Missouri has 2,727 lakes — mostly man-made reservoirs with excellent fishing access including many managed fishing lakes with fishing docks and shore fishing facilities. From the massive Lake of the Ozarks and Table Rock Lake to the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, the Show-Me State offers world-class bass, crappie, catfish, and trout fishing across six distinct regions.
Fishing Regulations
- Fishing methods: pole and line, trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line, jug line; ice fishing tackle/tip-ups are pole-and-line.
- Game fish not hooked in the mouth or jaw must be returned to the water unharmed immediately (except paddlefish taken legally by snagging).
- Possession limit is twice the statewide daily limit; catch must be labeled with name and address when away.
- Alligator gar are a protected species - it is illegal to take and possess them.
- Only the daily limit may be possessed on waters and banks of waters being fished.
13 species limits are shown per spot in the CatchTales app.
Pick a region below to explore its fishing spots.
Central MO & Lake of the Ozarks Region
Lake of the Ozarks Inlet, Osage River, Pomme de Terre, Niangua River
37 spots
Eastern MO & St. Louis Area Region
Mississippi River Inlet, Meramec River, Busch Conservation, Cuivre River
37 spots
North Missouri Region
Mark Twain Lake Inlet, Thousand Hills, Hunnewell Lake, Lake J9
40 spots
Northwest MO & Kansas City Region
Smithville Lake Inlet, Truman Lake, Missouri River, Longview Lake
37 spots
Southeast MO & Bootheel Region
Mississippi River Inlet, Wappapello Lake, Duck Creek, North Southeast MO Lake
37 spots
Southwest MO & Ozarks Region
Table Rock Lake Inlet, Bull Shoals Lake, Stockton Lake, Springfield
37 spots
Get CatchTales
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