Family trip end of July

[Iowafish22]

Looking for ideas/suggestions on where to fish and what species to target? My family has always gone up north for vacation, but this year is trying out Lake of the Ozarks. We are staying in the Osage Beach area. Any tips or suggestions would be great. We will have young children who we are trying to get hooked onto fishing as well.  

 

Also any suggestions on areas of the lake to visit would be helpful. Never been down to this lake, but hear good things about it. Thanks

[Iowafish22]

anyone? Bueler? 

 

Not looking for secret spots, just wondering what fish are popular in this lake? We always target Walleye and Northern when we go up north. What are the popular fish in Lake of the Ozarks? Any trouble areas around Osage Beach we need to look out for? 

[WeekendWarrior]

Fishing from land or a boat? Of course bass and crappie are most popular here. If you can fish off a dock you can keep the little ones entertained with beer bread on a hook/bobber catching bluegill. Can also throw out a pole or 2 for catfish, just had a couple little ones down and they had a blast doing that. If fishing from a boat I would fish during the week vs. the weekend, save the weekend for partying with family, the lake is to rough on weekends unless you are back at your dock by 9 am in morning or so. Lake has plenty of miniature golf and go karts for kids and plenty of nice restaurants, enjoy your time at the lake.

 

[nomolites]

There are walleye as well but they are hard to locate and catch.  This time of year the white bass fishing will heat up in the evenings on flats near deep water; they will often push shad to the surface and can be caught on almost anything then but a spoon or a jig bounced on the bottom an hour before dark is good in those places.  May hook into a hybrid doing that as well...

 

Mike

[Iowafish22]

2 hours ago, WeekendWarrior said:

Fishing from land or a boat? Of course bass and crappie are most popular here. If you can fish off a dock you can keep the little ones entertained with beer bread on a hook/bobber catching bluegill. Can also throw out a pole or 2 for catfish, just had a couple little ones down and they had a blast doing that. If fishing from a boat I would fish during the week vs. the weekend, save the weekend for partying with family, the lake is to rough on weekends unless you are back at your dock by 9 am in morning or so. Lake has plenty of miniature golf and go karts for kids and plenty of nice restaurants, enjoy your time at the lake.

 

Thank you. Yeah we will be fishing from shore for the most part, but will try and get the pontoon out at least a couple of times. I have one questions "Beer Bread" as bait? Would worms and minnows work just as good? 

 

Thanks again for your response. Just looking to bend a couple of rods for the little kids. Trying to get them hooked onto fishing. 

[WeekendWarrior]

Yep, minnows and worms work, worms are messy and not needed for bluegill. Bread mixed with some beer and made into a paste works great for bluegill and will keep you and the kids busy ? and is lots cheaper. Want to have some good fun you can get a can of corn and put some corn on a hook and catch some big carp and have some big fish fun.

[fishinwrench]

Summertime around the Osage Beach area is a bit crazy, your pontoon and it's occupants might take a beating.   There are resorts on the Niangua arm that are nice, and the water there is usually less rough.    If it were me I'd home base there and make the short drive (30 minutes) into Osage Beach/Lake Ozark for shopping and dinner, or whatever.  

Who wants to spend their entire vacation (with kids in tow) in the middle of an overly crowded party metropolis? 

[Moneill17]

2 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Summertime around the Osage Beach area is a bit crazy, your pontoon and it's occupants might take a beating.   There are resorts on the Niangua arm that are nice, and the water there is usually less rough.    If it were me I'd home base there and make the short drive (30 minutes) into Osage Beach/Lake Ozark for shopping and dinner, or whatever.  

Who wants to spend their entire vacation (with kids in tow) in the middle of an overly crowded party metropolis? 

X2.

Im glad someone came out and said it.  I love LOZ, but it can be overwhelming.  If OP is used to north woods walleye and wants predominant fishing, I would not stay in Osage beach.

[DADAKOTA]

That end of the lake is a summertime nightmare with all the big boats out and about.  If it were me I'd go to Stockton and catch walleye.

[Iowafish22]

Well we will just have to pick and choose our times to go out in the boat. I assume most of the time will be fishing from the docks. 

 

I have been warned about the craziness of the lake. Several people have told me not to even try on the weekends, said its just out of control (basically like rush hour in Chicago). Luckily we are in one of the bays (arms off the main channel) so hopefully we can hang around in there for a while. I was just basically looking for ideas on how to target some of the fish down there. I could care less if I catch any walleye, it will be nice to target some other species. Thanks again for all the advice.