What's your favorite lake around St. Louis, MO

[Michael Frank]

I really need to get my boat on the water more (I'm still on my second tank of gas.), and hopefully the hectic summer schedule will be slowing down a little by the end of July.



So, for those of you who live in and around St. Louis Missouri, what is your favorite lake to hit for a day trip. (i.e. within a two-hour drive or so.) I'm open to MO or Southern IL lakes.



Thanks in advance.

 

[Staci Matheis]

Truman, just north of Springfield, Missouri is great. I've never had much luck at Mark Twain, although it is beautiful. I made one trip to Lake Shelbyville in Illinois early this year and really liked it.



me!

 

[Mark Hofman]

Mark Twain is the closest (save for Lake Carlisle in Illinois, which can get ferociously windy at times). Lake Kinkaid in Southern Illinois would be another choice. Wappapello is just as far, and much more dangerous to lower units. For a long day trip, head out for the Little Niangua branch of Lake of the Ozarks (about a 3 hour drive). That will be the best fishing, and you won't have to deal with the big cruisers. I haven't fished Long Branch or Thomas Hill, which are west of Mark Twain.

 

[Michael Frank]

Thanks guys, all sound like good suggestions. I am planning on hitting Kinkaid one of these days, and hopefully Lake of the Ozarks this fall.



Has anyone fished Clearwater lake near Piedmont? We used to float the Black river just below the lake, but I've never been to the lake itself.



I'll probably save Tablerock for next year, I'm out of work, so I don't need the extra expense of a hotel room.



Thanks again.

 

[Staci Matheis]

I used to fish Clearwater quite a bit about 4 or 5 years ago.



It's a small lake and takes no time to get from one end to the other with a bass boat. Not much in the way of coves and such to hide from the wakes of pleasure craft on summer weekends - and there are lots of them. During the week it is a pleasant place. I found fishing to be marginal.



Tannycomo is about the same distance and nestled in the same beautiful Ozark hills. Fishing is much better. But the stumps..... Ouch! Your PT175 would be well suited to the lake.



DON'T go near Carlyle on the weekend. Same thing if there is any wind at all. It is just one, big, shallow saucer. The waves and wakes make fishing a miserable experience. During the week, fishing can be quite good - but about the only thing to fish is the rip-rap along the south-western shoreline. I've had a lot of luck running a firetiger spinnerbait parrellel to the rip-rap in about 3' to 9' of water.



me!