New to Missouri fishing

[Granny]

I am new to the Forum and am excited to get my first Missouri fishing trip under my belt!  Yes, you read that correctly, my first Missouri trip.  My wife and I decided to look for open water for our spring break, gotta get away from home and our classrooms to do some fishing.  We are from Minnesota and follow the philosophy of "have boat, will travel" as we fish many of the bigger waters Minnesota has.  We will be getting our lines wet at Stockton Lake starting on Monday next week and are excited to try to start learning a new lake, get into warmer weather, and leave ice covered lakes (still around 20 inches on the lake we live on) behind us for a number of days.  

In Minnesota, the main target fish is walleye, crappie, L and S bass, and northern pike.  Are there any unique fishing opportunities near Stockton as one of the items on my bucket list is to fish in all 50 states?

Thanks!

Jeff

 

[jdmidwest]

Stockton has all but maybe the Northern Pike, you may have to go over to Pomme De Tere and catch a Musky.

[fishinwrench]

Welcome. 👋

If you truly want to experience Missouri fishing you must pursue the revered, and soon to be extinct, McCloud Rainbow. 😉

[MrGiggles]

I'm a transplant, originally from the Detroit Lakes area.

No pike in the state. Pomme De Terre has a pretty good musky population though.

The crappie fishing has been excellent on Stockton this year. Start looking in the mouths of bigger coves, and in creek arms. 

Walleye should be close to spawning if they haven't already. Check the points close to the dam at dusk, there's usually a pretty decent crowd of boats anchored up there fishing for them at dusk.

Stockton is a big lake and fishes totally different from one end to the other. It would be good to know where you're planning on fishing.

Only thing unique I can think of is spoonbill. Season is open now, maybe you could book a guide. Stockton is pretty close to the Osceola/Taberville area on the Osage river.

[Granny]

We are staying at a placed in Stockton itself.  We will likely fish from that area.  Been looking at paper maps of the lake.  Looks like it could be a lot of fun.  Exploring and learning new bodies of water is always something I enjoy.

Thanks for the welcome and info.    

[Johnsfolly]

50 minutes ago, Granny said:

We are staying at a placed in Stockton itself.  We will likely fish from that area.  Been looking at paper maps of the lake.  Looks like it could be a lot of fun.  Exploring and learning new bodies of water is always something I enjoy.

Thanks for the welcome and info.    

I don't know much about that lake since I have never fished it before. Seems from reports that there are decent chances at walleye, bass, crappie, etc. Hope that you do well and post a report or two. We do like photos 😁.

I saw that you want to catch a fish in every state. How many states have you caught a fish?

I'm up to 29 states and hoping to get at least three more this year, VT, NH, and ME. That will finish out the eastern seaboard states for me. Then I need to focus on the upper midwest states, e.g., WI, MN, ND, SD, MI, etc. and the western states.

[MrGiggles]

1 hour ago, Granny said:

We are staying at a placed in Stockton itself.  We will likely fish from that area.  Been looking at paper maps of the lake.  Looks like it could be a lot of fun.  Exploring and learning new bodies of water is always something I enjoy.

Thanks for the welcome and info.    

If you want to some snagging for spoonbill, I have buddy that is doing some pretty reasonable guide trips this year. 

If you're staying in Stockton then I'd say you could put in at Orleans or the city ramp and fish the dam area, or Hawker and run down towards Mutton. CC/Greenfield is really popular this time of year as well but the ramp is a zoo.

[FishnDave]

Welcome!  I'm from Iowa, originally...a couple species I was excited to catch once I moved to MO were Kentucky Spotted Bass and Longear Sunfish.  I'm guessing you may not have had access to those in MN?  Also Chain Pickerel!

Best of luck to you, and please share your successes here!

[DADAKOTA]

Plan which ramps to use and areas of the lake to fish based on the predicted winds.  Areas on Stockton can get up and ugly in no time.

[Granny]

I have heard that about the wind.  From the map it looks like, depending on the direction, the wind could get a 10 mile stretch to really get the water moving.  I would be glad to post pics from our adventure to Missouri.  My wife and I get sick of looking at a sheet of ice for 4-5 months and are hoping to find an area that becomes our spring break destination for fishing.

Thanks for the info on the landings.  Angie does quite a bit of the backing in at landings here in MN.  Most guys have a tendency to give her some grace because their wives won't even try to back the boat in.  Looking at some responses, I will probably do the backing in while she takes the truck and trailer out and parks it.