Mozingo Lake

Spring electrofishing sampling in 2023 on 1,006-acre Mozingo Lake near Maryville again revealed a very good population of largemouth bass.  Electrofishing catch rates were around the historical average at 70 bass per hour, indicating continued healthy numbers of bass in the system.  Almost half of the 411 bass sampled measured over 12 inches, 22 percent measured over 15 inches, with several individual fish measuring up to 22 inches. Abundant habitat in the form of submerged brush piles, rocky points, milfoil weed lines, flooded trees, and shallow coves are all available to suit different fishing presentations.  Mozingo is highly pressured for largemouth bass, so anglers should be armed with multiple presentations to be most successful.  The crappie population is slowly improving at Mozingo, and the lake can still produce quality catches of very large fish.  The lake is currently dominated by a large number of 7-to-8-inch fish, however, and anglers are encouraged to harvest these fish to help reduce numbers to improve overall size structure.  Spring sampling revealed that half the crappie are over 8 inches in length, 8 percent are over 10 inches, with some individuals measuring over 15 inches. Try small minnows or jigs in the shallow timber in the spring, and use your locator to find suspended schools over deep brush piles throughout the summer and into the fall.  The current daily bag limit is 30 crappie per person.  Of those, only 15 crappie over 9 inches in length can be kept per person.  This regulation was put in place to encourage the harvest of crappie under 9 inches, while protecting crappie over 9 inches to help the overall size structure.

Annual walleye stocking has improved the walleye fishery in Mozingo in recent years, and walleye fishing in 2024 again has the potential to be excellent. Spring electrofishing sampling in 2023 again saw catch rates over 100 walleye per hour, with 86 percent of the walleye measuring over 18 inches, and 76 percent measuring over 20 inches. Trophy walleye over 10 pounds are possible. Fish points adjacent to the channel with deep diving crankbaits, jigs, or crawler harnesses.  Fishing for channel catfish will continue to be excellent in 2020, with many fish over 10 pounds possible. Mozingo receives around 5,000 channel catfish every year to supplement the fishery. Excellent facilities provided by the City of Maryville surround the lake, with campground areas, cabins, fish cleaning stations, picnic pavilions, and improved boat ramps, as well as a disabled-user covered fishing dock.