Spring has sprung, so have the fish. Some great information on fishing Lake of the Ozarks. The winter that wasn't had Lake temps holding steady at 40F, because of that it is not taking much to rapidly warm the water. Early spawn?
Lake of the Ozarks is a 57,000 acre lake located in central Missouri. Built for power generation and recreation, Bagnell Dam and the Lake of the Ozarks were constructed in the early 1930's. All of the trees in the lake were removed to allow resorts and private homes to be built along the lakes shoreline, but there are still many parts of the lake where the shoreline has not been developed.
Lake of the Ozarks offers resort and camping accommodations, music shows, water parks, shopping malls, and other forms of family recreational facilities and entertainment. Camping, hiking, horseback riding, and even a small airport are available at nearby Lake of the Ozarks State Park. Though most resorts have their own boat ramps and docks, there are two public boat ramps located on the Grandglaize Arm, and one ramp located on the Gravois Arm near Eldon.
The lake is littered with boat docks which provide cover for the many sport fishes found in the lake. There is a variety of shoreline structure on the lake which includes rock, gravel, bluffs, sand, mud, stumps, fall downs, and brush. Most of the lake is deep and clear with coves that taper to shallow areas that are excellent for spawning. Large flats can be found in the back of some of the major arms. There are four major arms on the lake. The Gravois, Grandglaize, Niangua, and Osage. All of these areas provide excellent fishing and lodging. The available fish in Lake of the Ozarks are Black Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, White Bass, Catfish, and Walleye.
Detailed Lake Information:
Type of Lake: Hilland
Average Depth of Lake: 60-80 feet
Average Water Temperature:
Spring: 60
Summer:95
Fall: 72
Winter: 5
Spring Thaw: March
Fall Turnover: October
* Lake of the Ozarks does freeze over during Winter with the exception of the main channel.
Heavy Rains: Affects entire lake with the exception of the Gravois, Grandglaize, and Niangua Arms. The rest of the lake takes 1-2 weeks to clear up.
Winds:
Spring: All conditions
Summer: All conditions
Fall: All conditions
Winter: All conditions
Detailed Lake Characteristics:
This information describes the makeup of the bottom, shoreline, structure, and water color for various parts of Lake of the Ozarks.
Gravois Arm:
Bottom: Mud, Rock, Gravel
Shoreline: Mud, Rock, Gravel, Bluffs
Structure: Rocks, Bluffs, Stumps, Falldowns, Flats, Boat Docks
Water Color:-Clear-Muddy (Conditions vary)-
Osage Arm:
Bottom: Mud, Rock
Shoreline: Mud, Rock, Bluffs
Structure: Rocks, Stumps, Falldowns, Flats, Boat Docks
Water Color:-Clear-Muddy (Conditions vary)
Niangua Arm:
Bottom: Mud, Rock, Gravel
Shoreline :Mud, Rock, Bluffs
Structure: Rocks, Bluffs, Flats, Boat Docks
Water Color:-Clear-Muddy (Conditions vary)
Grandglaize Arm:
Bottom: Mud, Gravel
Shoreline: Mud, Gravel, Bluffs
Structure: Rocks, Bluffs, Flats, Boat Docks
Water Color:-Clear-Muddy (Conditions vary)
Lakeland Area:
Bottom: Mud, Rock, Gravel
Shoreline: Mud, Rock, Gravel, Bluffs
Structure: Rocks, Flats, Boat Docks
Water Color:-Clear-Muddy (Conditions vary)
Horseshoe Bend Area:
Bottom: Rock, Gravel
Shoreline: Rock, Gravel, Bluffs
Structure: Rocks, Flats, Boat Docks
Water Color:-Clear-Muddy (Conditions vary)
Shawnee Bend Area:
Bottom: Rock, Gravel
Shoreline: Rock, Gravel, Bluffs
Structure: Rocks, Flats, Boat Docks
Water Color:-Clear-Muddy (Conditions vary)
Turkey Bend Area:
Bottom: Rock, Gravel
Shoreline :Rock, Gravel, Bluffs
Structure: Rocks, Bluffs, Flats, Boat Docks
Water Color:-Clear-Muddy (Conditions vary)
Linn Creek Bend Area:
Bottom: Mud, Rock, Gravel
Shoreline: Mud, Rock, Gravel, Bluffs
Structure: Rocks, Bluffs, Flats, Boat Docks
Water Color:-Clear-Muddy (Conditions vary)
Detailed Fishing Information:
Main Forage: Shad, Crayfish
Average time of year when fish spawn:
Bass: April-May
Crappie: April-May
Bluegill: April-May
White Bass: June
Catfish: June
Walleye: April
Best baits to use during seasons:
Bass:
Spring: Rogues, Jig-Pig
Summer :Plastic Worms
Fall : Crankbaits
Winter: Rogues,
Crappie:
Spring: Minnows, Jigs
Summer: Minnows, Jigs
Fall: Minnows, Jigs
Winter: Minnows, Jigs
Bluegill:
Spring: Worms
Summer: Wax Worms
Fall: Worms
Winter: Wax Worms
White Bass:
Spring: Roadrunners
Summer: Roadrunners
Fall: Roadrunners
Winter: Roadrunners, Jigs
Catfish:
Spring: Worms, Liver
Summer: Goldfish, Stinkbait, Shrimp
Fall: Perch, Worms, Stinkbait
Winter: Worms, Liver
Walleye:
Spring: Minnows, Crankbaits
Summer :Lipless Crankbaits (Rattle Traps)
Fall :Lipless Crankbaits, Crankbaits
Winter: Jigs, Spoons
Night Fishing Conditions:
Spring: Fair
Summer: Excellent
Fall :Good
Winter: Poor
Compliments of Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau