Forest Lake Fishing
A 580-acre Missouri reservoir in Adair County.
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What the MDC outline says about Forest Lake
Conservation department GIS puts 580 acres of water inside the Forest Lake outline in Adair County. Groceries and fuel are nearest in Kirksville, roughly 4 miles away. It falls under the MDC Northeast Region.
What follows: access, rules and nearby options.
There is a 90-horsepower limit on boat motors, and the City of Kirksville charges for a permit to operate private boats based on horsepower rating. Boaters are encouraged to remove plants from their trailer, outboard motor, anchor, live well, and other components of the boat and trailer before leaving the lake.
Boating note quoted from the MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects report for Forest 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: 660-785-2420.
What MDC biologists expect at Forest Lake in 2026
MDC published this 2026 forecast for Forest Lake:
Largemouth bass are numerous; particularly those shorter than 12 inches, but anglers will continue to catch fair numbers of bass 15 inches or longer in 2026. In the last survey, 10 percent of the largemouth bass captured were 15 inches or longer, and two percent of those were 18 inches or longer. White crappie are plentiful, especially in the eight-ten-inch length range. Annually stocked channel catfish provide some of the best fishing in the Northeast Region for catfish in the one-three-pound range. Walleye fingerlings were stocked in fall of 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2021 as well as summer of 2020, and the survival of previous stockings has been good.
Anglers should be aware that curly-leaf pondweed, a non-native invasive aquatic plant, was discovered in 2016. By 2019, the plant had spread lake wide, encompassing most of the lake's shoreline. In spring 2022 the City of Kirksville started a multi-step removal effort with the use of biological control as well as chemical control. Boaters are encouraged to remove plants from their trailer, outboard motor, anchor, live well, and other components of the boat and trailer before leaving the lake. Clean the boat and gear with hot water or dry everything for at least five days to help prevent the spread of this aquatic invasive species.
Three and three-tenths miles west of Kirksville on Highway 6, then 2.7 miles south on Highway 157.
MDC, 2026 Missouri Fishing Prospects (report), quoted; retrieved October 27, 2026.
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Chips link each fish named for Forest Lake by the MDC prospects text, a state record or the trout program.
MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects text, MDC State Record Fish list and MDC trout program statements, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Launch points MDC maps around Forest Lake
MDC maps no boat ramp at Forest Lake.
Other ramps close to Forest Lake
- Hazel Creek Lake (Kirksville) (south ramp)Hazel Creek Lake, 7 miles north
- Hazel Creek Lake (Kirksville) (north ramp)Hazel Creek Lake, 8 miles north
- Mullanix Ford Accessboat ramp, parking, 12 miles north
MDC boat ramp/access, dock and jetty layers; USACE Little Rock District ramps and USACE recreation areas; retrieved October 27, 2026.
Keeping fish from Forest Lake legally
| 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 |
For Forest Lake, read the statewide limits first, then any water-specific rule.
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.
Neighbour lakes measured against Forest Lake
Among the five closest Missouri lakes with pages, Hazel Creek Lake has the most water at 484 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Attractors | Species named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Lake | 580 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| Spur Pond | 3 miles northeast | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hazel Creek Lake | 8 miles north | 484 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Union Ridge Lake | 15 miles northwest | 13 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| La Plata City Lake | 16 miles southeast | 84 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Sears Community Lake | 23 miles west | 17 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
MDC waterbody outlines, ramp and attractor layers, 2026 prospects; retrieved October 27, 2026.
Missouri places a short haul from Forest Lake
Missouri lakes not far from Forest Lake
- Spur Pond3 miles northeast
- Hazel Creek Lake8 miles north
- Union Ridge Lake15 miles northwest
- La Plata City Lake16 miles southeast
- Sears Community Lake23 miles west
Buying minnows and worms near Forest Lake
- Trueblood Marinamarina, Kirksville, 1 mile
- Greentop Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Greentop, 13 miles
Missouri towns to stay in near Forest Lake
- Kirksville4 miles
- La Plata13 miles
- Edina25 miles
Missouri county guides that cover Forest Lake
- Adair Countyseat: Kirksville
Reels from Piscifun worth bringing to Forest Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photo guide to fish at Forest Lake
Photo: Dominic, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Fish and Aquatic Conservation, Public domain
Photo: MONGO, CC BY-SA 3.0
Forest Lake questions, with short answers
What Missouri town is closest to Forest Lake?
MDC maps it in Adair County, the MDC Northeast Region, about 4 miles from Kirksville.
Is Forest Lake a large lake for Missouri?
580 acres by MDC GIS.
How many MDC or Corps ramps serve Forest Lake?
MDC lists no ramp for it.
Which species live in Forest Lake?
Expect largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, walleye and white crappie.
How many black bass may a Missouri angler keep at Forest Lake?
Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky): 6 a day; All year.
What permit does a visitor buy for Forest Lake?
Missouri anglers 16 through 64 carry a fishing permit: $14 a year for residents, $57 for nonresidents, or $9 for a daily permit.
What boating rules apply at Forest Lake?
MDC writes: There is a 90-horsepower limit on boat motors, and the City of Kirksville charges for a permit to operate private boats based on horsepower rating.
Where do Forest Lake anglers buy supplies?
Trueblood Marina is nearest at 1 mile.
How is fishing at Forest Lake this year?
Largemouth bass are numerous; particularly those shorter than 12 inches, but anglers will continue to catch fair numbers of bass 15 inches or longer in 2026. In the last survey, 10 percent of the largemouth bass captured were 15 inches or longer, and two percent of those were 18 inches or longer. (MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects)
Plan a day on Forest Lake
Fees, seasons and special rules are on the permit page.