18 Best Largemouth Bass Fishing Lakes in Missouri

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You can catch largemouth bass across the Show Me State, but when you’re looking for lunker lakes that other people will want you to show them, you won’t do any better than fishing at the following Missouri bass fishing lakes.

Quite a few of the lakes we’ll tell you about have proven time and again to be among the best bass fishing spots in the country, including some impoundments that regularly bring in professional bass fishing tournaments.

High-stakes competitions bring added pressure, so before we get to those waters, we’ll discuss the best ways to catch bass, even on highly pressured waterways.

This article is not just about high-profile lakes. We’ll also let you know about some lakes that are a bit off the radar for the bass tourney crowd. Try those if you would rather fish without the roar of logo-covered bass boats.

Some of the big-time and lesser-known lakes on the list are close to home for most Missourians. You can use the table of contents to jump directly to the areas you’d like to fish.

How to Catch Largemouth Bass

There are countless methods we anglers use to catch bass, and if you ask five anglers what the best methods are, you’ll likely get five different answers.

However, they all generally fall within a few categories: topwater, shallow water, and deep or open-water fishing.

You can use any number of lures when fishing these water depths, and the time of year and time of day often determine where the bass are biting. 

Here are some of my favorite lures to throw for each water depth.

For topwater, I throw a popper, buzzbait, hollow-body frog, or Whopper Plopper, depending on the conditions.

When fishing shallow water, I use soft plastics that are Texas or wacky-rigged, spinnerbaits, jigs, chatterbaits, or shallow-diving crankbaits.

For water deeper than 12 feet, I often use a jig, deep diving crankbait, or drop-shot rig.

These rigs also will catch the smallmouth and spotted bass that share some of Missouri’s best largemouth bass lakes. Sometimes it might pay off to downsize your lures for those other types of bass, while big lures at times will work best for big largemouths.

The secret to bass fishing isn’t always using the right lure; it’s often finding the right location for that day.

Locating bass can be difficult, especially if you don’t have a boat. However, you can keep a few things in mind when searching for the best place on the lake.

When to Go

Ask any bass angler, and they’ll tell you the best bass fishing takes place in the spring, when bass spawn and spend more time in shallow water along shorelines. They tend to be at their most aggressive in this early season.

However, there are a few other times of the year when many anglers miss out on excellent fishing.

During the fall transition, bass actively feed on baitfish for the winter. This pattern means bass are extra aggressive while trying to fatten up. Aggressive bass is the main ingredient in a recipe for an excellent day of fishing.

Fishing in the winter is tough, and this time of year usually isn’t about catching numbers. But late winter is the time of year when fish are the biggest, and many anglers catch lunkers right before pre-spawn begins.

The heat makes fishing very difficult if you’re fishing in the summer. Bass don’t like the warmest water in the hottest months, They also avoid bright sunlight.

Summertime bass most often find shade or deeper, cooler water. For best success during the dog days of summer, you’ll need to get to the water early in the morning, preferably before the sun comes up.

Or you can fish from around sundown and late at night. During the summer, bass will become more active during the night, making them easier to catch.

Where to Go

Knowing where to go is the most critical part of fishing. You can be throwing the right lure in the wrong location and not catch anything. However, you can throw the wrong lure in the right spot and still catch fish.

Even the pros sometimes struggle with knowing where to go, but there are high-percentage areas based on the time of year where you’re more than likely to catch fish.

The high percentage areas are creeks, humps, ledges, points, docks, and brush piles.

In the spring, bass move shallow to spawn, typically in shallow creeks and flats. 

As summer heats up, bass move farther offshore to underwater humps, ledges, and points. They’ll also use docks and brush piles to get out of the sun to hide from predators while searching for prey to ambush.

During the fall, bass follow the baitfish back into shallow water to feed before moving back to deeper water to hunker down during the winter.

It’s important to remember that many factors go into where the bass will be that day, so always keep an open mind. If one approach or type of location doesn’t work, try another.

Best Largemouth Bass Lakes

Now that you know where to go on the lake, let’s find out which lakes you should visit to have the best chance of landing the lunker of a lifetime or catching more bass than you’ve ever caught in Missouri.

I’ve lumped the lakes together by region so you can easily find the best lakes near you. Sometimes, traveling a short distance to a lake in another area will be worth your while.

Northeast Missouri

These lakes are some of the closest bass fishing spots to St. Louis and other parts of northwestern Missouri.

Mark Twain Lake

Mark Twain Reservoir is the largest lake in Northern Missouri. There are plenty of spots for anglers to access this lake, many boat launching locations, marinas, and 275 miles of shoreline.

Largemouth bass are the most sought-after species on the lake, but many others are worth targeting if the bass aren’t biting.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, nearly a quarter of largies in the lake are at least 15 inches. So you should expect lots of quality bass when they’re biting.

The main lake and secondary points will be high-percentage areas worth checking out.

Mark Twain Lake is over an hour northeast of Columbia and more than two hours northwest of St. Louis.

If you plan to stay over or at least use different types of facilities, check out Mark Twain State Park.

More: Complete Guide to Fishing at Mark Twain Lake

August A. Busch Memorial & Weldon Spring Conservation Areas

These neighboring conservation areas just west of St. Louis have many small lakes and ponds open for the public to fish.

The kids-only pond is open year-round. Anglers must be 15 years old or younger to fish for sunfish, channel catfish, and some nice bass.

Several lakes offer ample opportunity to catch lots of bass; however, the bass in these smaller impoundments tend to be smaller. Downsizing your lures will yield the best results.

When searching for big bass, many waterways offer the chance at a 15-inch or larger bass, but they make up a smaller portion of the population than the smaller fish.

Trout are stocked from November to February, when bass fishing is at its slowest, making the conservation area a popular year-round fishing destination.

Check the Busch CA website for details.

Northwest Missouri

Northwest Missouri includes Kansas City and surrounding areas, with a nice handful of productive bass lakes in the vicinity.

Bilby Ranch Lake

Bilby Ranch Lake is a small 110-acre lake with a boat ramp that receives very little fishing pressure compared to many lakes on this list, thanks in part to its location in the far northwestern corner of Missouri.

This shallow lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet and has above-average length largemouth bass.

Anglers should fish near the dam and upper arms of the lake. Bass will hold around brush piles, riprap, and flooded timber.

Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, Carolina rigs, and jigs all work well here.

Because it’s a small lake, there are special boating regulations you must be aware of if you plan to fish from a boat.

Bilby Ranch Lake is near the small town of Skidmore, nearly two hours north of Kansas City.

Mozingo Lake

Bassmaster Magazine has ranked Mozingo Lake in the Top 100 bass fishing lakes in the U.S. 

This small shallow lake offers an excellent variety of fish habitats, including weed beds, standing timber, riprap, and brush piles. If you’re a shallow water angler, the 40-foot maximum depth will be right up your alley.

Anglers can fish from the 26 miles of shoreline or near three paved boat ramps. However, before heading out on the lake, you need to be aware of special bass fishing and boating regulations.

Chatterbaits, shallow-diving crankbaits, and spinnerbaits will all work well here. Then, break out a shaky head and fish it slowly when the bite gets tough.

Mozingo Lake is near Maryville, placing it a fair drive north of Kansas City.

Lake Jacomo

Sun setting over Lake Jacomo in Missouri at a perfect time of day to go bass fishing.
Photo by TommyBrison (Depositphotos)

Lake Jacomo has one of the highest populations of largemouth bass in the Kansas City area.

The 1,000-foot fishing trail, fishing dock, and three boat ramps offer anglers a lot of access to this lake. However, the fishing dock is only accessible on weekdays.

You’ll find the biggest bass along the edges of structure and cover. Also, be prepared for vegetation such as water willow and coontail. So using weedless lures is generally the best option. 

Before heading to the lake, you must know the unique boating and fishing regulations!

Smithville Lake

Smithville Lake is known for crappie fishing. But if the crappie fishing is good, that typically means food is abundant for bass as well, so the population can grow, and so can the size of the fish.

Since it’s just north of Kansas City, it receives quite a bit of traffic during the summer, but that shouldn’t deter you from visiting because you’ll find that the fishing is worth it.

You can fish by boat or along the 175 miles of shore. Many other activities are nearby, so be sure to bring the family for a fun-filled weekend.

I often try to differentiate myself when fishing in crowded areas, but that doesn’t always work; sometimes, you have to stick with the lures you know will work, such as a jig, crankbait, buzzbait, spinnerbait, or Texas rig.

Southeast Missouri

This section includes bass fishing spots in this largely rural quadrant of Missouri.

Norfork Lake

Norfork Lake is located in south-central Missouri and Arkansas, also close to Southwest Missouri’s hotspots listed in the Southwest Missouri section coming next in this article.

Norfork Lake has hosted significant bass fishing tournaments.

Most of this reservoir is in Arkansas, but the northern end stretches up to the Tecumseh area of Missouri, where North Fork River and Bryan Creek come together.

This deep, clear-water lake is home to some of the best fishing in either state, but the striper, walleye, and crappie fishing often overshadow the bass fishing. 

Fishing ledges near the shallows with a jig is often the best method for catching bass here.

Don’t forget about the drop shot on a spinning reel, as the clear water means you should downsize your line and presentation.

More: Complete Norfork Lake Fishing Guide

Clearwater Lake

As the name suggests, Clearwater Lake definitely is another clear-water lake, which means quality largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass fishing.

The lake has lots of submerged brush and vegetation accessible by boat or shore. Those types of cover tend to be the best locations to target bass. 

Jigs, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, and shaky heads will all work well in this lake, depending on the bass’s mood.

You can expect quality bass when fishing here. The numbers often won’t be crazy high, but it’s likely a good one when you get a bite.

Clearwater Lake is near Piedmont and the Clearwater Conservation Area.

Lake Wappapello

Wappapello is a lake with over 175 miles of shoreline in southeast Missouri that receives a decent amount of fishing pressure because of the quality of fish available.

The water clarity at Lake Wappapello is often stained, but it clears up as you head toward the headwaters.

Most of the structure in the lake is around the river channel; however, some old stumps and laydowns offer bass a place to congregate. The bass are not as big as they used to be, but there are a healthy number of 10- to 15-inchers.

Topwater lures are a local favorite for early morning and late evening largemouth fishing. Switching to a soft-plastic worm 5-7″ long is usually best if you’re fishing mid-morning through the afternoon.

Lake Wappapello is on the St. Francis River east of Williamsville, north of Poplar Bluff, and about 120 miles south of St. Louis.

For information about camping and other amenities, check out Lake Wappapello State Park.

Southwest Missouri

Southwestern Missouri is loaded with plenty of bass lakes, including massive reservoirs and a few lesser-known lakes and ponds. Cities in this part of the state include Springfield, Joplin, and Branson.

Lake of the Ozarks

The Lake of the Ozarks is usually ranked as one of the Top 100 lakes in the United States, and many pros love visiting because there are a large number of 2-5 pounders.

Bass fishing is the most popular activity on the lake, but many other species thrive here, so don’t be surprised if you hook into something besides a bass.

You can fish Lake of the Ozarks year-round, so no matter when you visit, you can take advantage of the fishing opportunities.

During the winter, it’s best to target suspended offshore bass using Alabama rigs or stickbaits. 

As spring moves in, the lure selection widens, and the bass move shallow, making them much more accessible for bank anglers to catch.

The best locations for bass fishing this time of year are the middle and lower sections of the lake. 

Summer pushes the bass back to deeper water, but you can find fish shallow in the early morning.

As the fall transition begins, head for the creeks, where the bass must follow the shad and bluegill to the shallows in search of the warmest waters.

Lake of the Ozarks is located in the northern Ozarks, about an hour and a half from either Springfield or Columbia in either direction and more like two and a half hours southeast of Kansas City.

More: Complete Guide to Lake of the Ozarks Fishing

Table Rock Lake

Far-off view of Table Rock Lake, one of the best bass fishing lakes in Missouri.
Photo by OzArtNetwork (Depositphotos)

Table Rock is another southwestern Missouri lake that consistently ranks as one of the 100 best lakes in the U.S.

Not only do you have an excellent chance to catch largemouth, but smallmouth bass and spotted bass are also abundant in this Branson-area lake.

You’ll find that the lake has three main sections, the upper section, which includes the James and White rivers; the middle section near Kimberling City; and the lower section near the dam.

The upper sections are often the dirtiest, especially in the spring, so you’ll primarily catch largemouth here. This area will also warm the fastest due to the darker water.

The middle section is a mixture of the upper and lower with stained water but also has good structure, you’ll likely catch largies and smallies here, but you might stumble across a spot.

The lower section is the clearest and is where you’ll likely catch the most smallmouth and spotted bass.

More: Complete Guide to Table Rock Lake Fishing

Harry S. Truman Reservoir

Bare trunks and tree branches stick out of the water at Truman Lake with the setting sun behind.
Photo by TommyBrison (Depositphotos)

Also commonly known as Truman Lake, this massive reservoir offers anglers 950 miles of shoreline to fish from or several boat ramps to access the entire waterway. 

It’s one of the best catfishing lakes in the state, but bass fishing shouldn’t be overlooked with incredible largemouth and spotted bass opportunities. 

Because this lake is so large, you can fish it in many ways. My approach to big lakes is to break them down into manageable sizes. 

Focus on one portion of the lake at a time. I would start by fishing one of the bridges, as these passes act as natural funnels where fish congregate.

After that, fishing depth changes, structure, and cover, including docks, are good places to find bass. If there are baitfish in the area, bass are likely not far behind.

The lake near Clinton is at least an hour southeast of Kansas City, and more depending on which part you fish.

More: Complete Guide to Truman Lake Fishing

Bull Shoals

Aerial view of part of Bull Shoals, an excellent bass fishing lake near Branson, Missouri.
Photo by Chinook203 (Depositphotos)

Another impoundment of the White River, Bull Shoals, is shared by Missouri and Arkansas. It’s known for big largemouth, up to 12 pounds, and smallmouth and spotted bass.

This gigantic reservoir has over 1,000 miles of shoreline and plenty of boat ramps, so anglers have many opportunities to fish.

The best bass fishing occurs near ledges. So find a shallow area that drops quickly to deeper water and begin your search for that lunker.

Arkansas has the largest share of the lake, so make sure you study the regulations before fishing. Branson is just to the west.

More: Complete Guide to Bull Shoals Lake Fishing

Stockton Lake

Stockton Lake offers excellent bass fishing and is a great place to bring the family. It’s a 24,900-acre lake, 50 miles northwest of Springfield. 

The water is clear, and the largies grow big, so you’ll need to find a delicate balance between using strong fishing line but not so big that the bass can see it.

Smallmouths are also abundant in the lower portion of the lake and the main tributaries.

You can catch largemouth bass just about anywhere on this lake, so focusing on the high-percentage areas, such as bridges, ledges, and creeks, is essential.

Stockton Lake offers 14 recreation areas around its shores, so anglers have plenty of access to excellent bass fishing at Stockton Lake.

Stockton Lake also is among the top fishing lakes in Missouri for walleye.

More: Complete Guide to Stockton Lake Fishing

Lake Taneycomo

Most people correctly consider Lake Taneycomo a premier trout fishery. However, they fail to test the waters for largemouth bass, which is a mistake.

Taneycomo is a cold-water lake near Branson, but it’s home to big bass. The best bass fishing takes place on the lake’s southern end around wood cover and ledges near channel swings.

Don’t be surprised if you hook into a 5-plus-pounder fishing in the cooler months and during the pre-spawn.

The water stays cold year-round, and bass act differently in Taneycomo than in nearby warmer lakes, especially during the summer. That will take some time to learn the most productive patterns.

More: Complete Guide to Lake Taneycomo Fishing

Pomme De Terre Lake

Located 50 miles north of Springfield, Pomme De Terre Lake is home to three species of black bass, with largemouth making up most of the population. 

Surveys estimate that 50 percent of all the largemouths in the lake are at least 13″ long, which is good news if you want to catch some big ol ‘bass.

While a 13″ bass isn’t considered big by most anglers, they’re still fun to catch. However, taken as an average, that ratio means there are quite a few larger bass in the lake to balance out the natural numbers of small bass in any lake.

You can fish this lake deep or shallow, but many anglers have succeeded fishing it shallow, finding flats near a ledge.

Pomme de Terre is a good-sized lake with a normal pool of about 7,800 acres, but it feels dwarfed on the map compared to massive reservoirs surrounding it in several directions, like Truman, Stockton and Lake of the Ozarks.

There are several parks around the lake, including Pomme de Terre State Park.

Montrose Lake

If you want to fish a lake that holds some big largemouth and you’re willing to be patient, head to Montrose Lake. 

This shallow, stained lake west of Truman Lake doesn’t have high numbers of bass compared to other reservoirs in this region, but it has quality size that many other lakes don’t have.

There’s not a lot of structure or features for the bass to hold to, so if you find something, you’re likely in the right spot.

My go-to lures would be a shallow diving crankbait, spinnerbait, Texas rig, Wacky rig, and shaky head. You’ll likely need to cover plenty of water, so a moving bait is often the best choice.

If you plan on keeping fish, there are special regulations that you should be aware of before heading out.

Shawnee Trail Conservation Area

If you love fishing ponds with big bass, the Shawnee Trail Conservation Area in southwest Missouri is where you need to fish next.

There are several ponds to fish in, but not all are managed for big bass. Ponds 35 and 39 produce the most bass bigger than 23 inches, and both have maintained trails for walk-in access.

Don’t be afraid to bring your kayak or canoe or float tube. Sure, it might be a lot of work to carry, but it’s often worth the extra effort to fish where many others can’t reach.

Shawnee Trail Conservation Area is near Mindenmines along the Kansas border. That’s north of Joplin and just south of Prairie State Park.

Catch More Bass

Follow the suggestions on what to throw and where and when to throw it, for each water in this article detailing the best largemouth bass fishing lake in Missouri, and you’re bound to catch plenty of big bucketmouths.

However, if you’d like to hone your techniques and tactics even more, check out our simple guide to bass fishing techniques and tips.