A Comprehensive Guide to Fishing in Missouri

Missouri is the starting home state for new players, and is home to many different species of fish, including bass and catfish. However, the methods for catching these fish aren't entierly obvious, and may be lost to new players who aren't familiar with fishing. This guide shall highlight all species of fish in the Missouri area, as well as how to catch them.

Fish Species

The Mudwater River is home to the following fish species:

• Crappie (White Crappie)
  
• Baitfish (Bluegill, Pumpkinseed)
  
• Catfish
  
• Bass
  
• Pike (Grass, Chain Pickerel)

Crappie, baitfish, young catfish and bass, and grass pickerel can be fished with angling (using bait) whereas fully grown catfish, bass and chain pickerel can be caught with spinning.

Crappie/Baitfish

Method: Angling
Bait: Bread/Dough Balls
Hook size: #6 or smaller
Location: Summer Days/Pike Challenge
Time: Any

Notes: This section is mostly here just for completion, you shouldn't have too much trouble catching Bluegill and Crappie, especially considering that most newbies complain that they're all they catch. Just use small hooks, bread for bait, and cast near the shore. Pumpkinseed, however, is more specific, as you'll need the more smaller hooks, and they tend to only appear in the early morning.

Bass

Method: Angling/Spinning
Bait: Red Worms | Lure: Spoon/Bass Jig
Hook size: #6
Luring Method: Stop&Go
Location: Summer Days
Time: Any

Notes: You can catch bass with a angling rod, however, you'll need a spinning rod in order to fish fully grown fish, bait will only attract young bass, however, all the gear you'll need to catch them will be available at earlier levels.

In order to catch these bass, equip a #6 sized hook and use red worms as bait, and cast in this general location in the left-side on Summer Days. There may be a few bites from baitfish, but the majority should be bass.



Fishing with a spinner rod can produce fully sized Largemouth Bass, however, you'll still catch a few young bass if you're not using the 1/4 oz. #2/0 Bass Jig, which can only be bought with gold coins. Casting in this general location and using a Stop&Go method tends to get the bass biting.

Catfish

Method: Angling
Bait: Cheese/Pet Food/Cutbait
Hook size: #6 or larger
Length: 99in
Location: Summer Days
Time: Afternoon (3 PM or later)


Notes: With smaller hooks and less specific bait, Catfish will tend to be of the younger variety, but using better quality bait and larger hooks will lead to bigger Catfish. In addition, Catfish don't always pull the bobber straight down, sometimes requiring you to hook it when the bobber is vibrating on the surface.

Pike (Pickerel)

Method: Spinning
Lure: Casting Spoon
Luring Method: Straight
Location: Summer Days/Pike Challenge
Time: Noon or later (Chain) Any (Grass)

Notes: Chain Pickerel can be found fishing to the left, upstream from Pike Challenge, just aim for the log and cast out. Note that Chain Pickerel can only be caught later than noon, so the best time to fish for them is 3-5 PM, where it's the peak of either a cloudy or sunny day.







Grass Pickerel, meanwhile, can be caught to the right in Summer Days. Note that Grass Pickerel can be a pain to catch, as you must cast near the shore and you risk catching your hook in the nearby log, and needing to cut your line. In addition, both types of Pickerel tend to reside near the bottom of the river, so make sure your lure is near the bottom or middle by the indicator.

Comments?

The nature of this game makes it a bit difficult to verify information. If I got anything wrong, or you have technique not in the guide, leave a comment below!

[mnmmacd2013]

Is this guide still relevant in 2023?

[vufzy;]

Do rocky lake please

[Chuchuco]

[Stellar]

You can get bigger cats with shiners also.

[Wattz]

ok

[Pylow]

hi

[Greenthumb]

HOHOHOHO

[ArcticViper]

Great guide! Followed it for Bass and Catfish and had immediate results! :) Also worked within the lattest update (UPDATE 0.3.0). Thanks heaps!!!

[sonyshane1972]

helpful

[Nos]

its harder to catch catfish after most recent patch it seems :/
anyone got any solutions/tips?