Lake of the Ozarks Spring Fishing Heats Up: Crappie Champs, Bass Bounty, and Hotspots Revealed

Artificial Lure’s Lake of the Ozarks Fishing Report for April 19, 2025

Good morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your up-to-the-minute report from Lake of the Ozarks.

We’re right in the heart of spring and the bite is heating up fast. Water temps are running mid 50s, with a nice color to the water across the lake after some spring rains. Levels are still a bit below summer pool, sitting around 656 feet. That slightly stained water and stable levels have really fired up the fish, and the recent tournament action has proven it true—just last week, the Big Bass Bash saw an eight-pound largemouth weighed in, so the big girls are definitely shallow and feeding[1].

Crappie are the star of the show right now. The bite has been fantastic, especially up in the Gravois arm and other coves with gravel or rocky banks. Most crappie are staging to spawn, with some already right on the banks. Anglers pulling limits of healthy 10 to 12-inch fish has been the rule, not the exception, and these fish are fat with eggs. Look for them in 4 to 6 feet of water, especially around brush piles, docks, and over flats. The good ol’ 2.8-inch Keitech with a chartreuse-dyed tail has been on fire, especially in stained water. Regular jigs in white, chartreuse, or pink are also working well[2][4].

Bass fishing is picking up in the shallows—focus on secondary points, pockets, and spawning flats. The best baits this week have been spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and jigs. Crankbaits and Texas-rigged plastics will score too, especially if you’re targeting fish around docks or behind brush. The early morning and late evening bite have been best. Largemouth and spots are pushing up shallow, and a few smallmouth are also being caught deeper down the lake[1][5].

With sunrise today at 6:29 AM and sunset at 7:48 PM, you’ve got plenty of daylight to chase your limit. Winds should be light, with afternoon highs expected in the upper 60s to low 70s—ideal for a long day on the water.

Local hot spots to try are the Gravois arm for crappie and the lower Niangua for both bass and crappie. Look for bass on secondary points near docks, and don’t overlook the shallows in Linn Creek and around the mouth of the Glaize arm.

For bait, stick with medium minnows and small shiners for crappie, or try a Keitech swimbait on a 1/16-ounce jig. For bass, keep jigs and spinnerbaits handy, but don’t be afraid to throw a topwater plug if you see surface activity.

No tides to worry about here since we’re landlocked, so focus on that warming water and the wind, which will push bait and fish up on those windy banks.

That’s your Lake of the Ozarks report for today. Tight lines and good luck out there!