From the Missouri Department of Conservation

With the area’s extreme heat set to continue over the weekend and thunderstorms in the forecast until Sunday, opportunities to catch fish will be limited. If you do get the opportunity to go, catfish and bass seem to be the best bet right now, with Castor River (above Zalma) having the best overall report.

SOUTHEAST REGION (573) 290-5858

PLEASE CHECK REGULATIONS CAREFULLY: Special regulations may apply to designated portions of water bodies; some baits and lures may not be legal for all portions.

    LAKES

Clearwater Lake: 89 degrees, normal, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

Council Bluff: 89 degrees, normal, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

Cypress Lake: 89 degrees, normal, dingy; channel catfish good in 2'-3' depths using worms and stinkbait; crappie slow using minnows and jigs; bluegill and redear sunfish fair in 1'-3' depths using crickets, small jigs, and small pieces of worms; largemouth bass slow on spinnerbaits, jigs and plastic worms;  all other species slow. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

Duck Creek: 87 degrees, normal, clear; largemouth bass good on topwater lures and plastic lizards; all other species slow; vegetation is very abundant. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

Lake Girardeau: normal, clear; channel catfish fair on worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

Perry County Lake: 91 degrees, dingy; all species slow. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

Robert DeLaney Lake: 88 degrees, normal, channel catfish fair on worms, liver, stinkbait, and live sunfish; all other species slow. (Report made on 8/4/2011)

Wappapello: normal, black bass good on plastic worms and crankbaits early and late in the day; bluegill good on crickets and worms; crappie fair on minnows and jigs in the lake in the river channel; channel catfish fair on trotlines and jug lines at night using live bait and nightcrawlers.  Anglers should note the 9" minimum length regulation for crappie on Wappapello Lake. All areas around the lake are now open since the lake water level has dropped.  Call the Wappapello Lake Recreation Hotline for updates at 573-222-8139. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

    RIVERS

Black River (near Annapolis): 80 degrees, low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

Castor River (above Zalma): low, clear; black bass good on crankbaits and Beetle Spins; sunfish good on jigs and small spinners; all others species fair. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

Lower Black River (Clearwater Dam):normal, dingy; crappie fair on minnows; bluegill fair on worms; black bass fair on worms and topwater lures; all other species slow. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

Mississippi (below Charleston): normal, dingy; channel catfish fair on live frogs and worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

Mississippi River (Cape Girardeau): high, muddy; channel and blue catfish good on cut bait; all other species slow. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

St. Francis (above Wappapello): low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

St. Francis (below Wappapello): 90 degrees, normal, dingy; channel catfish good on stinkbait, worms and liver; flathead catfish good on live bait, small bluegill, and goldfish; bluegill fair on waxworms; black bass fair on plastic worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 8/3/2011)

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Anglers are invited to send photos of their fishing trips to the ShowMe Times. Just email acato@showmetimes.com. Be sure to include the name of the fisherman, the date of the catch, where it was caught, weight and - if you care to share - what type of bait you were using!