Walleye Fishing

[ozark trout fisher]

With early spring not too far away I'm really starting to think along the lines of doing something besides trout fishing...not that this ever gets old but a change of pace is always a good thing. Walleye are one species of fish that I have to say I've pretty much never fished for (at least successfully), here in Missouri or anywhere else for that matter. I know there are some good places to fish for them in Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Lake of the Ozarks etc, but I really do not have the set-up (or even the desire) to fish for them on big water like that. I have tried walleye fishing on Bull Shoals and we'll just say that the end result was me getting bored, quiting, and spending most of the rest of my time trout fishing in the tailwater. And I've spent just about all my time fishing this winter in the deep Ozarks, and as ridiculous as it sounds I'm even looking for a bit of a change of pace from even that. So I'd like to spend a couple of weekends trying something new, probably in early to mid-March.

So I was wondering if there were any really worthwhile lakes or streams in central (or northern) Missouri that are worth checking out. I'll certainly be using a boat, but preferably if it's a lake, I'd want it to be one that I could at least have a marginal chance of having success in without a fish finder..and the MIssouri/Mississippi River are probably out for similar reasons. Long Branch Lake caught my eye as one possibility, as did the Salt River near Mark Twain. Also (more in the Ozark region) I've heard that the very lower sections of the Gasconade are good, and I'd certainly be up for trying that (more in the comfort zone of someone who spends a lot of time fishing Ozark streams.)Thanks for any help. I know this is technically out of place on this forum (because most of the waters I'm looking at are not even marginally in the Ozarks), so I hope that can be forgiven.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Truman dam?

[ozark trout fisher]

Worth a thought. The proximity would definitely be a plus on that.

[lundone]

The osage between Bagnell Dam and the Missouri river. Good population of walleye.

[podum]

There is a good run of walleyes at Smithville along the dam (it's a good mile long and walkable) between Mid Feb and March. I have a similar plan to go after them on purpose for the first time this year.

[podum]

Here's the walleye summary from the MDC fishing prospects 2013:

"Walleye got another boost, as Smithville received 217,000 two-inch walleye fingerlings in 2012. The walleye stocking program started in 1998 has turned Smithville into a quality fishery with several fish approaching 10 lbs. There are two primary fishing seasons for walleye at the lake: the spawning run to the dam, and the hot summer months on the points and flats. The spawning run on the dam can be frustrating for many anglers, but the stockings have greatly increased the number of fish coming to the dam. Using shallow diving crank baits work best during this period. During the summer months walleye move deeper off main lake points and flats. The newly installed rock piles in the main lake area should produce good numbers of fish. Trolling deep diving cranks or crawler harnesses over these areas usually work best."

[ozark trout fisher]

Thanks guys. Sounds like there are a lot of good options. Will probably try several of these places. Sounds like I won't have to wait as long to get started as I thought...Didn't think the fishing would really get going into March/April. Good to have something to chase in the month of February besides trout. Even if I get skunked at some (or all) of these places it will be fun to try something different at least and see some new places.

[raildog]

Lundone,

SSShhhhhhh, there's no walleye in the Osage, nothing there but a bunch of gar and carp.........lol

[Wayne SW/MO]

There isn't much water in the Pothole and I doubt that they are running much, but it seems to start there in February.

[Al Agnew]

The native river strain walleye, and those with at least some native genetics, in the southern Ozark streams and lakes start to move to spawning areas right about now, so it's no wonder that the Pothole begins to hold walleye in late February. For the same reason, the winter walleye fishing on the lower Black and Current gets pretty spotty at best about now. Instead of the fish coming from all over the place and concentrating at the only good river strain spawning area below Taneycomo, they are coming from a few good wintering pools on those rivers and spreading out to many spawning riffles.

The northern Ozark walleye are a slightly different strain, and spawn a little later.

The lower Osage, lower Gasconade, and lower Meramec hold fishable populations of walleye. Haven't really fished for them enough in early spring to know where they stage for spawning, but they should be in deep pools below fairly fast-moving shallower, gravelly-bottomed spawning riffles. Some years, you can get into a few below the old mill dams on Big River and the Bourbeuse River in March.

The easiest way to catch these river walleye is usually to troll deep diving slender minnow-shaped crankbaits through the deep pools, at least until you find them or you lose all your crankbaits