Fishing in Bates County, Missouri
Courthouse in Butler. MDC manages its fish from the MDC Kansas City Region.
- 2lake pages
- 8ramps
- 3river pages
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Bates County, read for its lakes and creeks
Butler is the seat of Bates County, which held 16,042 residents at the 2020 Census. Its area splits into 837 square miles of land and 14.7 of water by Census figures. Fisheries staff from the MDC Kansas City Region work these waters.
2 lakes here have full pages, 163 acres together, with Harmony Mission Lake the largest. MDC and the Corps map 8 public ramps in all, and 0 carry the accessible mark. Habitat work shows up as 14 attractor points across 2 lakes. Without a boat, the MDC list offers 2 fishing docks and 0 jetties, with 0 cleaning stations.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer areas; MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines, boat ramp/access, dock, jetty and fish attractor layers; USACE ramp layers; retrieved October 2026.
Every MDC ramp in Bates County on the map
MDC boat ramp/access and dock layers, USACE ramps, MDC lake label points and MDC stream access areas. Checked October 2026.
Lakes in Bates County with their own guides
| Lake | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harmony Mission Lake | 93 | 1 | ||
| Butler City Lake | 70 | 1 |
These lake pages just outside Bates County are the shortest drives from Butler.
| Lake | From Butler | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 3 Lake | 15 miles south | 21 | 1 | ||
| Four Rivers Reservoir | 17 miles south | 134 | 2 | ||
| Amarugia Highlands Lake | 20 miles north | 41 | 1 | ||
| Montrose Lake | 22 miles east | 1,444 | 3 | ||
| Schell Lake | 22 miles southeast | 287 | 3 | ||
| Atkinson Lake | 23 miles southeast | 434 | 1 | 10 hp limit | largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill |
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines (GIS acres), MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects species and boating notes; retrieved October 2026.
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Around Butler, out to 50 miles, channel catfish appears on the most lake pages.
Species named in MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects text, the MDC state record list and MDC trout program waters, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a full survey.
Lesser MDC water around Bates County
These 9 Bates County waters appear on the MDC outline layer without a page, 9 of them numbered pools or ponds on conservation areas.
| Water | Acres | Attractors | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pit 6, Peabody Conservation Area | 8 | 0 | Rich Hill |
| Pit 1, Peabody Conservation Area | 7 | 0 | Rich Hill |
| Pit 3, Peabody Conservation Area | 6 | 0 | Rich Hill |
| Pit 2, Peabody Conservation Area | 4 | 0 | Rich Hill |
| Pond 6, Settle's Ford Conservation Area | 4 | 0 | Creighton |
| Pit 4, Peabody Conservation Area | 3 | 0 | Rich Hill |
| Pit 5, Peabody Conservation Area | 3 | 0 | Rich Hill |
| Pond 4, Settle's Ford Conservation Area | 1 | 0 | Creighton |
| Pond 5, Settle's Ford Conservation Area | 1 | 0 | Creighton |
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines and fish attractor layer, retrieved October 2026.
Streams and float water of Bates County
- Osage River7 MDC ramps, 7 access areas, 276 mi in Missouri
- South Grand River2 MDC ramps, 2 access areas, 106 mi in Missouri
- Muddy Creek, Bates County1 access area, 17 mi in Missouri
Bates County creeks on the MDC access list (2)
- Bates County Drainage Ditch2 MDC access areas
- Miami Creek1 MDC access area
Streamflow stations of Bates County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Osage River Above Schell City, Mo | 769 cfs, 6.62 ft gage height | Oct 1 12:45 am Not updated since Oct 1, 2010. |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 9:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
MDC stream access areas and boat ramps, MDC trout and smallmouth management layers, USGS NHD lengths and USGS gauges; retrieved October 2026.
Ramps, jetties and docks inside Bates County
- Butler City LakeButler City Lake, boat ramp, parking, privy nearby
- Harmony Mission Lake Conservation AreaHarmony Mission Lake, boat ramp, parking, privy nearby
- Old Town AccessMDC area, boat ramp, parking
- Peabody Conservation Area, Pit 1Pit 1, boat ramp, parking
- Peabody Conservation Area, Pit 2Pit 2, boat ramp, parking
- Peabody Conservation Area, Pit 4Pit 4, boat ramp, parking
- August A. Busch Jr. Memorial Wetlands at Four Rivers Conservation AreaMDC area, boat ramp, parking
- August A. Busch Jr. Memorial Wetlands at Four Rivers Conservation Area (north ramp)MDC area, boat ramp, parking
Dock and jetty sites across Bates County (2)
- Fishing dock at Butler City Lake1 dock, 1 accessible
- Fishing dock at Harmony Mission Lake, Harmony Mission Lake Conservation Area1 dock, 1 accessible
MDC boat ramp/access, fishing dock, jetty and cleaning station layers; USACE Little Rock District ramp layers; retrieved October 2026.
The nearest tackle counters to Bates County
- Dains Fish Farmbait and tackle shop, Schell City, 26 miles
- Bait & Morebait and tackle shop, Clinton, 32 miles
- Boon Docks Marine Servicemarina, El Dorado Springs, 32 miles
- Everhart Outdoor Supplybait and tackle shop, Clinton, 32 miles
- Nicks Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Pleasant Hill, 37 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; straight-line distances from Butler.
The 2026 booklet rows that cover Bates County
Statewide limits govern Bates County water; the special-regulation bullets after them override.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky) | 6 a day | All year |
| Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky) (Ozark streams) | 6 a day; 12" minimum | May 23, 2026–Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Channel catfish | 10 a day | All year |
| Blue catfish | 5 a day | All year |
| Flathead catfish | 5 a day | All year |
| Crappie (black and white) | 30 a day | All year |
| Goggle-eye (Ozark, rock, and shadow bass) and warmouth | 15 a day; 7" minimum | All year |
| Muskellunge | 1 (daily limit is 1 muskellunge or 1 northern pike); 36" minimum | All year |
| Northern pike | 1 (daily limit is 1 muskellunge or 1 northern pike) | All year |
| Paddlefish (spoonbill) | 2 a day; 32" minimum (eye to fork of tail) | March 15–April 30 |
| Pickerel (chain and grass) | 6 a day | All year |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | 10 a day; 30" maximum (snout to fork of tail) | All year |
| Trout (rainbow and brown) | 4 a day; Rainbow: none; Brown: 15" minimum in streams | All year |
| Walleye and sauger | 4 a day; 15" minimum | All year |
| White, yellow, and striped bass and their hybrids | 15 a day; No more than 4 longer than 18" | All year |
Booklet bullets that name Bates County water (6)
| Water | Where | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Harry S. Truman Reservoir | Lakewide | Black bass — 15" minimum length limit on largemouth and smallmouth bass; 12" minimum length limit on spotted bass |
| Harry S. Truman Reservoir | Lakewide | Crappie — 9" minimum length limit; 15 fish daily limit |
| Harry S. Truman Reservoir | Lakewide | Nongame fish — Snagging, snaring, and grabbing are allowed from March 15 through April 30 only. |
| Harry S. Truman Reservoir | On the lake and its tributaries | Paddlefish — 34" minimum body length, measured from eye to fork of tail |
| Harry S. Truman Reservoir | On the lake and its tributaries | No person shall continue to snag, snare, or grab for any species after taking a daily limit of 2 paddlefish. |
| Harry S. Truman Reservoir | On the lake and its tributaries | Blue catfish — 26" to 34" protected slot length limit; 10 fish daily and possession limit; the daily limit may not contain more than 2 blue catfish more than 34". |
Limits and seasons as printed in A Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations 2026 (MDC, effective March 1, 2026), page 20 (booklet PDF); retrieved October 27, 2026. Rules as printed in A Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations 2026 (MDC, effective March 1, 2026) (booklet PDF, Special Regulations on Large Lakes and on Rivers and Streams); checked against the current Wildlife Code October 27, 2026.
Missouri record fish tied to Bates County
Closest record-fish waters to Bates County, within 70 miles, follow.
| Species | Weight | Method | Water | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotted Bass | 2 lbs. 11 oz. | jug line | Harry S Truman Lake | May 11, 2016 | MDC record list |
| Smallmouth Bass | 7 lbs. 2 oz. | pole and line | Stockton Lake | Dec. 18, 1994 | MDC record list |
| Black Buffalo | 55 lbs. 9 oz. | pole and line | Stockton Lake | Oct. 13, 2024 | MDC news release |
MDC State Record Fish list (first page of 135 records readable) and MDC news releases, retrieved October 2026.
Not far from Bates County
Overnight bases across Bates County
- Butlerpop. 4,220
- Adrianpop. 1,730
- Rich Hillpop. 1,232
Short drives from Bates County by county
- Cass County27 miles north
- Vernon County28 miles south
- Henry County31 miles east
- St. Clair County34 miles southeast
A Piscifun kit to carry to Bates County
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Lakes and streams close to Bates County, pictured
Photo: mostateparks, Public domain
Photo: MoBikeFed, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: MoBikeFed, CC BY 2.0
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A fishing day in Bates County, sorted out
Which ramps in Bates County are on the MDC list?
8 public ramps; MDC marks 0 accessible.
Which Bates County impoundment spreads widest on the MDC map?
Harmony Mission Lake, at 93 acres on its MDC outline.
Which fish do MDC reports name near Bates County?
Channel catfish lead the count of lake pages within 50 miles that MDC reports name, followed by crappie, largemouth bass and rainbow trout.
What shops in Bates County carry fishing gear?
None inside the lines; see the nearby shops.
Does Bates County have resident fishing guides?
No guide lists an address here; the statewide guides page has the rest.
In which Show-Me town does Bates County keep its offices?
Butler is the seat.
Do Bates County trout waters need an extra MDC permit?
A Show-Me State fishing permit runs $14 resident or $57 nonresident, with a $9 option for one day.
Which county pages sit beside Bates County on the map?
Neighbours by distance: Cass County, Vernon County and Henry County.
Which MDC region covers Bates County?
MDC places it in the MDC Kansas City Region.
Which Bates County lakes break from statewide limits?
The 2026 booklet prints 6 special-regulation bullets naming this area, starting with Harry S. Truman Reservoir; the table above shows each.
Float or fish the streams of Bates County
Read the special rules before keeping fish.