Che-Ru Lake Fishing
A 157-acre Missouri lake in Linn County and Livingston County.
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Where Che-Ru Lake sits and how big it is
The MDC outline gives Che-Ru Lake a surface of 157 acres, spread over Linn County and Livingston County. The shortest run to a town is Sumner, near 4 miles. Biologists of the MDC Northwest Region look after it. MDC lists it as part of Fountain Grove Conservation Area.
You can launch at 1 mapped ramp. Shore anglers can use 1 dock or jetty.
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.
This season at Che-Ru Lake, per MDC
In its 2026 prospects, MDC reports on Che-Ru Lake as follows:
Anglers have a variety of habitat features to target at this 160-acre lake. There are rocked banks around half of the shoreline, and under the water, timbered fence rows and rock reefs are scattered throughout the lake. Sampling consistently shows good numbers of 9 to 15-inch white crappie . Good numbers of white bass and channel catfish are also present at Che-Ru. A new regulation was implemented in 2025 to protect the flathead catfish population, which is in decline. Anglers may now only keep flathead catfish larger than 24 inches in length.
MDC, 2026 Missouri Fishing Prospects (report), quoted; retrieved October 27, 2026.
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Tap a fish to open its Missouri species page; each one is named for Che-Ru Lake by MDC.
MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects text, MDC State Record Fish list and MDC trout program statements, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Ramps and docks on Che-Ru Lake
- Fountain Grove Conservation Area on Che-Ru Lakeboat ramp, parking, privy nearby; Missouri Department of Conservation
Fishing docks MDC maps at Che-Ru Lake
- Fountain Grove Conservation Areafishing dock, accessible
Boat ramps within reach of Che-Ru Lake
- Fountain Grove Conservation Area (east ramp)boat ramp, parking, privy nearby, 1 mile west
- Fountain Grove Conservation Area (south ramp)boat ramp, parking, 1 mile southwest
- Fountain Grove Conservation Area on Jo Shelby LakeJo Shelby Lake, 2 miles west
- Fountain Grove Conservation Area (west ramp)boat ramp, parking, 4 miles northwest
- Sumner Access on Grand RiverGrand River, 4 miles south
- Little Compton Lake Conservation AreaLittle Compton Lake, 11 miles south
MDC boat ramp/access, dock and jetty layers; USACE Little Rock District ramps and USACE recreation areas; retrieved October 27, 2026.
Bag and length rules at Che-Ru 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 |
At Che-Ru Lake the statewide limits apply, with any listed exception taking priority.
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.
MDC lakes near Che-Ru Lake, put side by side
For more room to roam, Marceline City Lake offers 160 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Attractors | Species named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Che-Ru Lake | 157 | 1 | 0 | 5 | |
| Jo Shelby Lake | 2 miles northwest | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Little Compton Lake | 11 miles south | 39 | 1 | 28 | 0 |
| Brookfield City Lake | 15 miles northeast | 94 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Marceline City Lake | 16 miles east | 160 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 Acre Pond | 17 miles southwest | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
MDC waterbody outlines, ramp and attractor layers, 2026 prospects; retrieved October 27, 2026.
What else lies close to Che-Ru Lake
Lakes to try after Che-Ru Lake
- Jo Shelby Lake2 miles northwest
- Little Compton Lake11 miles south
- Brookfield City Lake15 miles northeast
- Marceline City Lake16 miles east
- 7 Acre Pond17 miles southwest
Shops anglers stop at before Che-Ru Lake
- Tucker's Live Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Brookfield, 12 miles
Where to sleep before fishing Che-Ru Lake
- Brookfield12 miles
- Chillicothe16 miles
- Marceline18 miles
Counties sharing Che-Ru Lake
- Linn Countyseat: Linneus
- Livingston Countyseat: Chillicothe
Line and reels from Piscifun ahead of Che-Ru Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photographs of fishing water by Che-Ru Lake
Photo: mostateparks, Public domain
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: Laura Gilchrist, CC BY 2.0
Before a trip to Che-Ru Lake, the common questions
Where in the Show-Me State is Che-Ru Lake?
The outline sits in Linn County and Livingston County, the MDC Northwest Region, about 4 miles from Sumner.
How many acres is Che-Ru Lake by MDC mapping?
The outline measures 157 acres.
Where is the nearest ramp to Che-Ru Lake?
Yes, 1 mapped ramp, such as Fountain Grove Conservation Area on Che-Ru Lake.
Which gamefish are named for Che-Ru Lake?
MDC names white bass, crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish and white crappie.
Is there a length limit at Che-Ru Lake?
Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky): 6 a day; All year.
Can a visitor from another state fish Missouri's Che-Ru Lake?
Missouri anglers 16 through 64 carry a fishing permit: $14 a year for residents, $57 for nonresidents, or $9 for a daily permit.
Is there a horsepower limit on Che-Ru Lake?
No motor limit is on file; signs on site decide.
Where does a Missouri angler buy bait near Che-Ru Lake?
Closest listed: Tucker's Live Bait & Tackle, 12 miles.
What is the 2026 outlook for Che-Ru Lake?
Anglers have a variety of habitat features to target at this 160-acre lake. There are rocked banks around half of the shoreline, and under the water, timbered fence rows and rock reefs are scattered throughout the lake. Sampling consistently shows good numbers of 9 to 15-inch white crappie . Good (MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects)
Give a Missouri weekend to Che-Ru Lake
Buy the Missouri permit online before the trip.