Lake of the Ozarks
A huge, winding reservoir in central Missouri with more than 1,000 miles of shoreline. It's known for bass, crappie and big catfish.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Largemouth Bass
Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.
Crappie
Brush piles, docks and standing timber. Minnows or small jigs.
Blue Catfish
Deep channel edges. Fresh cut shad. Big fish in winter.
Channel Catfish
Cut bait and nightcrawlers on flats and creek mouths in the evening.
White Bass
Schools chasing shad in open water, and spring river runs.
When they bite
Month-by-month activity for each target species.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | ||||||||||||
| Crappie | ||||||||||||
| Blue Catfish | ||||||||||||
| Channel Catfish |
Boat launches
1 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- More public accessPublicSee the MDC or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Lake of the Ozarks are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Missouri Department of Conservation ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- Ol Blue Tackle No Live BaitAt lake968 Cedar Ridge Circle, RoachDirections ↗
- The Wet BeaverAt lake25 Lone Oak Point, Sunrise Beach(402) 297-4938Directions ↗
- Fitz Fishing #2At lake5441 Osage Beach Parkway, Osage Beach(573) 348-9333Directions ↗
Local tips
- Boat traffic is very heavy on summer weekends.
- Docks are everywhere and hold bass and crappie.
- The upper Osage and Niangua arms are quieter.
Angler reports
Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Lake of the Ozarks.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.