Warm-Water Reservoirs In Winter?

[Haris122]

Do you guys know of any warm water reservoirs/lakes/whatever to focus on during winter, and if so mind giving me their names to read up on? In my case I'd be especially interested in ones reasonably close to the St. Louis area (Illinois side included), especially if kayaking is safely doable and permitted there as well.

In years past I've resorted to Meramec Springs, as well as urban trout stocked lakes (as long as they weren't iced over) if I wanted a good chance at catching something in winter from a regular body of water (i.e. flowing water). This winter if it slows down a lot, I'd like to expand my repertoir and check out some of the warm water discharge reservoirs, where one could reasonably expect to catch more than just one type of fish. As of now I know of Thomas Hill Reservoir and if nothing more, I will head out to it at least once, provided fishing with a kayak is legal there. But it is far for me, and naturally if I could find a spot that's less of a drive, it would be better.

So yeah, any leads and/or tips on fishing warm water lakes in winter (if there is anything different to it) would be appreciated.

[Kayser]

Baldwin Lake in IL stays open all winter on the north end. South end closes as a waterfowl refuge, and there is a HP restriction of 50HP. There was a massive fish kill a few years ago (and that director was removed), but I haven't heard anything about it in a while. Blue cats are your best bet from what I know, lots of rough fish as well. Anything that's in the Kaskaskia River (and Mississippi, too) makes its way into the lake as fry, so you get the drift on what's there.

Kayaking? I would say pick days that have very little wind. It's a perched lake, so any wind at all will cause it to kick up whitecaps about halfway across. Or stick to the leeward bank. Bank fishing is allowed the entire length of the north levee, catfish are the most popular target. But I haven't fished it in a few years, so maybe the crappie made a comeback without all those little channel cat.

[countryred]

Thomas Hill's hot water arm is suitable for a kayak. Some of the best fishing is right at the ramp. Hybrid stripers sure could pull you around. Lots of easy to find brush piles around the corner for crappie and bass. Do not go past the island in a kayak if it is even slightly windy. Good fish'n!

[jdmidwest]

Most rivers are ice free all winter and can be kayaked. Any that have trout or smallmouth in them can be productive and floated. I have always like Current River and 11Pt in the winter. I usually make a trip out on Superbowl weekend and listen to the game on the way home Sunday nite. And normally the crowds are thin that time of year.

Nov and Dec are spent hunting for ducks and deer anymore. After that, river fishing trips pick up unless the roads are icy and slick. Another favorite in the winter is the Arkansas trout streams like Spring River, Norfork, and Bull Shoals. As long as the ice does not freeze the guides, fishing is usually pretty good. I enjoy a nice snow fall while fishing sometimes.

[Haris122]

Well I do intend to go fish the rivers as well some, but I feel like kayaking in a river in winter would be more prone to tipping over than in an enclosed body of water. And if it does get as bad as last winter most enclosed water nearby will have a period of several weeks where the water will freeze over but still won't be thick enough to ice fish. On that note JD what would be the nearest non-trout park water to St. Louis where one can expect to have some decent pace of action, catching Smallmouth's (and other fish in general) in the dead of winter? How far below Meramec Spring boundaries does the warm water from the spring still warm water enough to keep them going regularly?

[Al Agnew]

Winter fishing in Ozark streams is mostly a matter of finding the limited spots that hold enough fish to make it worthwhile, and I doubt if you'll get many people to tell you their spots. However, if you want to try to find some on your own, get on Google Earth, go to each public access on the Meramec, and see if it shows a large, deep pool within easy paddling distance. If so, check it out. Same thing with accesses on lower Big River and Bourbeuse River. You can spend a lot of time fishing one big pool the way it's done in the winter, and may or may not find fish. But I'd rather catch little or nothing on a nice river in the winter than in a lake like Baldwin!

[jdmidwest]

Al pretty well summed it up.

As far as close to St Louis, it is hard for me to say. I tend to venture out farther in the winter months for good fishing and most trips are a 3 hour drive for me. And most of the the streams are trout streams because they have the warmer spring waters. But in those waters I catch some nice bass also.

During the summer months, I have plenty of local streams and lakes. But in the winter months, I tend to drive more to the spring fed streams.

[HeWhoFishesSolo]

Harris fish Devil's Kitchen in Illinois for trout (right now).. All through the year its good, but now its great. 10 hp limit. Will have to stop by the CONWR office and get a day pass first though, i dont believe they are available online.

Devils Kitchen (hot/cold like all fisheries) is the best kept secret in so. Illinois.

[HeWhoFishesSolo]

(No smallmouth though, just LMB and nice rainbows, beautiful place)

[HeWhoFishesSolo]

Baldwin yes, its ugly, but its one heck of a fishery.

Give it time, it'll come back. I plan on doing some probing this winter with the old crankbait, we'll see.

I caught smallmouth after the fish kill still of good size, but the numbers were devastated. Good to hear someone was held to account.

That lake the fish have a higher growth rate of any lake i have ever fished. Sounds crazy, but we used to catch these little short STUPMY 4# LMB, what a lake it was. It'll be back.