First Trip To Truman

[tallboys33]

My dad and I will be coming to Truman lake around April 15. We will be there for a week. This will be our first trip to the lake for some crappie fishing. I am looking for any advise, tips, locations, etc. that would help us catch some fish. We will also be there for the opening of spring turkey season. We will be hunting on some of the conservation areas around the lake. Any info you can provide us with would be greatly appreciated.

[rainbow]

Since I don't know where you are staying I'll keep in general. April 15th is usually the best time for crappie there but this year may be different. Normally hit the timbered coves and fish close to the bank with jig and float. set the float at about 24", 5 to 10 ft off the bank in about 3 to 6 feet of water. We like the narrow coves the best and fish the side banks about 50 to 80 yds from the mouth. If no bite just move a couple feet and keep doing that until you find the fish. 1/16th oz jigs is what we use tipped with nibbles. Hope this helps.

[Evolution]

Below the dam is always a good bet if you will be shore fishing. Keepers (9"+) are hard to come by but they can be had if you keep at it. If the white bass/wiper/striper bite is on, be ready for some topwater action as they turn on as fast as they turn off so I suggest two rods. How do you know when it is on, everyone will be bunched up and chucking at them. If you will be fishing from a boat, you can always hire a guide for a day and going back the next day on your own if the fishes are still there.

[shaker]

All good advice above the whole lake dosen't turn on at the same time plus sometimes one arm or another will muddy up do to heavy rains so be prepared to move to where the fishing is the best. Any kind of crappie bait will catch fish I've seen people throwing everything everything in the book at them and catching fish, makes you wonder sometimes. If it gets real muddy and probably will, does every spring, a 1/16 oz. Roadrunner with a black@chartueuse plastic tube works great along with black@pink couple of my favorites anything with chartueuse on it will catch fish along with a bright orange head. I use a lot of 2" and 3" baits also.

Don't mean to scare you but Truman is full of stumps just under the water millions of them, get a good lake map "HOT SPOTS" is as good as any and learn where the channel is. A depth finder helps and anytime you turn off the channel to go into a good looking area just slow down and be carefull and you'll be fine. One thing about Truman you don't have to run a long way to find fish, there's ramps all over the lake and you can put in close to where ever you want to fish. Good luck and when you get close to going post again and I'm sure that someone will be happy to help you.

Something else I just thought about but I have seen a lot of people turkey hunt out of the boat. There's lots of public land all around Truman, they'll be in their camo gear fishing and hear a gooble beach the boat and hunt turkey for a while then come back and fish some more. You can't shoot out of the boat but you can beach it and get out and hunt the public land.