SEMO Fishing Report

Southeast

Lakes

Clearwater Lake
Water Surface Temp: 81º
Water Level (Range): normal
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Crappie: Slow 
Black Bass: Slow 
Bluegill: Slow 
Channel Catfish: Slow 
all species slow.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Council Bluff Lake 
Water Surface Temp: 81º
Water Level (Range): normal
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Largemouth Bass: Fair 
Channel Catfish: Fair 
channel catfish fair using liver; largemouth bass fair using topwater lures and dark colored soft plastics during low light periods; all other species slow.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Cypress Lake
Water Surface Temp: 79º
Water Level (Range): high
Water Type: dingy
Fish Reported: 
Crappie: Slow 
Largemouth Bass: Slow 
Bluegill: Slow 
Channel Catfish: Slow 
Redear Sunfish: Slow 
channel catfish slow, but best on worms, crickets and stinkbaits in 2' - 8' of water; bluegill and redear sunfish slow, but best using jigs, worms and crickets in 1' - 3' of water; crappie slow, but best using minnows and jigs in 1' - 3' of water; largemouth bass slow, but best using minnows, jigs and plastic worms in 1' - 3' of water.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Duck Creek C.A. Pool #1

Water Surface Temp: 84º
Water Level (Range): high
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Largemouth Bass: Slow 
Warmouth: Slow 
Channel Catfish 
Bluegill: Fair 
Redear Sunfish: Slow 
bluegill fair on crickets; all other species slow.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Lake Girardeau
Water Level (Range): normal
Water Type: dingy
Fish Reported: 
Largemouth Bass: Fair 
Bluegill: Fair 
Redear Sunfish: Slow 
Crappie: Slow 
Channel Catfish: Slow 
largemouth bass fair on topwater lures and spinnerbaits; bluegill fair on crickets and worms; all other species slow.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Perry County Lake
Water Surface Temp: 84º
Water Level (Range): normal
Water Type: dingy
Fish Reported: 
Channel Catfish: Fair 
Largemouth Bass: Slow 
Black Bass: Slow 
channel catfish fair on stinkbaits; all other species slow.
(Reported on: 7/30/14)

Robert DeLaney Lake
Water Level (Range): normal
Water Type: dingy
Fish Reported: 
Channel Catfish: Fair 
Bluegill: Fair 
Crappie: Slow 
Largemouth Bass: Fair 
channel catfish fair on stinkbaits; largemouth bass fair on artificial baits; bluegill fair on minnows and jigs; all other species slow.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Wappapello Lake

Water Surface Temp: 82º
Water Level (Range): normal
Water Type: -none-
Fish Reported: 
Black Bass: Fair 
Crappie: Slow 
Channel Catfish: Fair 
Bluegill: Slow 
black bass fair using soft plastic baits and crankbaits; channel catfish fair using worms and live baits on trotlines and jug lines at night; all other species slow; anglers should note the 9" minimum length limit regulation for crappie on Wappapello Lake; recorded lake level and other information can be received by calling the Wappapello Lake Information Hotline at 573-222-8139 or 1-877-lake-info.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Rivers

Black River (above Clearwater Lake)

Water Surface Temp: 76º
Water Level (Range): normal
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Black Bass: Slow 
Northern Rock Bass (Goggle-Eye): Slow 
Largemouth Bass: Slow 
Bluegill: Slow 
Channel Catfish: Slow 
all other species slow.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Black River (below Clearwater Lake)
Water Surface Temp: 80º
Water Level (Range): rising
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Crappie: Slow 
Channel Catfish: Slow 
Black Bass: Fair 
river is 2' above normal; black bass fair on plastic worms and nightcrawlers, all other species slow.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Castor River (above Zalma)
Water Level (Range): low
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Black Bass: Good 
Sunfish: Good 
black bass and sunfish good on minnows and worms; all other species slow.
(Reported on: 7/30/14)

Mississippi River (Middle)
Water Level (Range): falling
Water Type: muddy
Fish Reported: 
Channel Catfish: Good 
Blue Catfish: Good 
Flathead Catfish: Fair 
the river is 21.6' and falling; channel catfish and blue catfish good on worms, stinkbaits and cut baits; flathead catfish fair on live baits and worms; all other species slow.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Mississippi River (Ohio River to Arkansas)
Water Level (Range): falling
Water Type: muddy
Fish Reported: 
Channel Catfish: Fair 
river is 11.7' and falling; channel catfish fair on stinkbaits, cut baits and worms; all other species slow
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

St. Francis River (above Wappapello Lake)
Water Surface Temp: 76º
Water Level (Range): low
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Black Bass: Slow 
all other species slow.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

St. Francis River (below Wappapello Lake)
Water Surface Temp: 79º
Water Level (Range): normal
Water Type: dingy
Fish Reported: 
Channel Catfish: Fair 
Flathead Catfish: Good 
Black Bass: Fair 
channel catfish fair using worms, cut baits and stinkbaits; flathead catfish good on trotlines using goldfish and small sunfish; black bass fair on spinnerbaits and plastic worms; all other species slow.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Trout Parks

Bennett Spring State Park
Water Surface Temp: 57º
Water Level (Range): low
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Rainbow Trout: Good 
Brown Trout: Slow 
Zone 1 and 2 lures that are working well are: red or blue holographic Cracklebacks; tan caddis; John Deere; gold, red, or green with bead brassies; Zone 3 baits that are popular are: salmon peach, or white glitter Power Bait; Gulp florescent white salmon eggs; for questions, please contact Bennett Spring Hatchery at 417-532-4418. 
(Reported on: 7/30/14)

Maramec Spring Park
Water Surface Temp: 57º
Water Level (Range): low
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Rainbow Trout: Good 
Brown Trout: Fair 
fishing is good; the spring branch has normal to low flow and is very clear; remember that all brown trout less than 15" in length must be returned to the water immediately; doughbaits in white and brown fished on the bottom or under a float are producing good fish; fish are biting rubber leg jigs and trout worms in black/yellow and orange/white; fishing hours for the month of July are 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; August fishing hours are 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Ladies' Free Fishing Day is September 13th, 2014; call 573-265-7801 for more details.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Montauk State Park
Water Surface Temp: 58º
Water Level (Range): low
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Rainbow Trout: Good 
water level is low and running clear; the river level is currently 1.45' at the lower end of the park which is down slightly from last week; 4 lb. test fishing line or lighter is recommended; fishing is good on most baits; white, brown and yellow scented doughbaits and putty baits are working well in the bait zones; most flies, Rooster Tails and jigs in black and yellow, olive colors and other dark colors are working well, some colors work better at different times of the day; the best fishing is in the mornings and evenings; July fishing hours are 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and August fishing hours are 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; for up-to-date stream conditions check http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?07064440.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Roaring River State Park 
Water Surface Temp: 58º
Water Level (Range): low
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Rainbow Trout: Good 
the river is well below average for this time of year; the water is starting to become more clear every day; right now, Cracklebacks, Adams, beetles, ants, hoppers and caddis flies are all working well; leaders are 9' with 6X or 7X tippets; fish are being caught on nymphs, pheasant tails, copper johns, black, brown and gray zebra midges, sow bugs, burlaps, hares ears and small prince nymphs; glo balls, San Juan worms, black, brown, olive and tan buggers and leeches work well most of the day; fish are being caught on the baby buggers in the same colors; plastic eggs and worms; orange, orange/white, cheese, white, and fluorescent yellow have all been good; spinnerbaits are working in the early mornings in black, brown, white, olive and skunk; jig fisherman are doing well right now; the water is great for sight fishing and the jig fisherman are catching trout on olive, black, brown, white and tan; Micro Jigs in tan, olive and black/yellow have been the best colors.
(Reported on: 7/29/14)

Fish Management Notice

Trout Stocking

The Conservation Department stocks trout in each of the trout parks every evening from the day before the March 1 opener through Oct. 30. Tag sale estimates determine a daily stocking rate average of 2.25 fish per expected angler. Except on opening day, three fish are stocked for every expected angler. From March 1 to Oct. 31, the parks will collectively sell more than 400,000 tags and stock more than 900,000 fish. These fish will average about 12 inches long over the season, but some variation occurs. Dozens of lunkers weighing upwards of 3 pounds are stocked each year. A few tip the scales at more than 10 pounds.