Permits and Regulations

All trout fishing areas require a Missouri fishing permit or exemption.

Permit prices as of March 2007 are:

A trout permit is required to possess trout, except in areas where a daily trout fishing tag is required. Must also have a fishing permit or qualify for an exemption.

A trout permit is required for all fishing in winter catch-and-release fishing in trout parks; and for all fishing year-round in Lake Taneycomo upstream from U.S. Highway 65 bridge.

Trout Lure Definitions

Fly
an artificial lure constructed on a single point hook, using any material except soft plastic bait and natural and scented baits as defined below, that is tied, glued or otherwise permanently attached.
Artificial Lure
a lure constructed of any material excluding soft plastic bait and natural and scented bait as defined below.
Soft Plastic Bait
synthetic eggs, synthetic worms, synthetic grubs and soft plastic lures.
Natural and Scented Baits
a natural fish food such as bait fish, crayfish, frogs permitted as bait, grubs, insects, larvae, worms, salmon eggs, cheese, corn and other food substances not containing any ingredient to stupefy, injure or kill fish. This does not include flies or artificial lures. It does include dough bait, putty or paste-type bait, any substance designed to attract fish by taste or smell and any fly, lure or bait containing or used with such substances.
Blue Ribbon Trout Areas
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Barren Fork Creek 3.2 miles Shannon County Road AD to its junction with Sinking Creek a At least 18 inches 1 Artificial lures and flies only
Blue Springs Creek 4.0 miles Crawford Blue Springs to its junction with the Meramec River a At least 18 inches 1 Artificial lures and flies only
Crane Creek 8.0 miles Stone and Lawrence Upstream from Quail Spur Road crossing on Stone County Road 13-195 a At least 18 inches 1 Artificial lures and flies only
Current River 9.0 miles Dent, Texas and Shannon From the lower boundary at Montauk State Park to Cedargrove Bridge a At least 18 inches 1 Artificial lures and flies only
Eleven Point River 5.5 miles Oregon Greer Spring Branch junction to Turner Mill Access a At least 18 inches 1 Artificial lures and flies only
Little Piney Creek 9.9 miles Phelps Phelps/Dent county line downstream to Milldam Hollow Access a At least 18 inches 1 Artificial lures and flies only
Mill Creek 7.7 miles Phelps Yelton Springs to the Little Piney River, including Wilkins Spring and its spring branch a At least 18 inches 1 Artificial lures and flies only
North Fork of the White River 8.6 miles Ozark Upper outlet of Rainbow Springs to Patrick Bridge a At least 18 inches 1 Artificial lures and flies only
Spring Creek 6.2 miles Phelps Relfe Spring to the Big Piney River a At least 18 inches 1 Artificial lures and flies only
Red Ribbon Trout Areas
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Meramec River 8.2 miles Phelps and Crawford From Highway 8 bridge to Scotts Ford, and on Dry Fork Creek from the elevated cable crossing to the Meramec River a At least 15 inches 2 Artificial lures and flies only
North Fork of the White River 7.0 miles Ozark The unimpounded portion of the river and its tributaries from Patrick Bridge to Norfork Lake a At least 15 inches 2 All
Roubidoux Creek 2.2 miles Pulaski Downstream of the elevated utility cable, approximately 1/2 mile below Business I-44 bridge in Waynesville to the Gasconade River a At least 15 inches 2 Artificial lures and flies only
White Ribbon Trout Areas
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Capps Creek 2.0 miles Barry and Newton Approximately 2 miles upstream from its junction with Shoal Creek a Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 All
Current River 7.7 miles Dent and Shannon Downstream from Cedargrove Bridge a Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 All
Eleven Point River 14.2 miles Oregon Downstream from Turner Mill Access a Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 All
Hickory Creek 2.7 miles Newton From Highway 86 bridge to Shoal Creek a Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 from March 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Feb. 28 All from March 1–Oct. 31, artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Feb. 28
Little Piney Creek 3.7 miles Phelps Milldam Hollow Access downstream to Phelps County Road 7360 a Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 All
Niangua River 11.5 miles Dallas and Laclede All of the Niangua River and its tributaries a Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 All
Roaring River 4.0 miles Barry From the lower boundary of Roaring River State Park to Table Rock Lake a Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 All
Roubidoux Creek 0.9 miles Pulaski Upstream of the elevated utility cable, approx. 1/2 mile below Bus. I-44 bridge in Waynesville a Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 All
Stone Mill Spring Branch1 0.3 miles Pulaski The entire spring branch, from the spring to the Big Piney River a Rainbow trout–none. 4 from March 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–last day in Feb. All from March 1–Oct. 31, artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–last day in Feb.
Trout Parks
March 1 - October 31
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Bennett Spring State Park 1.5 miles Dallas and Laclede As posted acd Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 As posted
Maramec Spring Park
(Open daily from the second Mon. in Nov. to the second Mon. in Feb. ) 		0.7 miles Phelps As posted acd Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 As posted
Montauk State Park 3.0 miles Dent As posted acd Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 As posted
Roaring River State Park 3.0 miles Barry As posted acd Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 15 inches 4 As posted
Trout Parks
Fri.–Mon. from the second Fri. in Nov. to the second Mon. in Feb.		 As posted All four trout parks As posted Winter catch-and-release season; all trout must be released unharmed immediately after being caught. 0 Flies only
Lake Taneycomo
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Lake Taneycomo 3.0 miles Taney From the closed zone 760 feet below Table Rock Dam to the mouth of Fall Creek a b Rainbow trout–less than 12 inches or greater than 20 inches. Brown trout–at least 20 inches 4, except only 1 may be a brown trout Artificial lures and flies only
Lake Taneycomo 19.7 miles Taney Mouth of Fall Creek to Powersite Dam, and all tributaries to Lake Taneycomo a b Rainbow trout–none. Brown trout–at least 20 inches long. 4, except only 1 may be a brown trout All
Columbia Winter Trout Area
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Cosmo-Bethel Lake 6.0 acres Boone All None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
Jackson Winter Trout Area
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Rotary Lake 3.2 acres Cape Girardeau All d None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
Jefferson City Winter Trout Area
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
McKay Park Lake 6.0 acres Cole All None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
Kansas City Winter Trout Areas
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Alex George Park Lake 8.0 acres Jackson All None 4 All
Chaumiere Park Lake 4.0 acres Clay All None 4 All
Coot Lake on the James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area 22.0 acres Jackson All None 4 All
Honker Pond on the James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area 1.0 acre Jackson Anglers under age 16 only None 4 All
Plover Lake on the James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area 15.0 acres Jackson All None 4 All
Kirksville Winter Trout Area
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Spur Pond 3.6 acres Adair All   None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31,
catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31		 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
Mexico Winter Trout Area
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Kiwanis Lake 3.0 acres Audrain All None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
St. Joseph Winter Trout Area
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Missouri Western State University, Everyday Pond 2.0 acres Buchanan All None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 15, catch and release from Oct. 16–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
St. Louis Winter Trout Areas
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Busch Lake 22 4.1 acres St. Charles All d,f None 4 All
Busch Lake 23 4.0 acres St. Charles All d,f None 4 All
Busch Lake 24 3.1 acres St. Charles All d,f None 4 All
Carondelet Park Boathouse Lake 5.0 acres St. Louis All d,f None 4 All
January-Wabash Park Lake 5.0 acres St. Louis All d,f None 4 All
O'Fallon Park Lake 5.3 acres St. Louis All d,f None 4 All
Suson Park Lake 1 1.5 acres St. Louis All d,f None 4 All
Suson Park Lake 2 3.0 acres St. Louis All d,f None 4 All
Suson Park Lake 3 3.5 acres St. Louis All d,f None 4 All
Vlasis Park Lake 0.5 acres St. Louis All d,f None 4 All
Busch Lake 21 6.0 acres St. Charles All d e None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
Busch Lake 28 12.0 acres St. Charles All d e None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
Jefferson Lake 9.0 acres St. Louis All d e None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
Koeneman Park Lake 6.0 acres St. Louis All d e None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
Tilles Park Lake 2.0 acres St. Louis All d e None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
Walker Lake 2.0 acres St. Louis All d e None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
Wild Acres Lake 2.5 acres St. Louis All d e None 4 from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, catch and release from Nov. 1–Jan. 31 All from Feb. 1–Oct. 31, only artificial lures and flies from Nov. 1–Jan. 31
Sedalia Winter Trout Area
Trout Water Miles or Area County Area Key Length Limit Daily Limit Authorized Lures and Baits
Liberty Park Pond 3.2 acres Pettis All   None 4; except from Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 all trout must be released unharmed immediately after being caught All, except from Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 when only artificial lures and flies may be used.

Key

  1. Regardless of where taken, the head, tail and skin must remain attached to all fish for which length limits are established while on the waters (or banks) to which the length limit apply.
  2. Additional permits may be required.
  3. Area regulations, fishing methods and zones vary. Ask for details when you purchase your tag.
  4. From Nov. 1—Jan. 31, not more than one pole and line may be used by one person at any time and the use of natural and scented baits as chum is prohibited.
  5. From Feb. 1—Oct. 31, you must stop fishing for all species when you have four trout in possession.
  6. You must stop fishing for all species when you have four trout in possession.