Fellows Lake Fishing
A 800-acre Missouri reservoir in Greene County.
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Fellows Lake in the MDC files
Fellows Lake covers 800 acres in Greene County, going by the MDC waterbody outline. The closest Census place is Strafford, about 6 miles from the MDC label point. It is one of the waters of the MDC Southwest Region. Its managing area is Fellows Lake (Springfield City Utilities).
MDC counts 1 mapped ramp on its shore. The dock layer lists 2 docks and jetties. There are 98 brush and rock attractor points on file.
Be advised, Fellows Lake has a strict 40 horsepower limit on all motorboats and a boat permit is required, which can be purchased at the bait shop.
Boating note quoted from the MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects report for Fellows Lake.
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: 417-895-6880.
The 2026 report on Fellows Lake
From the MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects entry for Fellows Lake:
Muskellunge fishing at Fellows Lake should be good in 2026. Roughly 44% of muskie sampled in 2025 were greater than the minimum length limit of 36 inches with 13% being greater than 40 inches. Many of the muskie sampled were just below 36 inches and should begin exceeding the minimum length limit in the next few years. The largest muskie sampled was 48 inches long and weighed 34 pounds. Expect best muskie fishing success on overcast, rainy days during the fall or early spring months when water temperatures are below 70°F.
Walleye fishing should be in good in 2026. Thirty-two percent of the walleye captured in the spring 2025 survey were greater than 20 inches and several were greater than 25 inches. Walleye fishing can be challenging at Fellows, but fish can be caught targeting gravel points in the spring and the backs of coves in the summer using suspending jerk baits, crappie jigs, nightcrawlers, or minnows. Trolling deep-diving crankbaits across main lake points can also yield fish. The minimum length limit for walleye is 15 inches with a four fish daily bag limit at Fellows Lake.
Largemouth bass fishing should be good at Fellows Lake in 2025. A 12 to 15-inch protected slot length limit helps provide catch-and-release fishing opportunities. Forty-four percent of the largemouth bass sampled in 2024 were greater than 15 inches. Largemouth bass are usually found shallower during the spring spawn and during the fall. In the summertime, bass move offshore into deeper waters following schools of shad and other baitfish. The summer thermocline in Fellows Lake is generally between 15-17 feet, depending on lake level and weather conditions, with few fish found below this depth.
MDC, 2026 Missouri Fishing Prospects (report), quoted; retrieved October 27, 2026.
For the muskellunge herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 The Fellows Lake fish list
MDC writing and records connect these species with Fellows Lake.
MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects text, MDC State Record Fish list and MDC trout program statements, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Where MDC sank cover in Fellows Lake
There are 98 sunken cover points across Fellows Lake, placed between 2002 and 2024.
| Material | Points | Years placed |
|---|---|---|
| Cedars | 54 | 2012 to 2024 |
| Cedar-Hardwood | 35 | 2002 to 2024 |
| Hardwood | 9 | 2011 |
MDC Fishing Interactive Map, fish attractors layer (material and year placed as mapped), retrieved October 27, 2026.
Putting a boat or a line into Fellows Lake
- Fellows Lake (Springfield City Utilities)boat ramp, accessible, parking; Missouri Department of Conservation
Where to cast from land at Fellows Lake
- Fellows Lake (Springfield City Utilities)fishing dock, accessible
- Fellows Lake (Springfield City Utilities)fishing dock, accessible
Second-choice launches around Fellows Lake
- Joe Crighton Access on James RiverJames River, 11 miles south
MDC boat ramp/access, dock and jetty layers; USACE Little Rock District ramps and USACE recreation areas; retrieved October 27, 2026.
The rulebook for Fellows 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 |
Start from the statewide table for Fellows Lake; the booklet exceptions override it.
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.
Sizing Fellows Lake against its neighbours
Of the lakes listed, Table Rock Lake is biggest, 49,720 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Attractors | Species named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellows Lake | 800 | 1 | 98 | 11 | |
| Valley Water Mill Lake | 4 miles southwest | 14 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Stockton Lake | 34 miles northwest | 24,945 | 6 | 650 | 11 |
| Pomme de Terre Lake | 38 miles north | 7,662 | 0 | 838 | 11 |
| Lake Taneycomo | 44 miles south | 2,131 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Table Rock Lake | 51 miles south | 49,720 | 33 | 1,231 | 13 |
MDC waterbody outlines, ramp and attractor layers, 2026 prospects; retrieved October 27, 2026.
The neighbourhood of Fellows Lake in Missouri
More MDC lakes around Fellows Lake
- Valley Water Mill Lake4 miles southwest
- Stockton Lake34 miles northwest
- Pomme de Terre Lake38 miles north
- Lake Taneycomo44 miles south
- Table Rock Lake51 miles south
Bait and tackle a short drive from Fellows Lake
- Fellows Lake Marinamarina, Springfield, under a mile
- Little Sac Bait Cobait and tackle shop, Springfield, 2 miles
- Tackle Atticbait and tackle shop, Springfield, 4 miles
- Sportsmans Factory Outletbait and tackle shop, Springfield, 4 miles
- Bio Baitbait and tackle shop, Springfield, 5 miles
- Bait-WRXbait and tackle shop, Springfield, 7 miles
Home-base towns for Fellows Lake
- Strafford6 miles
- Fair Grove6 miles
- Springfield9 miles
Missouri county pages that take in Fellows Lake
- Greene Countyseat: Springfield
A Piscifun kit to carry to Fellows Lake
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Telling the fish of Fellows Lake apart by photo
Photo: Dominic, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Nick Tobler (Cowturtle), CC BY 4.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Quick answers about Fellows Lake
How do I find Fellows Lake on a Missouri map?
Head for Greene County, the MDC Southwest Region, about 6 miles from Strafford.
How big is Fellows Lake on the MDC outline?
Close to 800 acres.
Is there a public boat ramp at Fellows Lake?
There are 1 mapped ramp; try Fellows Lake (Springfield City Utilities).
What does the MDC fish list say about Fellows Lake?
largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish and flathead catfish, by MDC sources.
Which regulations cover Fellows Lake?
Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky): 6 a day; All year.
Which Missouri permit covers Fellows 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 a big outboard welcome on Missouri's Fellows Lake?
MDC writes: Be advised, Fellows Lake has a strict 40 horsepower limit on all motorboats and a boat permit is required, which can be purchased at the bait shop.
Which Missouri tackle shop sits closest to Fellows Lake?
Fellows Lake Marina is under a mile from the water.
What do biologists say about Fellows Lake?
Muskellunge fishing at Fellows Lake should be good in 2026. Roughly 44% of muskie sampled in 2025 were greater than the minimum length limit of 36 inches with 13% being greater than 40 inches. Many of the muskie sampled were just below 36 inches and should begin exceeding the minimum length limit (MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects)
Where did MDC sink structure in Fellows Lake?
The cover section maps 98 points.
Take the Ozark back roads to Fellows Lake
Every Missouri fee and limit is one click away.