Osage arm beat down

Been a member for a few years now but this is my first post so I apologize in advance if it doesn't translate as intended.

Me and 4 of my closest friends and family made our way to LOZ for the 3rd annual "Fish or die" weekend. We fish hard and have a great time cutting each other up in the process. All our fishing takes place between the 60-65 mm and the past couple of years we have hit the spawn fairly well, but this year we got a pretty good beat down. Not sure if it was 1.weather during the previous week 2.transitioning fish or 3.a severe lack of fishing talent. My guess is it might be a bit of the first 2 and heavy dose of #3. Got started on a brisk 33 degree Friday morning with surface temps at the 60MM hovering around 48. I'd read on C.c that limits were still being caught on docks in 20-25' and, as you might have guessed, I was able to find the fish but could not make them eat. Turned out to be a beautiful day and FINALLY got my first keeper at 2pm. We noticed that as the day got warmer and surface temps started to rise we were finding fish shallow in the backs of coves. Saturday was about the same. Cloudy with surface temps around 51. We tried trolling early, thinking that the cool night would put them back in deeper water, we caught as many fishing rods (see pics) as we did crappies doing that.....only 1. Tried vertical jigging on fish we marked, tried shooting docks but quickly stopped (see #3 above) and as the water began to warm up again we started heading back into coves looking for early spawners with road runners and EVERY COLOR OF JIG BOBBY GARLAND MAKES. Only technique we didn't try was live bait and spider rigging. Sunday was WETTTT...and with the experiences from days 1&2 I couldn't convince anyone to go out with me (kinda felt like high school all over again). Caught 1 male so I felt completely justified in my decision. All in all, I'd do it again without hesitation. Great company (ok ok decent company), great food, cold beer and a long weekend at one of my favorite places on earth. If anyone was in that area this past weekend and could lend any advice at all it would be greatly appreciated. Not looking for honey holes or detailed information, just a simple nudge in the right direction. Attachment 299540Attachment 299539Attachment 299538Attachment 299537Attachment 299536Attachment 299541

Great first post with info and pics to boot
Will be looking for more post and pics in the future


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Thanks for the pictures! Looks like Fun!

Catch and release right into the grease....Looks like a lot of fun!

Rigging minnows and jigs would have been the ticket down there right now. Still looks like a lot of fun was had and memories made.


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Id say you were on the right track with the dock shooting thats what it took for me to catch them last weekend....it can be very aggravating and takes a little practice but it pays off. A good way to practice is laying a 5 gallon bucket on its side at home and shooting into it. Dont feel bad ive been doing it for close to ten years and some days i still feel like a rookie at it.

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Thanks for the kind reception and advice. Rigging scare the bajesus out of me, looks like alot going on. I will be practicing the dock shooting though, just looks like a fun way to catch fish. I think I'll be heading back down this weekend with the little-uns and try to get them on a mess of fish. I'm hoping the warm and stable temps will have the males all blacked out. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Just keep trying different things until something works.

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Great first post and keep on !

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Sounds like a good time. Just remember when you are fishing deep docks you have to count down before you reel it back in depending on what depth they are at.

Good post and pics. Stay after them, it's gonna get better!

It's all downhill from here, no seriously Y'all did good, had a good time, caught a few fish, and looks like good eating. congras.

I was down around Coffman bend a couple weeks ago and did pretty well. I was shooting docks and did ok, the wind made it pretty tuff. Picked up a few riggin but I did the best on brush piles under the bluffs. 20 feet of water vertical jigging. Drop it to the top of the brush pile and dead stick it with a twitch and they would knock the fire out of it. Caught some of the nicest fish Ive ever caught at LOZ. One 14 1/2". Several 12 and 13, most the standard 9 - 11 inchers. It should be good this weekend on the laydowns in the coves. Show em a couple road runners or bladed jigs. They should tear em up. Thanks for the great report and pics!