Near-record lake levels continue to limit fishing access at many lakes in the region
Here is the fishing report for lakes and reservoirs in the Kansas City area and in Kansas and Missouri for June 5, 2019.
Missouri
BULL SHOALS: mid 70s, clear (15 feet), 25 feet high Outlook: Del Colvin Guide Service reports: water clarity on the main lake is very clear, but there is color in the back of major creeks, especially after a rain. Look for shad in pockets and points. The shad look to spawn on docks and bluffs and if you can find them are good to throw baits around. A tube in burnt orange/green pumpkin or green pumpkin, jig or watermelon red colors is working on the old shoreline. If the sun is out, go deeper using ned rigs, carolina rigs, twin tail grubs, tubes, or shakey heads. Those are all good options dragged on points and secondary points either beaver or big worm Texas rigged. Jewel Gem Shad swimbait will move through those bushes well. Post spawners will most likely be out on the old shoreline or hanging around bait fish spawning areas. If there is wind, spinnerbaits and square bills will work. Wind will also help the look for rounded gravel points. Topwater like spooks gunfight sammy redfin ploppers, and toads are working. Use walk the dog style baits on open water and poppers on isolated cover. Walleye guys have started trolling flicker shad and bottom bouncing with crawler harnesses. Vertical spoons and drop shotting are working as well. Target 24-28 feet on main lake and secondary points close to the main lake out to 32 if it’s flat. Looks like a thermocline is starting to form in the 20 foot range. Below the dam: John Berry of Berry Bros. Guide Service reports: The White has fished well. Light generation and some wadable water in the last week. The hot spot has been Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers (#8, #10), Y2Ks (#14, #12), prince nymphs (#14), zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead #16, #18), pheasant tails (#14), ruby midges (#18), root beer midges (#18), pink and cerise San Juan worms (#10), and sowbugs (#16). Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (my current favorite combination is a pheasant tail nymph (#14) with a root beer midge (#18) suspended below it. Use weight to get your flies down.
TANEYCOMO: 54 degrees, clear, lighter generation Outlook: Lilleys’ Landing reports: finally seeing some slower generation after months of high water. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been running up to 3 units, starting early in the morning and shutting down after dark but this isn’t the case every day. Large rainbows have been hitting jerkbaits in the trophy area. A beaded scud under an indicator works well, using 6x or 2-pound line from Short Creek up. So will a zebra midge. Same size tippet on the Zebras. Air injected night crawlers almost always catches fish anywhere on the upper lake but especially in the Short Creek area. The pink Powerworm caught a 15-pound brown in the Short Creek area last week. Black/Olive marabou jigs have been doing pretty well so far this week, along with the sculpin/peach jig. White is still the color on the first half-mile of the lake, then switch to the darker colors. Join Southwest Missouri Area Fishing Facebook group for fishing updates from an engaged membership.
NORFORK: 72 degrees, main lake clear, about 16 feet high Outlook: Bink’s Fintastic Guide Service reports: the night bite for stripers is over and the top water bite is coming to an end. Some largemouth are still hitting topwater. Stripers are moving to the main lake at 40 feet.
LONGVIEW: low to mid 70s, murky, high. Outlook: Longview Marina reports: white bass have started to pick up. Crappie have also been better than previous weeks. Catfish have been caught on worms around the bridge at Raytown Rd and Highgrove Rd. Fishing is available from the marina Monday-Friday. Fishing hours are 7am-5:00pm. Join Lee’s Summit Area Fishing Facebook group for daily updates.
POMME DE TERRE: 75 degrees, clear, 25 feet high and rising Outlook: Pomme Muskie Guide Service reports: 50 C.F.S is being released. Same as last week. Fishing has been poor. Clarity in the lower lake is excellent.
LAKE OF THE OZARKS: low 80s, clear, 0.5 feet high Outlook: Gier’s Bass Pro reports: crappie are very good on trolling crankbaits. Catfish are very good on main lake and secondary points using cut bait 25-30 feet down. Bass are on main lake brush piles catching them on soft plastics.
REED AREA: 76 degrees, stained, normal pool. Outlook: Missouri Dept. of Conservation reports: largemouth bass good on chatterbaits and topwater. Channel catfish fair on a variety of baits. All other species are slow. Join Lee’s Summit Area Fishing Facebook Group for daily updates.
STOCKTON: 66 degrees, clear, 17 feet high and rising Outlook: Stockton Guide Service reports: walleye are in 30 feet of water on brush piles. Worms are your best best. Crappie are fair on crankbaits trolled in coves. Bass are fair flipping jigs into the flooded brush. Catfish are good on worms on points and up the rivers. Lots of fish are holding in the flooded brush, but they are really hard to get to.
JACOMO: mid to upper 70s, clear, high Outlook: Lee’s Summit Area Fishing Facebook group reports: Crappie are scattered and hard to find. Look for them in structure 10-15 feet deep or near mouths of coves. Jigs and minnows are best. Largemouth have been slow to fair and found in flooded vegetation. There will be Kayak Demo Days sponsored by Sportsman’s Outfitter & Marine and Jackson Kayak on Saturday, June 15th from 12-4pm where you can test out and learn how to safely operate sporting and fishing styles of kayaks for free. There will also be a kayak tournament that day put on by Mo-Kan Kayak Fishing Series from 2pm to dusk. More details can be found online. Join Lee’s Summit Area Fishing Facebook Group for daily updates.
BLUE SPRINGS: mid to upper 70s, clear, high Outlook: Lee’s Summit Area Fishing Facebook Group reports: crappie are scattered and hard to find. Look for them in structure 10-15 feet deep. Jigs and minnows are best. Continue to look for wipers to concentrate around the “blow hole” on the south end of the lake. Folks have been finding them from the bank as well where Jacomo flows into Blue Springs. Catfish should be patrolling areas with water coming into the lake. Join Lee’s Summit Area Fishing Facebook Group for daily updates.
TABLE ROCK: 78 degrees, clear to stained, normal Outlook: Eric Prey of Focused Fishing Guide Service reports: Bass are moving deeper on the main lake. Look for them on gravel points 15-25 feet deep using tubes, jigs, and drop shot rigs.. In the rivers, fish are shallower and can be caught flipping bushes and docks with jigs and creature baits. The top water bite is still strong early and late or when it is cloudy, just find shad and the fish will be close. White bass have been schooling on gravel flats all over the lake, top water and grubs are very effective. Join Southwest Missouri Area Fishing Facebook group for fishing updates from an engaged membership.
TRUMAN: low 70s, stained, 33.8 feet high. Outlook: Richard Bowling Guide Service reports: 40,000 cfs release as of Tuesday. A lot of marinas and ramps have closed due to high water. Crappie are in the willow trees 18 feet down in 30 feet of water. Main lake flats are the best areas right now. The problem is there aren’t many places to put your boat in right now.
SMITHVILLE: mid to upper 70s, clear to stained on main lake, about 8 feet high Outlook: Burton’s Bait and Tackle reports: crappie, white bass, and walleye have all been fair to good. The bridges at Camp Branch and W Highway are holding lots of fish. Some folks are catching walleye out on the lake in 6-8 feet of water on nightcrawlers and a jig. Some giant flatheads have been caught in the last week on goldfish. Little Platte is the only boat ramp that is closed (courtesy ramps are pulled). Other ramps are good. Bass have been very hard to find
MOZINGO LAKE: low 70s, muddy, high Outlook: Fishing With Nordbye YouTube channel reports: all species are fair. Bass have been hitting UVenkos, BD Squarebills, and Fish Hog Tackle’s wired jigs. For crappie, UV Crappie Jigs as well as minnows are working. Bluegill are biting good. Tube jigs or night crawlers working well up shallow in coves.
Kansas
SHAWNEE MISSION PARK: 81 degrees, clear, normal Outlook: trout are fair on Powerbait. Crappie and panfish are fair on worms and minnows. Catfish are fair on stink bait. Bass/wipers are good on plastic jigs and nightcrawlers. Wipers can sometimes be caught on chicken liver under a bobber.
KILL CREEK PARK: 77 degrees, cloudy, normal Outlook: trout are fair on Powerbait. Crappie and panfish are fair on worms or minnows. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits. Topwater baits early and late are also good. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
WYANDOTTE: low to mid 70s, stained, high Outlook: KDWPT reports: last updated 5/24/19. Largemouth are good. Finesse baits targeting underwater vegetation is producing the most fish right now. Rainbow trout are good on worms, powerbait, and small spoons. Smallmouth are fair and can be caught targeting rocky bottoms with crankbaits, jigs, and swimbaits. Black crappie are fair if you target deeper structure with minnows and jigs.
MELVERN: 72 degrees, stained, 19.5 feet high Outlook: Melvern Lake Marina reports: crappie are poor. White bass have been poor to fair on crankbaits and minnows. Channel cats are fair lakewide on nightcrawlers and livers. Blue catfish are fair, catching a lot at the west end of the lake and at the docks on shad sides and entrails.
CLINTON: 64 degrees, dingy, 18.5 feet high Outlook: KDWPT reports: last updated 5/23/19. All boat ramps in the State and Corps Parks are closed due to high water. Fish feeders will not be operational until water levels recede to normal.
PERRY: upper 70s, stained, about 26.5 feet high Outlook: Don and Tom’s Bait and Tackle reports: all the boat ramps are closed so there hasn’t been much fishing. Catfish have been very good where water is flowing into the lake. Only prominent fishing activity going on is down below the spillway. Blues, flatheads, and walleye are all being caught at the spillway.
COFFEY COUNTY (WOLF CREEK): 79 at north end, 72 middle of lake, 86 at hot water outlet, 68 at the inlet, 73 at the dam, clear, high Outlook: KDWPT report last updated 5/31: Entrance gate phone number is 620-364-2475. Be sure to call ahead for lake conditions. White bass and wipers have been fair. Use shad imitation lures like small spinners, crankbaits or bucktail jigs. and look for schools of shad or focus on wind blown flats or points. Smallmouth have been fair on crankbaits, swimbaits, and finesse plastics around rocky habitat. The recent bite has been slow. Crappie are fair vertical jigging around the standing timber or channel swings using minnows. Largemouth are fair around shallow cover and standing cattails using reaction style baits. Jerkbaits, lipless cranks, vibrating jigs, or spinnerbaits should all work. Largemouth are in a post-spawn pattern.
LA CYGNE: 75 degrees by the outlet, mid 60s on the main lake, clear, high Outlook: KDWPT reports: last updated 5/25/19. The water level is very full and has flooded lots of weedbeds that are full of crappie, channel catfish and bass. Bass are good. Fish the rip rap areas, use cranks, plastic worms, lizards, spinner baits, or shad imitation baits. Bass over 10 pounds have been caught recently. White bass have been good to excellent at the hot water outlet. Use shad imitations or silver spoons. Most of the fish caught at the hot water outlet have been in the 1 to 2 pound range. Crappie are fair but picking up. Some have been caught off of marina coves and along the dam. There are a good numbers of fish 10- 12 inches long. Best lures to use are jigs/ minnows near structure. At the dam, bounce jigs off the outlet wall, but don’t go over the restrictive cable. Try any of the brush piles or Georgia cubes placed for fish habitat. There are some close to the marina shoreline. For information on the Linn County Marina boat ramps, call 913-757-6633. Good shoreline angler access is provided by the Linn County Park on the west side of the lake. Join Southeast Kansas Area Fishing Facebook Group for daily updates.
POMONA: 67 degrees, stained, 27.7 feet high Outlook: KDWPT reports: last updated 5/25/19. Most fishing is slow recently. Anglers have really caught some fish at the outlet because of the high water releases. The fish feeders are on.
MILFORD: 65 degrees, stained, 28 feet high Outlook: KDWPT reports: last updated 6/3/19. Many boat ramps are closed around the lake. Fishing access around the reservoir will most likely be difficult until the water level goes down. Channel catfish can be caught on cut bait, worms, and stink bait. Blue catfish are typically caught on fresh cut bait. Target wind blown flats for catfish. Walleye are slow to fair and can be found targeting rocky or wind-swept mud banks with jigs, crankbaits, or bottom bouncers. Crappie are slow to fair. Look for them 10-20 feet deep suspended near points, flooded brush, and ledges on jigs and minnows. At the outlet, catfish are fair on cut bait; walleye, white bass, and wipers are slow on jigs.
HILLSDALE: 67 degrees, stained, 12.3 feet high (new record lake level) Outlook: KDWPT reports: last updated report 5/30/19 and water level was 12.3 feet above conservation, a new lake record. As of 5-27-19: All Boat Ramps are closed due to flooding. All camping areas in Jayhawk Park Area are closed. All fishing has been slow to fair. Look for bass along shallow, flooded structure.
GLEN ELDER (WACONDA LAKE): 68 degrees, stained, about 7.8 feet high Outlook: Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism reports: last updated given 5/28/19. Heavy rainfall and minimal releases due to downstream flooding have caused the Glen Elder water level to increase rapidly over the past week and the lake is nearly 8 feet high at this time. Only 50 cfs is being released and the lake level is expected to peak at 9 to 10 feet above conservation pool. The two state park boat ramps (Osage and Marina Cove) are closed as is the Boller Point boat ramp. There are still several open ramps that can be used safely including Granite Creek, Walnut Creek, Schoen’s Cove, North Fork Bridge, and Carr Creek. This high water may stick around for awhile and boaters should be aware of any new potential hazards which could be showing up in the newly flooded water. White bass are good to excellent by the dam or on main lake points. Best ares for catfish right now include Carr Creek, Oak Creek, Fisherman’s Bridge, Boller Point, Cawker City dike, and Granite Creek. Also, with the recent rains the catfish will congregate near areas of inflow and anglers should be able to capitalize by focusing their efforts in these high flow areas. Anglers have been catching good numbers of walleye around the Cawker City Causeway, the flats south of the golf course, and off the state park points. Most fish are coming from 10-15 feet of water using jigs and worms or jigs and minnows. All other species are slow to fair.
TUTTLE CREEK: 58 degrees, stained, 59.5 feet high. Outlook: Kansas Department of Wildlife reports: KDWPT last updated report given 5/21. Most fishing has been slow due to high water. The high release rates have been moving saugeye downstream from the Reservoir, which has led to some good fishing in the river pond, the river below the dam or at Rocky Ford. Everything else has been slow.
WILSON: upper 60s/low 70s, stained, 10.5 feet high. Outlook: KDWPT reports: as of 5/31, all boat ramps were usable. Black bass are good on soft plastics and jerkbaits along rocky shorelines and reed grass. Spinnerbaits work well when the wind is blowing. There has been recent reports of keeper Blue Catfish being caught throughout the reservoir. Try points in Hell Creek and shoreline habitat near West Minooka and Elm Creek. Use fresh cut bait. Stripers are fair with a few reports coming near the bluffs on the upper end and the river channel near Duvall. Try spoons and jigs/road runners in 12-20 feet of water. There are reports of big walleye being caught off points and flats from Duvall to Rock Town on the north shore. Try jigs and swimbaits in the early morning and late evening.
EL DORADO: low to mid 70s, stained, 8.85 feet high. Outlook: KS Dept. of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism reports: last updated report given 5/29. releasing 4229 CFS. Due to high water, all but one of the lake’s boat ramps are unusable. The Shady Creek Area 1 Boat Ramp is the only functioning ramp. The courtesy dock is flooded. Use extreme caution and be on the lookout for floating debris if you take a boat out on the water. Both blue cats and channel catfish are being caught in the creeks and other areas with current. Worms have been productive as well as fresh cut bait for blues. White bass and crappie have been fair on minnows in flooded vegetation.
Tyler Mahoney is a Rockhurst University-educated outdoors fanatic who works to support his hunting and fishing habits. Read more of his next-generation insight at mahoneyoutdoors.com.