Mark Twain Lake Fishing
A 18,353-acre Missouri reservoir in Monroe County and Ralls County.
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Where Mark Twain Lake sits and how big it is
The MDC outline gives Mark Twain Lake a surface of 18,353 acres, spread over Monroe County and Ralls County. The shortest run to a town is Florida, near under a mile. Biologists of the MDC Northeast Region look after it.
Anglers can target 140 mapped attractor points. Corps of Engineers parks number 11 recreation areas here. The booklet prints 3 special regulations for it.
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.
This season at Mark Twain Lake, per MDC
In its 2026 prospects, MDC reports on Mark Twain Lake as follows:
Mark Twain Lake (18,600 acres) is located in Ralls and Monroe counties in northeast Missouri.
The St. Louis US Army Corps of Engineers, in coordination with the Missouri Department of Conservation, have placed numerous fish attractors in portions of Mark Twain Lake. A map of these locations is available by visiting the following web links: https://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Mark-Twain-Lake/Maps/. Fish attractors have been added to both deep and shallow water. Some fish attractor locations can be accessed by shore. Bass and crappie anglers have reported success from targeting fish at the attractors. In 2025, fish attractors were added in Lick Creek and near the State Park in South Fork.
In 2025, on average, drought conditions continued at Mark Twain Lake and ranged from abnormally dry to severe drought, with water levels peaking at 613 ft for only a few days in April and July. From April to June water levels ranged from 613 to 605 ft.
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 Mark Twain Lake by MDC.
MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects text, MDC State Record Fish list and MDC trout program statements, retrieved October 27, 2026.
MDC fish attractors in Mark Twain Lake
MDC maps 140 attractor points in Mark Twain Lake, placed between 2016 and 2025.
| Material | Points | Years placed |
|---|---|---|
| NA | 73 | 2021 to 2023 |
| HabitatCove | 59 | 2024 to 2025 |
| Cedars | 8 | 2016 |
MDC Fishing Interactive Map, fish attractors layer (material and year placed as mapped), retrieved October 27, 2026.
Ramps and docks on Mark Twain Lake
No MDC or Corps ramp is mapped on Mark Twain Lake; the closest ramps elsewhere are listed.
Corps of Engineers areas at Mark Twain Lake
Frank Russell Recreation Area, Indian Creek Recreation Area, John F. Spalding Recreation Area, M.w. Boudreaux Recreation Area, Mark Twain State Park, North Fork Recreation Area, Ray Behrens Recreation Area, Robert Allen Recreation Area, Shell Branch Recreation Area, South Fork Recreation Area and Stoutsville Recreation Area.
Boat ramps within reach of Mark Twain Lake
- Route J Reservoir (Monroe City) accessRoute J Reservoir, 9 miles northeast
MDC boat ramp/access, dock and jetty layers; USACE Little Rock District ramps and USACE recreation areas; retrieved October 27, 2026.
Lake level for Mark Twain Lake
USACE St. Louis District, Clarence Cannon Dam; reading for October 26, 2026, retrieved October 27, 2026. Provisional; Corps water control page.
Corps pool figures above are the dated reading on the district page; USGS lake gauges update live.
Bag and length rules at Mark Twain 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 Mark Twain Lake the statewide limits apply, with any listed exception taking priority.
Rules that change at Mark Twain Lake
| Water as printed | Where | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Twain Lake | Whole water | Black bass — 15" minimum length limit |
| Mark Twain Lake | Whole water | Blue and flathead catfish — 26" minimum length limit |
| Mark Twain Lake | Whole water | Crappie — 15 fish daily limit |
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.
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.
Event dates for Mark Twain Lake
Every listed Mark Twain Lake event and result sits on its tournament page.
MDC lakes near Mark Twain Lake, put side by side
For more room to roam, Mark Twain Lake Reregulation Pool offers 408 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Attractors | Species named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Twain Lake | 18,353 | 0 | 140 | 9 | |
| Tom Sawyer Lake | 1 mile southwest | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Route J Reservoir | 9 miles northeast | 93 | 1 | 12 | 5 |
| Mark Twain Lake Reregulation Pool | 10 miles east | 408 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hunnewell Lake | 15 miles north | 236 | 0 | 44 | 6 |
| Vandalia Community Lake | 22 miles southeast | 35 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
MDC waterbody outlines, ramp and attractor layers, 2026 prospects; retrieved October 27, 2026.
What else lies close to Mark Twain Lake
Lakes to try after Mark Twain Lake
- Tom Sawyer Lake1 mile southwest
- Route J Reservoir9 miles northeast
- Mark Twain Lake Reregulation Pool10 miles east
- Hunnewell Lake15 miles north
- Vandalia Community Lake22 miles southeast
Shops anglers stop at before Mark Twain Lake
- Joe's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Stoutsville, 3 miles
- Indian Creek Marinamarina, Monroe City, 6 miles
- Blackjack Marina Incbait and tackle shop, Perry, 7 miles
- Nemo Bait Cobait and tackle shop, Perry, 10 miles
Where to sleep before fishing Mark Twain Lake
- Monroe City11 miles
- Paris13 miles
- Shelbina19 miles
Counties sharing Mark Twain Lake
- Monroe Countyseat: Paris
- Ralls Countyseat: New London
Line and reels from Piscifun ahead of Mark Twain Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photographs of fishing water by Mark Twain Lake
Photo: bncnewell, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: mostateparks, Public domain
Photo: Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
Photo: HornColumbia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Before a trip to Mark Twain Lake, the common questions
Where in the Show-Me State is Mark Twain Lake?
The outline sits in Monroe County and Ralls County, the MDC Northeast Region, under a mile from Florida.
How many acres is Mark Twain Lake by MDC mapping?
The outline measures 18,353 acres.
Where is the nearest ramp to Mark Twain Lake?
None is on file; see the nearby ramps.
Which gamefish are named for Mark Twain Lake?
MDC names largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish and walleye.
Is there a length limit at Mark Twain Lake?
Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky): 6 a day; All year. Extra rules for it appear in the limits section.
Can a visitor from another state fish Missouri's Mark Twain 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 Mark Twain Lake?
No motor limit is on file; signs on site decide.
Where does a Missouri angler buy bait near Mark Twain Lake?
Closest listed: Joe's Bait & Tackle, 3 miles.
What is the 2026 outlook for Mark Twain Lake?
Mark Twain Lake (18,600 acres) is located in Ralls and Monroe counties in northeast (MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects)
What did the last reading at Mark Twain Lake show?
See the level panel above for the reading and its source.
Has MDC added fish cover to Mark Twain Lake?
Yes: 140 attractor points on the MDC layer.
Give a Missouri weekend to Mark Twain Lake
Buy the Missouri permit online before the trip.