Lake of the Ozarks has to be one of the best fishing spots on the globe! Imagine a beautiful lake filled with bluegill, pumpkinseed, muskies, walleye, carp, black crappie, white crappie, flathead cats, channel cats, and white, striped, spotted, black, smallmouth, and largemouth bass. Add some huge paddlefish and 5-foot long blue cats. Sprinkle with lots of marinas, bait and tackle shops, and expert guides, and you have the perfect recipe for an awesome fishing adventure!

And you'll have four choices of how to catch your scaly prey, too: with a guide, from a dock, from the bank, or being your own guide in a rental boat or your own vessel. As a bonus, several fishing tournaments are held every month of the year! These folks are serious about their fishin'!

Many fish are available year round, but here are a few of the best times to catch specific species, along with a few pointers:

Spring: Fish are becoming more active, and many are spawning. Bass and crappie are moving into the shallows, where they'll hit minnows and jigs. The best spots are along the coves and in submerged brush around the docks. Largemouth, white bass, stripers, and walleye congegate in the pool where the spring flows into the lake at Ha Ha Tonka. Another great spot for bass, crappie, and bluegill is the south bank of Ha Ha Tonka Cove, around brush piles.

Spring is also the best time to catch a monster paddlefish, and Missouri is one of the few places that allow anglers to keep 2 of their catch. Because the fish's eggs are used for caviar, paddlefish are endangered in many areas. Lake of the Ozarks, however, has a stable population. Use a stiff rod with 8-16 oz weight on heavy line. Plankton eaters, paddlefish won't "bite," so you have to snag them with treble hooks while trolling.

Summer: When the water heats up, the fish move to deeper water. Try dropoffs and deep pools to find crappie and bass, using live shad, plastic worms, and buzz baits. Summer is the best time to land catfish, and the lake holds some real whoppers! 5-ft long blues have been reported. Try cut shad fished right on the bottom to land your own giant.

Fall: The bass return to the shallows with the cooler water temperatures. Try top water plugs and minnows. Troll for crappie with small jigs or live shad, and for walleye using jigs. This is also a great time to haul in a big striper with a live shad. The catfish are still biting, too!

Winter: Fish are moving slower now, so you need to adjust accordingly. Retrieve your jerkbaits and crankbaits slowly for bass and walleye strikes. Watch for gulls feeding on shad in the lake to help you locate gamefish.

All Year: Fish the brush piles and weed beds around the docks for bluegill, crappie, bass, and catfish, using small jigs, worms, minnows, and crickets. Try nightfishing around the dock lights, also. The spillway below Bagnell Dam is another top year round hotspot.


And don't forget the fine print--Missouri residents must acquire a $12 license; a nonresident license is $40.

This guide to fishing in Lake of the Ozarks was brought to you by Holle Abee