Rookie needing advice...

[msubobcats]

Making my first trip to LOTO on Labor Day. Have the boat, and will be staying in the State Park.

I haven't the slightest idea where to fish. I don't care what species I go for, whether is be for cats, crappie, whites/wipers, walleye, etc. I fish for meat, so I will not be interested in largemouth, as I don't keep them.

Anybody out there have any tips on location?

Thanks,

Go Cats

[CMAC]

Where's CATMAN at??

[catman70]

Sorry, fellas I can't help much. My 34' bass boat has been in the shop all summer and I haven't been able to make it out on the lake much this year.

Seriously, though, invest in a topography map of the area you think you'll be fishing. Look for coves with creeks coming into the backs of them to target channel catfish and flatheads. Blues tend to move out into the main lake in the summer. Some guys will try to locate schools of bait fish with large fish below. Those large fish are the blues. Might try targeting structure different from the surrounding area to start - sunken islands, deep holes, etc.

Try docks over deeper water (like at marinas) for crappie. Many times the water will be 25-35', but the crappie will suspend about 8-12'.

Haven't you fellas read the post about the tailwater? That's were I'm headed during the day. Then I'll probably drift flats or shallow points at night with live shad, bluegill or crawdads (I like the 'dads big) with no weight, letting the fish run and stop before closing the bail and setting the hook.

Let us know how it goes.

Oh, almost forgot. There was recently an article in Missouri Game & Fish Online about LMB in the State Park area. They said there was one cove where they're always stacked up, but I'm on the 6mm so I don't make it down that way often.

P.S. If you figure out how to catch walleye at LOZ consistently please let me know. For years we've trolled the points with shad raps and rapalas near and after dusk and caught all species in the lake. About once a year we'll get a walleye.

[Kyle]

Don't know much about anything besides crappie, but here it goes.

They have been deep and on the main channel. 30-60 foot of water and usually somewhere half way down. If you can find a sudden drop off where it goes from 20ish to 60ish they have been holed up there. As far as colors and baits, I prefer some sort of tube jig usually tipped with a minnow, and you know what the say, "if it ain't got chartruse then it ain't no use."

Those are my suggestions for catching fish, but my suggestions for fishing (especially on Labor Day weekend) are fish real early or don't bother. If you have never been to the lake on a major weekend you will be blown away by the size of the waves and the amount of boats and for that matter stupid/ignorant people.

I don't know what the water will be like then, but since they have had Truman dam running wide open and Bagnell the same way fishing has been real tough. I think there is too much food in the water.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

(There is not enough action in the LOZ forum as it is)

[Thom]

You will be near the glaize bridge. I have had good luck by fishing 20 to 30 foot up against the bridge piers. Get medium minnows put them on a #2 red hook and put either white or red crappie nibbles on them.

The two rows of piers on both sides of the bridge will usually produce some crappie when the going is rough. fish right up against each pier moving back and forth from on to another. I usually pick up two or more on each pier and then go back and do it over again. If you find them concentrated you can tie a rope around the pier to hold you in place. You may get a bonus of a nice cat or bass fishing there.

I also have hit crappie on the bluff that is just off to the right as you go out of the state park. Fish it the same way. YOu might also locate fish trolling mepps spinners out from the docks next to deeper water just north and east of the bridge.

In the state park there are brush piles straight out from most of the older sycamore trees but that is usually better in late fall or early spring.

Good luck. Give us a post telling how you did when you return.

[CMAC]

Let's take Thom's approach a step further...don't how dangerous this would be to fish those pilars (one's close to the shore) at night under lights?

[msubobcats]

Well, thanks to everyone's input, I think I have come up with a solution...

Trying to seriously fish LOTO on Labor Day weekend is a foolish idea. I have never been there but I am anticipating contant waves and other surface disturbances all weekend. So what I think I will do is fish as early in the morning as possible, hoping the hangovers are still in place and boat traffic is at a minimum. I'll troll deep diving cranks and other baits off of points, humps, channels, etc. If the bluff or peirs are secluded enough and quiet enough, I'll hit those for sure. Maybe I can pick up a few with this strategy, familiarize myself a little with LOTO and return in the fall.

I'll post results when I return in early September, and if I don't catch anything, maybe I'll post a few pictures.

Go cats

[brownieman]

don't know about loz but truman is tough with the high and falling water.

the shad are so thick in the lake right now i don't see how anything but small fish not big enouph to eat shad would be hungry at all.

fished truman a little a week ago and caught very little...didn't use live bait though...was more of a test run for my boat after being worked on.

if any of you guys need a motor worked on fishinwrench is the man on loz...excellent service and a great guy...my boat runs really nice and he will do you right if you're ever in need.

bm