Fishing Report For Mark Twain Lake, MO

By Rick Seaman

April 30, 2025

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Mark Twain Lake Fishing Video
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Fishing Report Mark Twain Lake

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Mark Twain Lake, MO

White Crappie

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Spring has arrived here in Missouri, and the crappie fishing has been very good lately. Spring is the premiere time to be on the water here as crappie have moved into shallow coves to feed and spawn. Expect to find crappie in 3 to 6 feet of water. Brush piles, standing trees, laydowns wood and vegetation are good places to cast small crappie jigs or live minnows. Once the spawn is over, and the hot Summer sun warms the shallows, crappie retreat to depths of 10 to 15 feet or deeper. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is ideal. Anglers are reporting good success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

Largemouth Bass

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

The shorelines of Mark Twain Lake are lined with rocks and stumps, both of which are holding bass. The largemouth here are feeding in preparation of the soon-coming spawn. Jigs, Texas-rigged creature baits and vibrating jigs are catching plenty of bass. Plenty of tournaments are held here and anglers enjoy catching lots of limits, including bass over 4 pounds. Stick worms, rigged wacky style, often teases wary bass into striking, and often catches the larger bass.

White Bass

Uncle Buck's Panfish Creatures Curly Tail Minnow Rigged

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good

White bass are starting their spawn run now that the water temperature is in the mid 50's. They are schooling and migrating up the river arms of the lake. The South Fork area is historically a good arm of the lake to fish, and is delivering again this year with some fish exceeding 13 and 14 inches. White bass move upstream into these river area, and running creeks, and congregate for several weeks. Small swimbaits, curly-tail jigs, underspins, small crankbaits, spinners, small jerkbaits, and most any lure that looks like baitfish are catching plenty of fish.

Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, white crappie, walleye, bluegill and white bass at Mark Twain Lake in Missouri.

Mark Twain Lake is an 18,000-acre lake with over 275 miles of shoreline. Largemouth bass are highly sought after here. Catfish, crappie, walleye, white bass and bluegill can also be found in abundance here. There is limited areas for fishing from the bank.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

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Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

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Marinas

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Fishing License

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Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".