Brush Pile Fishing at the Lake of the Ozarks

Learning how to find and fish the brush piles at Lake of the Ozarks is an important part of any bass angler’s education. Some fishermen take a “do-it-yourself” approach to placing brush piles in the lake, hoping to create enticing hideouts where they can go to catch big bass. The Missouri Department of Conservation also contributes to the placement of brush piles in LOZ, and provides a free app available in both Android and iPhone formats that point anglers to the specific locations of these fish attractors. Bassing Bob is sharing with you some tips on brush pile placement and fishing brush piles.


Fish & Brush Piles
While aquatic vegetation isn't an absolute necessity for most fish, it’s more important for some species than others. For example, one of the reasons we don’t have very big bluegill in this lake is because we don’t have a lot of aquatic plants. There’s an insect community that goes along with aquatic vegetation, and the bluegill feed on these insects, so without the vegetation, the bluegill don’t get very big.”

Although anglers won’t find many aquatic plants in the water, the lake does have plenty of places where fish can seek shelter and protection. Rock ledges and other structures provide plenty of places for bass to spawn, ambush prey and to hide from predators. Throwing brush in the lake isn't done to help the fish. Brush piles are made in the lake to help out the anglers because it concentrates the fish and makes them easier to catch. If they’re easier to catch, anglers have a more enjoyable fishing experience, and that’s one of the things MDC aims for in managing Missouri’s fishing resources.

Making a Brush Pile
Getting trees and large branches from the land to the lake is not a simple process. If you decide to make the time and put in the effort to take on this task, you want to make sure you choose brush that will last awhile in the water. MDC mostly uses cedar trees to create brush piles in this lake. They may tie a couple of them together before sinking them to create a bigger pile. In general, cedar trees last a good 10-12 years and are more manageable, so they work well for this purpose.

The bigger the brush pile and the more complex the structure, the more likely it is that it will hold fish. Remember, the whole shoreline is owned by somebody, so you must have permission to cut trees wherever you are on this lake. The good news is that there’s always some kind of development going on here; you may be able to contact the developer and ask if you can take some of the cut trees. Christmas trees also make good brush piles and a lot of homeowners around the lake will sink their trees around their docks after the holiday.

To help the brush sink, try tying 3 or 4 cinder blocks to the trunk or branch with wire. Remember there’s a current in this lake so the brush can float away a bit before it sinks. It’s important to consider the depth of the water when sinking brush piles. By sinking in water about 7 – 25 feet deep, that will put it deep enough to remain submerged during the winter drawdown but shallow enough so it’s not deeper than the thermocline that develops in the summer. Placed at around 15 – 20 feet, your brush pile will pretty much be used all year.

Locating Brush Piles
If you'd like to learn where some of these brush piles are, maps showing the location of many of these strategically-placed fish habitats are available on the Bassing Bob website by visiting the Resources page and clinking on the “Interactive Lake Maps” tab.

Visit http://mdc.mo.gov/mobile/mobile-apps/find-mo-fish to download the Find MO Fish app available through MDC. This free application shows you a map of Missouri with the locations of public boat ramps on the state’s major lakes, rivers and streams. The map also shows you the exact locations of underwater fish structures the Missouri Department of Conservation has established over the years in various bodies of water, including LOZ.


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Comments

  1. Fantastic information on what can be a tough lake to fish.. thank you

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