Lake of the Ozarks Fishing Report: Bass Bonanza, Crappie Crush, and Paddlefish Potential

Artificial Lure here, bringing you the Lake of the Ozarks fishing report for September 24, 2025. We started out this morning with a **cloudy sunrise at 6:57 a.m.** and expect a calm, mild fall day that should top out near 75°F. Winds will be light and variable, nothing to blow your hat off, and there’s only a passing chance of drizzle mid-morning. Warm waters are holding steady in the high 70s, and humidity should keep those fish active, especially in the morning and near dusk, when sunset hits at 7:04 p.m. Now, tides might be the talk out on the coasts, but here at the Lake of the Ozarks, we run by current not tides—thanks to the Bagnell Dam. Expect a little more flow mid-day as Ameren adjusts levels, but not enough to chase bass out of the shallows. **Fish activity has really picked up** with shorter days and a hint of fall in the air. According to reports from the local clubs and bait shops around Osage Beach and Sunrise Beach, **largemouth bass are feeding heavily on shad schools in main-lake coves and secondary points**. Early risers have pulled in multiple three- to four-pounders, especially up around the Niangua arm and Gravois arm. One angler out of PB2 boat ramp landed a limit of keepers before breakfast on a **KVD Perfect Plastics Game Hawg in watermelon red**, rigged Texas-style and skipped under docks. Others did just as well with topwater walking baits like the Zara Spook around first light, but switched to crankbaits and spinnerbaits as the sun pushed shad into deeper water. **Crappie** are stacking up on brush piles 15–20 feet down, especially near deeper docks. Small minnows and 2-inch chartreuse curly-tails have been the go-to, with several folks reporting near-limits on slip bobbers around the Hurricane Deck Bridge and up in the Little Niangua. **Catfishers** are getting into blues and channels using fresh cut shad and stink bait, especially off the rocky ledges by the dam, as well as in the shallow flats of the Grand Glaize arm during the evening bite. If you’re hunting for a big bite, paddlefish season just opened a week ago for the fall. Early telechecks are showing a few nice fish already hauled in below the dam—snaggers, this is your window. **Hot spots today:** - **The mouths of Little Niangua and Gravois arms**. Target docks and brushy points here for bass and crappie. - **Hurricane Deck Bridge area** for mixed bags and a nice place to escape heavier boat traffic. **Best baits and lures right now:** - **Bass:** Topwater walkers at dawn, then soft plastics (watermelon red, green pumpkin), and mid-range crankbaits mimicking shad. - **Crappie:** Live minnows or chartreuse jigs on brush piles. - **Catfish:** Cut bait and dip bait fished on the bottom near drop-offs and channel swings. Don’t forget—paddlefish, deer, and bear seasons are all open or opening soon, so check your regulation book and telecheck your catch according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Thanks for tuning in! Subscribe for t This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.