JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Anglers can enjoy fishing for trout closer to home during winter months through a partnership between the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and cities and counties around the state. MDC staff work with local communities to offer trout fishing in numerous community lakes around the state during winter months.
MDC staff have stocked about 80,000 rainbow trout in more than 35 urban-area lakes this season. Many of these areas allow anglers to harvest trout as soon as they are stocked, while others are catch-and-release until Feb. 1.
Trout stocked for winter fishing in urban and suburban lakes are raised at MDC’s Montauk, Bennett Spring, and Shepherd of the Hills hatcheries. While trout are not native to Missouri, MDC has stocked them for more than 50 years in the cold, spring-fed, streams of southern Missouri. In winter, when the water is cold enough and holds sufficient oxygen to support trout, MDC stocks selected lakes and ponds in communities around the state to provide close-to-home trout fishing.
Find winter trout-fishing locations, regulations, tips and more at mdc.mo.gov/fishing/species/trout/winter-trout-fishing-areas.
Limits and tackle restrictions vary by lake and season. Check for special area regulations before fishing. The daily limit for catch-and-keep at these locations is four trout with no length limit. All Missouri residents over age 15 and under age 65 must have a fishing permit. All nonresidents over age 15 must have a fishing permit. To keep trout, all anglers of all ages must have a Missouri trout permit.
Buy permits from vendors around the state, online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, or through the MDC FREE mobile app – Mo Fishing – available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices.
