Missouri Fishing Report & Hunting Report
for Anglers Paradise

The September Chill
Posted on September 11, 2011

Cooler weather always makes the AP phone ring, particularly after a scorching summer like 2011. The first cold front actually arrived in August and brought some much needed rain. Water temp dropped from 94 to 87 almost overnight. While the fishermen reveled in the cool temps, the fish were not so stirred up.
Fishing had been great til that 1st blush of northern air, and remained good til the second push arrived in September. Not only did the fish get finicky, but the active fish could only be found in certain areas of the lake those areas changed almost daily. One day we found fish in the west end of Beaver Hut Cove, turned the corner & headed south for 2.5 hrs w/o a bite. We picked up 2-3 fish as soon as we returned to BHC, and continued to catch fish there on every pass.
As usual, when the bite gets tuff, the big fish start to turn up w/ greater frequency. I fished with a couple of friends on Saturday, we only boated 4 fish, but one weighed 6.5 lbs.
Currently the lake is about 8" below full, the water is slightly stained, and the surf temp is ~ 67 degrees. I expect the fishing to continue to rise and fall with each approaching/passing cold front.
Don Kentner

Water Temp Cooling 8-14-2011
Posted on August 14, 2010

REPORT WRITTEN 8-14-2011 Just got a dose of what a 10 degree drop in water temperature does to the fishing. Had a good outing Wednesday in the rain, but found the bites few and far between the last two days. Fished 4.5 hrs yesterday & caught two little bass, while I broke off a big fish and lost another good one. This morning I fished 3 hrs and had 4 bites, caught one little bass and a 6 lb bass. So I contacted 3 big fish on 10 bites. Always seems that the big bites are more prevalent when the little guys take a day off.
Water temp has dropped 10 degrees in the last week, and the wind has been out of the north for the first time in months. The lake is full and remains stained. The fishing will now rise and fall with the approach & passage of each cold front. Jigs & big plastic worms are still the best lures to throw. Don Kentner

July 2011 Fishing
Posted on July 01, 2010

REPORT WRITTEN 7/5/11 Weather has been a major factor these last few weeks. Temps in triple digits & heat index has touched 123! Fishing has remained solid w/ occasional bursts of spectacular. I have had the good fortune to get out with clients & friends many times over the last 10 days & we have averaged one fish 4 lbs or better every 7 hrs of fishing. This is not unusual for Angler's Paradise during the dog days of summer. Big plastic worms & jigs w/ the Zoom Super Chunk (Flippin Blue color) have been producing best. The deep crankbait bite should start soon and that can really make for some eye-popping big fish trips.
The lake is full & stable, but we will need some rain soon as evaporation is about to exceed run in from the groundwater.

Summer Patterns
Posted on June 18, 2010

REPORT DATE 6/18/2011 STILL CAN'T POST PROPER DATE Weather has remained stable for the month of May and early June. AP missed out on the monster rains and got no part of the tornado outbreak that devastated Joplin. Thanks again to those of you who inquired about us. It's always nice to hear from you. Last Monday night I went out for a couple hrs with a local friend. We boated only five bass, but my friend broke off two fish & lost a 7-8 lb fish beside the boat. Tuesday morning I got to fish w/ a long time AP customer. We boated 12 bass in 5 hrs. I caught a 4, he lost a 6 lb fish near the boat, and broke off two fish.
Most of the big bites were on a jig- Zoom Super Chunk Combo. Big plastic worms are working also, and there has been some topwater action. The lake is full and stable. The water is stained and most importantly, the grass beds are back! Looking forward to a great summer of fishing & family fun. Come visit us if you can get away!

Reflection
Posted on April 14, 2010

Report Date 4/14/2011 When we started AP 18 yrs ago, many of my friends said, "You will hate dealing w/ the people." Found out two days ago that for the 3rd yr in a row the AP community has lost a dear friend, Jerry Bock to natural causes. He was a barber in the KC area & loved to fish. He had great places to fish around the city, but enjoyed his experiences @ AP & sent us alot of customers over the yrs. I fished w/ a mutual friend yesterday, and while we talked of Jerry; I lamented that I really did not see this part of the "people thing" when I started AP, so many good friends I have made over the yrs. I have watched the customer's kids grow up & now they come back to fish w/ their friends. Yeah, my friends were right 18 yrs ago, but the problem is a good one to have. RIP Jerry Bock. Keepin it real in SWMO. Don Kentner

Spring Has Sprung
Posted on April 10, 2010

For some reason I can't change the yr on this report, but this was written 4/11. It's always something... Guess that's why I'm always too busy to write an update. Anyway, big bass showed up in Black Perch Bay for the 1st time on 4/6 this week and there is currently an 8-10 lb bass on the bed just below the Mill cabin. Customer caught 4,5, & 6lb bass yesterday pm. Crappie fishing has been excellent for some time now, but as of yesterday they had not moved into the shallower parts of the lake. The lake is full and somewhat stained for this time of yr. Water temp is above 60 degrees even w/o bright sunshine.

Fall or Winter?
Posted on December 10, 2010

The calendar says fall, but the temperatures of late feel more like winter. I was pleasantly surprised to get an e-mail from Robert Paradise last week inquiring about the possibility of coming fishing. Robert usually fishes several days at AP every year, but had to cancel his fall trip and had limited opportunity to fish closer to home as well.
I have seen some really good winter fishing at AP over the years, usually on days w/ bright, sunny skies and south wind, so I told him to pick out a day that looked favorable weather and schedule wise and come on down. I decided to go out with him as a friend (not the guide) when he could not con any of his buddies into joining him on this great adventure.
We put the boat in the water shortly after 9:00 AM and caught our first fish about half way down the s bank of Beaver Hut Cove. We boated 22 more fish over the next 6 hrs after locating the fish and tuning the retrieve on the smoke grub that got all of the strikes. The only downer of the day was the 5 fish I broke off, but I did land a 3 lb fish and we had several keeper size bass as well.
The sun only came out for a few minutes, and we figured that it probably never got much above 40 degrees, but as usual the stiff south breeze had little opportunity to get on us and we were warm enough that we ate lunch in the boat instead of heading to the house and a warm fire.
This was not an unheard of winter fishing experience at AP. Give us a shout if you see a favorable weather day and would like to try some light line bass fishing. Don Kentner Angler's Paradise - The Midwest's Finest Fishing Camp

Bucks are Moving!
Posted on October 18, 2010

Just posted a couple of deer pictures that Shelley took from the back door of our house. Great 3 1/2 yr old buck that I don't recall seeing before.
I have been in a bowstand a few mornings and in the woods working on stands most days. Most of the deer movement is still limited to the first couple hours of daylight and 30 minutes before dark. The promise of cooler weather moving in tonight could push the pre-rut into full swing as the bachelor groups have disbanded and the bucks will soon be looking to establish their milkrun of scrapes and rubs. Don Kentner Angler's Paradise

Great Fall Fishing??????
Posted on October 18, 2010

Not sure how many years it has been since we had great fall fishing at AP. Always seems that the fish should bite as the temp drops and the fall colors appear. The reality has been that my memory of hard fall bites gets more and more distant each year. I'm not sure if this is a symptom of my turn toward bowhunting or if the fish just transition from summer to winter dormancy without putting on the feedbag.
I have been putting in a few hours on the water over the last week. Mostly filling time as I check/put up deer stands. Most of my fish have been caught on the grub. Big fish return to hitting the grub in the fall, and I have broken off a couple of good fish. I have seen a couple of bursts of great activity (6 fish in 30 minutes & fish on back to back casts yesterday), but when I average it all out - 2 fish per hour; just the same as the overall average for the year.
It's still a great time to be out on the water and maybe this will be the year that we see the return of a November buzzbait bite! Don Kentner Angler's Paradise - Best Fishing Camp in the Midwest!

Aquatic Vegetation Makes a Comeback
Posted on September 06, 2010

The May 11th flood wiped out our grass beds, particularly the fine bladed grass that normally rings the lake by June. Coontail made a valiant effort to fill the void, but its growth was hampered by falling water levels. The result was a mass movement of the bass to the timber. Most of our big bass are caught from the grass in normal years; as a result I had forgotten the agony of trying to winch fish out of the brush. Big fish have eluded capture all summer as the fish remained glued to the wood. During an evening fish I had one stretch where 4 out of 6 fish I caught were tangled in some type of wood.
Yesterday I went out for an hour of fishing, mostly to check on guests. The fish were still tight to the cover, but since temperatures have cooled the grass beds have returned with a vengeance. I was continually feeling and dragging back bright green grass in areas that had been void of any of plant life just 10 days previous. The bass are actually responding to the jig better than the plastic worm right now, a switch coincident with the new plant life?
We received 7+" of rain last week and the lake level is now back to 4" above full and steady. Runoff was minimal and the water has its normal algae stain. Looking forward to the bass migrating back to the grass for the fall. Still have plenty of openings for late Sept and all of October. Hope you can squeeze in one last outing before the snow flies!

Yep, It's Officially Hot!
Posted on August 11, 2010

I'm a bit late with my 1st of the month report, late hay season is the main culprit. It has indeed turned hot even by my standards, when every piece of equipment needs to be in the shade to be handled without gloves, it's hot! July saw a quick shutdown on the great topwater action we had in June. Plastic worms and jigs were most effective and I found a deep crank to be the best bet on a couple of outings. One weekend we had 5 boats out at various times and 4 out of the 5 reported catching a fish 4lbs or better. The real lunkers (>8lbs) are hanging around the wood this summer and mad they have just given us fits. My last tally was 10 breakoffs for the month, a few of them were mine.
Aug 2nd two anglers headed out at 7:00 am and fished til mid afternoon with a cooling siesta in the Trapper's Cabin for lunch. They boated 20 bass and reported catching two fish on their last few casts before giving in to the heat. Yesterday 3 young men from Blue Springs made their first trip to AP. A late start (10:00 am) still got them a 20 bass day, and they landed one over 7 lbs, almost exclusively on Red Shad worms.
The lake is still full and the weatherman's promise of rain and a break from the heat should make for some more great August fishing!
Don Kentner Angler's Paradise - Missouri's Best Trophy Bass Fishing

Summer Arrives As Scheduled
Posted on July 05, 2010

Sunny, hot weather arrived as the calendar predicted. Several days of mid-ninety hi's made the fish start looking for the shade and kicked off the same reliable pattern of bass activity we saw last summer.
Big plastics quickly became the rule of the day with fish biting shallow early in the morning and then in deeper spots as mid-day arrived. The morning of 6/17 I shared the boat with a couple of visitors and we boated 16 bass up to 4 lbs. Five of the fish were caught between 11:30 AM and noon as we fished our way back to the dock. Fish over 8 lbs started biting the next day, but have completely outwitted our fishermen. One couple lost 3 big fish in 1 1/2 days of fishing.
July 2nd I fished 1/2 day with my long time fishing buddy from Tulsa and we caught 16 bass up to 5 lbs. We did not get on the water til 7:30 AM, but still landed 4 fish on topwater.
Currently the lake is full and slightly stained. The summer bloom is very active on cloudless days and really juices up the bite even in the middle of the day.

May Closes With A Flurry
Posted on June 01, 2010

May fishing was quite a roller coaster ride. By the 2nd week of the month I was quite convinced that the first stage of the spawn happened in early March, bass fry were everywhere and most fishermen reported good numbers of fish, but few big fish were caught. That usually is an indication that the majority of the big fish have spawned and moved off to deeper water, a pattern I have seen many times, but almost always in late May.
On May 11th I had a half day guide trip and my clients boated 19 bass and 8 nice crappie in 6 hours. That night we were clobbered by a 6" rain that was the beginning of continual torrential rains that brought the lake up to 24" above full pool. Not only was the water high and falling, but it was muddy. It took 10 days for any part of the lake to return to acceptable clarity, and even now there are portions that are somewhat murky.
The fish have started biting again over most of the lake. This past weekend I had the good fortune to share the boat with a long time guest who accepted my offer to fish with him in lieu of guiding. Sat thru Sun we boated 31, 38, and 57 bass; the biggest was a 9 lb lunker I caught out of a brushpile on a jig. The topwater action was great early, and wacky worms worked well the rest of the day.
Currently the lake is 14" above normal and holding steady. The water continues to clear and will probably return to normal over the next week. I expect that the big fish will become even more vulnerable as the water regains it's usual color.

Something That Makes Sense
Posted on May 09, 2010

All through April I waited and watched for the mass arrival of big females on the beds at Black Perch Bay. We saw a few good fish that were definitely locked on a bed, but never for more than a few hours and some days every bed in the bay was vacated. I have finally concluded that the early, shallow spawn must have occurred back in March. Fry balls were observed more than 10 days ago, which seems at least a couple of weeks early.
The early spawn has made the fishing sometimes difficult and always puzzling. One two-man group in April caught 100 bass over a two day period, but nothing over 3 lbs. They did break off a good fish right before leaving, but that was their best contact with a big fish. The surge of small bass usually does not happen until well into May and is my signal to start fishing further from the bank with bulky baits to target recovering females.
This weekend seems to have restored a bit of sanity. The water remains clear, and wacky worms are a great springtime choice when the fish can make visual contact with the straight worm fished weightless. My party caught 19 bass yesterday morning, almost all on the worm. We lost a couple of quality fish, but did not see them to make an estimate on size.
The upcoming week's fishing calendar is pretty full and I am anticipating some great action. Weekend bookings are pushing out toward July, don't let the summer slip away with out getting to Angler's Paradise to do a little bass fishing! Don Kentner Owner - Angler's Paradise

2009 Fishing By The Numbers
Posted on March 27, 2009

I really meant to post this before the first fishing report of 2010, but time never seems to stand still for this writer! For the first time in years I kept a log of all of my fishing in 2009. 25 years working in the oil industry taught me how to observe statistical samples and develop a "feel" for important probablilities and I had relied on that "feel" for way too long. It was time to put some numbers on paper.
I always try to explain expectations for what the fishing at AP is like by citing what I catch, primarily because I have yet to really identify what the "average" angler looks like. My fishing time is a mixture of time spent with family, friends, clients, and scouting/checking on customers. While I am always thinking "big fish" when I'm on the water, much of my time is spent making sure I am getting bit, not just searching for big bass. Most AP fishermen automatically ask if I have caught anything before they inquire about size. It rings hollow if I have to answer, "No, I have not caught anything, but I have been throwing this rediculous size plug." I do experiment looking for better ways to target big bass; those hours are counted in the following statistical analysis. I don't get to fish just during the best weather/times of year. Muddy water, clear water, rising water, falling water, hot and cold; it's all there in the journal!
Hrs spent fishing 166.75
360 bass caught
22 bass greater than 4 lbs
2.2 bass/hr
16.4 bass caught/4lb or greater
7.6 hr/bass > 4lb
My goal for '09 was to be the first angler to go double digits twice in the same year at AP. I fell short as I caught a 10 lb and a 9.25 lb bass last year. The AP record for fish better than 9 lbs in a year is 3.
Hope these numbers make sense and give you a sense for what to expect on your next trip to Angler's Paradise!

Running Late
Posted on March 24, 2010

The winter that just won't give up. Still had snow on the ground here yesterday. Our first fishing expedition headed out on 3/14, I fished w/ a couple of the guys that came up from TX. Chilly weather, water, and fish were what we found. I did manage to catch 15 bass on a 3" grub fished painfully slow and broke off something that I did not get a look at. By the end of the day one of the guys in my boat had developed the touch and boated 6 small bass. Definitely not the spring fishing our visitors were looking for! Yesterday our second group of fishermen went out and had a somewhat normal "winter March" trip - two fishermen caught 3 fish all day long, fortunately one of the fish weighed 9 lbs 6 oz. Beautiful fish caught on spinning gear and a grub. I have seen this happen many times during March at AP and I guess that's why I always try to make it out a few times, even when the weather says I ought to stay inside and be content to organize my gear for a better day.
My guess is that we are about two weeks behind last year's spawn schedule. I would expect that delay to shorten as April arrives. Guess I will go out on a limb and say that the fish will first move on the beds in the 4th week of April.
Don Kentner Mgr. Angler's Paradise - Midwest's Premier Bass Fishing Camp

First Bowhunt of Fall
Posted on October 11, 2009

Finally got into a stand last night, 30 minutes to hunt before dark. I had three small bucks and one doe in bow range. The biggest of the three bucks was a well muscled 2 1/2 yr old 8 pt that would already score 115".
Rifle season is booked up at AP, but right now I am the only one with reservations to bowhunt on our 800 acres. Last year I bowhunted 87.5 hrs in the first half of bow season and saw 37 bucks (one buck every 2.5 hrs). Eleven of those bucks were gross P&Y. Bowhunts are still priced at $100/day, which includes your on-site lodging and choice of over 15 stands. Call us at 417-639-4111 if you are interested in a great deal on a pre-rut bowhunt!

October Rain
Posted on October 11, 2009

Angler’s Paradise was not spared by the giant rains that hung over the Midwest last week. We received ~ 8” of rain in a 48 hr period. The lake rose 24” and the water turned from 5’ of visibility to coffee. The south winds that had driven the Gulf moisture our way reversed to the north just in time for my guided trip on Friday. Our fishermen arrived Thursday night in spite of my dire predictions for the fishing on Friday. We hit the water at 8:30 am in a slight drizzle. We struck out at both waterfalls and my expectations were at an all time low. Fortunately my visitors had enough optimism to go around and dutifully ground it out with the 3” smoke grubs that you have to master in these conditions at AP.
Before the day ended my three fishermen boated 14 bass, 12 on the grub. No picture fish, but a couple of solid 15 inchers and one fish that doubled up the rod on the jig & flippin blue super chunk that has produced a lot of big fish this year. Never got a look at him, but it was on the north bank of Burnt Tractor Cove, a place where many of the bass are as big as your imagination.
Two brothers and their dad spending some quality time together at a secluded lake and cabin. Fish were optional, but welcome. A big thanks to the Calvert men for giving it a go! Don Kentner – Angler’s Paradise 417-639-4111

Three Cold Fronts
Posted on October 05, 2009

10/5/09 The third rush of north wind and high pressure has knocked the fish off of the summer pattern that had prevailed since mid-May. Normally the first cold front of the year moves the pattern around and knocks a hole in the bite, but I suppose the cool summer weather made the fish and the bite more resilient this fall.
This past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we had two to four boats out on the lake. Fish were still biting the big plastic worm and jig, but some anglers reported good success on spinnerbaits, spooks, and crankbaits. At least three fish in the four lb range were landed and two anglers reported losing BIG fish. All boats said that the activity was sporadic and sometimes just downright tough. I suppose that makes sense as the fish reposition from their summer haunts and feeding patterns.
The lake is full and clearing up after the peak of the bloom. Still time to put three more fish over 8 lbs in the books and break the record of nine fish better than 8 lbs.

September Report
Posted on September 07, 2009

Fished a couple of times over the last 10 days. 8/29 I fished with Scott Kentner, who was an AP guide for several years. In the early going Scott was better than me at working the worm deep, and boated three fish before I had one in the boat. I finally quit jacking my jaw long enough to catch a small bass. Scott’s next bite was a big one and he broke off on the hookset. He was gracious enough to overlook the fact that I had tied the knot for him. A few casts later I broke off a big bass as well. All of this action was in our first hour on the water. We picked up jigs later in the morning and caught fish til 11:30 am when we came off of the lake. Finished up with 12 bass in the boat, 3 were in the 2lb+ range.
Yesterday I fished for 2.5 hrs and caught fish like it was summer, although the cool, foggy weather was more reminiscent of mid-October. Most of the bites were in 12 to 15 feet of water working a jig or plastic worm 8 to 10 feet deep. I caught 5 bass and 4 crappie in 2.5 hours. The biggest bass was ~ 4 lbs. AP guests have reported some topwater action early in the morning, mostly on buzzbaits and Spooks. This morning a guest caught an 8 lb bass while I was helping another boat get launched. That pushes our total to 7 fish 8 lbs or better this year. Still time to break our record of 9 fish greater than 8 lbs ??????

Last Summer '09 Update?
Posted on August 23, 2009

Two out of state anglers arrived at AP this Thursday and were met by cool weather and some good bass fishing. Cool, dry air finally pushed the rain out of our area Thursday morning and overnight lows dipped into the 50’s. Dry north wind signaled the arrival of Canadian air, which always makes my stomach ache when the fish have been biting as changing weather patterns can knock a hole in even the best of summer bites. The bass were indeed affected, but the bite was not destroyed and the second morning of a two day trip actually brought a nice topwater bite. Our two guests fished hard and reported catching fish on crankbaits, soft plastics, buzz baits, and Zara Spooks. The lunker of the trip was a 7 pounder, closely followed by a 5 and 5 +.
This morning I got on the water at 8:00 and fished for 2.5 hours. I caught 6 bass, my biggest was 4.25 lbs. I did break off a fish on my jig at one of my big fish spots. I never got a look at the fish as I broke her off on the hookset. I also caught 3 nice crappie that have accepted an invitation to dinner.

August Update
Posted on August 09, 2009

Got on the water this morning (8/9/09) at 8:00. I boated seven bass in two hours, five of which were keepers up to 3 lbs. The first three fish came on a 10.5” worm and the last four were on a jig. I fished my chartreuse crankbait for about 20 minutes without a bite, but did not really make it to any of my favorite cranking spots. First time clients fishing self-guided reported losing an 8+ lb fish and another good one during a half-day of fishing.
Earlier in the week I guided two days; bass in the morning and crappie in the afternoon with a three to four hour break for lunch. Over the two days the clients averaged 15 bass/day and eight big crappie averaging 11”.
July ’09 was one of the coolest on record in SW MO, but August has brought more seasonable temperatures. The weatherman has promised a cool down this week. Hope you can break free to enjoy some great fishing before summer turns to fall!
Don Kentner
Angler’s Paradise 417-639-4111

One Big One Did Not Escape
Posted on August 02, 2009

July was very kind to us. The weather was cool by summer standards and regular showers have kept the lake full and running water. The weekend of the 18th was particularly good for a pair of anglers who each boated fish over 5 lbs, one that weighed 9 lbs. That fish brings us into August with six fish over 8 lbs this season. On the 19th I fished for 45 minutes while I went out to check on my AP guests. I caught 4 bass; one dink, one 2lb, one 3lb, and a 5lb. Most importantly, three of the fish were caught on a crankbait, which could be the beginning of a hot crankbait bite. Last weekend I was on vacation, but tomorrow I will be out on the water guiding and hope to confirm that the bass are indeed ready to jump on that big crank! August-September bookings are relatively light so contact us if you are interested in getting in one more fishing trip before school gets started!
Don Kentner
Angler’s Paradise 417-639-4111

Hot Weather Good For Fishing????
Posted on July 12, 2009

Hot, stable weather always gives way to great summer fishing on Three Mile Lake. Each morning has been bringing good action on plastic worms and an occasional topwater bite. About 9:30 there is a lull in the action as the fish seek shade and oxygen, then about 10:30 the bite begins to pick up, particularly when the guide guesses right and chooses the right cover first. Some days it’s the deep weed line, sometimes it’s the overhead foliage, and other times it’s the high wall.
Jigs have been consistently producing well during the middle part of the day and the plastic worm has been a little more erratic. Two to three fish/hr/boat seems to be typical for experienced anglers and my old rule of thumb “one out of fifteen bass will be over 4 lbs ***” has been holding up. I went out for a couple of hours this morning and caught my first crankbait bass of the summer. Typically late July and August fishing are dominated by those anglers that can successfully dredge the depths with a big billed hard lure.
Monster fish have been giving anglers a rough go the last few weeks. Most everybody has a hard-luck story. July 3rd I watched a young man lose three fish that were undoubtedly better than 7 lbs. The most heart-wrenching pulled free on less than 10 feet of line. I have seen the luck change on a dime and I expect AP visitors to add several fish to the 8lb+ tally by the end of August.
The lake level has almost returned to full and the water has returned to its normal stained-green tint.
***If you are using normal bass size lures.
Don Kentner Angler’s Paradise 417-639-4111

Big Lure = Big Bass
Posted on June 14, 2009

This week turned out to be a business wipeout as most of our booked trips were cancelled due to an assortment of maladies. Fortunately I was joined by my life-long fishing partner, Kevin Morris, and his son Brian for a couple of days of fishing. We got on the water Friday evening for 2.5 hrs of fishing and landed 12 bass before dark. Brian caught one that was 4 lbs and lost one that was even bigger. My 13 year old son caught 4 bass. All of our fish were caught on soft plastics and junebug was the best color. Saturday we fished most of the day and landed 27 bass. I had honors for the day with a 9.25 lb beauty. I had boated 14 bass up to 3 lbs on a 7” junebug worm when I decided to use a 10.5” worm. I often tell people that my observation is that 1 out of every 15 fish on Three Mile Lake will exceed 4 lbs when I fish normal to large bass lures. We had several 3 lb fish to go along with my big bass, which is the fifth fish over 8 lbs this year at AP.
This morning we landed 21 bass and again had several in the 3 lb range. The big fish eluded us today and broke off before we got a look at her.
The lake is still full and circulating water. Clarity is good and approaching more normal levels for June. Sporadic topwater action may be indicating that we will have solid topwater action when summer arrives in full force.
Many open dates remain in July so give us a call if some great worm or topwater bass fishing gets you excited! Don Kentner 417-639-4111

The Bite is Back On!
Posted on June 03, 2009

Seems like the lake had been high, muddy, and falling for weeks now. Each day I held my breath waiting for the fishing to go in the tank. The bite remained strong as the water level stabilized at 10” above full. The water running into the lake tailed off late last week and the lake level started dropping again in time for my next wave of fishermen to find tough fishing conditions Saturday and Sunday.
Yesterday the lake level again stabilized; this time 8” above full and the bite was back on this morning. I caught 9 fish in 2.5 hours. Four fish were in the 2 to 3 lb category and I broke off a 4 lb fish. I caught fish on a Zara Spook, wacky worm, grub, and jig. The water is now more clear than normal for June; hangover from the muddy conditions that inhibited the onset of the plankton bloom. Looks to be pretty normal summer time patterns with the exception of the wacky worm. That bite will tail off as the bloom returns to the water.
Don Kentner Angler’s Paradise 417-639-4111

Great Holiday Fishing
Posted on May 26, 2009

Three Mile Lake has returned to normal water clarity and the lake level remains high. Fishing never was destroyed by the falling water levels and the holiday weekend anglers all reported good numbers of fish being caught on many different lures.
A few spawning fish remain, and one angler caught an 8.5 lb bass that was on a bed. I got out for 3 hours yesterday evening and caught 14 fish up to 3 lbs and lost a 5 lb fish, all on a wacky worm. I also boated 6 crappie on 6 casts, guess that’s a new definition of “fast food”. Don Kentner

Rain and Rain
Posted on May 15, 2009

High, muddy, falling lake levels were a challenge for my three day fishing trip this past week. My friend/fishing companion/client was Wes Powell. Wes has been fishing at AP for many years. This year Wes was forced to make the trip to Missouri by himself, so I selflessly offered to fish with him instead of guiding.
Wes is an outstanding fly fisherman, who was up to task of finding a way to get fish to bite in the chocolate brown water he found on his arrival. Tuesday we landed 34 bass up to 2 pounds, Wednesday we caught 18 bass up to 4 lbs and spent 3 hours on the crystal clear water of Deer Lake and caught conservatively 100 small bass.
Wednesday night brought tornadic weather and another downpour. Three-Mile Lake was again muddy and high. Never the less, we caught 35 bass up to 3 lbs. I lost a 5 pound fish near the boat, and Wes lost an 8 pound fish on his flyrod. We were both continually commenting that we could not have expected such fishing in the adverse conditions. It will take at least a week of stable weather to return the lake to normal conditions. The spawn is in the last stage and will probably wrap up around Memorial Day.
Don Kentner

There Really Was a 12 lb Bass In Black Perch Bay
Posted on May 01, 2009

I previously reported that I had spotted a bass in Black Perch Bay which I estimated weighed 11 to 12 lbs. Well, a first time visitor from St. Louis confirmed my suspicion when he landed a lunker which I personally weighed on my calibrated Boga grip at 12 lbs 2 ounces. The fish was not on the spot where I saw her, but was ~ 120 yards away in the south end of the cove when she was hooked. I have posted a picture in the photo album. What a beautiful fish, and she swam off none the worse for the experience. I was only 20 yards away when the fish was caught. Amazingly enough she was caught by the third boat to go by that spot in less than an hour!
Currently the spawn has moved out to the deeper parts of the lake. Good numbers are being caught and another first time visitor caught several bass yesterday afternoon including a five pounder and a couple “keeper” size fish. We have not had a monster rain, but I am ready for the skies to lighten get some drying started. The lake clarity is still holding up and the water temp is in the low 60’s.
Don Kentner

Bass on the Beds
Posted on April 20, 2009

The big bass finally decided to move onto the beds Friday. It was not the sunshine that got them there as it was mostly cloudy and rainy when a couple of the many daily visitors to Black Perch Bay settled into a bed and began the spawning rituals in earnest. One five pound bass was taken by sight fishing and a 9 pounder was lost in the brush. When camp cleared yesterday I decided to head out on the water and see if I could draw a strike from the 12 pound bass I had spotted the night before. The 12 pounder was no where to be seen as the weather conditions had degraded even further. Driving rain and north wind had lowered the water temp from 55 degrees 3 days previous. I did locate a bass that I estimated to be 7 or 8 pounds and she appeared to be in a mood to bite. It took about 15 minutes and a few lure changes, but she struck a lizard that had been setting on the bed for several seconds. I successfully landed this fish and weighed it in at 10 pounds even, but knew that my visual estimate was light as soon as the fish first surfaced.
Any chance that my 12 pound estimate was off by the same margin???? Fishermen should have a chance to find out this week as we finally have a favorable weather forecast. Don Kentner

Upcoming Turkey Season
Posted on April 12, 2009

Frost on the docks yesterday and a thick fog sure fired up the turkeys. Hens and toms could be heard in every direction at first light. Looks like it should be a great spring season as the toms have continued to inhabit some of our favorite hunting grounds.
At this time my son and I are the only hunters scheduled for our 800 acres. The cabins are booked for each weekend of MO turkey season, but there is availability during the week. Typically the fishing is spectacular during turkey season and with the 1:00 PM shutdown on hunting in MO, it makes for a great day in the outdoors. Hunting in the morning and fishing in the afternoon. Throw in some mushrooms and crappie for dinner and I'm not sure it's legal to ask for more!
Self-guided turkey hunts are $100/day, which includes the on-site lodging. Call soon to reserve a spot as I will be turning over some of this ground to Oak Valley Outfitters if I do not have reservations for hunts.
Don Kentner

How's The Fishing?????
Posted on April 12, 2009

"How's the fishing?" That's always been my toughest question to answer. Don't want to build it up too high when it has been good, and don't want to discourage people too much when it has been bad. I always knew that whatever the fishing had been like; it would soon change. What I did not always understand was just how fast it does change.
This week we saw two full days of sunshine. The first day brought many 1-2 lb bass to the shallowest water in Black Perch Bay. The second day I counted five fish > five lbs in 15 minutes at the same spot along with lots of smaller fish. The next morning brought clouds, north wind and much cooler temperatures. The fish had once again disappeared.
The cloudy weather even knocked the crappie off of the shallow cover for a couple of days. This weekend with one full day of sunshine under our belt the crappie returned shallow and were biting, the small bass were returning to the shallows, but the bite was extremely tough out on the big lake. One pair of first-time guests caught one fish all day; at least it was a good one - 5 pounds.
Yesterday, during the sunshine I took a pair of fishermen down to Lone Pine Lake and we caught 15 bass up to 2 lbs in ~ 2 hours. Lone Pine is much smaller and shallower than our big lake, but even in that smaller body of water the active fish were five feet deep suspended over 10' of water. None of our fish were caught in the shallow end of the lake.
The lesson of the week is that it seems to take less time for the fish to recover as the days come off the calendar. At some point I believe the bass will move shallow regardless of the sunshine. It will prove interesting to see when that is.
This morning it is raining and the forcast hi for today and tomorrow is 48 degrees. Up to 3" of rain is forcast, so it looks like we will be in for another cycle of cold, high, muddy water. Don Kentner

Turkeys Are Gobbling
Posted on March 27, 2009

The toms have been gobbling in the morning for a week now, but yesterday there was a bird fired up back in the dumps at 3:00 pm. Two of the six big "house" gobblers have split off and are courting the hens that stay across the road from our house.
We have three sets of toms right here around the house; not sure how many more groups on the remainder of the 800+ acres we have available to hunt.
Currently we have one pair of hunters scheduled for turkey season. I will probably chase them a few times and I hope to get my son out for youth season. We certainly have room and enough birds for two to four more hunters.
Call if a self-guided turkey hunt with on-site cabins is a possibility for Missouri turkey season. 417-639-4111 Don Kentner

4th Day of Sunshine
Posted on March 20, 2009

I previously reported that it takes four days of bright, uninterrupted sunshine to get our fish to turn on. Last Wednesday was the 3rd such day, beautiful. with a cold front bearing down to boot. I had a half-day guide special trip that got kicked off about 11:30 am. Fished until about 6:00 pm and caught a total of 10 small bass between the three of us. I tried most everything I thought would work. We caught fish shallow on stick baits and deep on grubs, but found only a couple of spurts of reasonably aggressive fish.
By the end of the day I felt like a defeated man. In spite of my own admonitions of "it's only the third day" I had my expectations/hopes too high.
Yesterday I was scheduled to take a friend crappie fishing. We were going to do a little work and then hit the water. The day time high was 20 degrees cooler than on Wednesday and the wind was sharp out of the east. When I got to my friends shop he was using good fishing judgement and offered to let me out of the fishing. I gave his offer careful consideration, but finally talked him into bring a rod with the promise that we would not turn our fishing into an all day affair if we could not get some cooperation.
What a wise choice we made! We started fishing about 3:30 pm and caught 34 big crappie by 6:30. They were in a treetop about 4 feet deep. We laughed and laughed about our efforts to talk ourselves out of going. My cell phone rang when we first got started fishing. I had caught one nice crappie and a couple smaller ones when I answered the phone. It was an AP customer calling to cancel his Friday trip due to "bad weather". He asked my advice and as always I told him, "You need to go fishing when you can." This is always my advise barring ice, lightening, or tornados.
Should find out today if the bass have responded to the 5th day of sunshine. They have disappeared from the shallows so the cold front definitely knocked them back to the deeper water. I will keep you posted!
Don Kentner

Moving Shallow
Posted on March 17, 2009

Just got back from The Mill; had to sneak a peek down into the water as yesterday was the first time that numbers of fish could be seen cruising in the shallows. On Sunday there were no fish in these same waters, today they are everywhere. This morning there were four bass visible in one brushpile that averaged 8 lbs. The largest was 10 lbs. Fishermen show up at noon today so we will find out if these cruising fish will bite. Most often they are tough to catch in this part of the spring ritual, but man it's tough to move off of fish like that! Don

Still Winter
Posted on March 09, 2009

Last week's warm weather turned up fishing hopes more than it did the fish's activity level. I wanted to believe that the warm air temps and filtered, partly sunny skies would wake the fish up, but my heart kept saying "Four days of direct sunshine." Got to go out for 1 1/2 days of fishing this past weekend. Temps in the 70's, but tell that to the fish. I fished for about 6 hrs with a couple of first time AP guests on Friday. I managed to stratch out 3 bass on 12 bites. I did lose a couple of keeper size fish. I was not very pleased with the bite and even less pleased by my fishing prowess. The guests caught 8 nice crappie in about 30 minutes on jigs about 15' deep. On Saturday I knew what the game plan was. Leave the spring gear in the house and plan on fishing grubs, jigs, and suspending Rougues. The outcome was much better, but the fish were still not as aggressive as they were 3 weeks ago. I caught 10 bass bass in seven hours of fishing, mostly on a 3" smoke grub.
It seems that the warm weather has pulled some fish up shallow, however they are not feeding intensively. The bass left in the winter havens appear to be somewhat more aggessive, but are 10 feet deep and suspended.
On Saturday I went down to the Toledo Bend area of our lake. It is the largest piece of shallow water on the lake and receives direct sunshine most of the day. I found more active fish there than in the other, more easily accessed spring haunts. Tomorrow's plan - start at Toledo Bend! Don Kentner

Fishing With the Guide Special
Posted on February 03, 2009

The ice is getting soft and the forecast is for a solid stretch of warm weather after tomorrow. A little wind and sunshine should polish off the last of the ice and make for a few hours of good fishing in the afternoon.
This year I am running a special for February and March. I'm calling it the "Fishing With the Guide Special". If you (or you and 1 partner) want to come down and fish with me we can use my boat and the only charge will be for the fishing. As always, if we get blanked you don't pay anything for the fishing. This isn't a guide trip, so I will fish, but I promise not to front-end you and it should provide an opportunity to learn a few more of the spots/techniques that produce fish on Three Mile Lake.
Last year was my first chance to be at AP everyday and monitor the fishing on a regular basis. The first observation that I made last winter was that it really took four consecutive days of bright sunshine to get the fish to start biting. The air temperature was a secondary factor and a 45 degree sunny day was far superior to a 60 degree day with cloudy to partly cloudy skies.
My second observation was that our customers missed out on some great fishing in February and March. Our lake record fish was caught in March, my personal best was in March last year, and I know of at least one other personal best fish that was landed in March two years ago. Last year the month produced a 10.5 lb bass, a 7.5 lb bass and a 52 fish half-day creel (two fishermen), but there were only 6 fishermen who fished a total of 7 man-days.
Day trips on short notice or tenative reservations based on a favorable weather forecast are very "do-able" now that I am on the property full time.
Give us a call if you see a time to get away and grab a quick dose of fishing to cure cabin fever.

Hunting and Fishing Reports Coming Soon
Posted on February 01, 2009

Hey everyone!

Thanks for checking out the new site. I will be posting hunting and fishing reports often on this page so keep checking back.