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Best channel catfish lakes in Missouri

109 Missouri waters hold channel catfish, 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. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.

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. Harry S. Truman Reservoir — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
6. Gasconade River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel CatfishWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites
7. Stockton Lake — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
8. Mark Twain Lake — 70 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 18 public access sites
9. Meramec River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites
10. Missouri River — 40 ft max · Sauger, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Blue CatfishWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
11. Pomme de Terre Lake — 80 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 18 public access sites
12. Smithville Lake — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 20 public access sites
13. Osage River — 30 ft max · Walleye, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
14. Wappapello Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
15. Big River — 8 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Longnose GarWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
16. Mozingo Lake — 72 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
17. Thomas Hill Reservoir — 45 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
18. Forest Lake — 43 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Fellows Lake — 81 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Big Piney River — 8 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel CatfishWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
21. Hazel Creek Lake — 44 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
22. Long Branch Lake — 72 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
23. Clearwater Lake — 42 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
24. James River — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Longnose GarWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
25. Harrison County Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached

…plus 84 more Missouri waters holding channel catfish.

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When to fish channel catfish in Missouri

• Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
• Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
• Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.

Also in Missouri: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill 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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