Big River Fishing Map & Spots (MO)

Hatch outlook

Willow fly (summer mayfly)Active window

Typical here: Apr 1 – Oct 31 · recurring broods all summer — the heart of it is June–July, famously around July 4th on the Tennessee River lakes; any one hatch lasts days to ~3 weeks

dunhatches at dusk — clouds of bugs just before dark, continuing into the night — after hatching they fly to shoreline foliage — trees near lighted docks get covered; the feeding zone is the water under bug-loaded overhanging bushes and willows
spinnerthe following days: mating, egg drop and spent flies falling from the overhangs — the bream bite under the bushes runs as long as the bugs do

A two-level event: bream stack under the bug trees, and the big bass stack under the bream. Fish the same bushes twice — small for bream, big for the bass just outside them.

Crickets or small poppers under a float tight to the bug-covered bushes for bream; beetle spins and hair jigs just under the surface; for the bass, run a bluegill-pattern topwater or squarebill down the outside edge of the overhangs.

The event happens over under and just outside overhanging willows and bushes on steep banks; trees near lighted docks after dark

Next on this water

Spring crawfish emergence · forageFeb 15 – May 15 · in ~6 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Big River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Big River on the board.

Fishing Big River: what the data says

Leadwood to the Meramec. Sleeper smallmouth water. The river tops out around 8 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.

The outline encloses 5,763 acres, worked by 180.8 miles of shoreline. An index of 17 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. End to end it runs roughly 39.1 mi, about 11.7 mi across. Jefferson County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Meramec River, is 19 mi to the northwest.

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Big River

Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 8 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 8 ft. Put Riffle & run (mile 31.7) first on the milk run — a rock pile near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 31.7) (3 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 31.7) (3 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Riffle & run (mile 31.7) (3 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Current seam (mile 39.8) (4 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Channel Catfish fishing at Big River

Spring channel catfish on Big River hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 8 ft in summer, 2 to 8 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) — creek channel, 6 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 8 ft	dusk	Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (4 ft)
Summer	2 to 8 ft	night & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) (6 ft)
Fall	2 to 8 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) (6 ft)
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) (6 ft)

Longnose Gar fishing at Big River

Spring longnose gar on Big River hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 1 to 8 ft in summer, 2 to 8 ft once it turns cold. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 6 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run midday and the evening. The summer box starts with a rope lure or a small white spinner.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday	Leadwood Tailings Dam tailrace (7 ft)	Rope lure (hookless nylon), Inline spinner (slow)
Summer	1 to 8 ft	midday & dusk	Leadwood Tailings Dam tailrace (7 ft)	Rope lure, Small white spinner
Fall	2 to 8 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1) (6 ft)	Rope lure, Small jerkbait (pause-heavy)
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (4 ft)

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 37 features, led in depth by Leadwood Tailings Dam tailrace at roughly 7 ft.

Leadwood Tailings Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 7 ft
Lake Briarwood Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 7 ft
Fishermans Lake Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 7.5): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 10.6): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 16.2): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 19.6): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 22.1): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 26.4): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 28.6): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 33.6): creek channel, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 46.0): creek channel, around 6 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Brown's Ford Access — ramp
Mammoth Access — ramp
Merrill Horse Access — ramp

Access data: Missouri Department of Conservation — Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Big River fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Missouri waters are set by the Missouri Department of Conservation — and special regulations can apply to Big River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Missouri fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Big River?

Big River is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Big River?

Anglers target smallmouth bass, channel catfish, longnose gar on Big River.

Where is the best fishing spot on Big River?

Riffle & run (mile 31.7) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Big River?

For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Big River?

Fishing on Big River is regulated by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Check the official Missouri regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Meramec River 19 mi · Council Bluff Lake 34 mi · Creve Coeur Lake 40 mi · Baldwin Lake 41 mi, IL · Kaskaskia River 62 mi, IL · Mark Twain National Forest 63 mi · Kinkaid Lake 67 mi, IL · Clearwater Lake 69 mi · Washington County Lake 69 mi, IL · Ben Branch Lake Conservation Area 70 mi · Lake Murphysboro 72 mi, IL · Lake Girardeau 74 mi

See how Big River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Missouri · best channel catfish lakes in Missouri · best longnose gar lakes in Missouri

Browse all Missouri fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.