Fishing report for Aug. 20
Missouri
▪ SMITHVILLE: 82 degrees, murky, one-half-foot high. Outlook: Burton’s Bait and Tackle reports: crappies good on minnows in 14 to 18 feet of water in main-lake brush; bass good on Carolina rigs, crankbaits off main-lake points; channel catfish good on a variety of baits off docks at both marinas; flathead catfish good on trotlines with goldfish, panfish and on rod and reel below the dam with heavy jigheads and swimbaits; white bass good on small crankbaits, Pepper Spoons off points.
▪ TRUMAN: 83 degrees, fairly clear, 1 foot high. Outlook: Cody’s Bait and Tackle reports: crappies good on jigs, minnows in 17 to 25 feet of water in the flooded cedars; catfish fair to good on shad drifting the flats; hybrids good on Sassy Shad, live shad. Below the dam: crappies good on jigs, minnows; catfish fair on shad.
▪ NORFORK: 84 degrees, clear, 15 feet high. Outlook: Bink’s Guide Service reports: bass, walleyes excellent on white one-quarter-ounce Bink’s Spoons 30 feet off main-lake points; stripers good on 1-ounce white Bink’s Spoons in 70 feet of water in the main-lake channel.
▪ JACOMO: Low 80s, clearing, normal. Outlook: Forty Woods Bait and Tackle reports: bluegills good on crickets, waxworms, redworms; channel catfish good on liver, night crawlers in coves at night and early morning; bass fair on minnows, crawdads, a variety of lures early and late.
▪ STOCKTON: 85 degrees, clear, 21/2 feet high. Outlook: Stockton Lake Guide Service reports: crappies fair on minnows 25 in brush; bass poor to fair (a few are being caught on large plastic worms in brush piles); walleyes fair on bottom bouncers in 13 to 17 feet of water on the flats; catfish very good on fresh shad in 12 to 17 feet of water on flats; white bass good on Rooster Tails where fish are surfacing in evening.
▪ BULL SHOALS: 89 degrees, clear, 26 feet high. Outlook: 125 Marina reports: bass fair on jigging spoons in 20 feet of water; catfish good on limb or trotlines with goldfish, cut bait.
▪ TANEYCOMO: Clear, 3 units running all day. Outlook: Lilleys’ Landing reports: Trophy Area; trout good on white marabou jigs. Below Fall Creek: trout fair drifting night crawlers.
▪ BLUE SPRINGS: Low 80s, clearing, near normal. Outlook: Forty Woods Bait and Tackle reports: bluegills very good on crickets wax worms in rocky areas; channel catfish fair on liver, cut shad fishing from boats anchored in coves; crappies fair on minnows early off docks.
▪ REED AREA: 84 degrees, clear, full pool. Outlook: Department of Conservation reports: largemouth bass fair early and late on a variety of baits; bluegills, redear sunfish good on red worms under a bobber in shady areas; catfish fair on cut bait, chicken liver 2 feet under a bobber.
▪ LONGVIEW: 82 degrees, 34-inch clarity, normal. Outlook: Longview Lake Marina reports: crappies fair on jigs off the marina docks.
▪ LAKE OF THE OZARKS: 87 degrees, fairly clear, normal. Outlook: Gier’s Bass Pro reports: crappies poor to fair (a few are being caught on minnows in 18 feet of water in main-lake brush); bass fair on Brush Hogs, jigs, plastic worms in 20 feet in brush; catfish poor to fair on trotlines.
▪ POMME DE TERRE: 84 degrees, clear at the dam, dingy on the north end, 11/2 feet high. Outlook: Muskie Guide Service reports: bass fair on deep-running crankbaits; walleyes poor to fair on Flicker Shad in 12 feet of water.
▪ TABLE ROCK: 88 degrees, stained, 4 feet high. Outlook: White River Lodge reports: catfish poor to fair on shad sides, panfish; bluegills fair on crickets in 15 to 22 feet of water on main-lake points, flats; bass poor to fair early on green-pumpkin jigs in 12 to 25 feet of water in areas with chunk rock.
Kansas
▪ EL DORADO: Low 80s, murky, one-half foot high. Outlook: Wildlife, Parks and Tourism reports: white bass, wipers good late in the day where fish are surfacing off windy points; crappies fair on jigs in 12 to 15 feet of water; walleyes fair on jigs, night crawlers in 4 to 6 feet of water off rocky points; channel catfish good on dip baits in chum holes.
▪ POMONA: 84 degrees, clear, one-half foot high. Outlook: Lighthouse Bay Marina reports: crappies good on minnows in 12 feet of water; catfish good on cut bait.
▪ WILSON: low 80s degrees, clear, 9 feet low. Outlook: Knothead’s reports: stripers fair to good on live shad in deep water on the main lake.
▪ MILFORD: Low 80s, clear, slightly murky on upper end, fairly clear on the lower end, 3 feet high. Outlook: Guide Vic Oertle reports: wipers, white bass fair on small shad imitations.
▪ KILL CREEK: 82 degrees, clear, normal. Outlook: Johnson County Park and Recreation District reports: catfish good on liver near the marina; bass fair on plastic baits, spinnerbiats on the south side; crappies fair on jigs, minnows in the flooded timber.
▪ WYANDOTTE: 83 degrees, clear, normal. Outlook: Wyandotte Marina reports: bass good early and late on plastic baits in the weeds; channel catfish fair at night on worms, liver, shad, prepared baits; bluegills good on crickets, red worms, wax worms; hybrids fair trolling crankbaits on the main lake.
▪ PERRY: 82 degrees, clear, 2 feet high. Outlook: Don and Tom’s Bait and Tackle reports: crappies fair on jigs (many small fish are being caught); white bass fair on jigging spoons on the flats; catfish very good on stink bait in chum holes.
▪ SHAWNEE MISSION: 84 degrees, clear, normal. Outlook: Johnson County Park and Recreation District reports: catfish fair on cut bait, stinkbait in the south cove and along the north shore; bass fair early on plastic baits, spinnerbaits along the north shore; panfish fair off the docks and along the dam.
▪ MELVERN: 76 degrees, clear, normal. Outlook: Melvern Lake Marina reports: crappies, walleyes poor to fair.
▪ COFFEY COUNTY: 93 degrees mid-lake, clear, one-half foot low. Outlook: Coffey County reports: smallmouth bass fair on plastic baits, crankbaits.
▪ CLINTON: 84 degrees, murky, 2 feet high. Outlook: Clinton Marina reports: crappies poor to fair (a few small ones are being caught in main-lake brush); channel catfish good on a variety of baits.
▪ HILLSDALE: 83 degrees, fairly clear, slightly murky, normal. Outlook: Jayhawk Marina reports: bass fair on topwater lures early along banks; crappies fair to good on minnows in 4to 8 feet of water in the brush; catfish good on a variety of baits lakewide.
▪ GLEN ELDER: 80 degrees, clear, 2 feet high. Outlook: Wayne’s Sporting Goods reports: catfish fair on dip bait in the chum holes; white bass fair where fish are surfacing.
▪ TUTTLE CREEK: Low 80s, clearing, one-half foot low. Outlook: Guide Vic Oertle reports: white bass fair on spoons; catfish good on a variety of baits.
▪ LA CYGNE: 95 degrees in the hot-water outlet, high 80s on the main lake, clear, normal. Outlook: Linn County Park reports: all species poor.
Other area waters
▪ GRAND (OKLA.): 85 degrees, clearing, normal. Outlook: GrandFishingReport.com reports: bow fishing excellent along banks and in pockets; white bass good on Bendable Spoons, Go Go Minnows where fish are surfacing on the main lake; crappies good (but mostly small) on minnows.
▪ WHITE RIVER (ARK.): Clear, variable power generation. Outlook: Gaston’s White River Resort reports: brown trout good on suspending stickbaits, No. 7 gold countdown Rapalas; rainbow trout very good on night crawlers. Fly fishermen have been catching trout on pink or red San Juan worms.
| Brent Frazee, bfrazee@kcstar.com
Brent’s best bet
Smithville Lake continues to shine in the summer heat. The crappie fishing has been good in the main-lake brush and bass have been hitting off main-lake points. Flathead catfish have been caught both above and below the dam. And white bass are still hitting off points and where fish are surfacing.