Fishing in Polk County, Missouri
Courthouse in Bolivar. MDC manages its fish from the MDC Southwest Region.
- 2lake pages
- 2ramps
- 2river pages
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The fishing picture in Polk County
County offices for Polk County sit in Bolivar; 31,519 people lived in the county in 2020. Census mapping puts 636 square miles of land and 6.9 square miles of water inside its lines. MDC manages its fisheries from the MDC Southwest Region.
2 paged lakes, 32,607 acres, and Stockton Lake at the head of the list by size. Public launching comes down to 2 public ramps, 0 of which MDC rates accessible. Anglers hunting cover can use 1,488 MDC attractors placed in 2 waters. Shore anglers get 2 fishing docks and 0 jetties from MDC, along 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.
Lake outlines and ramps around Polk County, pinned
MDC boat ramp/access and dock layers, USACE ramps, MDC lake label points and MDC stream access areas. Checked October 2026.
The bigger impoundments of Polk County
| Lake | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton Lake | 24,945 | 6 | largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass | |
| Pomme de Terre Lake | 7,662 | 0 | largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass |
With few lake pages inside Polk County, the closest ones beyond its line follow, measured from Bolivar.
| Lake | From Bolivar | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellows Lake | 23 miles southeast | 800 | 1 | 40 hp limit | largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie |
| Valley Water Mill Lake | 25 miles south | 14 | 0 | largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill | |
| Harry S Truman Lake | 43 miles north | 49,330 | 1 | hybrid striped bass, largemouth bass, white bass | |
| Atkinson Lake | 45 miles northwest | 434 | 1 | 10 hp limit | largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill |
| Schell Lake | 45 miles northwest | 287 | 3 | ||
| Lake of the Ozarks | 51 miles northeast | 51,132 | 6 | hybrid striped bass, striped bass, largemouth bass |
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines (GIS acres), MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects species and boating notes; retrieved October 2026.
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Lake pages inside 50 miles of Bolivar were tallied by the fish MDC names; channel catfish comes first.
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.
Conservation-area ponds in Polk County
Another 1 MDC waters in Polk County are listed by size until more is published.
| Water | Acres | Attractors | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Hope Pond | 0 | 0 | Pleasant Hope |
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines and fish attractor layer, retrieved October 2026.
Wade and float streams of Polk County
- Pomme de Terre River4 access areas, 129 mi in Missouri
- Weaubleau Creek1 access area, 40 mi in Missouri
Stage and flow in Polk County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Little Sac River Near Morrisville, Mo | 15 cfs, 1.61 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:30 pm |
| Pomme De Terre River Near Polk, Mo | 11 cfs, 1.49 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:30 pm |
| Lindley Creek Near Polk, Mo | 0 cfs, 2.28 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 7:33 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.
Accesses listed for Polk County
- Stockton Lake Management Lands (east ramp)Stockton Lake, boat ramp, parking
- Sunset Park AccessMDC area, boat ramp, parking
Fishing docks and jetties in Polk County (1)
- Fishing docks at Pomme de Terre Lake, Pomme De Terre Lake Management Lands2 docks, 1 accessible
MDC boat ramp/access, fishing dock, jetty and cleaning station layers; USACE Little Rock District ramp layers; retrieved October 2026.
What may be kept from Polk County water
Unless the booklet names a water, Polk County lakes and streams follow the statewide rows below.
| 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 |
Polk County waters with their own MDC rules (2)
| Water | Where | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Pomme de Terre Lake | Whole water | Black bass — 13" minimum length limit |
| Pomme de Terre Lake | Whole water | Crappie — 9" minimum length limit; 15 fish daily limit |
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.
Big-fish records connected to Polk County
| Species | Weight | Method | Water | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Tackle counters and marinas in Polk County
Where Polk County anglers buy gear
- Bait Mastersbait and tackle shop, Aldrich
- Don's Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Fair Play
- Lakey's Bait & Fuelbait and tackle shop, Aldrich
- Round Two Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Fair Play
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
Within a few miles of Polk County
Town pages inside Polk County
- Bolivarpop. 10,679
Counties that surround Polk County
- Dallas County21 miles east
- Hickory County23 miles north
- Greene County25 miles south
- Cedar County26 miles west
Line and reels from Piscifun ahead of Polk County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Lakes and streams close to Polk County, pictured
Photo: mostateparks, Public domain
Photo: mostateparks, Public domain
Photo: mostateparks, Public domain
Photo: ThinkHat, CC BY 4.0
Answers for anglers working Polk County
Where does a trailered boat slide in across Polk County?
There are 2 public ramps, of which 0 carry the accessible flag.
Which impoundment is the giant of Polk County?
Stockton Lake, at 24,945 acres on its MDC outline.
What do anglers catch around Polk County?
Channel catfish lead the count of lake pages within 50 miles that MDC reports name, followed by crappie, largemouth bass and black crappie.
Which Polk County counters stock lures and line?
4 listings, such as Bait Masters.
Which guide businesses keep an office in Polk County?
Guide listings all point to other counties.
Which Missouri town runs the business of Polk County?
Officials meet in Bolivar.
How much does an MDC fishing permit cost for Polk County?
Residents pay $14 and nonresidents $57 for a year of fishing in Missouri, and a daily permit is $9.
Which counties border Polk County?
Dallas County, Hickory County and Greene County lie closest.
Which region of MDC serves Polk County?
MDC maps place it under the MDC Southwest Region.
Are there special limits in Polk County?
The 2026 booklet prints 2 special-regulation bullets naming this area, starting with Pomme de Terre Lake; the table above shows each.
Which state records were caught in Polk County?
Smallmouth Bass, 7 lbs. 2 oz., from Stockton Lake.
Spend a morning on Polk County lakes
Ramp pages show parking, privies and directions.