Annual Prospects Report
Mark Twain Lake (18,600 acres) is located in Ralls and Monroe counties in northeast Missouri.
The St. Louis US Army Corps of Engineers, in coordination with the Missouri Department of Conservation, have placed numerous fish attractors in portions of Mark Twain Lake. A map of these locations is available by visiting the following web links: https://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Mark-Twain-Lake/Maps/ or https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZJL. Fish attractors have been added to both deep and shallow water. Some fish attractor locations can be accessed by shore. Bass and crappie anglers have reported success from targeting fish at the attractors. In 2024, fish attractors were added near Route U and Highway 107/Florida.
In 2024, drought conditions at Mark Twain Lake ranged from none to severe drought, with water levels peaking at 618 at the beginning of May and remaining above 610 for a month during fish spawn. 2024 surveys and angler reports indicated an increase of young of the year for crappie, white bass, and bass compared to previous years.
Largemouth bass fishing surveys were not conducted in 2024 due to high water levels in May. However, several bass anglers reported that angling was better than in previous years. Electrofishing surveys in 2023 indicated a slight decrease in overall catch rates, with higher catch rates of 11 to 12-inch bass compared to 2022. Bass anglers may find only 30 percent of bass caught will be 15 inches or greater. The largest bass caught during sampling was 21.5 inches. Although recruitment has historically been low, our upcoming spring survey may show increased capture rates of young bass from 2024 based on the higher capture rates of other young fish and reports from anglers. The best bass angling opportunities will be in the spring and fall, around points, rocky banks, brush piles, fish attractors, and docks.
White crappie and black crappie fishing on Mark Twain Lake should be good in 2025. The fall survey of 2024 showed an increase in the catch rates for both white and black crappie, with a higher percentage of 9 to 11-inch crappie sampled compared to the 2023 survey. Many of these crappies were full of gizzard shad as they prepare for winter. Anglers can anticipate catching more crappie measuring 12 inches or longer in the spring of 2025. There were few 6 to 8-inch fish captured this year, which may indicate a potential gap in good crappie fishing in the coming years. However, capture rates for young crappie (4 inches or less) were at their highest in four years, suggesting that a stronger year class will follow this weaker one. The best fishing is expected to occur in late April and early May, when crappie can be caught in shallow water using jigs or minnows.
This year, there has been a significant increase in white bass caught in our crappie trap nets, averaging around 13 inches, with some individuals reaching 15 inches and several being young of the year. The best opportunities for white bass angling can be found by targeting windy points, submerged islands, and long-sloping points using artificial lures or shad. Anglers will have the most success during early spring when these fish are spawning on riffles in tributary streams, as well as in the summer when they feed on schooling shad or gather over underwater humps and mud flats. Walleye abundance remains low in the lake; however, anglers have reported catches higher than average in the past several years. It is advisable for anglers to consider walleye fishing in the lake's tributary streams during early spring, where recently conducted tributary stream stockings have increased the walleye population. Catfish anglers can expect good fishing to continue this year. Channel catfish are abundant, and many blue and flathead catfish exceeding 25 pounds are caught each year using trotlines, bank lines, and jugs. In recent years, anglers have had significant success capturing blue catfish on trotlines and jugs baited with cut shad or herring. Catfish anglers tend to do best in the upper sections of North Fork, Middle Fork, South Fork, and Indian Creek arms.
