Is there decent bass/crappie fishing near STL? Not looking for your secret spot or anything.
Is there decent bass/crappie fishing near STL? Not looking for your secret spot or anything.
Most everywhere is at least a 2 hour drive or more for decent fishing. Joachim Creek in Herculaneum use to be good for crappie though. I use to fish it with a john boat.
You are A couple hours from some good fishing in the ozarks lakes. We don’t have 10000 lakes just a handful of good ones.
MoBob
2020 Z520c Ranger 250 Pro-XS Mercury
2023 Ford Raptor
O'Fallon, MO
That’s kind of what I figured by looking at the map. Would be about 2 hours likely. Is Mark Twain decent?
Most of the good lakes that are "close" are in IL. Like Kinkaid. LOZ is one of the best in MO. Its about 2.5hrs from ST Louis.
Crappie fishing in Mark Twain is good. Bass fishing there is a bit more of a struggle.
Lake of Egypt in Illinois.
Twain can be a decent lake, but you have to learn its personality and some of the key structure elements. I used to live over there and have friends that still live there and they have to travel far even for just good kayak lakes to fish. Some people fish the Alton Pool of the Mississippi and pools to the north, which are generally better.
The Mississippi is decent fishing? I’m currently in Louisiana (didn’t update my location when I moved) and it’s horrible near where I’m at. I definitely don’t mind traveling a bit or venturing into IL either. Thanks for the recommendations!!
If you are kayaking, there are several smaller Municiple lakes that are descent. We have a bunch of creeks and like it was mentioned, the mississippi river and the back waters can be good.
Everything is going to be a drive and depending on your location can very the drive. Wappapello and Clearwater in southern MO. Kinkaid, Lake Egypt, Lake Sara in IL. LOZ central MO probably the best of the bunch but come summer is loaded with lake traffic. If access to a kayak Bush Wildlife in St Charles is now permitting personal kayaks on a few of their lakes but you have to stop by the office to grab a pass and it is 1st come 1st serve as they limit the amount of pass they hand for those lakes daily. There is an old golf course in New Melle that closed a few years back that is now a public park that has some good walking lakes. Cant remember the name of it but when I do I'll add.
Originally Posted by Sbp
Louisiana, MO? I have family that lives/works there- we all grew up in BG. From the folks that I hear from that area, the Louisiana Pool is one of the better ones- especially up the Salt River. I thought they had some bass tournaments on the river- I would like to see the results from guys who fish it in those though. When I fished the Alton Pool, I did best up the Illinois River, so it is all about the side creeks and sloughs, I assume.
Did they ever open up Bush Wildlife for personal kayaks? I knew they were talking and having meetings about doing that, but didn't know the result and decision.
I live in Louisiana, MO and the river fishing is not what it used to be. It seems it is better some years than others but we don't know until we get out there and try it. Like you said we do have Salt River just north of town and at times it is good. We have several other creeks that dump into the river that can hold fish. Last year was not a good one, if you could catch a limit that went 8-9 pounds you would definitely be in the money and would win most of the tournaments that were held here. My partner and I won a Bass World here last year in April with 7.84 pounds and it was one of the better days I had here with us catching 11 keepers. We do have a few Asian carp too that will visit you in the boat from time to time, LOL.
MadYaker. No Louisiana state. Went from Minnesota to Louisiana last year now to Missouri.
Town of Louisiana, MO It is Missouri, on the great MISSISSIPPI not the state the river
I think people are talking past each other at this point.One guy came from the state of Louisiana and some of us are talking about the town of Louisiana. It helps to pay attention to who is saying what and who they are replying to.
Don’t they call t New Melle Lakes?
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Just an update on Mississippi River fishing. We had a small 8 boat tournament on Pool 24 in Louisiana, MO on June 10th. There were 17 fish total caught. The winning team had 6 fish that weighed 8.74 pounds. Second place was 4 fish that weighed 7.24 and third was 3 fish for 4.37. I am 5 minutes from the water and hate that the fishing has declined so much. I have seen it before and have seen the fishing get better in some years. Hopefully that will happen in the near future.
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