Fishing Report For Truman Lake, MO

By Rick Seaman

April 17, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Truman Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
Fishing Boat Rentals
Boat Launch Ramps
Marinas
Fishing License
Map
Contact Info

Fishing Report Truman Lake, MO

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Truman Lake, MO

Black Crappie - White Crappie

Uncle Buck's Panfish Creatures Curly Tail Minnow Rigged

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good To Excellent

The Conservation Commission of Missouri reports they expect crappie fishing to be very good this year. They also pointed out that "in general, the upper portions of the lake have larger crappie, and the lower portions of the lake tend to have more crappie." Spring is the prime time to be on the water as crappie move into shallow coves to spawn. Docks, bridge pilings, brush, wood and deep vegetation are all good places to cast small crappie jigs or live minnows. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is ideal. Local anglers are reporting good success fishing from 10' to 20' deep once the spawn is over.

Largemouth Bass

Current Report: Fair To Good
Outlook: Decent

Catch rates were down last year for largemouth bass, and are expected to stay lower through 2025. A wide variety of lures are catching bass here, but not the normal numbers. Buzzbaits will attract some bites in late Spring, early and late in the day during Summer, and pretty much all day in the Fall. Jerkbaits are catching bass at multiple depths, especially when the bass are sluggish. Spinnerbaits are working in the dirtier water in the South Grand and Osage Arms. Big worms and jigs are good choices for fishing deeper points, humps and ledges along side of creek channels.

Blue Catfish

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good

Cut shad, worms and prepared baits are all catching plenty of blues, year round at Truman Lake. Fishing for blue catfish is often productive on flats nearby river and creek channels, especially when water is flowing. In cold weather anchoring tends to work better than drifting, in warm months just the opposite. Blue cats tend to school by size, so keep searching until you find some of the bigger fish grouped up. Use a slip sinker or Carolina rig setup.

Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, white bass, striped bass and hybrid striped bass at Truman Reservoir in Missouri.

Truman Lake is a 55,600-acre reservoir with over 950 miles of shoreline. Excellent fishing for bass, crappies, white bass, stripers and other species are available virtually year round. It is considered by many to be the best catfish lake in the state. There is easy access for fishing from the bank

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

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Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

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Marinas

Click here for marinas available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a Missouri Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".