Lake of the Ozarks, a giant reservoir in central Missouri, has a split personality: a mild side and a wild side.
You’ll see the mild side in winter, spring, and fall, when the aged body of water is in relax mode. Many of the summer cottages are quiet, there is reduced traffic on the water and on the roads, and the lake’s bass bite readily.
The wild side surfaces after Memorial Day, when Lake of the Ozarks regularly becomes one giant party. There is heavy traffic on both the water and roads. Cruisers, high-performance powerboats, yachts, and jet skis create ocean-size waves, resorts and condominiums buzz with activity, and weekend fishermen have to restrict their outings for the most part to early or late in the day.
That’s the way it has been for as long as most people can remember. The 54,000-acre reservoir opened to boat use in late spring 1931, and its unique characteristics have attracted thousands of fishermen, tourists, and water-recreation enthusiasts ever since.
Because most of the shoreline is privately owned, rows of cottages, boat docks, and condominiums fill coves and the main lake. Unlike nearby federal reservoirs, which focus on flood control, Lake of the Ozarks is owned by an electric company (Ameren Missouri) that prioritizes hydropower and recreation.
That means Lake of the Ozarks seldom floods, and water levels remain fairly stable most of the year. That enhances consistent spawns and few gaps in year-classes of species such as largemouth bass, crappie, and white bass.
“Water levels are usually on a slow and steady rise during the bass spawning period, then staying at full pool during the juvenile stage, providing good survival of the nests and good growth for the juvenile fish,” said Samantha Holcomb, a fisheries biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation.
That’s a major factor in Lake of the Ozarks being one of the top largemouth bass lakes in the nation.
“I’ve fished some of the best bass lakes in the world, but I’d still put Lake of the Ozarks up there near the top,” pro angler Dion Hibdon once told me. “We might not have the huge bass like lakes in Florida and California have, but just for numbers of keepers and fish in the 3- to 5-pound range, Lake of the Ozarks is tough to beat.”
Lake of the Ozarks Stats
Location: Central Missouri, about 2.5 hours from Kansas City and 3 hours from St. Louis.
Size: 54,000 acres with 1,150 miles of shoreline. The main channel stretches for 92 miles.
Main water source: The Osage River was flooded to create Lake of the Ozarks. Tributaries such as the Niangua and Little Niangua rivers, Grandglaize and Gravois creeks, as well as many smaller tributaries feed the lake.
Gamefish fame: Nationally known for its impressive bass population. Lots of largemouth in the 2- to 5-pound range. Hosts more bass tournaments than any other body of water in Missouri.
Other fishing: Outstanding crappie fishing. Also has good populations of white bass and hybrids, and catfish.
Forage: Gizzard shad, crayfish, panfish.
Opened for fishing: Officially opened to the use of boats on May 30, 1931.
Characteristics: Owned by power company Ameren Missouri, waterfront cottages, condominiums, resorts and bar and grill establishments are allowed along the banks, unlike at federal reservoirs.
Appearances Can Be Misleading
At first glance, Lake of the Ozarks doesn’t look like one of the nation’s top bass lakes. You won’t find the acres of flooded timber, large weed beds or natural brush that some reservoirs have. It was built in an era when basins were clear-cut and little natural cover remained.
But make no mistake, Lake of the Ozarks has plenty working in its favor:
- It is often referred to as the Magic Dragon, with plenty of tentacles extending from its main body. That translates to a myriad of coves and cuts that attract bass and provide great fishing, especially in the spring.
- The lake was carved out of the rocky substrate of the Missouri Ozarks, leaving the type of structure that largemouth bass love. Gravel and rock banks, bluffs and ledgy drop-offs abound.
- The thousands of boat docks may take away from the natural look of the lake, but they provide great cover for bass. On a body of water where the bass receive heavy fishing pressure, the docks provide a place for them to hide, shade and plenty of forage. Trophy bass are caught by anglers who learn to skip their offerings under the docks or cast behind the dock cables to water that is protected and receives less pressure.
- The lake has a surprising amount of man-made brush piles, many sunk by dock owners but others put out off points, along channels and near drop-offs.
- It has a healthy forage base, with large schools of gizzard shad and many crayfish hiding in that rocky structure.
It’s little wonder that the lake was the breeding ground for famous pro anglers such as Guido Hibdon and Denny Brauer.
The Best Time To Go to Lake of the Ozarks
April and early May can be a great time to fish for bass at Lake of the Ozarks. I can recall many trips when I fished with guides who motored to the back of gravel-bottom coves and watched a bass angler’s dream materialize.
Right before the bass go on their spawning beds, we spotted numerous fish cruising the shallows a short distance from the fanned-out spots where they’ve built their nests. We’ve used slow-sinking baits, like Senkos, to target those beds, and watched as protective bass darted up to grab our baits.
It’s a matter of timing. If you are lucky enough to fish before the bass lock on their beds, you’re going to catch fish if the water is clear enough. If you’re late and the bass are already on their beds, it can get tougher.
But regardless, there usually are an abundance of bass in the picture. You just have to pick out the ones that are willing to bite. If you find fish that are near their spawning beds but not locked onto them, your chances improve.
The Second Best Time To Go
Late May and early to mid-June, after the bass have spawned, the fish leave the banks and are ready to feed. Find a main-lake point off a spawning cove and you’re in the right neighborhood. If it has current flowing across it and get ready to set the hook. The bass are going to hit.
It’s a great time for getting plenty of action. A trip I took with longtime guide Ed Franko and fellow outdoor communicator Bill Cooper was proof of that. Using shaky head rigs with Franko’s lure of choice, a Zoom Mag Finesse Worm, we caught and released 70 bass — most of them in the 13- to 15-inch range — in a half-day of fishing.
Fishermen also use finesse bass jigs such as the Jewel Pee-Wee jig with a Versa plastic crawdad trailer to find great action. And as the shad school, topwater fishing with lures such as the Whopper Plopper and Berkley Choppo can be outstanding.
“It’s not the best time of the year to catch a big bass,” Franko said. “But for just getting lots of bites, it’s hard to beat.”
The Third Best Time to Fish Lake of the Ozarks
Fall bass fishing at Lake of the Ozarks can be outstanding.
Lake traffic drops off significantly as people turn their interest to football, school activities and leaf peeping. As the water cools, the shad migrate to the shallows, and the bass follow.
Topwater fishing can be excellent where bass are busting schools of shad. But other baitfish imitations such as crankbaits and swimbaits also will produce.
Lake of the Ozarks in the Summer
Lake of the Ozarks is busiest in the months of June, July, and August when tourists flock to the area. For families, there is plenty to see and do.
For lodging: If you’re looking for an old-fashioned waterfront resort, I’d recommend either Point Randall Resort near mile marker 2 on the lake or Alhonna Resort near Mile Marker 8, both of which offer outdoor swimming pools, marinas, places to fish from the bank, and plenty to do for families.
If you’re looking for waterfront hotel-type lodging, try Lodge of the Four Seasons, Margaritaville, or Inn at the Grand Glaize.
These are the accommodations I have used and I can vouch for, but there are many other fine accommodations at the big lake.
If your family would like to combine some tourist adventures with their time on the water, there is plenty to do. Lake of the Ozarks offers miniature golf, go-karts, country music shows, cave tours and plenty of dining options.
Summer Lake of the Ozarks Fishing Tip: Try casting a paddletail grub such as a Keitech Easy Shiner, a Yamamoto Senko or a Z-Man TRD straight-tail plastic worm from the bank either early in the morning or late evening.
Where To Start
Some reservoirs have a hot spot that produces the best fishing; fishery biologists claim that good bass fishing can be found in the entire length of Lake of the Ozarks.
One of the most popular starting points is Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Osage Beach, Missouri. Public Beach No. 2 offers a large launch ramp, a marina, and a swim beach. The Pa He Tsi ramp, open only from March 1 – Oct. 31, also offers plenty of room to launch boats.
