Lake of the Ozarks March Fishing Report: Bass, Crappie, and Catfish Bites Heating Up

Hey there, fellow anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Lake of the Ozarks fishing report for March 15, 2025. We've got a beautiful spring day ahead of us, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures reaching the mid-60s. Sunrise was at 6:25 AM, and we'll see the sun dip below the horizon at 7:18 PM, giving us plenty of daylight to reel in some big ones.

Water temperatures are steadily climbing, now sitting in the low to mid-50s across most of the lake. This warming trend has really kicked the fish activity into high gear, especially for bass and crappie. The recent Toyota Series tournament showed some tough conditions, but things have improved dramatically since then[1][4].

Bass fishing has been heating up, with largemouth and spotted bass moving into shallower water. Anglers are having success with jerkbaits, Alabama rigs, and finesse jigs around points and rocky banks[2]. The Megabass Vision 110 and Smithwick Rogue have been particularly effective in shad patterns[7].

Crappie fishing has been on fire lately, with many folks reporting limits of slabs[1]. They're staging near brush piles in 15-25 feet of water. Minnows and small jigs in white or chartreuse have been the ticket[2].

Catfish action has been steady, with some nice blues and flatheads being caught on cut shad and nightcrawlers. Try fishing deeper holes near channel swings for the best results[1][2].

For you paddlefish enthusiasts, the spring season is in full swing. Remember to use heavy gear with 80-100lb braided line and large treble hooks for snagging these prehistoric giants[18].

As for hot spots, I'd recommend checking out the Grand Glaize Arm near the 19-mile marker for bass. The points and brush piles in that area have been holding some nice fish. For crappie, the Gravois Arm has been producing well, especially around the 4-mile marker[1][2].

Don't forget to swing by one of our local bait shops to stock up on minnows and nightcrawlers. They've got the inside scoop on what's biting and where.

That's all for now, folks. Get out there, stay safe, and tight lines!