Invasive zebra mussels now widespread at Truman Lake

MDC urges boaters to clean and dry all boats and bait gear

 Warsaw, Mo. – Zebra mussels, a harmful invasive species, are now present in all arms of Truman Lake, said Mike Bayless, fisheries management biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). Evidence that mussels might be present in the lake was found in prior years. But inspections conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in recent weeks have determined that they are now fairly widespread in the lake, Bayless said. This makes it imperative for boaters and anglers at Truman Lake to take steps to avoid spreading zebra mussels to other waters.

Zebra mussels are fingernail-sized bivalve mollusks native to the Caspian Sea region of Asia. The mussels arrived in the United States in the ballast water of ships. They were first discovered in a lake near Detroit in the late 1980s. Since then, they have spread into the Mississippi and Missouri River basins. The mussels reproduce rapidly and can form dense colonies attached to boat hulls, docks, pipes and other submerged materials. Nationally, they have caused billions of dollars in damage. The mussels also filter nutrients from the water that benefit native fishes. No natural or man-made controls are effective in eliminating them from large bodies of water. But they can be prevented from entering new waters.

The microscopic young, called veligers, can survive in lake water left in boat live wells, bilge pumps or bait buckets. Adult mussels attached to hulls, engine drive units and anchor chains can survive several days out of the water. Zebra mussels usually enter new lakes or rivers when a boat or dock is moved from one body of water to another.

Boaters and anglers can help prevent zebra mussels and other exotic species from spreading into new waters by draining, cleaning and drying watercraft, Bayless said. Inspect all parts of boats and motors before moving them, scrape off and trash any suspected mussels however small. Remove all water weeds from boats and trailers. Drain all water from boats and motors while on dry land before leaving a water body. Dump leftover bait on dry land. Wash and dry boats before moving them if your craft was in infested waters for a long period of time.

Zebra mussels have been found in Missouri in Smithville Lake, Lake Taneycomo, Bull Shoals Lake, Lake of the Ozarks, the Missouri River and the Mississippi River. They also occur in Lake Lotawana in the Kansas City area, the lower Meramec River in the St. Louis area, and in rivers that drain into Missouri from other states. MDC encourages all water recreationists to help keep them from spreading to other waters, Bayless said.

For more information on zebra mussels in Missouri, visit http://on.mo.gov/2bBnqY7.

MDC 6/30/2011 Fishing Report

PLEASE CHECK REGULATIONS CAREFULLY: Special regulations may apply to designated portions of water bodies; some baits and lures may not be legal for all portions.

CENTRAL REGION (573) 882-8388

LAKES

Binder: 81 degrees, normal, dingy; largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits and topwater lures; bluegill good on crickets and red worms; channel catfish fair on stinkbaits and nightcrawlers; all other species slow.




(Report made on 6/30/2011)

Blind Pony Lake: 75 degrees, low, dingy; largemouth bass good on plastic worms and topwater lures; sunfish fair on nightcrawlers; all other species slow; the lake is closed to private boats, and bait held or transported in containers with water is prohibited. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Lake of the Ozarks (Bagnell Tailwater): 69 degrees, normal, dingy; black bass slow, try worms and buzzbaits; white bass slow, try light colored soft plastics and crappie jigs; crappie slow, try minnows and crappie jigs; catfish good on cut baits, stinkbaits, chicken livers and worms.
(Report made on 6/29/2011)

Lake of the Ozarks (Glaize): 83 degrees, dingy; black bass fair on dark colored soft plastics and buzzbaits; white bass slow, try light colored soft plastics and Rooster Tails; crappie fair on minnows and crappie jigs; catfish good on worms, cut baits, and stinkbaits.
(Report made on 6/29/2011)

Lake of the Ozarks (Gravois): 83 degrees, dingy; catfish fair on cut baits; all other species slow.

(Report made on 6/29/2011)

Lake of the Ozarks (Niangua): 83 degrees, muddy; catfish good on cut shad and live bait; crappie fair on minnows;
white bass fair on spinners; black bass fair on plastic worms.
(Report made on 6/29/2011)

Lake of the Ozarks (Osage): 83 degrees, dingy; catfish good on cut shad and live bait; crappie fair on minnows;
white bass fair on spinners; black bass fair on plastic worms.
(Report made on 6/29/2011)

Little Dixie: 75 degrees, normal, clear; largemouth bass good on topwater lures; bluegill good on crickets; all other species slow. Area closed to all activity between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

RIVERS

Lamine: high, muddy; flathead catfish and channel catfish fair on setlines baited with live bluegill and small creek chubs upstream; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Missouri (Middle): high, muddy; flathead catfish fair in tributaries on live bait; blue and channel catfish fair on live bait and cut bait; all other species slow. The Missouri river is extremely high and fishing is not recommended at this time except in the tributaries. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Osage (lower, at Tuscumbia): 69 degrees, normal, dingy; black bass slow, try worms and buzzbaits; white bass slow, try light colored soft plastics and crappie jigs; crappie slow, try minnows and crappie jigs; catfish good on cut baits, stinkbaits, chicken livers and worms.
(Report made on 6/29/2011)

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KANSAS CITY REGION (816) 655-6254

LAKES

James A. Reed Area: 81 degrees, clear; full pool; largemouth bass, channel catfish, crappie, bluegill and redear sunfish fair; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Montrose: 82 degrees, normal, clear; black bass fair; all other species slow; fishing pressure light. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Schell-Osage (Atkinson Lake): 82 degrees, clear; catfish good; all other species fair. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Schell-Osage (Schell Lake): 83 degrees, clear; catfish good; all other species fair. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Truman: 81 degrees, normal, clear; crappie fair on main lake points using jigs and minnows; black bass fair on main lake points using crankbaits and plastic worms; catfish fair using cut bait or shad; white bass and hybrid bass fair using spoons. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Truman Tailwaters: 81 degrees, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

RIVERS

Missouri River: high, the river is flooded; all species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

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NORTHEAST REGION (660) 785-2420

LAKES

Hunnewell: 75 degrees, normal, clear; crappie fair on marabou jigs; channel catfish fair on chicken liver; largemouth bass fair on Hot-n-Tots; bluegill fair on earthworms; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Long Branch: 74 degrees, high, dingy; crappie fair on jigs and minnows; channel catfish fair on leeches and stinkbaits along Hwy. AX; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Mark Twain: 82 degrees, high, dingy; crappie fair on assorted jigs and minnows; channel catfish fair on nightcrawlers and cut bait; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Sever: 80 degrees, normal, dingy; channel catfish good on hot dogs, stinkbaits and liver; crappie fair on minnows; black bass fair on crankbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Thomas Hill: 82 degrees, high, muddy; water temperature 88 degrees at warm water boat dock; all species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

RIVERS

Mississippi (above St. Louis): 71 degrees, high, muddy; at flood stage; access difficult due to flooding; flathead catfish good on live baits; blue catfish good on cut bait; drum good on nightcrawlers; carp good on nightcrawlers; sturgeon good on nightcrawlers; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Salt (below Mark Twain): 74 degrees, high, muddy; water levels are fluctuating day to day; all species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

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NORTHWEST REGION (816) 271-3100

LAKES

Bilby Ranch Lake: 72 degrees, normal, clear; black bass good on plastics; channel catfish good on liver; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Mozingo: 72 degrees, normal, clear; crappie good in woody coves or over deeper brush on jigs or minnows, black bass good, some fish moving deep; channel catfish fair on cut bait; walleye fair on crankbaits or crawler harnesses on channel breaks or weed lines. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Paho: 72 degrees, rising, dingy; hybrid striped bass good on crappie jigs; channel catfish good on prepared baits in flooded willows and grasses; largemouth bass good on plastic artificials in flooded cover; all other species fair. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Pony Express: 74 degrees, high, dingy; all species fair. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Smithville: 75 degrees, normal, muddy; crappie good in 10'-12' of water with the best catches reported over brush piles with blue/white/chartreuse jigs and/or minnows; largemouth bass fair in shallows on a wide variety of lures including spinners, stickbaits and jigs; channel catfish fair on nightcrawlers, shad, and prepared baits; white bass slow; walleye fair on jigs, worms, or rattle baits on flat lake points. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

RIVERS

Grand: 69 degrees, rising, dingy; channel catfish and blue catfish fair; flathead catfish slow; all other species fair. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Missouri (below Iowa line): 72 degrees, high, muddy; all species slow; all recreational boating has been restricted by the U.S. Coast Guard from Iowa line to St. Joseph. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

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OZARK REGION (417) 255-9561

LAKES

Bull Shoals (East): 85 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair on soft plastics; catfish fair on limb lines and trotlines; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Norfork: 85 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair on soft plastics; catfish fair on limb lines and trotlines; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

RIVERS

Big Piney (lower, Pulaski Co.): 78 degrees, normal, dingy; smallmouth bass and goggle-eye fair on jigs and soft plastic baits. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Big Piney (Upper): 75 degrees, low, clear; black bass and goggle-eye good on soft plastics; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Bryant Creek: 73 degrees, normal, dingy; smallmouth bass and goggle-eye good on soft plastics; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Current: 78 degrees, normal, clear; all species good on plastics. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Eleven Point: 60 degrees, normal, clear; rainbow trout good on corn and minnows; all other species good on plastics. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Gasconade (middle, Pulaski Co.): 79 degrees, normal, dingy; smallmouth bass and goggle-eye fair on soft plastic baits and jigs. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Gasconade (upper): 83 degrees, normal, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Jacks Fork: 79 degrees, normal, clear; smallmouth bass good on spinnerbaits; goggle-eye good on soft plastics. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

North Fork: 68 degrees, normal, clear; smallmouth bass and goggle-eye good on soft plastic baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

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SOUTHEAST REGION (573) 290-5858

LAKES

Clearwater Lake: 84 degrees, high, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Council Bluff: 79 degrees, normal, clear; largemouth bass good on dark colored soft plastics during low light periods; channel catfish fair on liver; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Cypress Lake: 81 degrees, high, dingy; channel catfish good in 2'-3' depths using crickets, worms, and stinkbait; crappie fair in 3' depths using minnows and jigs; bluegill and redear sunfish good in 1'-3' depths using crickets, small jigs, and small pieces of worms; largemouth bass fair in 2'-3' depths on spinnerbaits and jigs; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Duck Creek: 85 degrees, high, clear; largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Lake Girardeau: 76 degrees, high, dingy; channel catfish fair on nightcrawlers; bluegill and black bass fair on worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Perry County Lake: 82 degrees, normal, clear; channel catfish good on liver and worms; black bass good on crankbaits; sunfish fair on red wigglers; hybrid striped bass slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Robert DeLaney Lake: 81 degrees, normal, channel catfish good on worms, liver, live bluegill, and stinkbait; flathead catfish good on live bluegill; bluegill fair on crickets and waxworms; black bass and crappie fair on jigs and live bait; all other species slow. Catfish success after dark has increased in recent weeks. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Wappapello: high, bluegill good on crickets and worms; crappie fair on minnows and jigs; black bass fair early and late on spinnerbaits and crankbaits; channel catfish fair on trotlines using live bait and nightcrawlers. Anglers should note the 9" minimum length regulation for crappie on Wappapello Lake. Call the Wappapello Lake Recreation Hotline for updates at 573-222-8139. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

RIVERS

Black River (near Annapolis): 77 degrees, normal, clear; channel catfish fair on stinkbait and chicken liver; smallmouth bass and goggle-eye slow on artificial baits. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Castor River (above Zalma): normal, clear; smallmouth bass and goggle-eye good on minnows; all other species fair. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Lower Black River (Clearwater Dam): high, muddy; black bass fair in backwater areas on minnows and jigs; channel catfish fair on worms and live bait; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Mississippi (below Charleston): rising, dingy; channel catfish fair on worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Mississippi River (Cape Girardeau): high, muddy; channel catfish fair on worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

St. Francis (above Wappapello): high, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

St. Francis (below Wappapello): 78 degrees, high, muddy; black bass good on artificial bait; channel catfish fair on liver, worms and stinkbait; flathead catfish fair on live goldfish and bluegill; bluegill fair on waxworms, nightcrawlers, and crickets; crappie fair on minnows and crickets; . (Report made on 6/29/2011)

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SOUTHWEST REGION (417) 895-6881

LAKES

Bull Shoals (West): 75-79 degrees, high, clear; Dam/Swan Creek area: black bass good on jigs, soft plastics, and nightcrawlers; striped bass good on large swimbait and jerkbaits; white bass fair on swimming minnows; walleye fair on nightcrawlers and jerkbaits; Beaver Creek area: black bass good on jigs, soft plastics and nightcrawlers; walleye fair on nightcrawlers and jerkbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/28/2011)

Lake Taneycomo: 51 degrees, normal, clear; trout good on flies and black, white, and olive colored marabou jigs or fluorescent orange, chartreuse, and bubblegum colored Power Baits, nightcrawlers and corn. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Pomme de Terre: 80 degrees, normal, clear; largemouth bass good on plastic worms and crankbaits; crappie good on minnows or jigs around structure in 15' of water; walleye good while trolling or drifting; catfish good on live bait or cut baits using trotlines or on pole and line. (Report made on 6/28/2011)

Stockton: 77 degrees, normal, clear; catfish good on fresh shad on flats; black bass good on soft plastic worms and spinners in 20' of water; crappie good on jigs and while trolling in 30' of water; walleye good on jigs and nightcrawlers on flats or points in 15' to 25' of water; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Table Rock (James River arm): 84 degrees, high, dingy; bluegill good on live crickets, nightcrawlers or mealworms in 10' to 15' of water around bridge piers and standing timber in clear water; black bass fair on green 1 oz. jigs with a purple/brown trailer while dragging on points in 6' to 10' of water, large 10" to 12" purple plastic worms Carolina or Texas rigged are working well; white bass fair on topwater lures or shallow diving lures in bright colors in the evening; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

Table Rock (main lake): 84.5 degrees, high, dingy; bluegill good on live crickets, nightcrawlers or mealworms in 10' to 15' of water around bridge piers and standing timber in clear water; black bass fair on green 1 oz. jigs with a purple/brown trailer while dragging on points in 6' to 10' of water, large 10" to 12" purple plastic worms Carolina or Texas rigged are working well; white bass fair on topwater lures or shallow diving lures in bright colors in the evening; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

RIVERS

Big Niangua: 66 degrees, high, clear; trout fair, best on natural baits and Power Baits below Bennett Spring; black bass slow, best on soft plastics; goggle-eye fair on soft plastics and jigs; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

James River (lower): 83 degrees, normal, clear; goggle-eye good on minnows and spinners and on Road Runners in the streams; black bass fair on nightcrawlers and crankbaits off the points; catfish fair on cut baits and nightcrawlers using trotlines and limb lines; crappie fair on jigs and minnows. (Report made on 6/29/2011)

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ST. LOUIS REGION (636) 300-1953

LAKES

Busch Memorial Conservation Area Lake 33: 80 degrees, normal, dingy; bluegill fair on natural baits; black bass good on spinnerbaits and crankbaits; please remove your litter. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Busch Memorial Conservation Area Lakes 3, 4, 5, 7, and 23: 80 degrees, normal, dingy; channel catfish good on blood baits; limit 4; bluegill fair on natural baits; black bass good on spinnerbaits and crankbaits; please remove litter.


(Report made on 6/30/2011)

RIVERS

Big River: 78 degrees, rising, muddy; channel catfish good on cut bait; black bass fair on minnows; crappie slow on minnows; bluegill fair on worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Bourbeuse (middle, lower, Franklin Co.): 75 degrees, normal, muddy; channel catfish fair on doughbait, worms and blood bait; black bass fair on plastic worms; bluegill good on worms; all other species slow on worms.
(Report made on 6/30/2011)

Meramec (above Sullivan, Crawford Co.): 78 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair on plastics; channel catfish fair on natural baits; carp good on doughbait; drum good on worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Meramec (below Eureka): 72 degrees, high, dingy; black bass fair on plastics; channel catfish fair on natural baits; carp good on doughbait; drum good on worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Missouri (below New Haven): 72 degrees, rising, muddy; channel catfish fair on worms and prepared bait; all other species slow. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

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TROUT PARKS

Bennett Spring State Park: 54 degrees, the spring level is near normal; Zone 1 and 2 best lures: John Deere colored mini jigs, ginger colored and brown colored bead head Cracklebacks, gingersnap with 8 oz. gold head colored, red and black colored, pink and white colored and salmon and brown colored marabou jigs, green and black with a gold spinner and black colored with a silver spinner Rooster Tails, shrimp colored, chartreuse colored and red and white colored glo balls, red colored and olive colored brassies; Zone 3 best lures: white with glitter colored and yellow with glitter colored Power Baits, white colored Trout Nip and salmon eggs. Fishing hours for July are 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Maramec Spring Park: 57 degrees, fishing is good; the water is clear with good flow; dough and putty baits are producing good numbers when fished free floating or underneath a float; feather jigs in black/yellow, olive, white, and pink are producing good numbers of fish; fishing hours for the month of July are 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Montauk State Park: 58 degrees, the river level is normal; the water is clear; fishing is good on most baits; dough and putty baits are working well, as are flies and jigs; the best fishing is during the morning and evening hours. Fishing hours for July are 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.


For up-to-date stream conditions check http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?07064440 (Report made on 6/30/2011)

Roaring River State Park: 58 degrees, the river is clear and running normal; fishing has been very good; plastic worms and power eggs are working very well; use scented baits in zones allowed; spinners are good; Rooster Tail-type spinners in black, brown, olive and bright orange have all been good; nightcrawlers and minnows are good in Zone 3.

(Report made on 6/29/2011)
 

Blue catfish survey is hands-on

Written by Bill Graham, Missouri Department of Conservation

TRUMAN LAKE Mo -- Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) biologists recently wrapped up the first phase of a new blue catfish survey at Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks. MDC crews used methods typically employed by anglers to catch a representative sample of fish from each lake.

Crews at Truman Lake, led by Fisheries Biologist Mike Bayless and Resource Scientist Zach Ford, concluded their final survey day on Nov. 4. Winds following a cold front sent whitecaps across the Berry Bend area where they hauled in 52 jug lines set on the Osage River arm. Using hooks baited with cut shad, they landed 17 blues. All fish were measured, weighed, evaluated and released.

The information expands the database for a popular sport fish that faces heavy fishing pressure.

“This survey is being conducted in advance of proposed regulation changes,” Bayless said. “We’ll gather data over a three-year period. Then, if our proposed regulation is approved and takes effect, seven or eight years down the line we’ll start another three-year survey so we can determine if the regulation has had the desired positive impact on the blue-cat fishery.”

Anglers can currently keep five blue catfish of any size daily.

A committee of biologists and other MDC staff is proposing a regulation change that would allow each angler to keep 10 blue catfish daily. The current proposal would require that all fish between 25 and 35 inches long, usually 6- to 17-pounds, would have to be released. The proposal calls for allowing one or two fish above the slot to be part of the overall limit.

The goal is to allow more blue catfish to reach their potential larger sizes – 20 to 80 pounds – because big fish are why many anglers target blues with rod and reel, trotlines or jug lines. Many anglers and biologists are concerned that the numbers of big blue catfish have declined at Truman Lake, and the proposed regulation is designed to reverse that.

“We started hearing concerns from anglers back in the early 1990s,” Bayless said.

Since the regulation change would allow anglers to keep 10 blue catfish, including one or two above the slot limit, anglers would still be able to harvest plenty of fish to eat.

Bayless said that Truman Lake still has large numbers of small blue catfish and reproduction remains strong. He added that growth rates for blues at the lake are slower than normal, which may be due to the large numbers of small catfish.

“Blue catfish are vulnerable to fishing pressure,” he said. "Most blue catfish are being caught before they reach the larger sizes coveted by many catfish fans. They readily take baits and they swim in open waters easily accessible to anglers."

An MDC survey at the lake from 2003 to 2008 utilized reward tags placed on blue catfish. Anglers were paid $50 for reporting the tags. The study showed that for blue catfish 24 inches or larger, 92 percent were caught within the five-year period.

Angler harvest rates in the study were two-to-three-times higher than similar catfish studies nationwide.

In a 2002 catfish-angler survey by the MDC, the largest percentage of anglers responding said the Truman Lake fishery had declined.

Bayless explained that the MDC is proposing the slot limit to restore more large blue catfish in Truman Lake. The same regulation is proposed for Lake of the Ozarks to keep that catfish fishery from declining.

The MDC's Regulations Committee reviews such proposals. Pending that review, it would then be presented to the Department director and then to the Missouri Conservation Commission, which sets regulations.

MDC biologists began gathering blue catfish data this fall to have more reference information. But because the fish grow slowly it will take some years before results can be measured, Bayless said.

A similar survey was conducted this fall at Lake of the Ozarks by Fisheries Management Biologist Greg Stoner and Fisheries Resource Technician Clark Foster and crews.

“We wanted to use methods for the survey that are like what many fishermen use,” Bayless said. “And we wanted to be able to catch fish of all sizes.”

Public Fishing Access in Missouri by County