Fishing near St. Louis, Missouri
The City of St. Louis, population 301,578.
- 1 mileto nearest lake
- 2ramps nearby
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: binkle_28, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fishing from a St. Louis home base
With 301,578 residents in 2020, St. Louis ranks as a city of the City of St. Louis. Jefferson Lake lies roughly 1 mile west, closer than any other lake page. Among the lakes nearby, Fairgrounds Park Lake is largest at 10 acres on its MDC outline. Trailers go in at Spanish Lake (St. Louis County), about 11 miles out.
For cold-season rainbows, Jefferson Lake is 1 mile away. The nearest MDC trout stream is Mill Creek, St. Louis County, 16 miles out. Fishing dock at Jefferson Lake, roughly 1 mile away, offers fishing from structure.
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for St. Louis; distances are straight lines.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 MDC lakes within an easy drive of St. Louis
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Lake | 1 mile west | 8 | 0 | rainbow trout | |
| Fairgrounds Park Lake | 2 miles northeast | 10 | 0 | ||
| O'Fallon Park Lake | 3 miles northeast | 5 | 0 | rainbow trout | |
| Boathouse Lake | 5 miles south | 5 | 0 | rainbow trout | |
| South Lake, South Lake (St. Louis) | 5 miles southwest | 4 | 0 | ||
| Koeneman Park Lake | 7 miles north | 5 | 0 | rainbow trout |
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines, MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects species and boating notes; retrieved October 2026.
Moving water around St. Louis
- Grand Glaize Creek13 miles, 1 access area, 11 mi in Missouri
Current flow around St. Louis
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| River Des Peres At Macklind Ave, St Louis, Mo | 0 cfs, 2.16 ft gage height | Oct 28 6:30 pm |
| Mississippi River At St. Louis, Mo | 136,000 cfs, 4.61 ft gage height | Oct 28 7:00 pm |
| Engelholm Creek Near Wellston, Mo | 0 cfs, 1.01 ft gage height | Oct 28 7:25 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. Louis
- Spanish Lake (St. Louis County)Spanish Lake, 11 miles
- Sunfish Lake (St. Louis County)Sunfish Lake, 12 miles
Bank and dock fishing by St. Louis
- Fishing dock at Jefferson Lake1 mile
- Fishing docks at Fairgrounds Park Lake2 miles
- Fishing dock at O'Fallon Park Lake3 miles
- Fishing docks at Horseshoe Lake, Boathouse Lake5 miles
- Fishing docks at Boathouse Lake5 miles
- Fishing docks and jetties at South Lake, South Lake (St. Louis), South Lake5 miles
MDC boat ramp/access and dock layers, USACE ramp layers; retrieved October 2026.
Cold-water fishing close to St. Louis
| Water | Program | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Lake | winter trout lake, stocked in November | 1 mile |
| O'Fallon Park Lake | winter trout lake, stocked in November | 3 miles |
| Boathouse Lake | winter trout lake, stocked in November | 5 miles |
| Mill Creek, St. Louis County | MDC trout water | 16 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. Louis
Tackle counters a few miles from St. Louis
- Ardent Tacklebait and tackle shop, Saint Louis, 5 miles
- Feather Craft Fly Fishingfly shop, Saint Louis, 5 miles
- T Hargrove Fly Fishingfly shop, Saint Louis, 6 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods South Countysporting goods store, South County, 10 miles
- Bass Pro Shops Sunset Hillssporting goods store, Sunset Hills, 10 miles
- 367 Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Saint Louis, 11 miles
- Midwest Fishing Tacklebait and tackle shop, Saint Louis, 11 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Des Peressporting goods store, Des Peres, 11 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, guide listings; retrieved October 2026.
Keeping fish near St. Louis 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. Louis
Other towns near St. Louis
- Wellston4 miles
- Hillsdale4 miles
- Pine Lawn4 miles
- Maplewood5 miles
- Pagedale5 miles
Which county holds St. Louis
- City of St. Louisindependent city
Piscifun tackle a Missouri angler might take to St. Louis
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Hollows, bluffs and lakes by St. Louis, in photos
Photo: David Brossard, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Gvolk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Heath Cajandig, CC BY 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Classiv, CC BY-SA 4.0
Using St. Louis as a base camp for fishing
Which MDC-managed reservoir sits closest to St. Louis?
Jefferson Lake, 1 mile west.
Where does a St. Louis boater back the trailer into MDC water?
Try Spanish Lake (St. Louis County), 11 miles.
Which fishing dock is handy to St. Louis?
Fishing dock at Jefferson Lake, roughly 1 mile out.
Which bait shop is nearest to St. Louis on the listings?
Closest listing: Ardent Tackle (5 miles).
Which county page covers St. Louis and its water?
It lies in the City of St. Louis, an independent city outside any county.
Can St. Louis 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. Louis anglers the most acres?
Fairgrounds Park Lake, 10 acres, 2 miles away.
What communities neighbour St. Louis?
The nearest are Wellston (4 miles), Hillsdale (4 miles) and Pine Lawn (4 miles).
Which trout water is closest to St. Louis?
Jefferson Lake, a winter trout lake, about 1 mile away.
Settle into St. Louis for a few days of fishing
Every ramp page opens with a directions link.