Saying current will be a driving factor for most reservoirs during the summer is not exactly noteworthy. The impact it has on the fish in Truman Lake certainly is, though.
And with the potential for plenty of it, the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Ozark Division event on Truman set for Saturday could produce major weights. This event is presented by Precision Sonar.
What to expect
Even before this past weekend, Truman was more than 7 feet above summer pool. And then significant storms dumped another 3 inches or so on the Ozark fishery.
Needless to say, the current has been flowing since, with the fishing responding in kind.
“With this high water, the fishing has been really good,” accomplished Missouri angler Dennis Berhorst said. “It was heading down, and then the rain made it come back up 6 inches over weekend. So, it’s back on the down now, but if they’re still running water this weekend, it’s going to be a super, super tournament.
“Then again, if they shut the water off on Saturday, it will all change. Pros might catch 24 pounds in practice Friday with the current and only 13 pounds Saturday without.”
That’s a drastic shift, made only harder to predict because the current report won’t be released until the day before the tournament. In addition to the current, though, there will be plenty of things to watch.
For starters, whether the water is still in the bushes. Because if it is, regardless of the current, the flipping bite should be phenomenal and potentially the tournament winner, according to Berhorst.
If the lake level has dropped out of the bushes, running points and offshore structure will be far more key. That said, offshore and deep mean two different things on Truman.
“If you’re fishing deeper than 10 feet on Truman, you’re fishing too deep,” Berhorst said.
The final variable to watch is the water clarity. Truman has a sneaky late sight-fishing bite, and even this late in the spring, it can’t be discounted. In fact, Berhorst won a tournament a couple years back the second weekend of June looking at every fish he caught.
“Truman always runs a little later,” Berhorst said. “So, it could still play if they’ve pulled enough current to clear up the lake.”
Baits to bring
Assuming the water has come down and they’re pulling current, Berhorst said Carolina rigs, squarebills and spinnerbaits should dominate, as they’ll allow anglers to cover a lot of water.
Then again, there is a chance the water is still up in the bushes. And if so, Berhorst said every deck should have a flipping rod and his favorite way to get a big bite.
“I never go to Truman without a buzzbait on my deck, especially when the water is up,” Berhorst said. “It might be the best bait to catch a kicker.”
What will it take?
As mentioned above, how much current is being pulled will dictate the weights a lot. And we do mean a lot.
That said, Berhorst feels it will impact those behind the top finishers more than the winner.
“I still think it’s going to take 21 to 22 pounds to win,” Berhorst said. “If they water is being pulled, you’re going to see a bunch of pros in the 17- to 20-pound range. If they stop, you’ll have a couple around 20 pounds, and then it will drop off fast after that.”