For reasons known only to the bass, watermelon (dark green to us common folk) has always been the top spring color on Truman. That said, a wise angler will also carry lizards in hues including pumpkinseed, motor oil, electric blue and black. Likewise, 6-inch lizards usually outperform other lengths, but have some 4-inch and 8-inch ones ready just in case.

The time-honored Texas rig represents the “best” (i.e., least frustrating) way of working a lizard over Truman’s log-choked bottom. For best results, peg a 1/16- or 1/8-ounce slip-sinker against the hook’s eye.

Of course, no bass angler worthy of the name would leave the dock with only one type of lure on board, no matter how good that lure might be. Other spring options, more of less in order of preference, include the venerable jig-and-pig, spinnerbaits and soft-plastic jerkbaits. Hard-bodied jerkbaits and crankbaits work well in coves with relatively clean bottoms.

No matter which lure you choose, look for coves or pockets off any of the lake’s river or active creek arms. Coves that empty directly into submerged creek or river channels are preferable but not essential. It’s far more important that the cove’s bank have a moderate slope and that it be composed of gravel or broken rock.

Some local experts insist that a good spring cove must lie so as to be protected from high winds, which, in the Osage basin, usually come from the southwest or the northwest. Other equally successful anglers rank protection from high wind dead last when deciding whether to spend valuable fishing time in a particular cove.

With the normal exception of the situation in the Pomme de Terre arm, spring water clarity at Truman usually varies from dingy to thick enough to plow. Don’t let muddy water psych you out: Black bass aren’t a migratory species, and Truman’s lunkers have adapted quite well to the water conditions in the part of the lake in which they live. If it helps, keep in mind that a fish that can zero in on a black plastic worm on a dark night won’t have any trouble finding your lure, no matter how murky the water gets.

Space doesn’t permit a treatise on fishing technique here. Just keep in mind that the bass you’re seeking are in pre-spawn or spawning modes. Concentrate your efforts on shorelines that provide the best possible bottom strata and cover objects at a depth approximately twice that at which a white object can be seen from above the surface.

Now, if everybody is rigged and ready, let’s take a tour of some of Truman’s best spring bass water. It might be a good idea to have a map handy. Some of the spots we’ll visit are well known, but others are seldom mentioned in the press or around the boat dock.

Catfishermen know the boat ramp in Roscoe, but it’s rare to see a bass boat trailer in its parking lot. That’s a shame, because Coon Creek, the mouth of which is a stone’s throw west of the ramp, is home to some monstrous largemouths. Monegaw and Little Monegaw creeks empty into the Osage River a few miles upstream; Salt Creek is a somewhat shorter run downriver. Professional bass tournaments have been won in these creeks by anglers who proved that it was worthwhile to motor uplake all the way from the dam.

Osceola is another underrated Truman Lake bass fishing destination. There are several ramps in and near the city. While there are no on-the-water amenities, anglers can find lodging, food, fuel and tackle without leaving town.

Gallinipper Creek, located on the north side of the Osage River across from Osceola produces a lot of solid keeper bass, and trophies are a definite possibility. Turkey Creek is approximately three miles upstream from the Highway 13 bridge. Its entrance is tricky: Throttle back to idle and go straight ahead, and then right when the main river takes a right angle bend to the left. This is big-bass water.

Weaubleau Creek joins the Osage from the south four miles downlake from the Highway 13 bridge. This creek’s spring bass shoreline structure is subtle, but searching it out can be worth the effort. The upper third of the creek is often extremely clear.

The heart and soul of the Osage arm’s spring bass fishing begins a few miles above the Talley Bend Access and continues down the lake past the Berry Bend Access to and into Hoagles Creek.

There are simply too many short creek arms, coves and pockets in this part of the lake to list, but it’s the case that all have the potential to produce big bass. Wright Creek and Happy Hollow have been kind to me on several occasions. However, I’m by no means implying either is the best available water in this area.