Lake of the Ozarks Midday Update – Day 1
All signs point toward a good afternoon
Day one of the Costa FLW Series presented by Evinrude on Lake of the Ozarks got off to a chilly start, but it’s clearing up into a beautiful afternoon. Though the morning bite seems to have been a little slow, all signs point toward improved fishing this afternoon.
We worked up and down from takeoff this morning and ran into a variety of patterns, from jigs and worms around docks and brush to the ever-present Whopper Plopper on more bare banks. There are even a few pros slinging umbrella rigs and lipless crankbaits, though it seems like the more traditional Lake of the Ozarks stuff is catching the bulk of the fish. Most anglers complained of a slow start, but the rapidly clearing and warming weather should help things, and it ought to position the fish well for an afternoon of brush or dock fishing.
Around the field, Brian Maloney is leading the pack that we’ve surveyed. Around 11 a.m. the Lake of the Ozarks veteran had picked up a limit with one quality fish. Also doing well, Jeremy Lawyer was on the board with a small limit early. Randy Haynes had a limit as well, but he says it only goes about 11 pounds. Elsewhere, James Watson, Billy Hurt, Duke Jenkel, Andy Newcomb and Damian Dobrinich each had one in the box to start off. Joel Rumsey and Wesley Anderson each had a pair when we ran into them early in the morning.
Weigh-in starts at 3 p.m. CT, and it ought to be a good one. Though the morning was slow for non-locals, it seems like the folks who are typically on them at Lake of the Ozarks are going to be in decent shape. With better weather settling in, it could get right, and being in a later flight might be a significant advantage today.
Tournament details
Format: All boaters and co-anglers will compete for two days. The top 10 boaters and co-anglers based on cumulative weight after two days of competition will advance to the third and final round, with the winner in each category determined by the heaviest cumulative three-day weight.
Takeoff Time: 7:00 a.m. CT
Takeoff Location: Public Beach #2, 711 Public Beach Road, Osage Beach, Mo.
Weigh-In Time: Days 1 and 2 at 3 p.m. CT; Day 3 at 4 p.m. CT
Weigh-In Location: Days 1 and 2 at Public Beach #2; Day 3 at Walmart 4252, Highway 54, Osage Beach, Mo.