Fishing Report from the Heart of Lake of the Ozarks

Artificial Lure here, bringing you today’s September 3rd fishing report fresh from the heart of Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. Sunrise hit at 6:41 AM, with sunset coming up tonight at 7:33 PM. We’ve got a humid bite in the air—temps pushing the mid-80s this afternoon, light wind out of the south, and a mix of clouds and sunshine making for perfect angling conditions.

Tide-wise, being a reservoir, Lake of the Ozarks doesn’t experience true tides, but water levels are steady. The dam hasn’t been releasing much recently, so expect stable flows—bass and crappie are set up around docks and brush.

Let’s talk success stories: Reports from locals and last week’s Cops & Bobbers Tournament say black bass are hitting well on main lake points and secondary coves. Several largemouths in the two- to four-pound range were caught on soft plastics, with a handful of smallmouths mixed in if you work the rocky banks. One lucky angler nabbed a six-pound largemouth on a deep-diving crank mid-morning.

Crappie action continues steady, especially under shaded docks and in brush piles at 12 to 18 feet. Jigs tipped with minnows did the trick, with some limits taken after sunrise and again as the sun dipped last evening.

Catfishing is coming on strong, with channels and blues running shallow at dusk. Fresh cut shad and stink baits have been the go-tos. Word is a 25-lb blue cat was landed near the mouth of the Niangua Arm using a big chunk of cut bait.

If you’re after numbers, white bass are pushing shad into the coves—watch for surface boils just after sun-up. Small, chrome spoons and lipless crankbaits have been deadly this week.

On the gear list, you’re going to want green pumpkin finesse worms and shaky heads for bass around docks; for windy points, tie on a chartreuse-and-white spinnerbait or a deep-diving crankbait. Crappie are taking well to monkey milk or black/chartruese jigs. Catfish folks, stick to cut bait or chicken liver—those big blues can’t resist.

Couple of hotspot suggestions:
- **Gravois Arm, especially around Coffman Bend**—multiple catches of big largemouth and crappie reported since Labor Day weekend.
- **Niangua Arm near McCubbins Point**—catfish and white bass both showing strong action here.

Traps like drop shots and Ned rigs are king in deep water right now, while topwater walking baits get more consistent bites early and late. As Dion Hibdon says in The Lake Sun, “watch for the forage—match those shad profiles and you’ll fill the boat.”

Remember, this is prime time for family fishing—get your kids outside while the weather holds. The Discover Nature-Fishing program from the Missouri Department of Conservation will keep you informed about kid-friendly fishing events all month, so be sure to check their listings.

Thanks for tuning in to your Lake of the Ozarks angling fix with Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

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