Lake Niangua Fishing Spot

• Last Modified By: vinny60 on 09/18/09 03:44 PM
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Tunnel Dam is on the Niangua River about seven miles above (south of) Ha Ha Tonka. The Niangua there makes a sharp horseshoe-shaped bend to the west. The loop is over four miles long, but the neck of the loop is a narrow ridge only a few hundred feet wide. The dam, located across the river at the upper end of the bend, creates 360-acre Lake Niangua. The quiet lake, lined with wooded hillsides and sprinkled with a few homes and docks, is remininscent of the Lake of the Ozarks in earlier days. The site was chosen for a dam because engineers discovered a 500-foot long cave that extended through the ridge separating the upper and lower bends of the river. Around 1911 this tunnel cave was modified and enlarged so that water from the Niangua would flow through it. Hydroelectric engineers built a small powerhouse and dam at the upper end and utilized the tunnel as a spillway for outflow from the turbines. If you¹d like a lovely drive through the woods to enjoy a gorgeous panoramic view, topped with gravel bars and shallows to wade and tube in, take a picnic lunch for a mini adventure into the Ozark hills. Lake Niangua at Tunnel Dam is 3 miles long and was built by Sho-Me Power Cooperative Electric in 1929. It is the end of the Big Niangua and is located 18-20 miles west of Camdenton. The area retains the rustic charm of the Ozarks with majestic hills and dense forests. You¹ll go down winding, shaded, tree bowered, sun dappled, gravel roads, up over the tops of some huge hills, and over low water and one lane bridges. Drive slowly so you can soak up the country. To get there, take Hwy 54 West, past Camdenton to the junction of J and U. Go left onto U and immediately right, 2.5 miles to Edith, then right onto Whistle Road. After not quite a mile, go left across the bridge, which is Tunnel Dam Road. This area is called the "Whistle". It¹s a great place for settling back into your lawn chair smack-dab in the water and letting the kids play. The water is shallow and the gravel bars are suitable for picnics. Depending on the depth of the water, this would also be a fun place for tubing. Just past the view and the power plant, on the right and down the hill, is a campground that will let you launch for a minimal fee. Because it¹s so shallow, don¹t bring speedboats and waverunners, but it¹s perfect for kayaks or canoes. There¹s good fishing but there aren¹t lifeguards or restaurants on the corner. Some roads on this jaunt are gravel and barely two lane, so as always, drive safely and have a wonderful vacation at Lake of the Ozarks.