Lake of the Ozarks woke up this morning to a cool, breezy October Saturday—perfect for fall fishing. Sunrise came at 7:19 AM, and we’ll see sunset at 6:35 PM. Skies are mostly cloudy, temperatures started in the upper 40s and should push into the mid 60s by afternoon. Winds are light out of the northeast and there’s just a hint of drizzle hanging around, but that’s not enough to scare off local anglers. We don’t get tidal swings in Missouri, so luck is all about light and wind.
October’s chill has fired up the fall bite. Local anglers report bass moving shallow, keying on baitfish in the backs of coves and around boat docks. Squarebills, spinnerbaits, and topwater are taking the lion’s share of keeper largemouths this week. Crankbaits in shad patterns and black buzzbaits have delivered early morning results near Gravois Arm and out toward the Niangua, with several fish pushing the three-pound mark, and plenty of one- to two-pounders mixed in. Travis Fox just took home a Toyota Series win on the lake by focusing on docks and brush with jig and spinnerbait presentations, showing the dock pattern is hot right now, especially later in the day according to Sports Illustrated’s October coverage.
Crappie are stacking up around brush piles and deeper docks, especially on main lake points and mid-depth flats. Most successful folks are running small jigs in chartreuse or pink, though a few slabs are being pulled on minnows. The fall “feed up” is in full swing, and 10-20 fish per trip is the norm, with some lucky catches in the 15-inch range this week. Catfish scene is steady—night anglers near the Grand Glaize Bridge found bites on cut shad and live bluegills, bringing in channel cats pushing five pounds.
Hot spots for today:
- Coffman Bend: best for morning topwater over shallow flats; look for aggressive surface strikes near the channel swings.
- Gravois Arm: mid-morning spinnerbait and squarebill bite along docks and brush, great numbers reported this week.
- Niangua Arm: crappie stacked around deeper brush if you want to fill out a stringer.
The dam area is getting some midday action as well, especially for white bass chasing shad—but timing’s everything, so pay attention to the water birds.
As for bait and tackle, this is a squarebill and spinnerbait kind of weekend. Go for chrome or sexy shad cranks; topwater walkers and poppers draw explosive strikes at sunrise and before dusk. Crappie folks, stick to 1/16-ounce jigs tipped with Berkley Powerbait or live minnows around submerged timber. Catfish are preferring fresh-cut shad and chicken livers after dark.
No major tournaments today, so it’s mostly locals and weekenders on the water. Every ramp’s buzzing, but if you want elbow room, launch up the Niangua or try the quieter Ha Ha Tonka area.
That’s your Lake of the Ozarks fishing report for October 18th. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss tomorrow’s bite update. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.
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