Tips for Walleye Fishing in Missouri
Missouri has some great walleye fishing options.
Walleye may not be the species you envision when you think of fishing in Missouri, but Missouri actually has some of the best walleye fishing opportunities in the country.
Both lakes and rivers in Missouri offer excellent walleye fishing.
Stockton Lake may be the best walleye lake in the state of Missouri.
Stockton Lake is a relatively small Corp. of Engineers Reservoir, but it is very deep, cool and clear.
This makes the lake ideal for walleye fishing.
The best walleye fishing occurs around the dam during the summer, and up in the Sac River during the spring, when the walleye spawn. The lake is stocked regularly with walleye, but also sees healthy amounts of natural reproduction. Minnows, worms, and deep diving crankbaits work well.
Bull Shoals is another great walleye lake.
Only the northern portion of the lake lies in Missouri, but this area offers some of the best walleye fishing in the lake. The Missouri portion of Bull Shoals Lake is very riverine, and in fact more resembles a large, slow moving river than a reservoir.
The area just below Powersite Dam is especially popular, and even offers excellent bank fishing opportunities for walleye, as well as trout and bass. Boat fisherman do very well further down the lake. Jigs, minnows, and worms work very well in Bull Shoals Lake.
The Black River is probably the best walleye stream in the state of Missouri.
The Black River below Clearwater Dam is a deep, slow, and clear river in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. This river is an excellent spawning ground for walleyes, and some very large fish have been caught here over the years. Locals report that the best fishing generally occurs in the cooler months, during fall, winter, and spring.
During the summer, the walleye become more lethargic, but can still be caught on live baits, especially at night. Jigs, crankbaits, and worms are the most popular methods for targeting Black River walleye.
The river can be waded in some areas, but a canoe or a jon-boat will put a walleye fisherman within range of more walleye.
The Current River is another good walleye stream.
This river flows right through the heart of the Ozark Mountains, and is heavily spring-fed. The best walleye fishing is found in the lower reaches of the river, from the town of Van Buren to the Arkansas state line. Fishing methods on the Current River are very similar to the Black.
As you can see, there are numerous walleye fishing opportunities in the state of Missouri.
These are just a few of the best options, but there are many other good walleye waters throughout the state of Missouri.
