Falling For Lake of the Ozarks Bass

[John Neporadny Jr.]

    The autumn  spectacle of leaves turning  the landscape into a blend
of gold, red and orange hues  attracts droves of sightseers to the
Ozark hills. This colorful display also signals a prime time for  
bass fishing on Lake of the Ozarks.

    The shorter days and cooler nights of fall cuts down on the food-making
process for trees which causes the leaves to turn colors.  A different
reaction occurs in the Lake of the Ozarks waters though as  fall's cooler weather
 triggers bass into feeding heavily  in preparation for winter.

    Fall  is one of my favorite fishing seasons since the cooler temperatures
provide a relief from the scorching heat of summer and the leaves
changing colors  adds an extra  touch of scenic beauty  to the lake.
Fishing pressure also diminishes in the fall as some  anglers
  turn their attention to  hunting.

    The action can get fast and furious when you find bass feeding in
the fall. In September, bass continue to hold in the man-made brush piles
along the main lake structure of this massive central Missouri reservoir
If the water temperature is still hot, then  stay with a big
(10-inch) plastic worm. The fish usually hold in the brush piles from 8
to 20 feet deep.  Work the worm as slow as possible through the cover for the best results.

    As the water continues to cool, bass start migrating into the shallows
of coves. Search for fish  in shallow wood cover or along
docks with sunken brush piles.

    Bass usually suspend over the brush during October, so try
a square-bill crankbait that produces a wide wobble and dives down
to only 6 feet. Retrieve the lure at a slow pace and try to
bump it into the wood. Other lures that produce  when bass are feeding
in the coves include topwater lures and spinnerbaits.

     In the late fall, bass move back to the main lake  chunk-rock points
where they stage before moving to their deep-water winter haunts.
A good  lure in November is a deep-diving crankbait retrieved  at a medium
speed  which allows it to run at depths of  12 to 14 feet.

     The lower end of the lake offers the most consistent fishing in
the fall. The upper Osage produces some good action during autumn as well.  
If Truman Dam is dumping water the Osage  river arm is
good but if there is no flow  the upper end becomes dead water.
and it's hard to catch any fish. You might go up there and catch one
or two big fish  but  at the same time a  guy  fishing down lake will
 catch a limit.
    For information on lodging and other facilities
at the Lake of the Ozarks or to receive a free  vacation guide, call the
Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-FUN-LAKE or visit the Lake of the Ozarks Convention
and Visitors Bureau web site at funlake.com.