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573-acre lake near Kirksville. The lake tops out around 43 ft. The depth chart comes from U.S. Geological Survey bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Forest Lake maps at 575 acres behind 14.8 miles of shoreline. The 4.4 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. About 50% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 2.7 mi, about 1.7 mi across. Adair County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Hazel Creek Lake, is 8 mi to the north.
Spring largemouth bass on Forest Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (42 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season crappie use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (42 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring channel catfish on Forest Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 42 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (42 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 35 ft, wintering in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 12 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Creek inflow (2 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (21 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (42 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season bluegill use the shallows, holding in 1 to 6 ft. Summer is a 4 to 15 ft game here, winter a 10 to 25 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Marina / dock area (5 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The chart marks 12 structure features on Forest Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 42 ft.
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 Forest Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Missouri fishing regulations →
Forest Lake is about 43 ft (13 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from U.S. Geological Survey bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, walleye, bluegill on Forest Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For largemouth 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.
Fishing on Forest Lake 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.
Hazel Creek Lake 8 mi · Long Branch Lake 27 mi · Brookfield City Lake 33 mi · Centerville Upper Reservoir 39 mi, IA · Centerville Lower Reservoir 39 mi, IA · Thomas Hill Reservoir 39 mi · Marceline City Lake 40 mi · Lake Fisher 41 mi, IA · Lake Wapello 44 mi, IA · Fountain Grove Conservation Area 47 mi · Fountain Grove Conservation Area 48 mi · Lake Sugema 49 mi, IA
See how Forest Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Missouri · best walleye lakes in Missouri · best crappie lakes in Missouri · best bluegill lakes in Missouri
Browse all Missouri fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: U.S. Geological Survey. 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.