Missouri Department of Conservation Statewide Fishing Report 9/20/2012

VIP

MO. Fishing Report Officer
Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Location
Lebanon, MO
#1
Missouri Department of Conservation
Statewide Fishing Report

9/20/2012 at 10:23:13

Attention Fishing Report Subscribers:

If you have a question about a specific fishing report, please contact the regional offices at the numbers listed.

PLEASE CHECK REGULATIONS CAREFULLY: Special regulations may 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 Lake: 73 degrees, low, clear; bluegill good on crickets and worms; channel catfish good on worms and stinkbaits; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Blind Pony Lake: 72 degrees, clear; 2.5' low; all species slow; the lake is closed to private boats, and bait held or transported in containers with water is prohibited. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Lake of the Ozarks (Glaize): 76 degrees, dingy; black bass slow on dark colored soft plastics and buzzbaits; white bass slow on light colored soft plastics; crappie fair on minnows and crappie jigs; catfish fair on worms, cut baits and stinkbaits.
(Report made on 9/19/2012)

Lake of the Ozarks (Gravois): 76 degrees, dingy; crappie and catfish fair; black bass and white bass slow.
(Report made on 9/19/2012)

Lake of the Ozarks (Niangua): 76 degrees, dingy; black bass fair using in-line spinnerbaits and soft plastics; crappie good using jigs and minnows; catfish good using live bait and cut bait, along with shrimp; white bass good near the spring at Ha Ha Tonka State Park using small spinnerbaits or light colored soft plastics while trolling.

(Report made on 9/19/2012)

Lake of the Ozarks (Osage): 76 degrees, normal, dingy; black bass good on soft plastics and crankbaits; crappie good on jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles and minnows; catfish good on cut bait, hot dogs and bologna; white bass fair on small spinnerbaits and soft white plastics.
(Report made on 9/19/2012)

Little Dixie Lake: 80 degrees, low, clear; largemouth bass good on plastic worms; all other species slow; the area is closed to all activities, including fishing from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

RIVERS

Lamine River: 78 degrees, 3' low; blue catfish good on setlines near the confluence of the Missouri River; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Missouri River (middle): low, muddy; channel catfish good on nightcrawlers and liver; flathead catfish and blue catfish good on live baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Osage (Bagnell Tailwater): 67 degrees, normal, dingy; black bass slow on worms and dark colored soft plastics; white bass slow on light colored soft plastics; crappie slow on minnows and crappie jigs; catfish fair on worms, stinkbaits and cut baits.
(Report made on 9/19/2012)

Osage (lower, at Tuscumbia): 68 degrees, normal, dingy; black bass slow on worms and dark colored soft plastics; white bass slow on light colored soft plastics; crappie slow on minnows and crappie jigs; catfish fair on worms, stinkbaits and cut baits.
(Report made on 9/19/2012)

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KANSAS CITY REGION (816) 655-6254

LAKES

Atkinson Lake (Schell-Osage CA): 71 degrees, low, clear; all species slow; fishing pressure light. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area: 70 degrees, dingy; water level 1.5' low; largemouth bass fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Montrose Lake: 63 degrees, low, dingy; all species fair; fishing pressure light. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Schell Lake (Schell-Osage CA): 70 degrees, low, clear; all species fair; fishing pressure light. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Truman Lake: 76 degrees, low, clear; crappie good on minnows; catfish good on fresh cut bait; black bass good on spinnerbaits; white bass good on Rooster Tails. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Truman Lake Tailwaters: 74 degrees, low, clear; catfish good; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

RIVERS

Missouri River (Kansas City area): 70 degrees, muddy; fishing remains steady for all catfish; flathead catfish are biting on live bait, particularly carp; large blue and channel catfish continue to be caught on cut Asian carp; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

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NORTHEAST REGION (660) 785-2420

LAKES

Hunnewell Lake: 64 degrees, low, dingy; largemouth bass fair on Rooster Tails; channel catfish fair on doughbait; all other species slow; the lake is closed to private boats, and bait held or transported in containers with water is prohibited. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Long Branch Lake: 70 degrees, low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Mark Twain: 72 degrees, low, clear; crappie fair on jigs and minnows; channel catfish fair on sunfish; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Sever: 72 degrees, low, clear; largemouth bass and crappie fair on nightcrawlers off shoreline; bluegill good on nightcrawlers off shoreline; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Thomas Hill Reservoir: 74 degrees, low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

RIVERS

Mississippi River (upper): 69 degrees, low, dingy; flathead catfish fair on live baits; blue catfish good on cut baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Salt (below Mark Twain): 68 degrees, low, clear; smallmouth bass fair on chartreuse spinnerbaits near brush; channel catfish good on stinkbaits and nightcrawlers below gravel riffles; drum good on nightcrawlers; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

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NORTHWEST REGION (816) 271-3100

LAKES

Bilby Ranch Lake: 75 degrees, low, clear; crappie fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Lake Paho: 78 degrees, low, clear; largemouth bass good on soft plastics; channel catfish fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/17/2012)

Mozingo Lake: 76 degrees, low, clear; crappie and channel catfish good; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Pony Express Lake: 67 degrees, low, clear; all species fair. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Smithville Lake: 75 degrees, low, clear; crappie and black bass fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

RIVERS

Grand River: 78 degrees, low, muddy; catfish good; all other species fair. (Report made on 9/18/2012)

Missouri River (upper): 75 degrees, low, muddy; all species fair. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

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OZARK REGION (417) 255-9561

LAKES

Bull Shoals Lake (East): 83 degrees, low, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Norfork Lake: 81 degrees, low, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

RIVERS

Big Piney River (lower, Pulaski Co.): 79 degrees, low, clear; black bass and goggle-eye good on soft plastic baits and crayfish pattern crankbaits. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Big Piney River (upper, Texas Co.): 71 degrees, low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Bryant Creek: 79 degrees, low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Current River: 72 degrees, low, clear; smallmouth bass good on jigs. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Eleven Point River: 59 degrees, low, clear; all species fair. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Gasconade River (middle): 79 degrees, low, clear; black bass and goggle-eye good on soft plastic baits and crayfish pattern crankbaits. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Gasconade River (upper): 72 degrees, low, dingy; sunfish, black bass and goggle-eye fair on crankbaits and small plastics; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Jacks Fork: 79 degrees, low, clear; all species good on soft plastics. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

North Fork of the White River: 66 degrees, low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

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SOUTHEAST REGION (573) 290-5858

LAKES

Clearwater Lake: No report available.

Council Bluff Lake: 73 degrees, low, clear; black bass fair on dark colored soft plastics; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Cypress Lake: 66 degrees, normal, dingy; channel catfish fair in 2 - 8' depths on worms, crickets and stinkbaits; bluegill and redear sunfish fair in 1 - 3' depths on jigs, worms and crickets; crappie fair in 1 - 3' depths on minnows and jigs; largemouth bass slow in 1 - 3' depths on minnows and jigs, plastic worms and crankbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Duck Creek CA Pool 1: 72 degrees, low, clear; all species slow. Note: boaters be aware of tree stumps due to low water levels. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Lake Girardeau: normal, dingy; channel catfish fair on worms, stinkbaits and chicken liver; bluegill fair on crickets; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Perry County Lake: 72 degrees, low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Robert DeLaney Lake: 80 degrees, normal, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Wappapello Lake: 79 degrees, rising, black bass fair on plastic worms and crankbaits; crappie fair using minnows and jigs; channel catfish fair on trotlines and jug lines using live bait at night; all other species slow. Anglers should note the 9" minimum length limit regulation for crappie on Wappapello Lake. Call the Wappapello Lake Recreation Hotline for updates at 573-222-8139. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

RIVERS

Black River (above Clearwater Lake): No report available.

Black River (below Clearwater Lake): 72 degrees, low, dingy; channel catfish good on live bait and worms; black bass fair on topwater lures and jigs; white bass good on Rapalas and jigs; crappie fair on minnows; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Castor River (above Zalma): low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Mississippi River (middle): falling, dingy; blue catfish and channel catfish good on stinkbaits and cut baits; flathead catfish fair on live bait; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Mississippi River (Ohio River to Arkansas): normal, dingy; channel catfish fair on cut baits and stinkbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

St. Francis River (above Wappapello): low, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

St. Francis River (below Wappapello): 74 degrees, high, dingy; channel catfish fair on stinkbaits, chicken liver and worms; flathead catfish fair on live bait; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

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SOUTHWEST REGION (417) 895-6881

LAKES

Bull Shoals Lake (West): 70-75 degrees, low, clear; Dam Area - black bass fair on soft plastics and nightcrawlers; walleye fair on jerkbaits and minnows; Beaver Creek Arm, temp is 75-80 - bluegill good on crickets and earthworms; black bass fair on soft plastics and nightcrawlers; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Lake Taneycomo: 55 degrees, normal, clear; trout good in upper portion of lake on scuds, San Juan worms, wooly buggers, Rogues and marabou jigs; trout good in lower portion of lake on orange, pink and white Power Bait and nightcrawlers filled with air. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Pomme de Terre Reservoir: 75 degrees, rising, clear; crappie good on minnows and white jigs in deeper water over structure; black bass fair on deep diving lures, spinnerbaits and Texas rigged worms off of deep drop-offs and rocky bluffs, best in early morning or late evening along banks and in deeper water during daylight hours; catfish fair on cut bait using trotlines or jug lines; bluegill fair on worms and crickets; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Stockton Lake: 72 degrees, low, clear; crappie good on minnows around brush piles; black bass fair in the morning over flats on dark colored crankbaits; catfish fair off of points and in coves on chicken liver; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Table Rock Lake (James River arm): 80 degrees, low, clear; crappie good on live minnows, fish in water at least 20' deep over brush piles or stick ups and drop bait to the bottom and then reel up to 2 or 3 turns to keep bait just off the bottom; black bass fair in early morning on gravel points, try using diving crankbaits with plum or purple 12" plastic worms, also try trolling with shad colored crankbaits over points; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Table Rock Lake (main lake): 77 degrees, low, clear; black bass good on deep running crankbaits, tube baits, drop shot or spoons in 26 - 30' of water around brush piles or structure, best in early morning in shallow water around structure or where shad are located; crappie good on live minnows or small plastics around standing timber or brush piles in 15 - 25' of water and by using lights after dark; flathead catfish good on small bluegill; channel catfish good on nightcrawlers or chicken liver; bluegill good on earthworms in shallow water or around cover; walleye fair on crankbaits or nightcrawlers on main river points. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

RIVERS

James River: 74-76 degrees, low, dingy; goggle-eye good on small plastic spinnerbaits in white or green colors; catfish good on nightcrawlers; black bass slow, best on buzzbaits over brush and in shallow water in the morning and early evening, also try live bait with nightcrawlers on flats and in fast water; crappie slow, best on crankbaits or jigs and minnows. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Niangua River: 67 degrees, normal, clear; trout fair, best on natural baits and Power Baits below Bennett Spring; goggle-eye slow, best on natural baits and soft plastics; black bass slow, best on soft plastics and natural baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

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ST. LOUIS REGION (636) 300-1953

LAKES

Busch Memorial Conservation Area Lake 33: Lake 33 is under construction for dam repairs, no boats available. During aeration operation, Lake 33 is closed to public use due to concerns for public safety. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Busch Memorial Conservation Area Lakes 3, 4, 5, 7, and 23: 74 degrees, low, clear; channel catfish slow on cut bait, worms, doughbait, blood bait and livers; limit 4; all other species slow; please remove litter.


(Report made on 9/20/2012)

RIVERS

Big River: 73 degrees, low, dingy; channel catfish fair on cut bait and blood baits; black bass fair on crankbaits; bluegill fair on worms and crickets; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Bourbeuse River: 74 degrees, normal, dingy; channel catfish fair on cut bait and blood baits; black bass fair on plastic worms and minnows; bluegill fair on worms and crickets; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Meramec River (Crawford Co.): 74 degrees, low, dingy; channel catfish fair on minnows; black bass fair on plastic worms and crankbaits; bluegill fair on worms and crickets; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Meramec River (St. Louis Co.): 74 degrees, low, dingy; channel catfish fair on cut bait; black bass slow on topwater lures; bluegill slow on natural bait. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

Missouri River (lower): 74 degrees, low, muddy; channel catfish slow on cut bait and livers; all other species slow. (Report made on 9/20/2012)

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TROUT PARKS

Bennett Spring State Park: 58 degrees, the spring level is low and clear; Zone 1 and 2 best lures: black, peach, white and powderpuff colored marabou jigs; gray colored and olive colored scuds; green grub colored and brown grub colored mini-jigs; red brassies; brown colored Rooster Tails; flame tri-colored and easter egg colored glo balls; blue holographic colored and green holographic colored Cracklebacks; Zone 3 best lures: rainbow colored and white with sparkle colored Power Bait; trout nip; September fishing hours are 7:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Maramec Spring Park: 58 degrees, fishing is good; use very light weight line and tackle as the water is extremely low and very clear; fish are holding in shady areas and swift water below the waterfalls and around boulders, target these areas for best success; orange, green, and red trout worms are producing well; feather jigs in dark colors are producing good numbers of fish; tightlining doughbait is producing fish in the late afternoon; fishing hours for the month of September are 7:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Montauk State Park: 58 degrees, the river level is below normal and slowly dropping, the river is still fishable; the water is clear; 2 lb. test fishing line or lighter is recommended; fishing is good on most baits; white, brown and yellow scented dough and putty baits are working well in the bait zones; most flies, Rooster Tails and jigs in black and yellow, olive colors and other dark colors are working well; the best fishing is in the mornings and evenings. September fishing hours are 7:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.
For up-to-date stream conditions check http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?07064440 (Report made on 9/19/2012)

Roaring River State Park: 58 degrees, the river is clear and getting very low; conditions are typical of late summer; use 2 pound test or lighter; beetles, ants and hoppers, Cracklebacks, pheasant tails and copper johns are good; olive, black, and brown wooly buggers or worms are good; orange, white, chartreuse, and fluorescent yellow plastic eggs are working well; cheese yellow, white, mint green, yellow/orange, pink, and the orange, and orange/white plastic worms are good; spinners are good early, black, brown, olive and black/yellow are good early; marabou jigs in white, tan and pinks early and later in the day; use black, black/yellow, brown, brown/yellow, and black/olive marabou jigs in 1/16th - 1/100 in size; in Zone 3 use nightcrawlers, corn, Power Bait paste and nuggets. (Report made on 9/19/2012)