18 public waters in the Southwest region — 2 lakes/reservoirs and 16 rivers. Every one is public water fishable on a Missouri licence.
See every public fishing venue in Missouri on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
In McDonald County, Missouri, Shadow Lake is a 29-acre lake, managed by Missouri Department of Conservation (managed public waterbody). Lakes and reservoirs across this region typically hold walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish such as bluegill, crappie and pumpkinseed, with muskellunge present in some larger lakes -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Elk River - SMB Lake (17 acres) sits in McDonald County, Missouri, managed by Missouri Department of Conservation (managed public waterbody). A lake on a Missouri Department of Conservation area — Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Crappie and Channel Catfish, managed for quality with length limits on many. Boat access is usually electric-motor-only or car-top; a few allow small outboards.
Big Sugar Creek (46 km) flows through McDonald and Barry Counties, Missouri. An Ozark smallmouth stream (the upper Gasconade, Big Piney, the Meramec headwaters, Big Sugar and Elk River, the upper Osage Fork, Bryant Creek) — clear, gravel-and-bluff water with wild Smallmouth Bass ('brown bass'), spotted and Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass ('Goggle-Eye'), and Longear Sunfish. Missouri has designated Smallmouth Bass Special Management Areas on many.
In McDonald County, Missouri, Elk River is a 41 km river or creek. An Ozark smallmouth stream (the upper Gasconade, Big Piney, the Meramec headwaters, Big Sugar and Elk River, the upper Osage Fork, Bryant Creek) — clear, gravel-and-bluff water with wild Smallmouth Bass ('brown bass'), spotted and Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass ('Goggle-Eye'), and Longear Sunfish. Missouri has designated Smallmouth Bass Special Management Areas on many.
Indian Creek runs 31 km through McDonald and Newton Counties, Missouri: An Ozark smallmouth stream (the upper Gasconade, Big Piney, the Meramec headwaters, Big Sugar and Elk River, the upper Osage Fork, Bryant Creek) — clear, gravel-and-bluff water with wild Smallmouth Bass ('brown bass'), spotted and Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass ('Goggle-Eye'), and Longear Sunfish. Missouri has designated Smallmouth Bass Special Management Areas on many.
Buffalo Creek runs 30 km through Newton and McDonald Counties, Missouri: A warmwater Missouri river or large creek — largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, and White Bass on the bigger ones. Wade or float; access at MDC river accesses and bridges.
Little Sugar Creek (8 km) flows through McDonald County, Missouri. A warmwater Missouri river or large creek — largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, and White Bass on the bigger ones. Wade or float; access at MDC river accesses and bridges.
Newton, McDonald and Barry Counties, Missouri — South Indian Creek is a 12 km stream: An Ozark smallmouth stream (the upper Gasconade, Big Piney, the Meramec headwaters, Big Sugar and Elk River, the upper Osage Fork, Bryant Creek) — clear, gravel-and-bluff water with wild Smallmouth Bass ('brown bass'), spotted and Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass ('Goggle-Eye'), and Longear Sunfish. Missouri has designated Smallmouth Bass Special Management Areas on many.
Carr Branch runs 8 km through McDonald County, Missouri: A warmwater Missouri river or large creek — largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, and White Bass on the bigger ones. Wade or float; access at MDC river accesses and bridges.
McDonald County, Missouri — Cave Springs Branch is a 9 km stream: A warmwater Missouri river or large creek — largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, and White Bass on the bigger ones. Wade or float; access at MDC river accesses and bridges.
Sugar Fork (10 km) flows through McDonald and Newton Counties, Missouri. A warmwater Missouri river or large creek — largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, and White Bass on the bigger ones. Wade or float; access at MDC river accesses and bridges.
Barry and McDonald Counties, Missouri — Trent Creek is a 10 km stream: A warmwater Missouri river or large creek — largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, and White Bass on the bigger ones. Wade or float; access at MDC river accesses and bridges.
Patterson Creek (9 km) flows through McDonald County, Missouri. A warmwater Missouri river or large creek — largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, and White Bass on the bigger ones. Wade or float; access at MDC river accesses and bridges.
McDonald and Newton Counties, Missouri — Roark Creek is a 8 km stream: A warmwater Missouri river or large creek — largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, and White Bass on the bigger ones. Wade or float; access at MDC river accesses and bridges.
Bullskin Creek (9 km) flows through Newton and McDonald Counties, Missouri. A warmwater Missouri river or large creek — largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, and White Bass on the bigger ones. Wade or float; access at MDC river accesses and bridges.
In McDonald County, Missouri, Mill Creek is a 8 km river or creek. A Missouri blue-ribbon or trophy Trout stream (Crane Creek — a wild McCloud-strain rainbow population, the upper North Fork of the White, the Current above Montauk, Blue Springs Creek, Little Piney, Mill Creek, Barren Fork) — wild and stocked rainbow and Brown Trout in cold, clear, spring-fed Ozark water. Special regulations (flies-only, artificial-only, reduced creel) apply.
In McDonald County, Missouri, Stogdon Creek is a 7 km river or creek. A warmwater Missouri river or large creek — largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, and White Bass on the bigger ones. Wade or float; access at MDC river accesses and bridges.
Beaver Branch (8 km) flows through McDonald County, Missouri. A warmwater Missouri river or large creek — largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Bluegill and Longear Sunfish, and White Bass on the bigger ones. Wade or float; access at MDC river accesses and bridges.
Across its mapped waters, McDonald County holds 20 species on PiscaMaps, including Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Spotted Bass, Rock Bass, Longear Sunfish, Flathead Catfish and Bluegill.
Ramps, put-ins and species for every water — plus the carp layer no other US app has.
Open the Missouri map Join PiscaMapsOne Missouri Department of Conservation fishing permit covers every public water in the state, the Corps and MDC reservoirs included — the resident annual is about $13, the non-resident annual about $52, with 1-day and 3-day permits sold. A ~$10 trout permit is required to fish for or keep trout in addition to the fishing permit (a 1-day permit alone is enough for that day), and the four trout parks charge a separate daily trout tag. Missouri residents 65 and older, and anyone 15 or under, need no fishing permit. Buy at mdc.mo.gov.