THE GOLDEN HORSESHOE RESORT
About Fishing and
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At The Lake of the Ozarks
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79 Barba Le Lane
Lake Ozark MO 65049
(573)-365-2642
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Fishing at the Lake of the Ozarks
Fishing At the Lake of the Ozarks: An Over-view
Latest Report
Missouri Fishing Regulations
Report
From Missouri Department of Conservation
What The Natives Are Saying
Fishing Friends Guestbook
More Fishing Links
MORE LINKS
Here are some more links you fisherpeople may like:
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Missouri Department of Conservation's
1997 Fishing Prospects
For most current information, see
Missouri Departmane of Conservation
The following comments about 1997 fishing prospects at the Lake of the Ozarks
are taken directly from the Missouri Department of
Conservation's Home Page:
The outlook for black bass in 1997 is average for legal fish (>15"). Good numbers of sublegal bass will provide
plenty of catch-and-release action. Although bass can be caught year round, the best months are April through
June, September and October. Fish points, brush and docks. The best producing lures are topwater baits (low
light periods), plastic worms, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Crappie >9" (minimum length limit) accounted for 60%
of the population during the fall 1996 survey. This should mean good crappie fishing during 1997. Concentrate
on brush piles, especially those located on or near points. The ability to locate good structure is the key to
successful crappie fishing on Lake of the Ozarks. Small jigs (1/32 to 1/16 ounce) and minnows are the best baits.
Catfish action should be good. The best months are April through September. Drifting and fishing live or cut
shad on the bottom on days with a light breeze consistently produces the best catch. Be alert for reward tags
located at the base of the dorsal fins of blue and channel catfish. Information collected from these tags will allow
us to better manage these important sportfish. Good numbers of 13-14" white bass will be available due to a
successful spawn in 1994. In addition, good numbers of white bass that were spawned in 1996 will be 11-12" by
early fall. Fish windy points, submerged islands and long, sloping points using either artificial lures or shad. Be
alert for reward tags located behind the spiny dorsal fin of white bass. Opportunities for catching hybrid white
bass are good in the Truman Dam tailwater and in spring-fed areas of the lake during the summer and winter
months. Walleye have been stocked in Lake of the Ozarks since 1991. Many of those fish will be >20" in 1997.
The lake also offers good fishing for a number of other species, including: paddlefish, sunfish, gar, and carp.
Remember to use proper handling techniques when releasing sublegal (or legal) fish back to the water to help
them survive.
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Fishing Regulations
For information on fishing license costs and limits, see:
this page from the Lake of the Ozarks Visitor's Bureau
Or, see
Department of Conservation's Missouri Fishing Regulations
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Latest Fishing Report
Just prior to your trip to the Lake of the Ozarks, check out the
latest fishing report as provided by the Lake
Sun Leader regional newspaper.
Fishing Report:
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Fishing At The Lake of the Ozarks
The "Funlake" TCLV's home page
presents a good over-view on fishing at the Lake of the Ozarks.
The following is a direct quote from that page:
Largemouth Bass, Crappie, White Bass, Stripers and Catfish
are the main source of excitement
to Lake anglers and when one species isn't cooperating, relax..... another one will.
The fishing season begins early on our Lake, about January 1, and it ends late, December 31. No
kidding! From then on the action gets hotter. Knowledgeable anglers work cool spring waters
using deep diving crankbaits and jig-n-frog lures. As the lake warms up topwater lures produce
the explosive strikes that make grown men shake with excitement. After the bass spawn, usually
in late April or early May, the plastic worm begins to replace the crankbaits and surface lures on
the business end of the fishing rod. Summer anglers find their bass around deep points, drop offs
and boat docks. And just when you think the action's going to end, the cool weather of October
and November brings the bass back in the shallows for some more fast fishing action.
If Black Bass doesn't excite you, our White Bass fishing will. During the early spring spawning
runs experienced anglers often fill their 15- fish limit in about as many casts. The summer months
find the Whites schooled up on shallow flats. Though the one to two pound Whites are great
table fare (and by the way, put up a rowdy battle) nothing strips line from your reel like the
Stripers and Hybrid Stripers which were first stocked in Lake of the Ozarks in 1980. Six years later
a state record 20.5 lb. hybrid was pulled from our waters.
Through effective management, regulation and stocking efforts of the Missouri Department of
Conservation, Lake of the Ozarks has provided numbers of other state record catches over the
past ten years including a 34 lb. drum, a 36 lb. buffalo, a 42 lb. muskie, a 91 lb. blue catfish (caught
in 1988) and a 111 lb. paddlefish.
Crappie fishing is another main event at the Lake. The length limit is 9 inches. The spring spawn
usually occurs in mid to late April. Local anglers know the Crappie won't spawn until the
Dogwoods bloom.
Whether you are a serious pro looking for some outstanding bass fishing or just look forward to
a lazy day of relaxation and family fun, Lake of the Ozarks has the ingredients for your fishing
vacation.
For a special thrill, go after a paddlefish, also referred to as a spoonbill. This rare fish is a bona
fide remnant of the dinosaur age. It is caught by blind snagging. Fisherpersons troll and jerk large
hooks attached to heavy lead sinkers or cast and retrieve the hooks by jerking. Rods are
generally short and stiff and reels are equipped with 80 to 100 pound test line. All paddlefish
caught in Lake of the Ozarks must be 24 inches or longer from the eye to the fork of the tail.
Paddlefish season is March 15 to April 30.
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Golf at the Lake of the Ozarks
573-365-2642 for details.
Golf at the
Lake of the Ozarks is almost a year around sport. Regrdless of
your tastes or pocketbook, you will find courses here that will fit
your need. You will find a complete overview of all of the courses in
the Lake of the Ozarks area by going to
The Visitor's Bureau Golf Page.
What are the course public rates? For rates at the various courses,
go to
Golf Course Rates
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WHAT THE NATIVES ARE SAYING
Hello Natives out there. We need your input.
Please E-Mail Us Late reports on the
fishing action or send them using the guestbook entry below.
Tell us your favorite Lake of the Ozarks Fishing story.
We will post your messages here.
Please sign our Fishing Friends Guestbook or
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Thanks, and good fishing !!
POSTS
-
On Fishing For White Bass: The following is a copy of a post to
the Bulletin Board of the Bass Pro Shors (see my 'More Fishing Links' category).
In Reply to: White Bass fishing on "Lake of the Ozarks" posted by Gary M. Hosking on October 22, 1996 at
22:03:58:
: I am planning to take my six year old son fishing more next year. The first trip I have planned is in the spring
when the White Bass are running. I am looking for someone that can tell me the best times to go and what creeks
are best to fish in.
i saw no one had replied to you some good tips;
start in the niagua arms with big white grubs
and small spiners fish as far up the river as you can.
the fish spawn as far as they can get up the
river in the shoals and sand bars.
lake oz is real good for whites though if you get the
chance go to tablerock in march kings and james rivers
will make a trip you wont forget
good luck
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