Don't trust the web site readings.  Anyone here know the main channel temps at the surface?

I haven't been there yet this year so I don't know the surface temp first hand. But I would trust http://www.odd.net/ for fairly accurate temps. It says 35

That site has been quite inaccurate before by as much as 5 degrees, but I'd say 35 sounds about right with the cold we've had.

I have noticed that too. But I figured out why. The temp gauge must do the reading at midnight or early in the morning. So it is usually the coolest temp. But LOZ is pretty big. And you can find different temps all over the lake at the same time. As much as 15 degree difference. In spring the Nianguas can have 52 degree water, and the Glaize, Osage and Gravois areas can top out at 40 on the main channels. Sometimes the creeks can be more than 10 degrees warmer than the main lake. I don't know where that gauge is at, but let's say it is at the 6mm on the main channel. That same day you could be up the Nianguas and find 10-15 degree warmer water. You could also go pretty far up the Osage (especially if they are pulling water from Truman) and find 5-10 degree colder water.

I think they get the temp from the outlet at Bagnell.  What I don't know is how deep their probe is in the water. I usualy fish winters in the lower lake where the temps at the surface don't vary much, but this december I was constantly finding the lakes "official" readout about 5 degrees less than my three boat thermometers, and I know mine are accurate with other anglers' measurements. I could tell by how hard and aggressive my bites were that the warmer readings of 45 were correct. Also, broadcast on the radio, a lake temperature reading that comes from Glen Cove Marina, is also quite a bit different.  Understandable since it is in a cove. 

If the main lake is 35, I would expect to see the coves at least partially frozen.

If you have 3 temp gauges, then you have the accurate temp. Temp is relative. Its about what the bass are doing. This time of year its winter pattern. But when it begins to warm up, you might find warmer than expected temps, but the fish may not be doing what you think they should be doing. That's why sometimes going to your favorite part the lake can hurt you. For instance, the Nianguas usually seem to be ahead of the rest of LOZ. But if you go up there to fish warmer water, you might find the late winter schools have broken up and scattered to their migration. But the lower end of the lake might still have big schools on ml areas. You may have to bust your hump to find them in Nianguas, but you might sit on 1 point by the dam area and catch a nice limit. Vice versa when the Nianguas warm up first and the first wave of big females get real active, the dam area fish might still be slugish.

Oh yeah, been there.... and don't forget that long and winding Osage to put the monkey wrench on us....

I hardly ever consider the Osage in early March. I know there are some good creeks up towards the 70mm, but that's a long run and I find it to be more miss than hit in March. I stick by the dam/Gravois area and the Nianguas. Between the 2 of those areas you usually have 2 different patterns to choose from. I like the quality of the late winter/early spring fish. So what ever area has that going on is where I head first. Therefore it takes special conditions for me to head up the Osage. Do you ever have success up there?