What a difference a week makes. After about 5" of rain last weekend the lake finally came back up. We are about 2 1/2' high right now. The COE has started running water through the dam and I would say they will probably catch it today. All the areas I fished this week the water clarity was very good. There was a little drift coming off the banks but it wasn't to bad. So with the holiday this weekend use a little more caution when running and doing water sports. The good thing is that with the running water the bite is on. Lot's of fish being caught so when on the water lets show a little extra courtesy to our fellow boaters. Let's have a fantastic Memorial Day Weekend and also remember those who gave all so we can!
LAKE LEVEL: 708.66
WATER TEMP: 75 deg.
WATER CLARITY: Clear to dirty up the rivers.
CRAPPIE: The crappie are finished spawning and have moved on to their summer pattern. Brush piles in 15' to 20' of water seem to be producing the best right now. Minnow or jigs are both working with the crappie moving up and down depth wise through out the day. Tree rows on the edge of the flats are also working. Minnows are working the best here when fished about 7' down in 15' to 20' of water. Cloudy days the hard woods work a little better and on sunny days they seem to like the cedars.
BASS: There are still some nesting bass. With the lake up 2' they seemed to stay on the original beds so 5' to 8' of water has been the best. Creature baits and do nothing worms seem to be working the best here. With the higher water there is a little submerged grass so the buzz bait bite is going in the backs of the creeks in the shallows. Best areas are where small feeder creeks come in. The secondary points around the pockets in the creeks are producing some fish on square bills.. 4' to 8' seems the best.
WHITES & HYBRIDS: They are on. With the COE running water most of the humps are holding good whites. Spoons are working the best on the humps on 12' to 15' of water. KK, O-3 and the Pommie flats are working with the weir also. The hybrids have begun surfacing on the big pods of shad in our area. Evenings are the best but I had schools surfacing in the middle of the day Tues. and Wed.. on the Pommie arm. Spoons skipped across the top of the water or Pop R's and Rat l traps work well on these fish.
CATFISH: The cat fishing is about as good as it gets on Truman. It doesn't matter how you are fishing be it rod and reel. jugs or trot lines they are on. I had a good run on flat heads this week along with several other people The flat heads came off live perch and live shad. 15' of water off chunk rock bluffs with baits about 2' off the bottom was working. The blues are all over now. Fish were caught in as shallow as 5' of water on the flats on cut bait. Most of the jug fisherman I talked to were fishing 12' to 20' with baits set 5' to 8' and staying pretty busy chasing them.
WALLEYE: Starting to see walleye come in off the humps. Crawler rigs and spoons with a buck tail are working on the humps in 12' of water. Later in the morning crank baits fished in the saddles either casting or trolling has been picking up fish.
That's it for the report this week. We here at Osage Bluff Marina and Motel would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday. Check us out on face book at Osage Bluff Marina or you can contact us at 660-438-2939.
Till next week,
Tommy
