Toughest Year?

[showmebass]

For those that have been fishing Beaver for a long time, I'd be interested to hear your opinions on which years were the toughest, and what the causes might have been.

I've been in the area since 2006, and for me this is by far my worst year so far. It's obvious that the prolonged extreme high water is the root cause of my struggles, but I'm guessing that this year's hatch probably had a higher-than-normal survival rate with the abundant cover, so I'll look at that as possible positive byproduct of this screwy year.

Hoping things begin to normalize soon.....I'd be quite happy to see her get down to 1125ish or so by late August. Fingers crossed.

[JohnF52]

It's so bad I have quit fishing except for a couple of local farm ponds. Too much muddy, high water this year most everywhere. Even the stream fish don't seem to be around now. I guess they washed way downstream.

[J-Doc]

It's been my best and worst year. When I was catching them, I was on good ones. The traffic gets so bad so quickly on weekends, I just don't even go much. Haven't had time during the week and I hear its busy even during the week. When the traffic gets bad, the fish dive deep and they are very hard to get bites. Night fishing is probably better bit even then, there are morons without lights on and skiers in the middle of the night.

I may try night fishing tonight. Just to escape the heat and get some water time.

High water is not the reason as it simply scatters the fish more. It's the increased traffic this year I think. Also, the bass in this lake seem to get tougher to catch everyou year. I was on a good spot with a large fish population and couldn't get a bite even though fish we're active. I tried 6 different top water plugs, crankbaits, worms, etc. Only got one fish there and I had to troll to get him. They were very particular and locked in on a certain forage. I haven't even had much luck on spoons this year.

There are a select few that always do well on this lake. I ain't one of em'. Lol. Some guys know some secrets to this lake and they do great.

[RyanG]

I usually fish during the week during the summer but this year the traffic has remained high all day even during the week. I've been able to catch a few fish but with the traffic I just get tired of dealing with it. Especially because I am usually practicing my drop shot fishing and I do that around docks mostly. It's been producing and I'm sure I could replicate the pattern around the lake some but with big wakes rolling me into the docks and stiring up the water I've almost given up until School goes back in session.

[Stump bumper]

I usually go to the tail waters this time of year and put in at Holiday Island then run to Houseman's then fish back to Holiday Island when they generate just keeping to the edge of the cold water where the shad are getting stunned.

This year that is not a pattern I can fish, since I can't through Beaver Town and running back to Housman's means I have to run back through the fog, and that is not fun with big logs floating around.

As far as the big part of the lake, I gave up on that in July and August years ago. I feel I have an arrangement with the wake boaters, I don't fish in July and August and they don't wake board in February and March.

[showmebass]

Since Lake of the Ozarks is near where I grew up, the boat traffic doesn't bother me too much aside from a few non-courteous boaters I've had close encounters with on Beaver.

Part of the problem is that the pleasure boaters are mostly concentrated north of the 12 bridge since they still can't get under it.

Usually by this time of the year I take a break from the bass and focus on deep-water crappie. This year, the crappie bite is terrible for me,as they aren't in their normal haunts. As J-Doc said above, everything is extremely scattered.

[Mike jones]

I hear ya showmebass...lake of the ozarks was my home lake for over 30 years. No disrespect to the locals around here but I chuckle every time someone says how rough Beaver was today or how horrible the boat traffic is. The WORST day on Beaver is a NORMAL weekend on Lake of

The Ozarks!!!

[J-Doc]

That is true. LOL is a complete danger zoo. It's like running with lions loose in the jungle.

And why I would never live there.

[jolicious]

I hear ya showmebass...lake of the ozarks was my home lake for over 30 years. No disrespect to the locals around here but I chuckle every time someone says how rough Beaver was today or how horrible the boat traffic is. The WORST day on Beaver is a NORMAL weekend on Lake of

The Ozarks!!!

I have fished Grand Lake several times the last couple of years. I just THOUGHT I'd seen boat traffic on Beaver

[Quillback]

Never been on LOZO, but it would be hard to beat Grand.