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Best bluegill lakes in Missouri

101 Missouri waters hold bluegill, 7 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 BassWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 19 public access sites
2. Lake of the Ozarks — 130 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
3. Norfork Lake — 176 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
4. Bull Shoals Lake — 210 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
5. Stockton Lake — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
6. Mark Twain Lake — 70 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 18 public access sites
7. Pomme de Terre Lake — 80 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 18 public access sites
8. Smithville Lake — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 20 public access sites
9. Wappapello Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
10. Mozingo Lake — 72 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
11. Thomas Hill Reservoir — 45 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
12. Forest Lake — 43 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
13. Fellows Lake — 81 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Hazel Creek Lake — 44 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
15. Long Branch Lake — 72 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
16. Clearwater Lake — 42 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
17. Harrison County Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
18. Lake Jacomo — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
19. Blue Springs Lake — 34 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
20. Duck Creek Conservation Area — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
21. Longview Lake — 66 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
22. Montrose Conservation Area — 15 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
23. Lake Paho — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
24. Schell-Osage Conservation Area — 16 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
25. Edwin A. Pape Lake — 22 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached

…plus 76 more Missouri waters holding bluegill.

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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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