Happy 4th of July..I'm doing the report a day early this week due to all the things going on around the lake this week. Osage Bluff will be doing the fire works display at dark on Fri. July 5th. The city of Warsaw will be doing their display in the harbor on Sat. July 6th.not off the dam like normal. Here at Osage Bluff we will be doing like every year with all the festivities but with the high water we ask everyone to be courteous and follow directions to help with parking.If you are staying at Osage Bluff please park your boat trailers behind the motel in front of the tree row so there will be more room for parking in the marina parking lot.
At this time we are launching boats at the marina. Please launch your boat between the designated orange cones. The COE ramp is closed and gated. The high water ramps at Berry Bend, Shawnee Bend and State Park are open. As far as the lake goes it is still about 27' high but the water clarity is good for the high water conditions. Craig and I were out a couple days this week and saw very little drift in our area. I drove across the bridge at county line and there was some there bot not nearly as bad as it has been. With the conditions we have be well advised to pay even more attention to the water conditions in the area you are in.
LAKE LEVEL: 733.09
WATER TEMP: 85 deg.
WATER CLARITY: Light stain
CRAPPIE: I'm sure the crappie are on the summer pattern on Truman but with the lake being 27' high you can't find the tree rows that we normally fish this time of year. Drift fishing the creek channels with minnows or jigs down about 15' has been producing some nice fish. We did find some crappie holding off secondary points in 20' of water down 15' up Little Pommie Monday.
BASS: The flooded willow points are the best now with lots of small bass holding on them. Worms and creature baits are the best bait during the day. With the shad starting to surface top water is picking up early and late. Also shallow running square bills are still working off the secondary points.
WHITES & HYBRIDS: I haven't seem ant whites surfacing yet but with the pods of shad I am seeing on top it can't be far away. Hard bottoms like old road beds are holding fish. Spoons and 3" sassy Shad are the best baits. The weir and the rip rap at the dam are also holding some fish.
CATFISH: Jugs have been working the best this week. Fish the current breaks on the edge of the flats in 20' of water with baits about 15'. I am sure that the flat heads have gone to the nests so that has slowed down but the blues are coming off and starting to feed back up. Cut bait seems to be working the best.
WALLEYE: No Report.
That's it for this week. With that we wish everyone a Happy and Safe 4th. Please be courteous on the water and on the highways. When traveling in the area be aware there are lots of deer with baby's crossing the roads early and late so if you see one there are likely more to come.
Till next week
Tommy
