The Reel Dill

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. – "Don't be afraid to fish shallow," says local fishing expert Jim Dill to anglers hoping to catch the big one.

Dill says both crappie and bass are not in particularly deep water right now; they will typically be no more than 10 feet deep. The caveat to the current trend is the shallow areas should be relatively close to deeper water, for example, the edge of a flat underwater shelf.

With the recent rains in central Missouri, the creeks have swelled, and Dill says anglers may find luck there as well. Stick to the bigger, major creeks, he says, for the best chance at finding bass there.

At last weekend's Lake Ozark Winter Bass Challenge, "jerk baits"were the ticket to success for many anglers. Dill says the term "jerk bait" really describes the reeling action used for the lure. "A jerk bait is a suspended stick bait," he says. "Jerk describes the motion you use." The cold water helps these weighted baits hover below the surface, imitating a wounded shad. The technique, according to Dill, is to cast a stick bait very close to shore, up on a steep bank. Give it three to five cranks, bringing it down to the desired depth – about six to eight feet – and then jerk it. The jerking action makes the bait look like a wounded shad – an irresistible treat for hungry bass. Dill says bass are holding close to brush piles currently, so ideally an angler would bring the stick bait just above the brush pile, give it a little jerk, let it sit, and then jerk again. "The fish will come up out of that brush and hit it," Dill says. He particularly recommends smaller jerk baits, which are bringing in large crappie.

Water temperatures are holding typically in the low-40s, with clear water on the main lake, and clear to slightly stained water toward the creeks.

(LakeExpo.com interviews professional bass angler Jim Dill to publish the “Reel Dill.” Jim is fishing guide at Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. He has fished the Lake for 20 years and is sponsored by Sportworld Boat Center, Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Falcon Rods and Crock-O-Gator Bait Company)

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