Winter Fishing at the Lake of the Ozarks: Tips for Catching Bass, Crappie, and More

For December 29, 2024, at the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, here’s what you can expect:

First off, there's no tidal report to worry about here, since the Lake of the Ozarks is a freshwater lake and not influenced by tides.

Weather-wise, it's expected to be partly cloudy with temperatures in the mid-40s to low 50s, making it a decent day for winter fishing. Sunrise is at around 7:30 AM, and sunset will be about 4:45 PM.

Fish activity has been steady, especially for those targeting bass, crappie, and catfish. Yesterday saw a good number of largemouth and spotted bass caught, particularly around the deeper brush piles and near dock structures. Crappie were active in the shallower areas, suspended over brush piles, and white bass were schooling in the tributaries like the Niangua and Little Niangua rivers.

For lures, soft plastic finesse worms, jigs, and small spinners have been effective. For bass, try using magnum-sized plastic worms and jigs in deep brush piles next to docks or along secondary and main lake points. Crappie are biting well on small jigs and minnows, or jigs tipped with minnows. White bass are aggressive on small spinners, jerkbaits, and swimbaits.

As for bait, live minnows and shad are always a good choice, especially for crappie and catfish. Drifting cut shad is a great method for catching bigger blue cats.

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 upper arms of the lake, with their off-colored waters, are also productive, especially for bass and crappie. Additionally, the numerous private and public docks around the lake provide ample shade, shelter, and food for various gamefish species.

If you're looking for a guided experience, consider hiring one of the local fishing guides who can take you to the best spots and provide valuable tips and tricks for catching fish at the Lake of the Ozarks.