Fishing in Morgan County, Missouri
Courthouse in Versailles. MDC manages its fish from the MDC Central Region.
- 1lake pages
- 5ramps
- 2river pages
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What Morgan County offers a rod and reel
Morgan County is run from Versailles, and the 2020 Census counted 21,006 residents across the county. By Census measure the area holds 598 square miles of land and 16.4 of water. MDC data file this area under the MDC Central Region.
The largest of 1 lake pages is Lake of the Ozarks, and they total 51,132 acres of MDC-mapped water. 5 public ramps serve this water; MDC marks 0 as accessible. 1 local lakes hold 368 MDC fish attractors between them. MDC maps 7 fishing docks and 0 jetties here, plus 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.
Morgan County access points laid out on a map
MDC boat ramp/access and dock layers, USACE ramps, MDC lake label points and MDC stream access areas. Checked October 2026.
MDC lake pages in Morgan County, largest down
| Lake | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake of the Ozarks | 51,132 | 6 | hybrid striped bass, striped bass, largemouth bass |
Past the Morgan County boundary, these lake pages lie closest to Versailles.
| Lake | From Versailles | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manito Lake | 11 miles north | 75 | 1 | largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill | |
| Tipton Park Lake | 15 miles north | 5 | 0 | ||
| Proctor Park Lake | 20 miles northeast | 9 | 0 | ||
| Spring Fork Lake | 23 miles northwest | 114 | 1 | ||
| Osage Beach City Park Lake | 24 miles southeast | 5 | 0 | ||
| Johnson Lake | 27 miles northeast | 14 | 0 |
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines (GIS acres), MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects species and boating notes; retrieved October 2026.
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Within 50 miles of Versailles, channel catfish turns up on more lake pages than any other species.
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 and pools of Morgan County on the MDC map
MDC manages 4 more named lakes, ponds and pools in Morgan County with too few published facts for a page, 4 of them numbered pools or ponds on conservation areas.
| Water | Acres | Attractors | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pond 1, Lamine River Conservation Area | 4 | 0 | Otterville |
| Pond 11, Lamine River Conservation Area | 1 | 0 | Syracuse |
| Pond 10, Lamine River Conservation Area | 1 | 0 | Syracuse |
| Pond 9, Lamine River Conservation Area | 0 | 0 | Syracuse |
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines and fish attractor layer, retrieved October 2026.
Morgan County rivers with MDC accesses
- Osage River7 MDC ramps, 7 access areas, 276 mi in Missouri
- Lamine River6 MDC ramps, 5 access areas, 63 mi in Missouri
Other creeks of Morgan County on the access map (1)
- Richland Creek1 MDC access area
MDC stream access areas and boat ramps, MDC trout and smallmouth management layers, USGS NHD lengths and USGS gauges; retrieved October 2026.
Where Morgan County water is open to the public
- Coffman Beach Access on Lake of the OzarksLake of the Ozarks, boat ramp, parking, privy nearby
- Gravois Mills Access on Lake of the OzarksLake of the Ozarks, boat ramp, parking, privy nearby
- Lamine River Conservation Area (east ramp)Lamine River, boat ramp, parking
- Lamine River Conservation Area (south ramp)MDC area, boat ramp, parking
- Wigwam School Access on Lake of the OzarksLake of the Ozarks, boat ramp, parking, privy nearby
Shore access sites of Morgan County (3)
- Fishing docks at Lake of the Ozarks, Coffman Beach Access2 docks, 1 accessible
- Fishing docks at Lake of the Ozarks, Gravois Mills Access2 docks, 2 accessible
- Fishing docks at Lake of the Ozarks, Wigwam School Access3 docks, 3 accessible
MDC boat ramp/access, fishing dock, jetty and cleaning station layers; USACE Little Rock District ramp layers; retrieved October 2026.
Daily limits and size rules across Morgan County
Every Morgan County water not listed below uses these statewide rows.
| 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.
Record-list fish landed near Morgan County
| Species | Weight | Method | Water | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Striped Bass | 9 lbs. 1 oz. | jug line | Lake of the Ozarks | Oct. 31, 2016 | MDC record list |
| Hybrid Striped Bass | 21 lbs. 11 oz. | pole and line | Lake of the Ozarks | May 19, 2019 | MDC record list |
| Striped Bass | 39 lbs. 8 oz. | jug line | Lake of the Ozarks | Oct. 11, 2002 | MDC record list |
MDC State Record Fish list (first page of 135 records readable) and MDC news releases, retrieved October 2026.
Shops and guide services of Morgan County
Shop listings for Morgan County
- Indian Creek Baitbait and tackle shop, Rocky Mount
- Osage Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Gravois Mills
- Ship's Marinabait and tackle shop, Gravois Mills
- The Fly Wizardbait and tackle shop, Tipton
- Big Thunder Marinamarina, Gravois Mills
- Blue Anchor Marinamarina, Gravois Mills
- BoatJams.commarina, Gravois Mills
- Buck Creek Marinamarina, Gravois Mills
- Lake Shores Marina Incmarina, Sunrise Beach
- Lampe Marine Maintenance, 29835 Meadow Drmarina, Rocky Mount
- Larry Johnson/Johnson Brothers Marinamarina, Gravois Mills
- Laurie Marine & Sporting Goodsmarina, Gravois Mills
- McCormick Marinemarina, Gravois Mills
- Millstone Marina & RV Resortmarina, Gravois Mills
- Patriot Point Marinamarina, Stover
- Westport Yacht Clubmarina, Gravois Mills
- Young's Boat Lift Repairmarina, Gravois Mills
Morgan County guide listings
- Shelton fishing Guide Ozarkcharter, Rocky Mount, (816) 520-6703
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
Next to Morgan County
Communities of Morgan County by population
- Versaillespop. 2,539
- Stoverpop. 1,006
The next counties over from Morgan County
- Moniteau County22 miles northeast
- Benton County24 miles west
- Camden County28 miles south
- Miller County28 miles southeast
Piscifun spinning and casting gear to pack for Morgan County
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Hollows, bluffs and lakes by Morgan County, in photos
Photo: MoBikeFed, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Heath Cajandig, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Ben Jacobson ( Kranar Drogin ), CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: MoBikeFed, CC BY 2.0
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Hunting in Morgan County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Morgan County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
Morgan County fishing, the frequent asks
How many MDC or Corps ramps does Morgan County count?
5 public ramps in all, 0 accessible.
What is the largest still water in Morgan County?
Lake of the Ozarks, at 51,132 acres on its MDC outline.
Which species lead lake reports near Morgan County?
Channel catfish lead the count of lake pages within 50 miles that MDC reports name, followed by crappie, largemouth bass and black crappie.
Does Morgan County have a bait shop of its own?
There are 17, Indian Creek Bait among them.
Which guide listings name Morgan County?
Count 1 guide or charter with a local address.
Which town holds the Morgan County courthouse?
Versailles, home of the courthouse.
Which Missouri permit covers Morgan County water?
The MDC fishing permit costs $14 for a Missouri resident and $57 for a visitor; a $9 daily permit covers a single day.
Which counties wrap around Morgan County?
The nearest county pages are Moniteau County, Benton County and Camden County.
Under which MDC region does Morgan County fall?
MDC files it under the MDC Central Region.
Has a Missouri record fish come from Morgan County?
Hybrid Striped Bass, 9 lbs. 1 oz., from Lake of the Ozarks.
Hitch the jon boat for Morgan County
Open a lake for its ramps, limits and attractors.