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Best smallmouth bass lakes in Missouri

15 Missouri waters list smallmouth bass (official records or labelled estimates), 3 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Current- and rock-loving fighter. Lives around gravel, boulders and hard-bottom structure.

1. Table Rock Lake — 218 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 19 public access sites
2. Norfork Lake — 176 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
3. Bull Shoals Lake — 210 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
4. Gasconade River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel CatfishWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 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. Current River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Longnose GarWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
7. Meramec River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites
8. Eleven Point River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
9. Big River — 8 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Longnose GarWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
10. Fellows Lake — 81 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Big Piney River — 8 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel CatfishWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
12. James River — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Longnose GarWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
13. Jacks Fork — 8 ft max · Smallmouth BassWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
14. North Fork of the White — 9 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
15. Niangua River — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Longnose GarWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites

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When to fish smallmouth bass in Missouri

• Spring 3–12 ft — Gravel and rock flats near deep water; spawning happens on hard bottom.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Offshore rock humps and deep points; smallmouth suspend near bait.
• Fall 8–25 ft — Feeding hard for winter — long tapering points and rocky drops.
• Winter 20–45 ft — Deep, vertical presentations near rocky wintering holes.

Also in Missouri: best largemouth 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 longnose gar lakes · best brown trout lakes

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