Chilly Catch Secrets: Luring Bass, Crappie, and Walleye at the Lake of the Ozarks

If you're planning to hit the waters of the Lake of the Ozarks today, here's what you need to know:

First off, the weather is quite chilly, with daytime temperatures only reaching about 4°C (39°F) and nighttime temperatures dipping to around -7°C (19°F). You can expect about 5 hours of sunshine, so make sure to bundle up[2].

Sunrise today is at 7:25 AM, and sunset will be at 5:16 PM, giving you a good window for both morning and late afternoon fishing[2].

As for fish activity, winter is a great time to catch bass, crappie, and walleye here. Bass fishing has been good, especially around points, brush piles, and docks. You can catch largemouth bass in the 2-5 pound range, though the percentage of fish over the 15-inch minimum length limit is relatively low. Spotted bass are also plentiful, with about 25-33% of them exceeding the 12-inch minimum length limit[3][4].

Crappie fishing might be a bit slower due to recent drought conditions, but you can still find them around brush piles, especially those near points. Look for black crappie and white crappie, with about 75% of them meeting or exceeding the 9-inch minimum length limit[3].

For lures, topwater baits during low light periods, plastic worms, jigs, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits are your best bets for bass. For crappie, small jigs (1/32 to 1/8 ounce) and minnows work well. If you're after walleye, try trolling crankbaits on steep rocky points or use jigs tipped with minnows, nightcrawlers, or a twister tail grub[3][4].

Hot spots include the spillway section of Bagnell Dam, where you can catch white bass, black bass, catfish, walleye, and crappie from the shore. The Niangua and Glaize Arms are also excellent areas, particularly around points and brush piles[3][4].

Given the cold weather, fishing jerkbaits slowly off points or pea gravel banks can be very effective for bass. For crappie, focus on those brush piles and use your small jigs and minnows patiently.

Stay warm and good luck on the water