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220-acre lake in Mercer County, Missouri. The lake tops out around 40 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Lake Paho runs 252 acres with 6.7 miles of edge. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 84% of this chart, as modeled. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.5 mi with a 0.8-mi widest point. You'll find it in Mercer County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lake Paho Conservation Area, 2 mi northwest of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 15 ft before dropping to 10 to 25 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (34 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 25 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Winter channel catfish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 34 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (34 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (34 ft) |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 34 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (34 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 5 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (34 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 34 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Lake Paho specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Missouri fishing regulations →
Lake Paho is about 40 ft (12 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.
Anglers target bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass on Lake Paho.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For bluegill, 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 Lake Paho 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.
Lake Paho Conservation Area 2 mi · Nine Eagles Lake 14 mi, IA · The Wayne Helton Memorial Wildlife Area 15 mi · Slip Bluff Lake 20 mi, IA · North Bethany City Reservoir 20 mi · Crowder State Park Lake 22 mi · Harrison County Lake 22 mi · Bob White Lake 25 mi, IA · Little River Watershed Lake 26 mi, IA · Corydon Reservoir 29 mi, IA · Jamesport Community Lake 30 mi · Humeston Reservoir 34 mi, IA
See how Lake Paho stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Missouri · best crappie lakes in Missouri · best bluegill lakes in Missouri · best channel catfish 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.