Fishing near St. Joseph, Missouri
Buchanan County, population 72,473.
- 3 milesto nearest lake
- 2ramps nearby
Pick for crappiePiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fishing from a St. Joseph home base
With 72,473 residents in 2020, St. Joseph ranks as a city of Buchanan County. Krug Park Lagoon lies roughly 3 miles northwest, closer than any other lake page. Among the lakes nearby, Happy Holler Lake is largest at 58 acres on its MDC outline. Trailers go in at French Bottom Access (St. Joseph) on Missouri River, about 3 miles out.
For cold-season rainbows, Everyday Pond is 2 miles away. Fishing dock at Everyday Pond, roughly 2 miles away, offers fishing from structure.
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for St. Joseph; distances are straight lines.
MDC lakes within an easy drive of St. Joseph
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krug Park Lagoon | 3 miles northwest | 3 | 0 | rainbow trout | |
| Belcher Branch Lake | 13 miles south | 45 | 1 | ||
| Savannah City Lake | 13 miles north | 19 | 1 | largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill | |
| Silt Basin 7 | 19 miles north | 5 | 0 | ||
| Happy Holler Lake | 19 miles north | 58 | 1 | largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill | |
| West Silt Basin | 23 miles east | 12 | 0 |
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines, MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects species and boating notes; retrieved October 2026.
For the crappie herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Moving water around St. Joseph
- Nodaway River13 miles, 3 access areas, 62 mi in Missouri
Current flow around St. Joseph
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri River At St. Joseph, Mo | 38,500 cfs, 6.91 ft gage height | Oct 28 6:35 pm |
| Platte River Near Agency, Mo | 343 cfs, 6.86 ft gage height | Oct 28 6:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 28, 2026 7:34 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
MDC stream access areas and trout and smallmouth layers; USGS NHD lengths and USGS gauges. Retrieved October 2026.
A map of fishing water near St. Joseph
- French Bottom Access (St. Joseph) on Missouri RiverMissouri River, 3 miles
- Jentell Brees Access on Missouri RiverMissouri River, 9 miles
Bank and dock fishing by St. Joseph
- Fishing dock at Everyday Pond2 miles
- Fishing docks at Belcher Branch Lake, Belcher Branch Lake Conservation Area13 miles
MDC boat ramp/access and dock layers, USACE ramp layers; retrieved October 2026.
Cold-water fishing close to St. Joseph
| Water | Program | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday Pond | winter trout lake, stocked in November | 2 miles |
| Krug Park Lagoon | winter trout lake, stocked in November | 3 miles |
Keeping trout takes a Missouri trout permit on top of the fishing permit: $12 for residents and $24 for nonresidents 16 and older.
MDC trout program statements (2026 regulations booklet, MDC news releases and area pages); MDC publishes no per-water stocking table; trout parks, trout areas and winter trout lakes as printed in the 2026 regulations booklet.
Minnow shops and fishing guides around St. Joseph
Tackle counters a few miles from St. Joseph
- Dick's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Saint Joseph, 2 miles
- J & B Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Saint Joseph, 2 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods St. Josephsporting goods store, St. Joseph, 3 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, guide listings; retrieved October 2026.
Keeping fish near St. Joseph legally
MDC sells the annual fishing permit at $14 to residents and $57 to nonresidents; $9 buys one day. To take trout home, add the $12 resident trout permit.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky) | 6 a day | All year |
| Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky) (Ozark streams) | 6 a day; 12" minimum | May 23, 2026–Feb. 28, 2027 |
| 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 |
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. Lake and river pages print any special-regulation bullet.
Close to St. Joseph
Other towns near St. Joseph
- Country Club6 miles
- Savannah12 miles
- Gower16 miles
- Plattsburg24 miles
- Weston25 miles
Which county holds St. Joseph
- Buchanan Countyseat: St. Joseph
Piscifun tackle a Missouri angler might take to St. Joseph
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Hollows, bluffs and lakes by St. Joseph, in photos
Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Laura Gilchrist, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Carl Belken, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Steve Dean, CC BY 2.0
Using St. Joseph as a base camp for fishing
Which MDC-managed reservoir sits closest to St. Joseph?
Krug Park Lagoon, 3 miles northwest.
Where does a St. Joseph boater back the trailer into MDC water?
Try French Bottom Access (St. Joseph) on Missouri River, 3 miles.
Which fishing dock is handy to St. Joseph?
Fishing dock at Everyday Pond, roughly 2 miles out.
Which bait shop is nearest to St. Joseph on the listings?
Closest listing: Dick's Bait & Tackle (2 miles).
Which county page covers St. Joseph and its water?
Buchanan County, Missouri.
Can St. Joseph guests fish on a daily permit?
Nonresidents pay $57 a year, or $9 per day on a daily permit.
Which nearby MDC outline gives St. Joseph anglers the most acres?
Happy Holler Lake, 58 acres, 19 miles away.
What communities neighbour St. Joseph?
The nearest are Country Club (6 miles), Savannah (12 miles) and Gower (16 miles).
Which trout water is closest to St. Joseph?
Everyday Pond, a winter trout lake, about 2 miles away.
Settle into St. Joseph for a few days of fishing
Every ramp page opens with a directions link.