Bilby Ranch Lake Fishing
A 109-acre Missouri lake in Nodaway County.
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Sizing up Bilby Ranch Lake
In Nodaway County, Bilby Ranch Lake measures 109 acres on the conservation department map. Quitman is the nearest town, some 4 miles off. MDC manages it within the MDC Northwest Region. Missouri visitors reach it through Bilby Ranch Lake Conservation Area.
Boaters have 1 mapped ramp to choose from. Bank anglers get 2 docks and jetties.
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines (GIS acres, region, managing area) on gisblue.mdc.mo.gov, Census 2023 places, retrieved October 27, 2026. MDC office phone: 816-271-3100.
Every mapped access at Bilby Ranch Lake
- Bilby Ranch Lake Conservation Areaboat ramp, parking, privy nearby; Missouri Department of Conservation
MDC docks and jetties at Bilby Ranch Lake
- Bilby Ranch Lake Conservation Areafishing dock, accessible
- Bilby Ranch Lake Conservation Areafish cleaning station, accessible
MDC boat ramp/access, dock and jetty layers; USACE Little Rock District ramps and USACE recreation areas; retrieved October 27, 2026.
Daily limits on Bilby Ranch Lake
| Species | Daily limit and length | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky) | 6 a day | All year |
| 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 |
The statewide rows set the baseline at Bilby Ranch Lake.
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.
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By MDC acreage, Mozingo Lake tops the neighbours at 998 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Attractors | Species named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilby Ranch Lake | 109 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nodaway County Community Lake | 16 miles east | 72 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Mozingo Lake | 19 miles east | 998 | 3 | 127 | 4 |
| Charity Lake | 25 miles west | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Silt Basin 7 | 31 miles southeast | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Happy Holler Lake | 31 miles southeast | 58 | 1 | 17 | 6 |
MDC waterbody outlines, ramp and attractor layers, 2026 prospects; retrieved October 27, 2026.
Next stops near Bilby Ranch Lake
Other still water near Bilby Ranch Lake
- Nodaway County Community Lake16 miles east
- Mozingo Lake19 miles east
- Charity Lake25 miles west
- Silt Basin 731 miles southeast
- Happy Holler Lake31 miles southeast
Bait counters that serve Bilby Ranch Lake
- Big Bird's Baitbait and tackle shop, Maryville, 14 miles
Show-Me towns a drive from Bilby Ranch Lake
- Maryville14 miles
- Tarkio14 miles
- Mound City16 miles
The Missouri counties Bilby Ranch Lake reaches into
- Nodaway Countyseat: Maryville
Piscifun tackle a Missouri angler might take to Bilby Ranch Lake
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Hollows, bluffs and lakes by Bilby Ranch Lake, in photos
Photo: Carl Belken, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Laura Gilchrist, CC BY 2.0
Things Show-Me visitors wonder about Bilby Ranch Lake
Which MDC region covers Bilby Ranch Lake?
You will find it in Nodaway County, the MDC Northwest Region, about 4 miles from Quitman.
What surface area does MDC give Bilby Ranch Lake?
Some 109 acres.
Where does a Show-Me boater launch on Bilby Ranch Lake?
1 mapped ramp, including Bilby Ranch Lake Conservation Area.
What fish does MDC report at Bilby Ranch Lake?
The MDC sources here name no species.
Does Bilby Ranch Lake have special fishing rules?
Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky): 6 a day; All year.
Is a trout permit needed at Bilby Ranch Lake?
Missouri anglers 16 through 64 carry a fishing permit: $14 a year for residents, $57 for nonresidents, or $9 for a daily permit.
Does MDC allow gas motors on Bilby Ranch Lake?
Posted rules at the access apply; none is on file here.
Who sells minnows and crawdads near Bilby Ranch Lake?
Drive about 14 miles to Big Bird's Bait.
Pick a date for Bilby Ranch Lake
Check the daily limit before a fish goes in the livewell.