Truman Lake

Truman Lake should continue providing good fishing opportunities in 2026 for a wide range of species. Crappie anglers should find good success again this year. Recent results show a strong group of 6- to 8-inch white crappie entering the population from a good 2024 spawn and these fish should start to exceed 9 inches in 2026. Overall numbers of white crappie appear slightly lower than in recent years, there are still solid numbers of fish 10 inches and larger available throughout the lake. White crappie remain the dominant species in the upper, more turbid portions of the reservoir, while clearer areas in the lower lake and the Pomme de Terre and Tebo arms still support a higher proportion of black crappie. Black crappie are down from recent years, likely due to several years without high-water conditions that typically lead to strong spawning success. Anglers should expect traditional seasonal patterns, with spring bringing crappie shallow into pockets and gravel banks where both boat and bank anglers can catch fish on jigs or minnows. During summer, fish can be found on standing timber, brush piles, and bluff edges near creek channels, and minnows may perform better as water warms. In fall and winter, crappie begin gathering deeper along channel edges and timber before forming large schools in midwinter, creating one of the most reliable and productive times of year to catch high numbers of fish. Brush piles and standing timber continue to provide dependable structure throughout the year, and habitat work remains a major emphasis. A multi-year brush-pile project that began in 2025 will continue through 2027, adding a large number of new brush piles across the reservoir. Maps will be updated periodically as new structures are added (https://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/where-fish).

Fishing for catfish should remain excellent across the lake, with opportunities for blue catfish, channel catfish, and flathead catfish in many locations. Blue catfish in particular are abundant, and in recent years increasing numbers of smaller fish under 15 inches have been observed, likely originating from a productive 2019 year class. Large numbers of smaller fish have resulted in slower growth, so anglers are encouraged to harvest smaller blue catfish under 20 inches when they catch them to help improve growth. Blue catfish can be caught in a wide variety of areas throughout the year, from deep bends and channel holes during cold weather to flats, humps, and channel edges in warmer months, with fish often moving into flooded areas and vegetation during high-water periods. Channel catfish continue to provide good action on worms and prepared baits, and flatheads remain a favorite among anglers who use live bait to target them in timbered flats, creek channels, and old fencerows in the upper reservoir.

The outlook for hybrid striped bass remains strong going into 2026. Several successful year classes since 2019 are now contributing large numbers of fish that have reached the low to mid 20-inch range. These fish follow predictable seasonal patterns, often showing on humps and flats during the summer and then shifting wind blow coves in the fall as they feed heavily on shad. White bass follow many of the same seasonal movements, and both species are commonly found on humps, points, and flats chasing bait. They can often be located during periods of water release from Truman Dam as current tends to position fish on predictable structure. Throughout warmer months, hybrids and white bass frequently chase shad near the surface, creating fast-paced fishing for anglers casting topwater baits, trolling crankbaits, drifting live shad, or jigging spoons. In winter, fish follow shad deeper into creek channels and can still be located by anglers who stay mobile and follow the bait.

Fishing for walleye should also continue to provide good opportunities in 2026. Strong year classes going back to 2019 continue to support the fishery and have resulted in good numbers of walleye reaching into the low 20-inch range. The upper Osage, Pomme de Terre, and Sac arms remain consistent locations to find fish, especially during late winter and early spring when walleye move upstream and stage in deeper areas below riffles. As water warm and fish move to a summertime pattern, fish will be located on gravel points, humps, and other structure near channel edges, and anglers often rely on crankbaits, slow live bait presentations, or jigging spoons to target them. While walleye may still require some dedication and searching to consistently locate, the run of strong year classes in recent seasons should continue supporting above-average fishing for the next several years.

The paddlefish population remains strong, and anglers should look forward to another productive snagging season in 2026. Fish typically move upstream as temperatures and flow increase in the spring, making the upper Osage from the Talley Bend area toward Taberville the most productive stretch of the reservoir for most of the season. A tagging project that began in 2025 will continue into 2026, and anglers may encounter more tagged fish as part of ongoing work to better understand harvest rates and movement patterns in the population. Snaggers are encouraged to handle undersized paddlefish with care and use landing methods that minimize injury.

Anglers pursuing largemouth bass can expect conditions to be similar to recent years, with overall numbers and quality of bass remaining lower than some other large Missouri reservoirs. Productive areas remain widespread and include the lower South Grand Arm, much of the Osage Arm from Talley Bend to the dam, and the Pomme de Terre and Tebo arms, along with increasingly abundant brush piles and timber that continue to provide valuable habitat. Seasonal patterns remain reliable, with suspending jerkbaits effective in late winter and early spring on points, followed by spinnerbaits, jigs, and other traditional presentations as fish move into coves, pockets, and newly flooded vegetation. During summer, bass often respond well to topwater lures early and late before shifting to deeper jigs or large plastic worms as the sun rises. In fall, bass frequently follow shad into creeks and coves, and crankbaits or spinnerbaits can be effective in shallow water. Habitat expansions from the ongoing brush pile project should continue improving largemouth habitat and angling opportunity in the coming years.