Welcome to Lake of the Ozarks and Basswishes Guide Service. We look forward to providing you the most professional, knowledgeable and friendly fishing staff on the lake. Our guides will go out of their way to ensure a memorable fishing trip and we pride ourselves on the number of return clients we see.

    Lake of the Ozarks has a distinguished and proud history. Union Electric began construction of Bagnell Dam and its Osage Hydroelectric Power Plant in August 1929.  The plant was operational in October 1931.

    Dam impoundment of water has formed Lake of the Ozarks, one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. It covers 86 square miles in four Missouri counties, features over 10,000 registered docks and has a serpentine shoreline running some 1,150 miles which is larger than California's coastline. The lake's habitable shoreline is sprayed to control mosquitoes.

    The lake has become one of the most breathtakingly beautiful recreation areas in the nation, as well as a prime, year-round residential area. Each year the lake is stocked with game fish provided by Missouri Department of Conservation fish hatcheries to include black bass. Lake of the Ozarks offers excellent fish habitat with numerous brush piles, docks, ledges, and humps. There is little vegetation found on the lake, however, this has minimal impact on the quality of largemouth bass on the lake. Other species of fish include catfish, black and white crappie, sunfish, bluegill, white bass, hybrids, spoonbill, and limited walleye. The predominant food source for the larger fish is shad, minnows and crawfish.

    Bagnell Dam itself is one-half mile long rising 148 feet high from bedrock and impounding 650 billion gallons of water. Sixty thousand carloads of material were used in its construction which is enough to fill a freight train reaching from St. Louis, Missouri, to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The original project cost was $30 million with an additional $5 million invested in new units and a substation.

    The Osage Power Plant is primarily used by Ameren (formerly known as Union Electric) during peak demand periods. As water passes through the dam, pressure from the falling water spins the waterwheels which drive electric-producing generators.

    The average yearly output of the Osage Plant is over 500 million kilowatt hours. Each of the plant's eight generators has a capacity of 21,500 kilowatts; however on occasion, the plant has been able to reach a generation peak of 220,000 kilowatts which is enough power to meet the household needs of 225,000 people.

    Osage's generators spin at a rate of 112.5 revolutions per minute and each develop 13,800 volts. The plant's eight water wheels individually weigh 50 tons and the solid steel shafts extending from the waterwheels to the generators each weigh 37.5 tons. When the plant is operating at full capacity, it takes 240,000 gallons of water a second to drive each of these eight generators.

    Lake of the Ozarks is well represented with nice lodging facilities, cabins, eateries, boat ramps, tackle shops and guide services. Because these merchants are very busy during the spring, summer and fall months, advance bookings are recommended. When booking a fishing guide it is recommended for safety reasons that you verify your guide is U.S. Coast Guard Licensed and insured.

    Now that you know our history and can picture this beautiful lake, let our professional staff show you around. Enjoy the fresh air, teal blue waters and savor the abundance of fish and wildlife that thrive on Lake of the Ozarks.

Basswishes,

Tom Murphy