Fishing Report For Pomme de Terre Lake, MO

Current Report: Good

Pomme de Terre Lake is strewn with brush and wood. inter-mixed with rocky bottoms. This provides ideal habitat for bass, which reproduce in good numbers and are eager to bite.

FALL. Now that late Fall is basically over, bass are moving out of shallow coves and shallow bays, following schools of baitfish back into deeper water. Currently slow-rolled spinnerbaits, artificial worms, spoons and jigs are catching bass. Even later in Fall, as deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, standing timber, points and humps where flutter spoons, jigs and drop shots are often good choices in 12 to 25 feet of water.

WINTER. Winter will isolate largemouth around slightly deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. They can be found from 20 to 40 feet deep, around main-lake channel edges, rock piles, stump fields, deep channel bends, main-lake flats, humps and brush piles. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations are key to getting bites. On warmer days, especially during late afternoons, bass may move shallower to feed.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water nearby spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 3 to 10 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 5 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 8 to 18 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, jigs, worms, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they will be caught in 6 to 18 feet of water, on square-bill crankbaits, jigs, worms, swimbaits, and spinnerbaits. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 15 to 35 feet deep. Some of the best reports seem to be from anglers fishing around standing timber, brush piles, and the shade side of deep structure, especially in the Hermitage and Lindley Creek arms.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Crappie fishing has been excellent at Pomme de Terre Lake for several years now. Good spawns, fertile water and plenty of food are helping crappie grow big, and in good numbers.

FALL. Baitfish, which have moved into shallow flats, coves and bays, have drawn crappie into these areas. Decent crappie are being caught while feeding heavily, in preparation for the cold Winter. Popular areas include mid-depth brush piles, standing timber and man-made fish attractors in the Lindley Creek Arm, the Wheatland area, the Big Creek arm, and coves around Hermitage. Anglers report that 8 to 18 feet of water is where most bites are coming. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late fall starts the migration deeper, toward winter holding areas, for both crappie and baitfish. Small flutter spoons, fished in 12 to 18 feet of water, are a good option during this transition, sometimes for suspended schools.

WINTER. Once the shallows start cooling rapidly, crappie will migrate to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. At this time they are typically caught using a very slow presentation, in 20 to 40 feet of water. Most are caught around deep brush piles, creek channel bends, submerged timber, and main-lake structure. If they are suspending in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into 10 to 15 feet of water to feed, for short periods.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 3 to 12 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 8 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 10 to 18 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 20 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 20 to 30 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, bridge pilings and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

Current Report: Good

According to reports by the Missouri Department of Conservation, muskie have been stocked in Pomme de Terre Lake for over two decades. They are voracious eaters, feeding primarily on shad, but will also eat small sunfish, frogs and crayfish. Muskie over four feet long have been recorded on numerous occasions. Topwater baits like the Whopper Flopper, and other large lures, are catching big muskie when conditions are right - cool water and low light. Big crankbaits, casting when they are shallow, and trolled when they are deep, also catch some nice muskie pretty regularly.

FALL. Considered by many avid muskie anglers to be the best time to fish for muskie, Fall finds these predators back in the shallows feeding heavily in preparation for winter. Muskie like cold water and stay fairly deep until Fall, when the shallows cool. 8 to 20 feet of water is where most muskie are being caught, with warm afternoons being the best time to focus on 10 to 14 feet deep structure. Noisy, flashy, and bright color lures are ideal during this time as they are quite aggressive. Jerkbaits and bass assassins are often a good choice.

WINTER. As Winter chills the water, muskie move deeper and hold on structure in 20 to 40 feet of water. Points, deep weedbeds, drop-offs, channel edges and corners around the mouths of rivers are good places to find them this time of year. Ice fishing can be productive when the ice is safe, but muskie are being caught all through cold-winter season. Cold water causes muskie to be less active in winter, due to slowed metabolism. Slow moving, or motionless presentations are in order. Jigging spoons, ciscoes, shiners and suckers are favorites of muskie enthusiasts.

SPRING. Muskie move from their deep wintering habitat into shallow bays and flats for Spring spawning. They prowl 8 to 20 feet deep, once water temperatures get into the 50's. Noisy, flashy, and bright color lures are ideal during this time as they are very aggressive. After the spawn is over and water temperatures rise, concentrate on weed lines, and drop-offs along the edges of weedy flats 3 to 12 feet deep, where they spawn. Big spinners, bass assassins, and Johnson spoons will all attract hungry muskie.

SUMMER. Early and late in the day, muskie cruise shallower cover in search of food in 6 to 15 feet of water. During mid day they prefer the cooler water 10 to 25 feet deep, or deeper. Ledges, reefs, weedbeds, islands and channel edges are the primary areas to find muskie during the warmer months of Summer. Some of the larger muskie may also suspend in open water, just outside these areas. Trolling or drift fishing reportedly produces some nice catches, using spoons, big spinners and deep diving crankbaits.