| When fishing the waters of Missouri, catfish fishing | | | | You should also check out warm water rivers for |
| will produce any number of the three largest | | | | small channel cats, including the Elk River downstream |
| freshwater catfish in the country - blues, channels, | | | | from Noel, portions of the Mississippi River especially |
| and flatheads. You'll find them in all sizes and in | | | | near St. Louis, and Big River in St. Francis County. |
| several different locations in the state. | | | | For larger channel cats in Missouri, catfish fishing is |
| Unfortunately, because of a number of environmental | | | | abundant mainly in the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. |
| concerns (start with soil erosion and add pollution, | | | | While the state record for pole and line channel cat |
| gravel mining, and reservoir construction) have | | | | fishing is nearly 35 pounds, you can regularly reel in |
| affected the bullhead catfish population, so while you | | | | 10- and 20-pounders in these areas. However, |
| can find a few bullheads large enough to consider in | | | | trophy-sized channel cats are minimal and rarely |
| some of the prairie streams, you should not overly | | | | found within the state. |
| concern yourself with this species in this state. | | | | For the best chance of finding one of the larger |
| However, Missouri catfish fishing can be found in | | | | specimens, fish the lower areas of the tributaries |
| almost any area of the state, especially if you are | | | | flowing into the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers in May |
| searching for small channel cats. In fact, most people | | | | and June. You could also pay a visit to either Lake |
| who desire a quite catfishing excursion don't even | | | | Jacomo or Nodaway County Community Lake, which |
| have to leave town to find a good catch. Light tackle | | | | are renowned for containing a greater number of |
| angling is extremely popular because there are a lot | | | | large channel catfish than other areas of the state. |
| of urban lakes that are stocked with channel catfish | | | | If you are searching for blues in Missouri, catfish |
| that are sizeable enough for harvest several times a | | | | fishing should concentrate on the Mississippi River, the |
| year. | | | | Missouri River, or the Osage River, since the Missouri |
| Most individuals living in the state are within a bus trip, | | | | Department of Conservation doesn't stock blue |
| bike ride, or even walk of a great Missouri catfish | | | | catfish outside of its native habitat any longer. |
| fishing locale. Ponds provide some of the best | | | | Find a slow or moderate current with shallow water |
| locations to catch small channel cats, with several | | | | that is preferably less than ten feet deep, and use |
| impoundments provided by the Missouri Department | | | | river worms or bits of shad to attract the fish. For |
| of Conservation, including Binder Lake (Jefferson | | | | larger blue cats, target the deepest current-washed |
| County), Crane Lake (Iron County), Blue Springs Lake | | | | holes, using only shad or river herring to attract the |
| (near Kansas City), and many more. | | | | trophy-sized catch. |