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May Bass Fishing At Lake Of The Ozarks: Let The Explosions Begin

If you’re fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to see Lake of the Ozarks on an early May morning, you will understand what I am getting ready to talk about.  If not, you need to add this to your bucket list[G1] .  Whether you are on a boat ramp, at a state park, or are looking out a condo or resort window overlooking the lake, beholding the activity of an early May morning is very exciting.

There are always numerous swirls on the water, shad being chased by bass, and many explosions as bass attack their prey.  The lake becomes very much alive in May, and this is an excellent time to bass fish Lake of the Ozarks.  By May, many of the larger bass tournaments are finished, but the summer vacation has not yet begun.  This makes it a great time for beginners, children, and fishing enthusiasts to get out and bass fish in a lively yet relaxing atmosphere. .  This is also a great month to catch a very large number of bass.  Some of the fish may be small, but the opportunity is there to catch some real lunkers.

After the fish spawn, many of the large female bass remain in shallow water from the middle to the backs of the coves.  You can find them around docks, brush piles, and near other structures where they feel secure.  As they recover from the spawn, they look for easy prey before moving into deeper water.  They will continue to seek shelter as they migrate from their spawning location to summer holding areas.

It is important to know that the bass can be found at different depths in the water columns in May.  The late-spawning bass can be found on secondary points all the way back to as little as one foot of water in the back of the pockets.  There are several methods for fishing these locations, but the most successful method I’ve tried at Lake of the Ozarks has been with a Carolina-rigged eight-inch lizard.  The Carolina rig can be dragged across the bottom with the bait rising just off the bottom.  In clear or stained water, I prefer the watermelon seed or pbj colored lizards.

Early in the morning, I prefer to fish a topwater lure such as a Super Spook.  When fishing a Spook, the goal is to get the lure to dart back and forth from side to side.  The technique requires some practice, but it’s well worth the results.  The bass literally attack the lure with a tremendous explosion of force.  In my opinion, this is the most exciting strike a bass fisherman can experience.  Another topwater that will get explosive strikes is a Pop-R.  These can be fished along channel banks close to the secondary points, inside the pockets, and, in May, in the very backs of the coves where the bottom is flat and shallow—anywhere from one to six feet.

Another pattern that works well in May at Lake of the Ozarks is fishing post-spawn bass on long points.  The points will generally be shallow for a long distance before falling off into deeper water near the end.  The bass in these locations have left their spawning grounds and are basically suspended along the bottom.  They feed as the current draws forage over these points.  I prefer to use a shaky head with a stick worm or mop jig in these areas.  Fish these points in depths of anywhere from eight to 25 feet.  Try the current side of the point first.  This is the side of the point over which the current flows first.  Slowly drag the worm across the points.  Many times when you catch a bass on one of these points, there will be more in the same location.

Bass fishing in May at Lake of the Ozarks offers one of the best opportunities to catch a large number of bass in the Midwest.  The fish can be found in literally every cove.  There are many pockets, flats, points, and channel banks throughout the lake that do not require you to travel far to find them.

My best day of fishing occurred in May at Lake of the Ozarks.  We caught 19 keepers and numerous non-keepers.  I was fortunate enough to fish with Bassing Bob that day as well.

For additional information on gear you may need or about how to catch more bass, stop in and talk to one of our experts.

 

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