Trout Areas

• Video

Winter Catch-and-Release Trout Season

The winter catch-and-release fishing season at Missouri's four trout parks is a good time to learn how to catch trout on a fly.

Missouri has a wealth of trout waters, including red-, white- and blue-ribbon areas. Use this page to find great trout fishing around the state and throughout the year.

Blue-Ribbon Trout Areas

• Range from small creeks to large rivers
• Less crowded than trout parks and winter trout areas
• Small streams are not stocked, but depend on self-sustaining populations of rainbow trout
• North Fork of the White, Eleven Point and Current rivers is stocked periodically
• Only artificial lures and flies may be used. Natural, soft plastic and scented baits are prohibited.
• The daily limit is one trout of 18 inches or greater length.
• A Missouri fishing permit is required, and a trout permit also is required if trout are harvested.

Red-Ribbon Trout Areas

• Less crowded than trout parks and winter trout areas
• Stocked less intensively than white-ribbon trout areas. Browns are stocked once a year. Rainbows are either stocked, escape from other areas, or reproduce.
• Special regulations may include length limits, reduced creel limits, and tackle restrictions. See Fishing Regulations page under Related Information below.
• A Missouri fishing permit is required, and a trout permit also is required if trout are harvested.

White-Ribbon Trout Areas

• Less crowded than trout parks and winter trout areas
• Stocked less intensively than trout parks
• Fishing is permitted year-round.
• The daily limit is four trout with no length limit on rainbows. Brown trout must be 15 inches or greater. Further seasonal restrictions may apply. See Fishing Regulations page under Related Information below.
• A Missouri fishing permit is required, and a trout permit also is required if trout are harvested.

Winter Trout Areas

• The daily limit is four trout with no length limit, except for Koeneman Park, Walker, Jefferson, Wild Acres, Busch 21 and 28, and Tilles lakes in the St. Louis Region; Cosmo-Bethel Lake in Columbia; Rotary Lake in Jackson; Liberty Park Pond in Sedalia; McKay Park Lake in Jefferson City; Spur Pond in Kirksville; Kiwanis Lake in Mexico; Everyday Pond on the Missouri Western State University Campus in St. Joseph, where catch-and-release with artificial flies and lures is the only legal method for most of the season. See the Fishing Regulations page under Related Information below.
• A Missouri fishing permit is required, and a trout permit also is required if trout are harvested.

Barren Fork Creek Map

A map of the Barren Fork Creek area.

Bennett Spring Trout Park and the Niangua River Map

Area map of the Bennett Spring Trout Park and the Niangua River.

Blue Springs Creek Map

A map of of the Blue Springs Creek area.

Capps and Crane Creeks Map

Maps of Capps Creek and Crane Creek areas.

Eleven Point River Map

A map of the Eleven Point river area.

Hickory Creek and Roubidoux Creek Map

Downloadable maps of the Hickory Creek and Roubidoux Creek areas.

Lake Taneycomo Map

A map of the Lake Taneycomo area.

Maramec Spring Park and the Maramec River Map

An area map of Maramec Spring Park and the Maramec River.

Mill Creek, Little Piney Creek, Spring Creek and Stone Mill Spring Branch Map

Area map of Mill Creek, Little Piney Creek, Spring Creek and Stone Mill Spring Branch.

Montauk Trout Park and Current River Map

Map of Montauk Trout Park and the Current River area.

North Fork of the White River Map

A map of the North Fork of the White River area in .pdf format.

Roaring River Trout Park and Roaring River Map

A map of the Roaring River Trout Park and the Roaring River areas.