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Best longnose gar lakes in Missouri

9 Missouri waters hold longnose gar. 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. Prehistoric surface predator of warm backwaters. A summer sight-fishing riot on rope lures.

1. Harry S. Truman Reservoir — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel Catfish
2. Gasconade River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish
3. Current River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Longnose Gar
4. Meramec River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout
5. Missouri River — 40 ft max · Sauger, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Blue Catfish
6. Big River — 8 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Longnose Gar
7. James River — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Longnose Gar
8. Niangua River — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Longnose Gar
9. Creve Coeur Lake — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish

When to fish longnose gar in Missouri

• Spring 2–10 ft — Fish gather in warm shallow backwaters ahead of the spawn.
• Summer 1–12 ft — Look for fish rolling on the surface in slack water — cast past and drag through.
• Fall 4–15 ft — Following bait into deeper slack water as temps fall.
• Winter 10–25 ft — Wintering in deep, still holes.

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 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 brown trout lakes

Longnose Gar elsewhere: Indiana · Wisconsin · Kentucky · Texas · Tennessee