Late feb lake of the Ozarks trip, any tips

[erickol]

Hi guys, I'm headed down to warsaw late feb for a few days of fishing with some buddies. we are hiring a guide for a day, since we have never fished the area before. Then we have a couple of days to fish around. we are bringing down a boat and enough gear to cover all bases.

We are going for blue cats and crappies with the guide, but we really are multi species nuts and want to sample as many species as possible be they sunfish, bass, carp, cats...... anything that bites. Looks like average temp is around 45 degrees for a high, low 20s at night.

Any advice on fishing there this time of year? what can we expect? Should we bring a cast net for shad or can it be bought locally at bait shops? any rigs or equipment we should not be without? Sounds like we can fish multiple lines, (including jugs and trot lines). we are pretty much going to be fishing 24 hrs a day from the 19th to the 22nd. Thanks for any advice. I am really looking forward to this trip! [email protected]

[dust_stl]

Have fun good area to fish. I can help you out on the catfish. Usally pretty easy to find shad if you have a net, also for the catfish try cut up pieces of drum/sheepshead/asian carp/ on the jugs use 3" or 4" live bluegills that you catch during the day go back find yourself a deep cove and throw out like 10 to 15 jugs put bluegills on half of them and large shinners on the other half and get ready to chase them. I only catfish on those lakes at night I normally throw out the jugs around 5p or 6p and stay as late as I can. For the bass I normally only throw plastic worm pumkinseed usally works the best. hope this helps good luck. Im in ice fishing mode right now even though I live in Missouri Ive been driving north every weekend to go ice fishing took me awhile to remember how I fish the open water. I could give you more tips on the catfish, like how to make a cheap good jug or other [PoorWordUsage] like that if you would like, but I have to run right now.

[erickol]

Thanks, this is good to know. Hey, are the asian carp easy to catch? I would love not only catching some for the sake of catching one, but also for cutbait. Any preferred hook and line methods for them? I think a net will be in the boat for shad.

I am in full ice mode myself, kinda feels alien to be stocking up on open water gear and getting my open water kit assembled. The blue cats were the reason my buddy made the trip in the first place, so yeah, any advice on cats is welcome.

[StillwaterAaron]

Jug fishing is on my agenda for the trip so that would be great!

From what I understand they are easy to make but help with the laws would be awesome. We also plan on shooting some video! Lets hope for nice weather.

Aaron

[dust_stl]

I never caught a carp on hook and line, you can catch the asian carp by either going at a high idle and just drive the boat in a circle and they will fly up and jump into your boat! watch your face! Normally when you throw your bait net you will catch baby carps they hang with the shad. I forgot to tell you the #1 place which is right below truman dam. The dam connects truman and lake of the ozarks fish right below the dam and you will run into some 20-50 pounders maybe bigger. You need some big weights around 2-4oz use atleast 6ott or bigger wide gap hook. Look for the deepest hole you can find. More info to come tommorow have to get back to work.

[BarryG]

This may help you out a little! Good luck!

http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/2115.pdf

[erickol]

Thanks for the help and the link to the regs book.

I read the regs last night. good stuff to know.

[BarryG]

Alot better than getting a ticket!

[Barbelboy]

dust_stl,

Any info about catting in the area below the dam to hurricane deck would be awesome. I'm heading there in April to do some paddlefish snagging and I thought I'd mix in some cat fishing while I was down there. How do you make the jugs? I figured I'd spend at least one evening/night doing that. I also thought of drifting with several rods in rod holders w/ cut bait or shad to see if that would work. Any info would be awesome. I'll be towing my boat down there so I'll probably avoid the no boating are below the dam, but it looks like there is lots of water to cover.