Missouri Department of Conservation

St. Louis Bass Lakes

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Largemouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

The Department manages 68 lakes in St. Charles County, St. Louis City and St. Louis County to provide great bass fishing.

The Busch Area

The August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area (St. Charles County) is home to 32 fishing lakes, with most hosting largemouth bass. However, the best location continues to be 182-acre Lake 33, where high bass densities and great size quality meet. Almost half of its bass are larger than 15 inches and 15 percent are larger than 18 inches. Lake 28 almost seems to be overcrowded with bass in the 13-to 16-inch range. While catch-and-release-only Lake 32 features a large number of bass, it also grows bass up to 23 inches. And lakes 34 and 35 offer some room to fish with good numbers and sizes of bass. Recent aquatic plantings, brush pile construction and placement of shoreline trees have improved bass habitat and help key anglers into likely hot spots.

Urban Fishing Program lakes

Since 1969, St. Louis Urban Fishing Program Lakes have been mostly known for good channel catfishing through heavy stockings. Those catfish opportunities continue in these St. Louis City and County lakes, but since 1999, bass have been added to the mix. Blackjack Lake in Veteran’s Memorial Park, Boathouse and Horseshoe lakes in Carondelet Park, January-Wabash Park Lake, Jefferson Lake in Forest Park, O’Fallon Park Lake, South Lake in Willmore Park and Tilles Park Lake have developed into good backyard bass fisheries featuring fish larger than the 18-inch minimum length limit. Most yield bass longer than 20 inches. Since boats are not allowed in these lakes, stealthy shoreline anglers should concentrate on fishing brush piles and lake edges.

Lots of other lakes to choose from

Other St. Louis County lakes are larger and are building better bass opportunities. Sheer numbers of bass in Spanish Lake rivals Missouri’s best lakes, but when you consider 17 percent of bass are larger than 15 inches, Spanish Lake is one of the best small bass lakes in Missouri. Right next door, Sunfish Lake is recovering from years of draught and beginning to re-develop the bass population that historically-featured schools of fish over 20”. And after years of shallow, muddy water impacting its fishery, Creve Coeur Park Lake is on the move. Bass numbers have increased by 300 percent since 2005, while 26 percent of its bass are larger than 15 inches. And the population is still growing. If you are looking for an opportunity to catch 12- to 17-inch largemouth and spotted bass, Simpson Park Lake is the place. Since boats can be used on these lakes, anglers have more options to fish brush piles, downed shoreline trees, drop offs and lines of aquatic plants.

If you live in the St. Louis area, bass are located pretty close to home. But that also means they see a lot of fishing pressure. To increase success, consider fishing in winter and early spring near thick cover or shallow flats featuring rock or gravel during the April/May spawn. You may want to try early morning fishing trips, before crowds make fish warier. Trying slower and persistent lure and bait presentations may also help.