Towell Lake Fishing
A 97-acre Missouri lake in Phelps County.
Pick for crappiePiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Meramec River: Ajay Suresh, CC BY 2.0
Where Towell Lake sits and how big it is
The MDC outline gives Towell Lake a surface of 97 acres, spread over Phelps County. The shortest run to a town is St. James, near 4 miles. Biologists of the MDC Ozark Region look after it. MDC lists it as part of Little Prairie Conservation Area.
You can launch at 1 mapped ramp. Shore anglers can use 2 docks and jetties. Anglers can target 6 mapped attractor points.
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: 417-256-7161.
This season at Towell Lake, per MDC
In its 2026 prospects, MDC reports on Towell Lake as follows:
Winter Draw Down may occur in January and February after benefits have been seen in the vegetation control and invertebrate communities. Boat launching will be impacted.
Fishing on Towell Lake (Little Prairie Conservation Area) can be difficult for both boat and bank anglers due to the heavy angling pressure in spring and summer, as well as varying amounts of vegetation in the lake. Recent efforts to control aquatic vegetation have been successful and will continue, meaning easier fishing for both bank and boat anglers. 2026 will continue to see improvement in areas with habitat for bank and boat fishermen alike. Anglers report good bass fishing along the edges of this vegetation. Tree piles, which serve as fish attractors, were placed in several areas of the lake in 2025, including off the damn and several popular bank fishing areas.
Towell Lake has a very large shad population that produces big bass and a decent crappie population. Largemouth bass are extremely abundant, especially below the slot length limit of 12-15 inches. A few largemouth bass over 8 pounds are caught every year and fish over 20 inches are common. Anglers using lures imitating injured shad report good luck for bigger fish, especially at dusk into the night in spring and summer. Anglers have found success in March and October fishing for crappie off the edges of dead vegetation. Anglers should expect crappie to average about 8 inches in length.
Take the Hwy V Exit in Rolla, MO off of Interstate 44. From there take the north outer road west towards St. James for 1.5 miles. Turn north on Hwy RA. In 1 mile just after mobile home community there are 2 turn-ins for Towell Lake at Little Prairie CA.
MDC, 2026 Missouri Fishing Prospects (report), quoted; retrieved October 27, 2026.
For the crappie herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Species reported at Towell Lake
Tap a fish to open its Missouri species page; each one is named for Towell 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 Towell Lake
MDC maps 6 attractor points in Towell Lake, placed in 2020.
| Material | Points | Years placed |
|---|---|---|
| Cedars | 6 | 2020 |
MDC Fishing Interactive Map, fish attractors layer (material and year placed as mapped), retrieved October 27, 2026.
Ramps and docks on Towell Lake
- Little Prairie Conservation Area on Towell Lakeboat ramp, parking, privy nearby; Missouri Department of Conservation
Fishing docks MDC maps at Towell Lake
- Little Prairie Conservation Areafishing dock, accessible
- Little Prairie Conservation Areafishing dock
Boat ramps within reach of Towell Lake
- Woodson K. Woods Memorial Conservation Area on Meramec River Red Ribbon Trout AreaMeramec River Red Ribbon Trout Area, 11 miles east
- Bell Chute Access on Gasconade RiverGasconade River, 12 miles northwest
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 Towell 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 Towell 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 Towell Lake, put side by side
For more room to roam, Macs Lake offers 26 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Attractors | Species named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Towell Lake | 97 | 1 | 6 | 4 | |
| Scioto Lake | 4 miles east | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Schuman Park Lake | 5 miles southwest | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rinquelin Trail Lake | 26 miles west | 26 | 1 | 21 | 0 |
| Shawnee Lake | 26 miles southeast | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Macs Lake | 26 miles southeast | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
MDC waterbody outlines, ramp and attractor layers, 2026 prospects; retrieved October 27, 2026.
What else lies close to Towell Lake
Lakes to try after Towell Lake
- Scioto Lake4 miles east
- Schuman Park Lake5 miles southwest
- Rinquelin Trail Lake26 miles west
- Shawnee Lake26 miles southeast
- Macs Lake26 miles southeast
Shops anglers stop at before Towell Lake
- White Buffalo Fly Shopfly shop, Rolla, 5 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Rollasporting goods store, Rolla, 6 miles
- Toad's Sportsman Shopbait and tackle shop, Rolla, 7 miles
- The Lakeshore Marinamarina, Cuba, 15 miles
- Vienna Marine LLCbait and tackle shop, Vienna, 19 miles
Where to sleep before fishing Towell Lake
- St. James4 miles
- Rolla5 miles
- Cuba16 miles
Counties sharing Towell Lake
- Phelps Countyseat: Rolla
Line and reels from Piscifun ahead of Towell Lake
.jpg){kind=link}
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photographs of fishing water by Towell Lake
Photo: Archbob, CC0 1.0
Photo: National Trails Office ( US National Park Service ), Public domain
.JPG){kind=link}
Photo: John Foehner, CC BY 2.0
Photo: mostateparks, Public domain
Before a trip to Towell Lake, the common questions
Where in the Show-Me State is Towell Lake?
The outline sits in Phelps County, the MDC Ozark Region, about 4 miles from St. James.
How many acres is Towell Lake by MDC mapping?
The outline measures 97 acres.
Where is the nearest ramp to Towell Lake?
Yes, 1 mapped ramp, such as Little Prairie Conservation Area on Towell Lake.
Which gamefish are named for Towell Lake?
MDC names largemouth bass, crappie, redear sunfish and channel catfish.
Is there a length limit at Towell Lake?
Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky): 6 a day; All year.
Can a visitor from another state fish Missouri's Towell 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 Towell Lake?
No motor limit is on file; signs on site decide.
Where does a Missouri angler buy bait near Towell Lake?
Closest listed: White Buffalo Fly Shop, 5 miles.
What is the 2026 outlook for Towell Lake?
Winter Draw Down may occur in January and February after benefits have been seen in the vegetation control and invertebrate communities. Boat launching will be (MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects)
Has MDC added fish cover to Towell Lake?
Yes: 6 attractor points on the MDC layer.
Give a Missouri weekend to Towell Lake
Buy the Missouri permit online before the trip.