Lake of the Ozarks
About Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks is a 57,000 acre lake located in central Missouri. Built for power generation and recreation, Bagnell Dam and the Lake of the Ozarks were constructed in the early 1930’s. All of the trees in the lake were removed to allow resorts and private homes to be built along the lake’s shoreline, but there are still many parts of the lake where the shoreline has not been developed.
Lake of the Ozarks offers resort and camping accommodations, music shows, water parks, shopping malls, and other forms of family recreational facilities and entertainment. Camping, hiking, horseback riding, and even a small airport is available at nearby Lake of the Ozarks State Park. Though most resorts have their own boat ramps and docks, there are two public boat ramps located on the Grand Glaize Arm, and one ramp located on the Gravois Arm near Eldon.
The lake is littered with boat docks which provide cover for the many sport fishes found in the lake. There is a variety of shoreline structures on the lake which includes rock, gravel, bluffs, sand, mud, stumps, fall downs, and brush. Most of the lake is deep and clear with coves that taper to shallow areas that are excellent for spawning. Large flats can be found in the back of some of the major arms. There are four major arms on the lake. The Gravois, Grand Glaize, Niangua, and Osage. All of these areas provide excellent fishing and lodging. The available fish in Lake of the Ozarks are black bass, crappie, bluegill, white bass, catfish, and walleye.
Detailed Lake Information:
Type of Lake: Hilland
Average Depth of Lake: 60-80 feet
Spring Thaw: March
Fall Turnover: October
* Lake of the Ozarks does freeze over during Winter with the exception of the main channel.
Heavy Rains: Affects entire lake with the exception of the Gravois, Grandglaize, and Niangua Arms. The rest of the lake takes 1-2 weeks to clear up.
Detailed Lake Characteristics:
This information describes the makeup of the bottom, shoreline, structure, and water color for various parts of Lake of the Ozarks.
Detailed Fishing Information:
Main Forage: Shad, Crayfish
Average time of year when fish spawn:
Best baits to use during seasons:
