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Best bluegill lakes in Missouri

18 Missouri waters hold bluegill, 4 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic panfish. Shallow cover in summer, deeper weed edges otherwise.

1. Table Rock Lake — 218 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
2. Lake of the Ozarks — 130 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
3. Norfork Lake — 176 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
4. Bull Shoals Lake — 210 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
5. Stockton Lake — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
6. Mark Twain Lake — 70 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
7. Pomme de Terre Lake — 80 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Crappie
8. Smithville Lake — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
9. Wappapello Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
10. Mozingo Lake — 72 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
11. Thomas Hill Reservoir — 45 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
12. Fellows Lake — 81 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
13. Clearwater Lake — 42 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
14. Lake Jacomo — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
15. Longview Lake — 66 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Crappie
16. Blue Springs Lake — 34 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
17. Council Bluff Lake — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
18. Creve Coeur Lake — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish

When to fish bluegill in Missouri

• Spring 1–6 ft — Bedding colonies on sandy shallow flats — sight-fish the light spots.
• Summer 4–15 ft — Weed edges and dock shade; bigger 'gills hold slightly deeper.
• Fall 6–18 ft — Schools tighten on remaining green weeds and first drops.
• Winter 10–25 ft — Soft-bottom basins with invertebrates; finesse presentations.

Also in Missouri: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best blue catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best longnose gar lakes · best brown trout lakes

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