Never Been On The Osage

[momedic]

I hope this hasn't been covered, as I looked through several pages. I have never been on the Osage & am wanting to hit the river the weekend of 21st this month, weather permitting. I have passed over the Osage on the way to Jeff City from the Rolla area 7 had planned on putting in at the access you can see from Hwy 63/50 bridge. I am not targeting any particular fish, I'd like to catch some striper/hybrids, but also wouldnt complain if I got into some crappie. I was also hoping to catch a cat or to as well. So the question is should I put in closer to the dam, or is down near JC decent fishing as well. I also wouldn't mind motring out into the Missouri. Also my father-n-law was telling me about a dike or old dam a short ways upstream from the 63/50 bridge, can you go over this with a jet or not. Ive had friends tell me the Osage has been known to put a few holes in boat and Id hate to put my boat out of commission before summer even gets here. Thanks in advance & sorry so long winded.

[Seth]

The access at 63/50 is the MariOsa ramp. Up river from there is a lock and dam. You can't pass through it at all as far as I know. Hybrids have been hit or miss lately. One day you might find a pocket of them and do pretty well and then not catch a one the next day. The mouth of the Maries and up by the lock usually are good spots to find them, but sometimes they are just spread out and you can do is cover a lot of water until you find them. I'm not too sure on catching crappie or catfish in that area, but my buddy did say he watched a big blue hording shad at the mouth of the Maries one day last week.

[Drbucketmouth57]

I hope this hasn't been covered, as I looked through several pages. I have never been on the Osage & am wanting to hit the river the weekend of 21st this month, weather permitting. I have passed over the Osage on the way to Jeff City from the Rolla area 7 had planned on putting in at the access you can see from Hwy 63/50 bridge. I am not targeting any particular fish, I'd like to catch some striper/hybrids, but also wouldnt complain if I got into some crappie. I was also hoping to catch a cat or to as well. So the question is should I put in closer to the dam, or is down near JC decent fishing as well. I also wouldn't mind motring out into the Missouri. Also my father-n-law was telling me about a dike or old dam a short ways upstream from the 63/50 bridge, can you go over this with a jet or not. Ive had friends tell me the Osage has been known to put a few holes in boat and Id hate to put my boat out of commission before summer even gets here. Thanks in advance & sorry so long winded.

Please don`t go screwin around and try to go though the loch with the water level so low as it is now. Right now the water level at the guage up at St. Thomas is running just about 3.90 and is still to low to get though the loch safely. It needs to read at least 7.95 or higher to be somewhat in the safe zone with your jet. ) You will see what I mean if you go up there. Down right freaky water swirllin around current grabbin your boat and sending you down stream in a big hurry. What ever you do don`t fall in up there cause it ain`t nothin like lake fishin, your butt could be done faster than you can spit.

http://waterdata.usg.../uv/?site...065,63160,00060

This link will show you the water level at St. Thomas. If you do go up to the dam/loch just stay in the middle of the river on the way up there. When you get to the power wires that cross the river the water will start to get sallow but nothing a jet can`t handle.