5/8/22 a “brutal” day chasing crappie on Truman

Daily Fishing Log For May 8, 2022

General Info		Weather / Water Conditions
Date	May 8, 2022	Air Temp		Current Generation	Minimum
Fisherman	Jeff Simmons	Water Temp	58-65	Current Generation	Minimum
Hours Fished	See below	Sky	Sunny	Water Clarity	Clean
Fishing Overall	Fair	Wind	Moderate	Water Clarity	Clean

Fish Caught
Total Caught	Total Keepers

Size/Weight (Pounds)

Baits Used
Keepers	Other Fish

Bait Colors
Keepers	Other Fish

Location/Presentation/Structure
Lower Grand and Lower Osage

Fishing Notes
Brutal, I left Truman State Park around 1030 Saturday morning. It was brutally beautiful! A crispness in the air combined with that fresh spring smell of cedars and flowers is what lake life is all about. The water is high, I don’t know what the level is but where I normally see 13 ft of water I was seeing 20ft. I expected to see a lot of debris (trees) in the channels but was happily surprised. A few sticks here and there, some leaves and lots of twigs. I also expected the water to be like chocolate milk, nope, surprisingly clear. I could see about 18” into the water on the Grand arm between the park and Long shoal. I headed to the bluff between the park and Long Shoal. Hmmm, no other boats there. Not good. I pulled into the spot I’d found a few months ago. Two trees laying at 45 degree angles and always loaded with fish. Yep, they were still there and AGGRESSIVE! For about the first hour every cast was met with a fish. They preferred the 1/4 oz light green maribou jig. The more fish I caught it seemed the fish were getting “smart”. I’d watch as the jig would fall and a fish would dart out to grab it, another fish would race and hit the first fish causing him to turn around. I’d change color jig and after catching a few. Repeat. After a few hours and about 10 keepers I decided to move over to the Osage arm. I went to the coves across from Shawnee Bend. No boats! Strange, every boat ramp was full but I wasn’t seeing many in the channels. I’m assuming with the high water they were WAY back in the creeks. I moved from the back of the coves to the front and fish over structure. I caught a few here and there. I also saw LARGE schools of fish moving FAST. (Video). I tried casting to them but caught nothing. Maybe bluegills? Looked to big to be shad, but in the video you can see larger fish under and behind them. I thought I had broken my personal best which is 14”. Turned out to be 13.75”. Close. Some of the crappie I caught were keepers in length but were SKINNY (pic). I assume they dropped their eggs. Threw them back. The water temp when I left the park was 58 at the end of the day the Osage is showing 65. Love the sun! I know a boring post, but I couldn’t find anything to complain about, other than having a sore back and arm from catching fish! Fishing’s Brutal!

Fishing Notes

Brutal,

I left Truman State Park around 1030 Saturday morning. It was brutally beautiful!

A crispness in the air combined with that fresh spring smell of cedars and flowers is what lake life is all about.

The water is high, I don’t know what the level is but where I normally see 13 ft of water I was seeing 20ft. I expected to see a lot of debris (trees) in the channels but was happily surprised. A few sticks here and there, some leaves and lots of twigs. I also expected the water to be like chocolate milk, nope, surprisingly clear. I could see about 18” into the water on the Grand arm between the park and Long shoal.

I headed to the bluff between the park and Long Shoal. Hmmm, no other boats there. Not good.

I pulled into the spot I’d found a few months ago. Two trees laying at 45 degree angles and always loaded with fish. Yep, they were still there and AGGRESSIVE! For about the first hour every cast was met with a fish. They preferred the 1/4 oz light green maribou jig. The more fish I caught it seemed the fish were getting “smart”. I’d watch as the jig would fall and a fish would dart out to grab it, another fish would race and hit the first fish causing him to turn around. I’d change color jig and after catching a few. Repeat.

After a few hours and about 10 keepers I decided to move over to the Osage arm. I went to the coves across from Shawnee Bend. No boats! Strange, every boat ramp was full but I wasn’t seeing many in the channels. I’m assuming with the high water they were WAY back in the creeks.

I moved from the back of the coves to the front and fish over structure. I caught a few here and there. I also saw LARGE schools of fish moving FAST. (Video). I tried casting to them but caught nothing. Maybe bluegills? Looked to big to be shad, but in the video you can see larger fish under and behind them.

I thought I had broken my personal best which is 14”. Turned out to be 13.75”. Close. Some of the crappie I caught were keepers in length but were SKINNY (pic). I assume they dropped their eggs. Threw them back.

The water temp when I left the park was 58 at the end of the day the Osage is showing 65. Love the sun! I know a boring post, but I couldn’t find anything to complain about, other than having a sore back and arm from catching fish!

Fishing’s Brutal!

5/8/22 a “brutal” day chasing crappie on Truman

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