Fishing Forest Lake

Popular Fish Species
Forest Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Amenities
Today's Weather & Forecast
Boat Launch Ramps
Fishing Boat Rentals
Marinas
Local Fishing Guides
Fishing License
Campgrounds & RV Parks
Map
Contact Info

Forest Lake, MO

Popular Fish Species Forest Lake, MO

Black Crappie Fishing

A nice population of black crappie resides in Forest Lake, MO. Crappie tend to run in schools, and once a school is located, there is a good chance for catching significant numbers. Crappie fishing is easy and requires simple, basic gear. Virtually any fishing pole, reasonably small line and crappie jigs or small hooks baited with live bait, creates the ideal setup. Add a bobber and you can set the depth you prefer the bait to maintain. The best time to catch crappie tends to be at dawn and dusk. Live bait and small jigs are the most common method for crappie here. Because crappie prefer cover and structure, locate brush and vegetation in appropriate water depths. Using a fish finder can help locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. In spring and fall focus on the 8 to 12 foot range. As the crappie move deep in summer and winter, follow points out deep, as well as find ledges near channels in deeper water.

Walleye Fishing

Forest Lake, MO is home to a hearty population of walleye. Good fisheries management by the Missouri Department of Conservation and plenty of forage in the lake have them growing fat and healthy. Walleye have excellent vision in low light scenarios which helps them find food in deep or murky water. Make an effort to be on the water anytime there are low light conditions. During May and June is the optimal time to catch them, while feeding in shallower water. Other times of the year they are more likely to roam around in deeper water. Concentrate around structure like points, flats and ledges off the river channels. One of the proven methods for catching walleye here is trolling with spinners tipped with live bait, or trolling with long-billed, deep diving crankbaits. However casting live bait, jigs, worms and spoons also works well at times.

Forest Lake, MO Popular Fish - Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish Fishing

To fish for catfish on Forest Lake, MO, most any rod and reel will work, as long as the line is strong enough. For serious catfish enthusiasts, using the right equipment improves success. A medium action, to medium-heavy action rod is ideal, in the 6' to 7' range. Use a slip sinker or Carolina rig with popular catfish baits on at least 10-pound line. Use sharp hooks with bait holders on the shank, or circle hooks for live bait. Forest Lake has a decent population of channel catfish, and they are eager to bite. The typical fish are about 2 pounds, with larger ones caught frequently. The state record channel catfish is over 34 pounds. Night fishing for catfish often delivers better results than daytime fishing. Fishing for channel catfish is often most productive around any kind of structure in the area. In Spring channel catfish migrate toward incoming water, so stay up river away from the main lake. In early summer look for rocky banks, the bigger the rocks the better. In summer and winter deeper structure is where to look. The river end of the lake is often the area where the bigger catfish are caught. Road beds, creek channels and rocky points are all good places to begin.

Forest Lake Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, black crappie and walleye at Forest Lake in Missouri.

Forest Lake is a 570-acre lake in Thousand Hills State Park - just a couple miles from Kirksville, MO. Recent fisheries management has improved the quantity and quality of most species in the lake, especially bass.

Walleye, largemouth bass, channel catfish, black crappie, and other fish species make their home here. Boats with motors over 90 horsepower are not allowed on the lake. Several areas of the lake have road access to the 17 miles of shoreline around the lake, for fishing from the bank.

Primary fish species residing in Forest Lake

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Forest Lake Amenities

Marina: YES
Boat Rental: YES
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: YES
RV Hookups: YES
Lodging: YES
Convenience Store: YES
Bait & Tackle: YES
Restaurant: YES

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

Thousand Hills State Park Marina
Rentals: Fishing boats, canoes, kayaks and pontoon boats
660 665-3712

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Thousand Hills State Park Boat Ramp
Located mid lake, on the north side of the lake, off Big Loop Trail Road, this is a three-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

Marinas

Thousand Hills State Park Marina
20431 State Hwy 157 S
Kirksville, MO 63501
660 665-3712