Fellows Lake

Muskellunge fishing at Fellows Lake should be good in 2025.  Roughly 52% of muskie sampled in 2024 were greater than the minimum length limit of 36 inches with 18% being greater than 40 inches.  Many of the muskie sampled were just below 36 inches and should begin exceeding the minimum length limit in the next few years. The largest muskie sampled was 47.5 inches long and weighed 31 pounds. Expect best muskie fishing success on overcast, rainy days during the fall or early spring months when water temperatures are below 70°F. Long-distance casting of large spinners, bucktails, or crankbaits and/or deep trolling near underwater structures such as river channels, humps, and points can be effective. Don't forget to use the "figure-eight" technique for extra action after retrieving your lure! In addition, muskies are often hooked while fishing for crappie, largemouth bass, or walleye at Fellows. Careful handling of both sub-legal and legal muskie at the water's surface will increase their chances for survival. Fishing for muskie during summer months, when water temperatures are warmer, will greatly decrease the survival odds for released muskie. For more information on muskie angling equipment, techniques, and handling methods please visit our website at www.mdc.mo.gov.

Walleye fishing should be in good in 2025.  Thirty-two percent of the walleye captured in the spring 2024 survey were greater than 20 inches and several were greater than 25 inches.  Walleye fishing can be challenging at Fellows, but fish can be caught targeting gravel points in the spring and the backs of coves in the summer using suspending jerk baits, crappie jigs, nightcrawlers, or minnows. Trolling deep-diving crankbaits across main lake points can also yield fish. The minimum length limit for walleye is 15 inches with a four fish daily bag limit at Fellows Lake. 

Largemouth bass fishing should be good at Fellows Lake in 2025. A 12 to 15-inch protected slot length limit helps provide catch-and-release fishing opportunities. Forty-four percent of the largemouth bass sampled in 2024 were greater than 15 inches. Largemouth bass are usually found shallower during the spring spawn and during the fall. In the summertime, bass move offshore into deeper waters following schools of shad and other baitfish. The summer thermocline in Fellows Lake is generally between 15-17 feet, depending on lake level and weather conditions, with few fish found below this depth.  

Crappie fishing should remain fair in 2025. Both white crappie and black crappie are present in the lake, however black crappie made up roughly 95% of the population sampled in fall 2023.  The black crappie in Fellows represent a high-density, slow-growing population. Nearly 45% of the black crappie sampled in 2023 were between 6 and 8 inches. Conversely, the white crappie in Fellows represent a low-density, fast-growing population with some fish reaching 15+ inches and 2 pounds. Minnows and tube jigs are the preferred baits for crappie anglers primarily in and around brush piles and other structures. Bank anglers often find success fishing off the causeway running over the eastern tip of the lake (N Farm Road 197). Fellows Lake has a 15 fish per day bag limit with no minimum length limit for crappie.

Channel catfish are stocked annually and can be found throughout the lake with several larger fish available for harvest. Preferred baits include chicken livers, nightcrawlers, prepared baits, and cut bait. Bluegill fishing will be fair in 2025 with most ranging from 4 to 6 inches. Small pieces of worms on a #6 to #10 size hook fished under a bobber make an excellent rig for beginning anglers. Redear sunfish are present as well and provide angler opportunities to pursue larger sunfish.  In spring 2024 surveys, 60 percent of redear sunfish were greater than 7 inches and 36 percent were greater than 9 inches.  Low densities of spotted bass and flathead catfish are also present in the lake.

Fellows Lake is managed under a Community Assistance Program (CAP) agreement with City Utilities of Springfield and has both a marina and bait shop run by the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks. Motorboats, canoes, and kayaks are all available to rent. An ADA-accessible fishing dock is also present but does close during low lake levels. Be advised, Fellows Lake has a strict 40 horsepower limit on all motorboats and a boat permit is required, which can be purchased at the bait shop. For more information, please contact the Fellows Lake Bait Shop at 417-840-2965 or visit https://watershedcommittee.org/fellows-lake.