Fishing in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Courthouse in Jackson. MDC manages its fish from the MDC Southeast Region.
- 3lake pages
- 6ramps
- 5river pages
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Sizing up Cape Girardeau County before a fishing trip
81,710 Missourians called Cape Girardeau County home in 2020; the county seat is Jackson. Land runs to 579 square miles and water to 7.8, per the Census Gazetteer. Lake and stream management here falls to the MDC Southeast Region. A border river, the Mississippi River, runs along this area.
Together the 3 paged lakes add up to 153 acres, topped by Lake Girardeau. Count 6 public ramps on the public lists, including 1 with an accessible flag. Docks and jetties: 5 fishing docks, 0 jetties and 0 cleaning stations appear on MDC maps. The trout list for this area takes in Rotary Lake and Capaha Park Lake.
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.
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MDC boat ramp/access and dock layers, USACE ramps, MDC lake label points and MDC stream access areas. Checked October 2026.
Which Cape Girardeau County lakes have full pages
| Lake | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Girardeau | 144 | 1 | ||
| Rotary Lake | 5 | 0 | rainbow trout | |
| Capaha Park Lake | 3 | 0 | rainbow trout |
Cape Girardeau County anglers in Jackson reach these outside lakes first.
| Lake | From Jackson | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tywappity Community Lake | 13 miles south | 36 | 1 | ||
| Legion Lake 1 | 26 miles northwest | 9 | 0 | rainbow trout | |
| Perry County Community Lake | 27 miles northwest | 90 | 2 | hybrid striped bass, largemouth bass, crappie | |
| Delaney (Robert G.) Lake | 33 miles southeast | 113 | 1 | ||
| Recreational Complex Lake | 34 miles south | 6 | 0 | rainbow trout | |
| Fredericktown City Lake | 38 miles west | 81 | 2 |
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines (GIS acres), MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects species and boating notes; retrieved October 2026.
Fish named in MDC reports near Cape Girardeau County
Each bar is the number of lake pages within 50 miles of Jackson that list the fish, led by rainbow trout.
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.
Ponds in Cape Girardeau County listed without a page
A further 17 ponds and small lakes in Cape Girardeau County carry MDC outlines but little else, 12 of them numbered pools or ponds on conservation areas.
| Water | Acres | Attractors | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boutin Lake | 20 | 0 | Pocahontas |
| North Park Lake | 8 | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| South Park Lake | 6 | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| Pond 2, Maintz Wildlife Preserve | 3 | 0 | Millersville |
| Pond 3, Maintz Wildlife Preserve | 2 | 0 | Millersville |
| Litz Park Lake | 2 | 0 | Jackson |
| Pond 4, Maintz Wildlife Preserve | 2 | 0 | Oak Ridge |
| Kids Fishing Pond | 2 | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| Pond 5, Maintz Wildlife Preserve | 1 | 0 | Oak Ridge |
| Pond 1, Maintz Wildlife Preserve | 1 | 0 | Millersville |
| Pond 2, Apple Creek Conservation Area | 1 | 0 | New Wells |
| Pond 1, Apple Creek Conservation Area | 0 | 0 | New Wells |
| Pond 8, Maintz Wildlife Preserve | 0 | 0 | Oak Ridge |
| Pond 3, Apple Creek Conservation Area | 0 | 0 | New Wells |
| Pond 6, Maintz Wildlife Preserve | 0 | 0 | Oak Ridge |
| Pond 9, Maintz Wildlife Preserve | 0 | 0 | Millersville |
| Pond 7, Maintz Wildlife Preserve | 0 | 0 | Oak Ridge |
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines and fish attractor layer, retrieved October 2026.
Moving water to fish in Cape Girardeau County
- Mississippi River7 access areas, 466 mi in Missouri
- Upper Whitewater Creek1 access area, 79 mi in Missouri
- Crooked Creek1 access area, 48 mi in Missouri
- Apple Creek1 access area, 47 mi in Missouri
- Castor River Diversion Channel2 access areas, 34 mi in Missouri
Smaller Cape Girardeau County streams with an MDC access (1)
- Sloan Creek1 MDC access area
How Cape Girardeau County creeks are flowing on USGS gauges
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River At Cape Girardeau, Mo | 20.02 ft gage height | Nov 11 9:00 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 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.
Where Cape Girardeau County anglers go for stocked rainbows
Cold-season rainbow trout are stocked in Rotary Lake and Capaha Park Lake. Keeping trout takes a Missouri trout permit on top of the fishing permit: $12 for residents and $24 for nonresidents 16 and older.
MDC trout program statements (2026 regulations booklet, MDC news releases and area pages); MDC publishes no per-water stocking table; trout areas and trout parks as printed in the 2026 regulations booklet pp. 24 to 27.
Public ramps and fishing docks across Cape Girardeau County
- Apple Creek Conservation AreaMDC area, boat ramp, parking
- Block Hole AccessMDC area, boat ramp, parking
- Headwaters AccessMDC area, boat ramp, parking
- Lake Girardeau Conservation AreaLake Girardeau, boat ramp, accessible, parking, privy nearby
- Old Plantation AccessMDC area, boat ramp, parking
- Red Star Access on Mississippi River-MiddleMississippi River-Middle, boat ramp, parking, privy nearby
MDC docks and jetties, Cape Girardeau County (3)
- Fishing dock at Rotary Lake1 dock, 1 accessible
- Fishing docks at Capaha Park Lake, Cape Girardeau City2 docks, 2 accessible
- Fishing docks at Lake Girardeau, Lake Girardeau Conservation Area2 docks
MDC boat ramp/access, fishing dock, jetty and cleaning station layers; USACE Little Rock District ramp layers; retrieved October 2026.
Missouri limits anglers follow in Cape Girardeau County
For Cape Girardeau County, the statewide table is the default and the named waters below differ.
| 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 |
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.
Where Cape Girardeau County meets another state's water
On the Missouri, Mississippi and St. Francis rivers a neighbouring state's permit is honoured on the shared channel; Missouri tributaries need a Missouri permit at $14 for residents or $57 for nonresidents.
| Water | Border note |
|---|---|
| Mississippi River | state-line river |
Border water entries and permit fees as printed in A Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations 2026 (MDC, effective March 1, 2026); MDC outline shares from MDC GIS.
Competitive fishing days in Cape Girardeau County
Trails and clubs list 1 event in Cape Girardeau County, 0 of them coming up.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 15, 2026 | King Kat Mississippi River, Cape Girardeau (2026) | Mississippi River | King Kat Tournament Trail |
Organizer schedule and results pages (MDC publishes no tournament calendar), checked October 2026.
Who sells bait and runs trips in Cape Girardeau County
Cape Girardeau County bait, tackle and boat slips
- Foutzs Hunting & Fishing, LLCbait and tackle shop, Cape Girardeau
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Cape Girardeausporting goods store, Cape Girardeau
- Mo Dry Dock & Repr Co, 6792 State Highway 74marina, Cape Girardeau
- Mo Dry Dock & Repr Co, 182 Red Fox Lnmarina, Cape Girardeau
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
Around Cape Girardeau County
Where to stay while fishing Cape Girardeau County
- Cape Girardeaupop. 39,540
- Jacksonpop. 15,481
County pages around Cape Girardeau County
- Bollinger County19 miles west
- Perry County23 miles north
- Scott County24 miles south
- Madison County37 miles west
Ozark-ready Piscifun reels for a day on Cape Girardeau County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Lakes and streams close to Cape Girardeau County, pictured
Photo: Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Carl Wycoff, CC BY 2.0
Photo: mostateparks, Public domain
Photo: Kbh3rd, CC BY 3.0
Hunting in Cape Girardeau County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Cape Girardeau County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
Questions that come up about water in Cape Girardeau County
Which Cape Girardeau County ramps take a trailer?
The MDC and Corps lists hold 6 public ramps; 1 are accessible.
Which lake in Cape Girardeau County tops the acreage list?
Lake Girardeau, at 144 acres on its MDC outline.
Which fish should a Cape Girardeau County visitor plan to chase?
Rainbow trout lead the count of lake pages within 50 miles that MDC reports name, followed by black crappie, bluegill and channel catfish.
Can a visitor buy live bait inside Cape Girardeau County?
Foutzs Hunting & Fishing, LLC heads a list of 4.
Do any guides run trips from a Cape Girardeau County address?
No guide listing carries a local address.
Which town serves as seat for Cape Girardeau County?
It is Jackson.
Is a single MDC permit enough for Cape Girardeau County?
Between ages 16 and 64 a Missouri angler needs a fishing permit, $14 a year for residents and $57 for nonresidents, or $9 for a daily permit. A trout permit, $12 for residents, is needed to possess trout. Shared river water accepts the permit of the state on the far bank, but Missouri creeks need a Missouri permit.
Which county page lies closest to Cape Girardeau County?
Closest by centre point: Bollinger County, Perry County and Scott County.
Which MDC region handles Cape Girardeau County?
MDC counts it as part of the MDC Southeast Region.
When is the next weigh-in in Cape Girardeau County?
1 event on file from organizer pages, none still ahead.
Which Cape Girardeau County streams or lakes get trout?
Rotary Lake and Capaha Park Lake; MDC trout rules for each are on the linked pages.
Plan a Show-Me day on Cape Girardeau County water
Lake pages carry ramps, docks and MDC prospects.