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Atkinson Lake
Angling for
largemouth bass will be fair in 2006. Sampling in
recent years shows low numbers of largemouth bass.
The daily limit of two bass reflects that natural
reproduction is limited in the lake. The Missouri
Department of Conservation stocked 1000 young bass
in 2003 and again in 2004 to boost the population.
All black bass less than 15 inches must be
returned to the water unharmed.
Angling for catfish
is the best bet for this lake. Limb lines and bank
lines are popular methods in Atkinson Lake. Cut
baits, especially shad, are always effective. Rod
and reel anglers interested in channel cat may opt
for blood or cheese baits fished below a float or
tight-lined on the bottom. Daily limit for
channel, blue, and flathead catfish in the
aggregate is four. All flathead less than 24" must
be returned to the water unharmed. Flathead
respond best to live baits such as bluegill or
green sunfish.
Recent sampling has
shown many small crappie, but few over 8 inches. A
large year class was evident in fall 2003. Crappie
have historically been over-abundant in Atkinson
Lake. Growth is slow. Flathead catfish are stocked
periodically to prey on the numerous crappie.
Anglers are encouraged to take up to their daily
limit of fifteen crappie. |
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Blue Springs
Lake
Eurasian
watermilfoil continues to be the dominant
species of aquatic vegetation in the lake.
Since aquatic vegetation provides excellent
habitat for invertebrates and young fish,
biologists constructed shallow water
enclosures and filled them with suitable
plants again this year. This will provide a
variety of aquatic vegetation in the lake.
Hybrid striped bass continue to provide a
unique fishing opportunity in the Kansas
City area. Anglers should look for schooling
hybrids at the upper end of the lake in the
early spring near the Lake Jacomo spillway
after heavy spring rains, and along the dam
and main lake points in the summer and early
fall. The Jacomo discharge pipe (known
locally as the "blow hole") provides some of
the hottest action every year, especially in
the very early morning after moderate
rainfalls. The largemouth bass population,
though still low in density, should show
some improvement in 2006 as a stronger 2002
year class reaches legal size. The size
structure of the population continues to be
good with fish captured in all size classes.
Anglers should concentrate their efforts
along the outside edges of the weed beds and
in the fallen timber east of Woods Chapel
Road. In the fall, try the drop-offs on the
main lake and the channels in the coves.
Black crappie will continue to be small in
size and more abundant than white crappie,
though some large white crappie will be
caught. Most black crappie will be less than
9 inches in length. Channel catfish from 1
to 3 pounds are abundant, and even beginners
should be able to land of few of these fish
this summer and especially into the fall.
Some nice sized channel catfish can be found
along the dam early in the summer. Carp are
overabundant and easy to catch with small
chunks of dough bait. Anglers are encouraged
to keep the carp they catch. Recipes for
dough bait, cleaning and cooking carp can be
obtained by contacting the Kansas City
Regional office at the number above. |
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Bushwhacker
Lake
Largemouth
bass are abundant at the 157-acre
Bushwhacker Lake. Small bass remain dominant
and anglers are encouraged to harvest their
limit of 6 bass < 12" per day. A slot length
limit protects 12-15" bass from harvest.
Sunfish anglers should experience good
angling for 7-8" bluegill and redear sunfish
up to 10 inches. Crappie angling is poor,
except that anglers may catch some 8-10 inch
black crappie during April. Anglers are
encouraged to harvest their limit of 30
crappie per day. Channel catfish angling is
good. Anglers should note that special
sunfish regulations are in effect on
Bushwhacker Lake. The regulations for
sunfish on Bushwhacker Lake are: the daily
limit for sunfish (bluegill, redear, green
sunfish and their hybrids) shall be fifteen
(15). In addition, no more than five (5)
sunfish eight inches (8") or longer in total
length may be included in the daily bag
limit. Outboard motors larger than 10
horsepower may be used but are required to
be operated at no wake speed. |
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Harmony
Mission Lake
At Harmony
Mission Lake in Bates County angling for
largemouth bass should be fair to good in
2006. The lake has abundant bass. Action for
bass up to 16 inches should be quite good.
Anglers are encouraged to take up to their
daily limit of six black bass under the
12-15 inch protected slot length limit. The
lake produces some good bass over 20 inches
long.
Harmony
Mission Lake provides good action for
sunfish anglers. Casting small baits near
submerged cover can produce plenty of action
for bluegill up to 7 inches. Anglers can
catch redear sunfish between eight and nine
inches. Anglers may take up to twenty
non-game species in the aggregate.
More than
6000 fingerling hybrid striped bass were
stocked cumulatively in 2002, 2003, and 2004
to help control shad. Some hybrid stripers
are approaching a size of interest to
anglers. Anglers may take up to 4 hybrid
striped bass at least 20 inches long daily.
Sampling in
the spring of 2005 showed abundant channel
catfish. More than ten thousand channel
catfish have been stocked over the last five
years. Many should be greater than five
pounds in 2006. Anglers may take up to four
catfish daily. |
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Hazel Hill
Lake
Largemouth
bass are abundant at Hazel Hill Lake, but
bass larger than 15 inches were scarce in
samples collected during spring 2005. Bass
10-13 inches long will be abundant during
2006. Hazel Hill Lake contains clear water
so anglers should use light line and may
want to consider fishing at night. Anglers
may have difficulty catching bass in the
clear water.
Bluegill
sunfish angling will be fair because few
bluegill larger than 7 inches are present.
Anglers may be able to catch some larger
bluegill during May, but large sunfish may
be harder to catch during July and August.
Angling for redear sunfish will be fair and
some redear up to 9 inches are present.
Catfish
angling will be good. Crappie angling will
be fair. Black and white crappie are
abundant but many are smaller than 9 inches.
Anglers will catch larger crappie during
spring when they are spawning. Anglers are
reminded that outboard motors larger than 10
horsepower are allowed, but are required to
be operated at no wake speed. |
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James A.
Reed Memorial W.A.
The Reed
Area is open for year-round fishing. Fishing
is permitted from 6:00 am until 6:00 pm from
October 1 through March 31. From April 1
through September 30, fishing is permitted
from 6:00 am until 9:00 pm. Largemouth bass
fishing should continue to be good at
Bluestem, Catclaw, Gopher, Plover, and Lake
Nell. Crank baits and spinner baits used in
early spring and late fall near the numerous
brush piles and along the weed beds should
produce many legal-sized bass. Bluegill
fishing will be excellent at Coot, Plover,
Jackrabbit, Catclaw, and Lake Nell. We are
currently encouraging anglers to release all
bluegill less than seven inches long. Baits
such as crickets and red worms fished near
the brush piles and spawning beds should
provide plenty of excitement. Redear sunfish
are present in all area lakes; but Coot,
Gopher, Plover, and Nell lakes have the
potential to produce some over 10 inches
long. Crappie fishing this year should
provide very good catch rates during late
March through early May. Crappie fishing
should be excellent at Bodarc, Coot, Nell,
Plover, and Gopher lakes. Channel catfish
were stocked last fall into area lakes.
Fishing should be best during the early
morning and late evening hours following the
spawn which typically occurs in June.
Fishing should continue to be good through
the months of July and August. Lake Nell,
Coot, Plover, Catclaw, and Jackrabbit should
provide the best action. Trout were stocked
into Coot Lake in November of 2005 to
establish a catch and release fishing season
on all fish. Fishing with artificial lures
and flies only will end January 31, 2006 -
at that time the anglers can start to
harvest these fish by area wide regulations.
Note: the statewide limit on trout will be 4
trout per day, with a possession limit of 8
trout. An additional stocking of trout will
occur in March to extend the trout fishing
into the spring. Cottontail Lake is
currently closed for renovation. The lake
was cleaned out and new fish stocked. When
these fish reach catchable size the lake
will reopen to fishing.
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Kansas City
Urban Fishing Lakes
Nine Kansas
City and Jackson County park lakes will be
stocked with channel catfish (one-pound
average). A total of six stockings of
channel catfish will be made from April
through October. No stockings are made in
July and August due to the stress of hauling
fish in the hot weather. Statewide limits
apply to these lakes. In addition to the
catfish stockings, rainbow trout and brown
trout (3/4-pound average) will be stocked in
November, February and March at select
lakes. Coot Lake at the James A. Reed
Memorial Wildlife Area will be catch and
release only for the first part of the
season. Over 30,000 pounds of fish will be
stocked into the Kansas City Urban Lakes in
2005. Maps showing the locations of stocked
lakes are available at the Kansas City
Regional Office (816/655-6250).
NOTE: Anglers
should note that the daily limit on trout
changed to four fish a day on March 1, 2005
and all anglers must have a valid trout
permit in order to harvest trout. |
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Lake Jacomo
White bass
will continue to provide good action in
2006. Anglers should troll and cast along
windy and rocky shorelines with small
crankbaits and shiny spoons, especially in
the summer and early fall. The largemouth
bass population remains in very good
condition. You won’t find too many fish in
the trophy class (8+ pounds), but there
continues to be an abundance of fish in the
1 to 5 pound range. The strong 2002 year
class should exceed 15 inches in length and
provide some excellent action beginning in
2006. Watch for bands of water willow that
ring the shoreline to start "greening" up in
May. Large bass may be found along the outer
edge of this aquatic vegetation. In
addition, underwater fish habitat maps
showing brushpile locations and their depths
are available by calling the number above.
Channel catfish are common with good numbers
over 15 inches in length and many in the 10
to 15 pound range. The lake also supports a
low density flathead catfish population with
many of these fish in excess of 20 pounds.
Fish for flatheads using live bait and
concentrate near deep structure and creek
channels in the late spring and early
summer. The black and white crappie
populations should be similar to those in
2005. Most crappie captured will be on the
small side although some anglers have
reported catching an occasional fish over 12
inches in length. White crappie tend to be
larger than the slower growing black
crappie. Look for schools of white crappie
in the south end of the lake while black
crappie tend to be more abundant in the
north end of the lake. Anglers should
continue to have good success off the north
marina boat dock and accessible dock during
winter. However, several brushpiles in
Liggett Cove have also produced nice
stringers of fish and new brush was added to
these structures. New brushpiles were also
added around the north accessible dock.
Surplus walleye stockings occurred again
this spring with a little over 24,000
fingerlings stocked in the lake. Many
anglers were catching legal-sized walleye
throughout the lake last summer. Try your
luck fishing after dark along the spillway
in late March and early April and on the
flats in the upper lake summer and early
fall.
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Longview
Lake
Walleye
fishing at Longview seemed to improve in
2005. Spring survey numbers were the highest
they have been in the last 8 years. We hope
to again stock 46,500 walleye fingerlings in
the summer of 2006. Largemouth bass numbers
are continuing to improve at Longview.
Anglers are reporting better fishing with
many nice sized fish being caught. Anglers
should concentrate on the vegetation and
woody cover in Pittenger Cove, on the west
side of the lake, during the spring, for
their best chance at catching some nice bass
at Longview. Crappie fishing should be about
the same, as years past, with several nice
fish being caught, but an abundance of
smaller fish will be caught as well. In the
spring of the year anglers should
concentrate fishing efforts near the gravel
banks. Many nice white crappie were caught
in the spring of 2005 along these banks.
Channel catfish numbers remain extremely
high, but the average size will be a pound
or less. Nightcrawlers and prepared bait
fished on shallow flats works well for
channel cats. The high densities of channel
catfish will provide plenty of good summer
fishing. Anglers are encouraged to harvest
their daily limit of 10 channel catfish.
Flathead Catfish have been stocked into
Longview the past three years. Many of the
fish have been tagged so that biologists can
monitor the success and growth rates of the
flatheads. White bass are fairly abundant
and can often be caught by fishing along
windblown banks or points in late summer and
early fall. Carp provide good fishing
opportunities at Longview. Fish for carp
with small single hooks and small chunks of
dough bait. |
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Maple Leaf Lake
Largemouth bass are somewhat less
abundant than expected at Maple Leaf Lake, but 14-16 inch bass
are relatively common. Bass fishing will be fair in 2006. The
water clarity in Maple Leaf Lake often approaches 3 feet so
anglers should use light line and may want to consider fishing
at night. Anglers may have difficulty catching bass in the clear
water.
Bluegill angling will be poor
because few bluegill larger than 6 inches are present. Angling
for redear sunfish will be fair. Redear sunfish 7-8 inches are
moderately abundant and some 9-10 inch redear sunfish are
present. Anglers seeking larger sunfish will have better luck
during the spawning period that occurs during the last 3 weeks
in May.
Catfish angling will be good.
Catfish of 1-3 pounds are more common than larger fish. Crappie
angling will be poor due to low abundance and a scarcity of
crappie over 9 inches. Anglers are reminded that outboard motors
larger than 10 horsepower are allowed, but are required to be
operated at no wake speed. |
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Montrose Lake
Bass sampling between spring 2003
and 2005 revealed an improved bass population compared to the
past several years. Improvement in the number of 10-14 inch bass
will result in better angling for large bass over the next few
years. Bass abundance remains on the low to moderate side
compared to other lakes, but bass caught by anglers are in good
condition and often large. Anglers may fish longer between
strikes than in some other lakes, but the bass they catch may be
18 to over 20 inches long.
Bass anglers at Montrose Lake
should plan on fishing murky water that may have less than 8
inches of visibility. Lures that make some noise or vibration
may help trigger strikes. Montrose Lake is a power plant cooling
reservoir and usually warms earlier in spring than other large
reservoirs. Anglers may begin catching bass near the outlet of
the warm water discharge during February and March. Bass may be
located in stands of water willow in 12-18 inches of water
during April and early May. Fallen trees cover much of the
shoreline and shelter bass during spring and early summer.
Montrose Lake is very shallow, particularly in the upper portion
so anglers are urged to use caution while boating. A special
length and daily limit is in effect for largemouth bass on
Montrose Lake. The length limit of 18 inches and reduced daily
limit of two black bass was implemented to allow these fast
growing bass to reach quality size.
Crappie angling will be poor
during 2006. Crappie numbers were poor when sampled during fall
2004, but many fish were 10 inches or larger
Catfish angling is very good.
Anglers may catch catfish from two to over ten pounds. Channel
catfish are the most numerous, but some large flathead catfish
are also present. Evidence as to the size of flathead catfish
present in Montrose Lake was demonstrated in April 2003. An
angler from Odessa tied the current pole and line state record
for flathead catfish by catching a 77 pound 8 ounce fish and a
35 pound fish the same morning. Anglers are reminded that
outboard motors larger than 10 horsepower are allowed, but are
required to be operated at no wake speed. |
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Truman Lake
Black bass
fishing should continue to be very good for legal bass (>15")
and catch-and-release fishing for sublegal fish. Crappie
fishing should be average for legal fish (> 9") and fishing for
sublegal fish should be very good, as there are a good number of
fish less than 9-inches. Fishing should improve during the
summer and fall as the large 2004 year class become legal.
Crappie are in excellent condition because of the good shad
spawn in 2005. Truman typically produces large year classes of
crappie, and 2005 appears to be no exception. White bass
and hybrid striped bass should continue to be
good. Walleye fishing for legal fish (> 15")
should be good; walleye fishing has been improving due to
stockings during the last fiver years. Catfishing for
blue, channel and flathead catfish should be good on
the Osage and Grand River arms. Anglers should note that
effective March 1, 2006 there is a change in the statewide
catfish daily limits. The new daily limits will be: Flathead
Catfish – 5 fish daily; Channel Catfish – 10 fish daily and Blue
Catfish – 5 fish daily. The paddlefish snagging
season is March 15 through April 30. Snagging should be good for
legal fish (> 34") in the upper Osage from Talley Bend to above
the Taberville Access with many fish greater than 45 lbs. The
paddlefish population is maintained through annual stockings.
Snaggers need to remember that once they have take a daily limit
of two paddlefish they are prohibited from continuing to snag,
snare or grab that day. Remember to use proper handling
techniques when releasing sublegal or legal fish back to the
water to ensure their survival. |
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