Jenny @ The Station

Since I am running behind this week, I am going to keep this real short. GO FISHING! Everything is biting. Water is running. Lots of Hybrids, some huge! Cats good but not a lot over 15 lb. Crappie continue real good. Mushrooms are up...(between you and me, that's why I'm running behind. But lets keep that a secret.)

The weather looks to be gorgeous this weekend. We are looking forward to seeing many more folks come out of hibernation and wet a line. The crappie have been real good this week. Lots of fish caught and everyone bragging about the size of them. (Some of them I even believe). I've not heard much in the way of walleye except a few small ones reported, but I have a feeling many of the walleye fishermen traded over to crappie this week as they seemed to be the thing to fish for. Cats continue to bite fair to good. Rumors of a few of size, but these stories sound a little "fishy" to me. Whites and hybrids good this week. Spoons seem to be doing best on them, a few tales on the XL glow Slabhunters. As snagging season is winding down, we are seeing the usual end of season rush. Lots of "Bills" being weighed in and 50 lbs is about the smallest we've seen, so BIG fish. With the warm nights upon us, the mushrooms should be popping, so if your fishing skills aren't warmed up yet, you might just take a walk in the woods.

Again this week we have seen a lot of water running at The Tailrace, and quite a few of fish caught of each species. Walleye fishermen continue to bring in fish after fish 4-10 lb. range, several reported still with eggs. They have come upriver for the spawn and stayed for the oxygen and bountiful food supply that comes with the high volume of running water. Crappie have settled out of the current for the most part, in the old channel. Again both minnows and jigs working, and good size to the fish. A fair amount of whites and hybrids coming in now, some of them on spoons. Also the blue cats have really picked up. Lots in the 5-12 lb range and a few reported 20-30. The big spoonbill have now arrived upstream in large numbers. One group of guys caught 10 spoonbill on their trip, all over 40 lbs. The fronts moving through defintely effect the catch, making it hit and miss but overall good fishing right now.

I'd have you give us a call at The Station for the complete low-down. Please just try to avoid calling on the weekend so we have more time to address your questions. Truman is easily one of the top fishing lakes in the US. We'd be happy to help you get started.

As of this morning Truman is up around 717 which is 11 feet above normal pool and rising. I'm not going to say the fishing up top will not be good. Some know how to fish that high water and do quite well, but you have to put some time. Definitely easier to start at The Tailrace right now. Last night a friend brought me a limit of really nice crappie mostly 11-13 inch and just thick across the back. That has been the story this year, lots of size to them. Probably because the pressure during the spawn last year was minimal and the available food plentiful, due to flooding. The evenings we have seen some incredible walleye coming in. Easily one of the most productive years I've seen. Some fish in the early morning hours and through the day, but huge numbers caught off the rocks in the evening. Crappie also doing well. Some days outstanding, like last night for example. Many reports of limits caught in less than an hour of these large fish. Most days are at least "good" on crappie now, and a few scattered in of "great" like yesterday. Whites and hybrids are also picking up. Soon I'd look for them to be "outstanding" as evenings the last 2 Aprils have brought a hybrid almost every cast with an XL glow Slabhunter. Now that's fun fishing! Catfish also picking up this week with some 20's and 30's reported. Good fishing all the way around, and a nice weekend predicted weather wise also. Definitely worth getting up off the couch now. I'd still bring the rain gear though. Stop in and we'll help you get started out there.

Looks like gates and generators this evening. Things are really stirring at the Tailrace. Got a few nice days forcasted also. Good time to play "hooky" from work!

Each day seems to get a little better here at The Tailrace. Lots of fish reported today. Crappie biting good on Slab Hunters and now on minnows. Walleye good bite early morning and real good evenings, a few reported through the day. Lots of reports of 4-10 lb. fish. They should be peaking here soon. Now the whites and an occasional hybrid being brought in. And just in today, good on the catfish, though nothing reported real big, they definitely turned on. Should be interesting to see how the weekend pans out with weather changes likely to come Sunday. Enjoy your weekend!

The COE continues to run the one gate for oxygenation, and most afternoons some generator flow to stir things up at The Tailrace. This has crappie biting real well. And some nice size to the fish being caught. Seems the Slabhunters have been doing a little better than minnows, but both are catching fish right now. Whites have been surfacing periodically and occasionally a group of hybrids showing up. Just tonight some action reported again on topwater. Catfish continue to bite well but I've only heard of a few real big ones since the high water flow. So far it looks to be pretty nice camping weather this weekend. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday

They have slowed the water down this week and the crappie have picked up real well. Some nice fish too, lots in the 14 inch range. Hybrids and whites have been hitting in the mornings and evenings, and occasionally in the heat of the day. Top water has been bringing in some big fish! We saw one tip the scales at just over 12 lb. Catfish have dropped off some but considering it has been outstanding, that means it is still quite good. With the water still running we have continued to see the occasional 30-40 pounder as well as lots of 1-15 lb. cats. Truman has really picked up this week on crappie, whites and hybrids as well. So if you can stand a little heat, you'll most likely come up with a full stringer at the Lake this weekend.

A mild July thus far and lots of water running from both the gates and generators, has fishing at The Tailrace excellent. Lots of fish coming in! Crappie very good on the old channel side and in the eddies. Walleye biting well, also in eddies and just out of the current. Whites and hybrids showing up periodically, but when they are up, they are really hammering them. And last but certainly not least, cats. I don't recall ever seeing so many big cats caught in such a short time in recent years. If you have the chance, get out there! You don't want to just hear about this later.

Due to last weeks downpours, Truman is rising a couple of feet a day and the Corp of Eng. has been blasting the water out of the gates for a few days now. Just enough time for the fish to get used to the change and really start biting. Lots of hybrids coming in now, mostly on spoons and sassy shad. Whites hitting also, at times every cast coming up with one or the other. Cats have begun to bite. Lots of fish 3-10 lb and now the bigger ones kicking in on the action as well. Crappie I've recieved only a few reports on but those have been good. The water looks to be running hard like this for a while now as so much water continues to push Truman up and up. Needless to say... it is a great time to grab a rod and get to The Tailrace. Happy 4th to all and a big thanks out to all the service men and women, past and present, to whom we owe our independence.

A soggy week in the Ozarks again has the fishing stirred up. Crappie have been biting, particularly well in the evening and early morning hours. Slab Hunters have come back this week as the preferred bait. The big cats continue to roll in as they come off the nest. Still lots of reports of 30's, 40's and 50's as well as lots of 4-10. Baits include almost anything from nightcrawlers and drum to shad. Some whites and an occasional hybrid caught this week. They are busy chasing the many schools of shad fry. The Corp is running the one gate a crack for oxygenation, running the generators quite a bit during the day and pretty consistently each evening. Between the fresh rainwater and the water flow, the fish have been biting well at The Tailrace this week. Fireworks display is scheduled for Saturday and rainout day is Sunday the 1st. We at The Station wish you a safe and enjoyable holiday.

The big cats have been really coming off the nest hungry this week. Lots of fish over 30 lb., so far in the last few days a 65 pounder topping out our scales. Water is now being shut down some at night but this hasn't hurt things a bit, actually, it seems to have helped. Crappie have also bit well this week. Many reporting limiting quickly and back off the water by 9am. Seems that jigs and minnows are alternating as the hot bait. Whites and hybrids also showing up again here and there. One hybrid tipped the scales at 11 lb. The heat of summer is predicted to get started this week with temps in the 90's for several days. However, with fishing still being quite good, it should be well worth the effort to get out there. Now that spring is officially behind us, this fishing reporter is going to try to get on the water a little bit more rather than just living vicariously through others. Thus I am going to try reports every other week, barring drastic changes in fishing status. Feel free to send us a fishing report now and again as well. And thank you all for your patronage.

Report this week is much the same as last. Cats continue to bite well. Crappie also good but you'll catch lots of small ones between catching keepers. Not much reported on whites and hybrids as of this time. But still lots of water running so I'm sure at least a few coming in.

In the wake of a very enjoyable Memorial Day holiday, we continue to see quite a few anglers lingering to take advantage to the running water at The Tailrace. The catfish continue to bite well as they are preparing to go on the nest. Shad continues best as bait, but also a variety of others doing well. Crappie biting real well this week, but lots of small fish in the mix. A few walleye caught, surprising for this late in the season. A few reports of whites and hybrids, but these mostly slow. Weather forecast has some chance of rain on Sat. but overall looks to be another pleasant, mild weekend. Good idea to get out and enjoy it before the sumer heat is upon us.

The Corps of Engineers had definitely turned on the faucets this week. Lots of water running steadily. Even have the flood gates open. Some great fishing has been the result. The crappie took a while to adapt to the new conditions but have been hitting well in the still water for several days now. Whites and hybrids have been hitting well in the rolling water on spoons and occasionally top-water. We've seen some big hybrids come in this week, 10-13 pounds. Flathead and blues continue to bite well also. Some caught on spoons and shad, but XL shiners the surprise bait of the week. We look forward to seeing everyone at the lake this holiday weekend. Take your time and drive safely though, it really doesn't pay to hurry anyway when everyone else is hurrying too.

Only good fishing to report this week at The Tailrace. What a great start to the fishing season we are having this year. The snagging season wrapped up on Monday with what must have been record numbers of spoonbill taken. The cloudy weather again has the walleye biting though they should be headed back down river soon post-spawn. Crappie continue excellent, especially early morning and evenings, but fish coming in all day long. Whites and hybrids also very good. Lots of hybrids again on XL glow Slab Hunters. And last but certainly not least, catfish good on shad and some reported biting on chicken livers as well. Some reports of crappie on the banks on Truman, but mostly males, so the females should be following soon. So far the rain looks to clear off by Saturday. If the forecast is correct it will be a great time to get out on the water.

Thanks for the confirmation guys. I certainly get enough grief from the "glass half empty" folks that think I make it all up. I know many good customers come a long way to fish at The Tailrace and so while I might exaggerate the size and number of my own catches (what fisherman doesn't?) I stick to the truth when it comes to my reports.

Typical spring weather this week for the Ozarks has cooler temperatures at The Tailrace, but fishing has remained real good. Water temp. is reported as 57, just a few degrees below the crappie spawn temp. of 60-62. Thus with the warmer days forecasted this weekend and the following week we should see even more action at The Tailrace. Crappie have been biting well as to be expected this time of year. The Tailrace being best, but a few spots up in the warmer creek areas of Truman also hitting now. Whites and hybrids continue to hit real well with XL glow Slabhunters being the popular bait. With the clouds and cooler weather this week quite a few nice walleye reported again at The Tailrace. Spoonbill have been outstanding here at the upper part of the LOZ. I believe this may very well be a record season for Spoonbill as I've never seen so many fish snagged in a season. Catfish have been good this week as well, with quite a few in the 15-20 lb range reported. Still a bit a of a challenge netting shad though. Might want to throw in the rain gear just for good measure, but it looks to be a great weekend overall.

I suppose since Mother Nature gave us April weather in March it is only fitting that she now give us March weather in April. Let's just hope we get to the "...out like a lamb" part soon. Fishing has been a little slower this week, with some real good fishing thrown in here and there. Again that is the nature of the early season. For most it is worth the gamble, but it is just that. Crappie have been fair to good. Whites and hybrids real good on and off, and fair in between. Walleye good this week, again the clouds and cool weather is their thing. Catfish have actually picked up a little as well, with some nice fish coming in again, and finally a few shad being found around the area. The Corp. has been generous in running the water all week, but odd timing patterns and current has made fishing it a challenge. The seasoned Tailrace fishermen have actually done real well this week. They have reading the water down to a science. Once in a while I am fortunate enough to sneak in beside on of them. Sometimes I can observe and learn. Other times I just stand there and am humbled by the fact that I am in the same spot with the same gear and can't catch a fish while they are pulling them out right and left.

I have to amend my previous report to say that while the number of fishermen out may have tapered off a bit this week, the catching seems to be nearly if not as good as the last week or two. Lots of crappie reported caught last pm as well as this morning, whites and hybrids as well.

Well, Mother Nature threw us a curve this week, and while things have tapered off a bit, still there is decent fishing to be found at the Tailrace. The whites and hybrids continue to bite well on jigs and minnows (XL for the hybrids). Crappie have dropped off some but still quite a few being found. Walleye have actually picked up some, which is typical for them (worse the weather, the better they bite). Catfish continue fair with a few nice ones coming in now and again. Spoonbill have been the big catch this week, with boatloads (literally) coming in. One group with 6 fish, 4 of them over 60 pounds. Another with 8 fish to show for their efforts... all nice size as well. This time in the season we definitely see more and bigger spoonbill. Don't be afraid to get out there this weekend, but dress just a little warmer than you think you should. Better to take off a layer than to sit there wishing you had another on!

This week is going to sound much like last weeks report, but again just a little better. Lots of crappie coming in now. They are catching them now with some consistency just 2-3 feet deep. The whites and hybrids are hitting real well. White and pearl seem to continue to be the hot colors for them. Again some nice walleye caught, good size to them too! Cats about the same as last week, fair with a good one thrown in here and there. It might rain some on Saturday, but Sunday is supposedto be beautiful.

Again the fishing has picked up this week, but I'd say by a leap. The water has been running pretty much constantly with a water temp. of 45, and we have seen a lot of fish come in. Crappie have probably improved the most with most folks catching their limit on Wed., and other days being quite good as well. Lots of white bass with a lot of small hybrids mixed in and a few big ones coming in now also. Pearl glow Slab Hunters hitting again and some curlytails. Walleye have also been real good with the cloud cover and water running. More than a few at the 10 lb mark and bigger. Many of those caught the same day as the MDC shocked. Catfish continue fairly good but with the same theme of difficulty finding shad to catch them with. The weather looks as if it might mostly go to the south of us but we could get some rain so throw in the rain gear but get out there. You'll be glad you did!