions of the lake; all other species are slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
RIVERS
Grand:
61 degrees, high, muddy; channel catfish good; blue catfish and flathead catfish fair; all other species good. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Missouri (below Iowa line):
53 degrees, high, muddy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
OZARK REGION: (417) 255-9561
LAKES
Bull Shoals (East):
64 degrees, high, dingy; catfish good on limb lines; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Norfork:
66 degrees, high, dingy; catfish good on limb lines; white bass fair on Swimming Minnows; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
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 5/7/2008)
Big Piney (Upper):
62 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 5/7/2008)
Bryant Creek:
63 degrees, high, dingy; smallmouth bass and goggle-eye fair on soft plastic lures. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Current:
67 degrees, high, clear; smallmouth bass and goggle-eye good on jigs. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Eleven Point:
57 degrees, normal, clear; all species fair. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
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 5/7/2008)
Gasconade (upper):
59 degrees, high, dingy; goggle-eye and sunfish good on small grubs and live baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
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 5/7/2008)
North Fork:
61 degrees, high, clear; goggle-eye good on soft plastic lures; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
SOUTHEAST REGION: (573) 290-5858
LAKES
Clearwater Lake:
70 degrees, high, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Council Bluff:
65 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 5/7/2008)
Cypress Lake:
68 degrees, normal, clear; black bass good on spinnerbaits and worms; bluegill good on crickets and small spinnerbaits; channel catfish fair on cut baits and nightcrawlers; crappie slow on minnows and jigs. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Duck Creek:
67 degrees, clear; bluegill fair on crickets and jigs; crappie slow on crickets; aquatic vegetation is increasing. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Lake Girardeau:
64 degrees, clear; bluegill fair on crickets; largemouth bass fair on topwater lures; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Perry County Lake:
61 degrees, normal, clear; channel catfish fair on worms; crappie fair on jigs; bluegill fair. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
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 5/7/2008)
Wappapello:
black bass fair on crankbaits and plastic worms; crappie fair on minnows and jigs; bluegill fair on crickets; channel catfish fair on live bait and nightcrawlers; white bass slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
RIVERS
Black River (near Annapolis):
62 degrees, clear; smallmouth bass fair on live minnows and tube baits. Water level normal above K bridge; water level high below K bridge. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Castor River (above Zalma):
63 degrees, normal, clear; all species good. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Mississippi (below Charleston):
all species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
St. Francis (above Wappapello):
normal, clear; goggle-eye and other sunfish good on small minnows, worms and small spinnerbaits; channel and flathead catfish good in deep holes on large minnows and nightcrawlers; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
St. Francis (below Wappapello):
No report available.
SOUTHWEST REGION: (417) 895-6881
LAKES
Bull Shoals (West):
57 degrees, high, clear; water levels extremely high; black bass fair on spinnerbaits and crankbaits; walleye fair on jerkbaits and minnows; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Lake Taneycomo:
47 degrees, high, dingy; upper lake: trout good on olive and white marabou jigs and chrome and black, purple Rapalas and Rogues; lower lake: trout good on orange and chartreuse Power Bait, corn, marabou jigs and chartreuse Rooster Tails. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Pomme de Terre:
67 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair on crankbaits and spinnerbaits; white bass fair on spinnerbaits and jigs in upper portion of lake; catfish fair on nightcrawlers and cut baits; crappie fair on minnows and jigs over structure; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Stockton:
65 degrees, high, muddy; catfish fair on nightcrawlers or cut shad; black bass fair on spinnerbaits and jigs; crappie fair on spinners and jigs. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Table Rock (James River arm):
61 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; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Table Rock (main lake):
57 degrees, high, dingy; water levels 15 feet high; all species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
RIVERS
Big Niangua:
60 degrees, rising, clear; smallmouth bass good on soft plastics; trout good. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
James River (lower):
58 degrees, normal, clear; goggle-eye good on soft plastics and crawdads; all other species fair. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
ST. LOUIS REGION: (636) 300-1953
LAKES
Busch Memorial Conservation Area Lake 33:
high, muddy; black bass fair; bluegill fair on worms; crappie good on bright colored jigs at dusk; carp fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Busch Memorial Conservation Area Lakes 3, 4, 5, 7, and 24:
high, muddy; catfish good on worms; catfish limit: 4; please remove litter. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
RIVERS
Big River:
falling, dingy; crappie good on small worms and minnows at dams. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Bourbeuse (middle, lower, Franklin Co.):
61 degrees, normal, dingy; black bass fair on minnows and spinners; bluegill fair on worms and crickets; channel catfish fair on worms and cut bait; crappie fair on minnows and jigs; all other species slow on worms. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Meramec (above Sullivan, Crawford Co.):
rising, muddy; all species slow. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Meramec (below Eureka):
high, clear; black bass good on crankbaits and plastic worms; channel catfish good on cut baits and live bait; carp good on doughbaits and corn; drum good on worms. NOTE: black bass are catch and release only until May 24. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Missouri (below New Haven):
falling, muddy; channel catfish fair on worms and cut bait; crappie fair on minnows. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
TROUT PARKS:
Bennett Spring State Park:
54 degrees, falling, clear; water level is almost back to normal; successful lures and baits include: jigs (red & white, black & yellow), mini-jigs (bedspread and John Deere), glo-balls (Easter egg 3-color, anything with pink), other lures; Rooster Tails in bright colors and Power Baits (orange glitter, and yellow glitter 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 5/6/2008)
Maramec Spring Park:
58 degrees, stream is getting back to normal; water is still a little dingy and has a slightly greenish cast; fishing has been good; try using scented baits and bright colors; May fishing hours: 6:30am to 8:15pm. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Montauk State Park:
57 degrees, normal, clear; fishing has been good; 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; 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. May fishing hours are 6:30am to 8:15pm. (Report made on 5/7/2008)
Roaring River State Park:
56 degrees, falling, dingy; river is down to near normal levels; 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; rain is predicted over the next few days so 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 (Report made on 5/7/2008)
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