Missouri Department of Conservation

St. Louis Catfish Lakes

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Channel Catfish

Flathead Catfish

Although the world- and state-catfish records hauled from the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers around St. Louis get much of the notoriety, catfishing in lakes is pretty good within an hour of the Arch, too.

The Busch Area

The August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area (St. Charles County) is a great place to fish for channel and flathead catfish. Given 27 lakes are stocked with catfish, there are plenty of opportunities to chase “ol’ Mr. Whiskers.”

Five lakes are managed with an intensive put-and-take stocking program to increase chances of catching a catfish. Lakes 3, 4, 5, 7 and 23 are stocked with thousands of 14- to 16-inch channel catfish May through September. Although stocking dates are not announced ahead of time, they occur roughly every two to three weeks and are reported to the St. Louis Fish Stocking Hotline at 636-300-9651.

Twenty-one lakes are managed with a put-grow-and-take program, which includes annual fall stockings of 10- to 14-inch channel catfish. Fish grow throughout fall and are ready for anglers the following year. Although these lakes may have fewer catfish, they generally produce larger than fish those found in intensively managed lakes.

Trophy catfishing opportunity is available in several lakes, but lakes 33, 34 and 35 may provide your best chances of hooking a big cat. Channels up to 20 pounds and flatheads weighing more than 40 pounds are swimming in these lakes right now!

Twenty-five more lakes to choose from

But the Busch Conservation Area isn’t the only place to catch lake catfish in the St. Louis Area. Twenty-five St. Louis City and County lakes are swarming with channel catfish, and two offer a chance at some big flatheads. Use the MDC Atlas under "MDC Applications" below to browse St. Louis-area lakes by region or county.

Channel catfish opportunity may be greatest at the 19 St. Louis Urban Fishing Program (UFP) lakes in Ballwin, Ferguson, St. Louis City and St. Louis County parks. Channel catfish, averaging 15”, are stocked from April through September. Lakes fished the heaviest receive stockings every 2-3 weeks, while lesser fished lakes get stocked once/month. Though stocking dates are not announced ahead of time, they are reported to the St. Louis Fish Stocking Hotline (636/300-9651) after each stocking. Each year, over 35,000 fish are stocked in UFP lakes.

Channel catfish are annually stocked at Bee Tree Park Lake, Koeneman Park Lake, Spanish Lake, Sunfish Lake and Wild Acres Park Lake. These fish grow after their fall stockings until they are ready for harvest the following spring. In addition, thanks to regular flooding from the Missouri River, Creve Coeur Park Lake hosts outstanding channel catfish fishing with occasion blues and flatheads.

Since 1998, Bee Tree Park and Sunfish lakes also contain flathead catfish. They’ve been stocked periodically to control over-abundant buffalo, bullhead, carp and shad populations, which are growing larger every year. Although anglers harvest some after they reach the 24-inch minimum length limit, they also occasionally land fish up to 25 pounds.

So, the next time you are in the mood for catfishing and don’t want to fish a river, try one of the St. Louis area’s many lakes. The fish are there, waiting for you.