Richard Bowling

Richard Bowling is one of Truman Lake’s longtime, full-time fishing guides, known especially for his crappie expertise and deep understanding of the lake’s seasonal patterns. Originally from the Table Rock Lake area, Richard grew up fishing clear-water crappie and bass before moving to the Truman Lake area in the early 1990s, where he began guiding out of Bucksaw Marina and eventually built Richard Bowling’s Guide Service into a year-round operation based near Clinton, Missouri. Today, Richard runs more than 300 guide trips a year and focuses primarily on crappie, while also offering catfish and white bass trips throughout the season. His experience covers the major arms of Truman Lake, with a strong focus on the Tebo, Osage, and Grand, and he is known for staying mobile, following the best bite, and adjusting methods to match the day’s conditions. A trip with Richard is built around both catching fish and learning how to become a better angler. His boat is equipped with Garmin LiveScope, giving clients the opportunity to watch fish react in real time, learn modern electronics, and better understand how crappie, catfish, or white bass position and feed. Whether guests are experienced anglers looking to sharpen their approach or families simply wanting a productive day on Truman Lake, Richard brings a practical, teaching-focused style to every trip. Richard is also a regular contributor to Truman Lake Fishing Intel, sharing reports, tips, and seasonal fishing insight for crappie, white bass, and catfish. His two son's, Sean and Hunter Bowling, have grown up fishing Truman Lake under Richard’s guidance and also run guide trips while also fishing competitively in crappie and bass tournaments.