Outdoors report: Had enough turkey? Try a fish fry. Here’s how, where to catch them

Here is the fishing and hunting report for lakes and reservoirs in the Kansas City area and regionally around Kansas and Missouri for November 27, 2019.

FISHING

Missouri

BULL SHOALS: 54 degrees, dingy to clear (10-15 feet) visibility, 12 feet high Outlook: Del Colvin Guide Service reports: Fishing is fair on cloudy days. Look for birds to find the shad at the surface. They’ll be at the top to 25 feet down halfway back in creeks on secondary points to all the way back into major creeks and tributaries. No wind or sun, go deep on drop shots or spoons 30-50 feet down close to main channel. Bushes are still holding fish. Try jig on ledge transitions. Wind will help spinnerbait and rock crawler/wiggle wart bite but need to stay in the wind. Crappie are showing up in brush piles. Del Colvin also does a video fishing report on YouTube: Bull Shoals Lake Fishing Report. Below the dam: John Berry of Berry Bros. Guide Service reports: The Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam will close from November 1, 2019 to January 31, 2020 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The White has fished well with moderate generation recently. The hot spot has been the Wildcat 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 cerise high water San Juan worm with an egg pattern suspended below it). Use long leaders and plenty of weight to get your flies down.

TANEYCOMO: 55 degrees, clear, 3 units all day Outlook: Lilleys’ Landing reports: fishing is very good. Folks are getting them from the docks on the bottom using Power Eggs. Use enough weight to drop your bait until you can feel the line tick against the bottom. Drifting scuds on the bottom in the trophy area has been lights out. Stay in the middle of the lake. A variety of marabou jig colors are working throughout the lake.

NORFORK: 57 degrees, stained, 8 feet high Outlook: Bink’s Guide Service reports: crappie is still the best bite in the creeks over brush piles. Stripers are at 35-55 feet deep back in the creeks. They are biting Bink’s 1oz spoons.

LONGVIEW: 41 degrees, dingy, normal Outlook: Longview Marina reports: walleye have been caught frequently from the marina recently. Crappie are good lakewide using minnows or jigs 8-15 feet down with some big ones caught near the marina. They’ve been better in the coves than at the marina recently. Whites are still hitting on windy banks. Fishing hours are 8am-12:30pm M-F. Marina is closed Thurs-Sun this week for Thanksgiving. There won’t be minnows at the marina until March 2020. Join Lee’s Summit Area Fishing Facebook group for daily updates.

POMME DE TERRE: 51 degrees, clear, normal Outlook: Pomme Muskie Guide Service reports: Things are still slow overall. Crappie are being caught on jigs and minnows near docks and brush. Shad have been in the coves in the warmer weather.

LAKE OF THE OZARKS: 54 degrees, stained, 1 foot low Outlook: Gier’s Bass Pro reports: fish are on the winter pattern. Crappie are 18-20 feet deep in brush. Jerkbait bite for bass will start picking up soon.

JAMES A. REED: 42 degrees, clear, normal Outlook: Missouri Dept. of Conservation reports: Trout fishing is excellent using a variety of baits. Crappie are fair using jigs and minnows near brush. All other species slow.

STOCKTON: 49 degrees, clear, 1.3 feet high (40 CFS Tuesday) Outlook: Tandem Fly Outfitters reports: Walleye are fair to good on a Jakked shooter head tipped with a nightcrawler and trolling flicker shad in 12-15 feet. Crappie are suspended around brush from 15-25 feet on jig or minnow using a 1/16th-1/8th oz jig head. Bass are scattered. Have a jig and a crankbait tied on. White bass are scattered, but trolling a rooster tail or flicker shad will help you find them.

JACOMO: low to mid 40s, stained, normal Outlook: Lee’s Summit Area Fishing Facebook group reports: Crappie are fair to good around the docks. Look for them near brush or standing timber using minnows or jigs. Fish really slow near the bottom. All other species have been slow to fair.

BLUE SPRINGS: low to mid 40s, stained, normal Outlook: Lee’s Summit Area Fishing Facebook Group reports: whites and wipers have been fair to good on windblown banks. Crappie are slow to fair and can be found fishing slowly near the bottom or very close to structure.

TABLE ROCK: 56 degrees, clear (muddy in rivers), normal Outlook: Eric Prey of Focused Fishing Guide Service reports: Bass can be caught on a variety of baits and depths. Small jigs, tubes and Ned rigs are working on mixed gravel and rock points 10-20 feet deep. On windy days crankbaits and spinnerbaits are effective on steeper banks and around wood cover 5-10 feet deep. Deep fish are holding on gravel points 32-52 feet deep and can be caught on Jigging spoons. White Bass are starting to show up on gravel flats in the river arms, most are 25-35 feet deep and can be caught on jigging spoons. White crappie are good on jigs and live minnows fished around standing timber 12-18 feet deep.

TRUMAN: low to mid 40s, stained upper end, clear lower end, 2 feet high ( Outlook: Richard Bowling Guide Service reports: Crappie are on big time and being caught on the lower lake fishing the bluffs and the bluff pockets in 16 feet of water and more fishing 15 feet down. Jigs and minnows both working. Catfish are along the river channels and can be caught anchor fishing in 3-15 feet of water. Fan cast the poles using fresh cut bait.

SMITHVILLE: 40 degrees, clear, 0.5 feet high Outlook: Burton’s Bait and Tackle reports: things have been slowing down. Crappie are still good but having to find them around the docks. White bass have been good on the main lake with a walleye mixed in.

Kansas

MELVERN: 47 degrees, stained, 1.2 feet high (20 CFS Tuesday) Outlook: Melvern Lake Marina reports: All boat ramps accessible. Crappie are very good near established brush piles and along the docks on minnows and dark jigs. Smallmouth are good lakewide on tubes and shallow crankbaits. White bass are fair on shallow crankbaits on wind blown banks. Channel cats are fair lakewide on nightcrawlers and livers. Blue catfish are fair at the west end of the lake and in the stilling basin on shad sides and entrails. Walleye are poor, but a few have been caught trolling deep crankbaits recently.

CLINTON: 48 degrees, dingy, 6.5 feet high (1500 CFS Monday) Outlook: KDWPT reports: Boat ramp #1 is open in the state park. Catfish are fair on shad. Crappie are fair over brush on minnows and jigs. Wipers and white bass are showing themselves at the surface in the late evenings over rocky areas.

PERRY: upper 40s, clear, about 7 feet high (3000 CFS Monday) Outlook: Don and Tom’s Bait and Tackle reports: Rock Creek Marina and Slough Creek boat ramp are open. Channel cats are good near the flooded shoreline. Crappie are very good around the docks and moving deeper 15-25 feet down. White bass and smallies have been biting well in the last week.

COFFEY COUNTY (WOLF CREEK): low to mid 40s, clear, about normal Outlook: KDWPT reports: Fishing continues to be very slow for the few that made it out. White bass and wipers will hit if you can find them. Entrance gate phone number is 620-364-2475. Be sure to call ahead for lake conditions.

LA CYGNE: low to mid 40s, stained, normal Outlook: KDWPT reports: no major changes. white bass are fair near the hot water outlet. Largemouth are slow to fair on deep side of riprap areas and weed beds. Jerkbaits will pick up soon. Slow moving baits are the ticket. Crappie are close to brush in 8-14 feet of water on jigs or minnows. Catfishing is good on cutbait. For information on the Linn County Marina boat ramps, call 913-757-6633.

POMONA: 38 degrees, stained, 2.2 feet high (15 CFS Monday) Outlook: KDWPT reports: Channel catfish are good using worms, dip baits , sunfish entrails, cutshad, or stink/prepared baits. Crappie are fair, but very quality fish are being caught around the docks. All other species are slow.

MILFORD: 50 degrees, stained, 5 feet high (6000 CFS Monday) Outlook: KDWPT reports: Channel catfish are fair on cut bait, worms, and stink bait. Blue catfish are fair on fresh cut bait. Target wind blown flats. Anglers are also targeting flooded areas around the lake for catfish. Crappie are fair to good and are 10-20 feet deep suspended near points, flooded brush, and ledges on jigs and minnows. Walleye are good near rocky or wind-swept mud banks with jigs, crankbaits, or bottom bouncers. White bass and wipers are fair on jigs in the river on the north end of the reservoir.

HILLSDALE: 37 degrees, stained, 0.8 feet high Outlook: KDWPT reports: No changes. Crappie are fair in brush piles using minnows and jigs about 10-25 feet down. Keeper walleye have been caught off the docks on larger jigs. White bass are good on windblown points. Channel catfish are good on cut bait and nightcrawlers.

GLEN ELDER (WACONDA LAKE): low 40s, stained, 1 foot high (700 CFS Monday) Outlook: KDWPT reports: Crappie are good shallow feeding on shad and other small fish and can be caught from the bank around Granite Creek, Osage Cove, Marina Cove, and the south bluffs. Walleye are fair to good in 5-10 feet of water early and late in the day near Walnut Creek, along the dam, and off the north shore points along the state park. Smallmouth fishing has been great with reports of many 3-4 pound smallmouth caught around the state park area and along the dam. In addition, anglers should be able to find these guys in Osage Cove, Walnut Creek, Granite Creek, Mill Creek, and Schoen’s Cove. There are good numbers of largemouth bass being caught in the state park coves, along Granite Creek, and along the south bluffs. White bass are outstanding and being caught on the lower end of the reservoir around the dam and state park area as well as the Walnut Creek area. Good numbers of 15 to 17 inch fish with 4-10 pound wipers mixed in.

TUTTLE CREEK: 48 degrees, clear, 18.5 feet high (12,500 CFS Monday) Outlook: Kansas Department of Wildlife reports: No changes. High water still limiting fishing to very few anglers. Saugeye continue to be found downstream in the River Pond. Catfish have been fair on the main lake. Willow Lake has been stocked with 2,670 trout so far this year.

WILSON: low to mid 40s, clear, 0.7 feet low Outlook: KDWPT reports: Stripers are fair caught shallow in cooling temps. Walleye are fair drifting soft plastics early and late near vegetation 4-10 feet down. Marshall Cove and the Sawhill/Duvall area are holding shallow walleye. Channel cats are good throughout the reservoir on worms and dough bait. Blue cats are best at Minooka West and Duvall to Horseshoe bend in 6-20 feet of water. White bass are fair on 1/16 oz. jigs on windblown points near Lucas.

EL DORADO: low 40s, stained, 0.1 feet low (14 CFS Monday) Outlook: KS Dept. of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism: All boat ramps usable. Wipers and white bass are fair trolling or casting crank baits along windy shorelines. Blue cats are back in the river channels now. Crappie are fair near timber or brush piles on minnows and jigs. Walleye are fair trolling #9 and larger crankbaits along windblown shorelines, points, and flats.

HUNTING

Missouri

Swan Lake: On 11/19, roughly 99,000 ducks were observed including 76,000 mallards. Through 11/24, 192 hunters have harvested an average of 1.31 ducks per hunter.

Duck Creek CA: On 11/18, roughly 1700 Gadwalls, 4015 Mallards, 5300 Ring-Necked ducks, and 100 Teal.

Four Rivers CA: On 11/18, roughly 4764 Mallards, 250 Mixed dabblers, and 10 Mixed divers were observed. On 11/24, 24 hunters reported harvesting 22 ducks in the last week.

Grand Pass CA: On 11/20, roughly 4100 Gadwalls, 24600 Mallards, 2050 Mixed dabblers, 1200 Pintails, 300 Ring-Necked ducks, 2050 Shovelers, 4100 Teal, and 800 Wigeon were observed. On 11/24, 65 hunters harvested 72 ducks in the last week.

Mingo NWR: On 11/12, roughly 1966 Gadwalls, 5158 Mallards, 341 Mixed dabblers, 41 Mixed divers, 142 Pintails, 155 Ring-Necked ducks, 260 Shovelers, 392 Teal, and 61 Wigeon were observed.

Otter Slough CA: On 11/19, roughly 15300 Mallards, 7650 Mixed dabblers, 12 Mixed divers, 7650 Pintails, and 3000 Ring-Necked ducks were observed. As of 11/14, 78 hunters harvested 103 ducks in the previous week. 80 hunters reported harvesting 0 ducks in the last week.

Fountain Grove CA: On 11/18, roughly 350 Gadwalls, 31500 Mallards, 350 Pintails, 1750 Ring-Necked ducks, 350 Shovelers, and 700 Teal were observed. As of 11/24, 82 hunters harvested 72 ducks in the last week.

Loess Bluffs NWR: On 11/18, roughly 17,000 ducks were present along with 153,000 geese.

Nodaway Valley CA: On 11/18, roughly 21757 Mallards and 24175 Mixed dabblers were observed. On 11/24, 39 hunters had harvested 104 ducks in the previous week.

Kansas

CHEYENNE BOTTOMS: On 11/20, less than 2,500 ducks, mostly mallards. Around 250,000 geese - a lot of snows, but still holding good numbers of whitefronts and Canadas. Most of the birds are staying in the refuge. For the period of 11/16-11/20, hunters have averaged 1.43 ducks per hunter.

MARAIS DES CYGNES: On 11/25, estimated 15,000 - 20,000 ducks and some geese, mostly whitefronts. This weekend (Sat & Sun): 116 ducks / 139 hunters = 0.8 success. Season: 1,445 ducks / 944 hunters = 1.5 success.

NEOSHO: On 11/21, 25,000-30,000 ducks - mainly Mallards, Teal, Gadwall and Pintail. 1000 White-fronts, 300 Canada Geese and 8,000 Snow Geese. Hunters averaging 2 birds per hour.

PERRY: On 11/22, a few hundred ducks were observed with Goldeneyes being the main species. West River Boat Ramp/Parking area and Kyle Marsh Parking area/ramps are still inaccessible due to flood waters and siltation.

HILLSDALE: On 11/21, a large influx of waterfowl recently occurred on the Hillsdale Wildlife Area. Mallards, wood ducks, gadwalls, American Wigeon, Northern shovelers, blue-winged teal, and green-winged teal have all been surveyed. Large groups of geese with numbers in the 500’s have been seen in flight over the area. Most divers have moved on.

QUIVIRA: On 11/25, there were roughly 42,000 geese and 10,600 ducks on the area. Ducks were mixed species of mallards, northern pintail, and green-winged teal. Geese were primarily white-fronted and snows.

MELVERN: On 11/22, 3 Duck Marsh - Both units are pumped with approximately 55 mallards and 3 pintail; Willow Marsh - North and South units are partially pumped with no waterfowl observed at the time of the survey; Sundance Marsh - This unit is pumped, no waterfowl were observed at the time of the survey; Lowman’s Cove - All units are completely full. 2 mallards and 4 teal were observed on the survey; Shoveler Slough - No waterfowl observed at the time of the survey; Refuge - There were approximately 100 waterfowl and 50 geese.

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.