New Personal Record - Bass and Crappie Report (4/10 & 4/11)

[MOsmallies]

After my weekend at the lake and reading all of these reports, I'd say things are really about to bust loose on Lake of the Ozarks. 5-7 lb bass are being caught like crazy it seems like. Some big fish will be weighed in next weekend at the BBB for sure.

Got down to the lake (Mid Lake Area) late on Thursday night. Got the boat all prepped and rods rigged up before crashing for the night. Headed out first thing Friday morning. Ran about a mile up lake to a large cove that Smalliebigs and I got into a Wart bite last Spring. Went about 2/3 of the way back in this cove and there was already a BFL boat prefishing the bank I wanted to hit. Saw them chucking A-Rigs so I let them do their thing and I motored to the opposite side while I waited them out. Water temps at 54 so I threw the Wart and Jerkbait intermittently. Nada, so I played around with the Ned Rig and caught a fat 13" Kentucky on my 3rd cast with it. Way to slow of fishing for me especially when I know they should be hitting moving baits. Finally the BFL boat finished their pass, so I motored over to the very beginning of the stretch I wanted to hit. A long chunk rock bank leading into a spawning pocket... 2-10 feet of water... There are three docks at the beginning of this stretch and then no docks for the next 200 yds. Caught a dink in between the first two docks on the Wart and then it happened...

I trolled to the far end of the 3rd dock and made a cast with the Wart to the bank before I moved in to parallel the dockless stretch. Immediately felt a fish swipe at it but miss. Cast right back to the same spot, turned the handle twice and my rod just loaded up. The fish felt heavy immediately and I just began praying it wouldn't be a drum. At that moment the fish surfaced and I saw it was a nice bass. The biggest one I had ever hooked. Three jumps and a brief tangle in the motor later, I lipped a beautiful, fat, pre-spawn female. My biggest bass to date. Only 20.5" but 6.39 lbs. Snapped a few pics and then watched her swim away. I'll never forget this fish...

Only caught shorts the rest of the weekend... Wiggle Wart, Jerkbait, Mitch Field's Craw. Lost a 3 lber at the boat on a spinnerbait. Water temps mostly 54-57 but I did see 60 way back in a pocket on Friday afternoon. If you put Mitch's craw in front of a fish, they can't help but nail it... And they don't let it go...

Once my father-in-law got down Friday afternoon, we mostly crappie fished the rest of the weekend as he has a tournament coming up this weekend. Probably caught 50 crappie in about 5 hrs of fishing for them this weekend. At least 40 were keepers. None bigger than 12 inches but lot of solid 10.5" to 11.5" fish though. Very few were on the banks yet. Most were in 6 to 12 feet of water and suspended 3-5 feet down. Caught them equally as well on minnows and jigs. 6-8 pm seemed to be the most consistent bite especially on Saturday night. Eggs were getting to be pretty bloody so they should be heading to the banks real soon...

Might be back down this weekend to fish my father-in-laws Crappie Tournament or the BBB... Not sure yet. Hope to see the reports and pics keep coming.

[nomolites]

Nice! I think that is one wart pattern I don't have in stock but it looks good for colored water! I will be meat fishing this weekend as I hate taking a ticket and waiting to get on a spot.....

[rblackburn]

Great looking fish, congratulations on the sixer!

[MOsmallies]

Nice! I think that is one wart pattern I don't have in stock but it looks good for colored water! I will be meat fishing this weekend as I hate taking a ticket and waiting to get on a spot.....

It's a custom paint job from Dwain Batey with Baitwerks... Called Olive Orange Craw

[Blazerman]

Nice report Mosmallies. I am headed down Wednesday evening to bass and crappie fish and then will be fishing the BBB. I would be thrilled to get a sixer during the tournament and hope to get into some crappie as well. And your right, it sounds like it is about to bust and i imagine there will be some real nice bass caught to earn the money. Nice thing about this tournament is you don't have to catch five good ones to earn a nice check- just one. And even a blind squirrel like me might get my bait in front of one that will eat it.

[fishinwrench]

I can't understand why Ameren started doing this second drawdown bullshit. The same thing jacked up the spawn last year....and now here they've done it again.

These fish are gonna start nesting at the current level and THEN they'll put 5' of water on top of them. Sonsabitches!!!!

Works out great for the catfish but it's not good at all for green bass and crappie....and it is devastating to the whites.

[conorsixtakc]

Attaboy Mosmallies!

[DChance]

Nice fish!!

[Old plug]

I go along with Wrench. I am sick and tired of the water level management. Since last Saturday they have pulled the lake down. It is not far from winter pool. I know it has really fouled up the white bass run in the Gravois. I think the MDC should be stepping in. Dredging out the creek at the end of the Gravois arm would help I believe. As far as BBB goes you would be just as well served going to casino. The winners versus losers might be even better in a casino.

[BCBPII]

I can't understand why Ameren started doing this second drawdown bullshit. The same thing jacked up the spawn last year....and now here they've done it again.

These fish are gonna start nesting at the current level and THEN they'll put 5' of water on top of them. Sonsabitches!!!!

Works out great for the catfish but it's not good at all for green bass and crappie....and it is devastating to the whites.

Cost me a prop too Sunday getting my boat out to come home. Level was fine when I put in Thursday, go to get out Sunday and didn't realize they had taken the lake back down so much and I dinged all three blades at the condo boatramp. Never did find the bite either, but I'll be back down next week!

I just realized I hijacked this ....Great fish and good post. Thanks for sharing.