JACKSON ANGLER HOPING FOR SPOT IN NATIONAL BASS TOURNEY

WAPPAPELLO -- Largemouth bass fishing has been only fair throughout most of the summer fishing season at Lake Wappapello, but don't try telling that to Wayne Godwin of Jackson.

Godwin, who like to wet a hook any time he can, hauled in a monster bass in late May, and it still stands as the largest bass caught in the state this year.

Godwin's prize, which is in the process of being mounted, weighed in at 10 pounds, 8.7 ounces.

"As of June 15, it was the largest bass entered in the Missouri Big Bass contest this year," said Godwin.

Godwin will know within the next couple of weeks it his bass is the big winner in the Missouri contest which ended June 30.

"The state winners from 49 states Alaska doesn't have largemouth bass will be invited to participate in a national bass tournament at Nashville, Tenn. over the Labor Day weekend," said Godwin. "I'd like to have a chance at that."

Anglers know only that the contest will be in the Nashville area.

"It'll probably be one of three locations The Cumberland River, J. Pearcy Priest Reservoir, or the Old Hickory Reservoir," said Godwin. "All state winners should be notified by July 15."

Meanwhile, largemouth bass fishing in Wappapello these days is reported as "fair," using crankbaits and spinnerbaits around the stumps in three to five feet of water.

Wappapello, located near Puxico, and north of Poplar Bluff, is clear below Chaonia Landing, and dingy near the shoreline areas on the upper lake.

Bluegill and sunfish are providing; most action, on crickets and jigs, in shallow water near rocks. Catfish area reported good, but crappie fishing is poor.

Lake Girardeau, at Crump, is reported clear, and about a foot above pool, says Chris O'Gara, who operates the concessions at the lake.

"Bluegill are keeping anglers busy on crickets and worms," said O'Gara, and bass fishing has been pretty good on buzzbaits and topwater lures. Crappie, however, have been slow in hitting."

Duck Creek, located north of Puxico, is clear and normal, with bluegill providing the best catches on crickets and jigs.

"Bass fishing is pretty good and crappie is fair," said a spokesman from the lake. "The vegetation on the lake is pretty heavy."

Crappie fishing is good at Horseshoe lake, a small Southern Illinois lake near Olive Branch.

"The crappie are a bait small but they're hitting on jigs around singles trees in about three feet of water," said a lake spokesman. "Bass action has been really good at the lake, on spinner baits in and round the wooded areas."

Crappie action has been reported good at Lake of Egyptian, another Southern Illinois Lake, near Marion, hitting in 12 to 18 feet of water on minnows. A couple other smaller water impoundments Cedar Lake and Kinkaid Lake have been offer good action for bass and bluegill anglers.

Stream and river fishing has been reported fair to good in Missouri.

Castor and St. Francis Rivers are murky and dropping. Catfish action is fair on worms, sunfish fair on small jigs and spinnerbaits, bass fair on topwater lures and live bait.

Current and Meramec Rivers are clear normal. Bass angling is reported good on artificial and natural baits in both streams.

Catfish is providing most angling activity in the Mississippi RIver. The water is murky, but catfish are hitting cut baits and worms. Anglers are having success with pole and lines and juglines.

Other fishing information is provided here by the Missouri Department of Conservation via the Associated Press.

Lake of the Ozarks: Clear, black bass fair, white bass fair trolling on wind blown points with spinnerbaits, crappie fair over brush in 12 to 15-foot depths, catfish poor.

Mark Twain Lake: Clear, about six foot above normal; sunfish good around rocky ledges and under water structures using minnows, worms and small spinnerbaits in 6-foot depth, crappie fair around rocky bluffs and bridge piers using small minnows, small doll flies, fuzzy grubs and crappie jigs in 14 feet depths, bass fair around log jams and bank points where underwater brush exists using crankbaits, jig and pig and plastic worms in early morning and late evening, catfish fair on trotlines using large minnows, goldfish and fresh cut shad in 8-12' depths, all other species poor.

Norfork Lake: Clear, six feet above normal, catfish good on all methods using natural baits, black bass fair using spinnerbaits, plastic worms and crankbaits, sunfish fair using minnows, crickets and worms.

Lake Taneycomo: Bluegill good on crickets, worms and poppers, trout fair near bottom on channel edges, bass fair on nighcrawlers on lower end of lake.

Truman Lake: Clear, catfish good in shallow coves on shad and crayfish, crappie good along outer treelines in 20 to 30 feet depths on minnows, black bass fair on main lake off points with buzzbaits and plastic worms, white bass and hybrids fair along flats and above dam on spoons and crankbaits.

Bull Shoals: Clear and nine feet above normal, catfish good on all methods using natural baits, black bass fair using plastic worms and crankbaits, sunfish fair using minnows, crickets and worms.

All four trout areas Bennett Spring, Meramec Springs, Montauk, and Roaring River are reported clear and normal with trout fishing good.