Northwest Missouri’s Mozingo Lake is a relatively long and narrow lake covering just over 1000 surface acres. Today Mozingo Lake is considered by many to be an excellent resource for the crappie, bass, catfish and walleye fisherman.

A Few Facts About the Mozingo Fishery

With a maximum depth of approximately 40 feet and an average depth of around 20 feet, Mozingo Lake fishing is definitely the best in this corner of the state. Access to Mozingo Lake’s fisheries is available to the boat angler via any of the three paved fishing ramps on Mozingo or to the shore wrangler along many parts of its 26 mile-long shoreline.

As mentioned elsewhere on this site, Mozingo Lake was constructed as a water supply, flood control and recreational reservoir that was completed in 1992 and reached full pool by 1996. In 1993 bluegills were stocked, while catfish and bass were introduced into Mozingo the following year supplementing the inundated farm pond populations already present. In 1996 the Missouri Department of conservation also introduced walleye to further enhance Mozingo Lake fishing opportunities.

The Crappie, Bass, Catfish & Walleye Bounty

During the early spring and fall periods of the year crappie fisherman sometimes think they have died and found a little slice of heaven. Many Mozingo Lake crappie anglers report daily bags of 25 fish almost all of whish are excellent in quality. Techniques used to catch the crappie range from using lures such as marabou and plastic jigs, small spinner baits like roadrunners, small crank baits and spoons while bait fishermen have phenomenal success using minnows on a variety of bait rigs.

Anyone who states the Mozingo Lake is a decent bass fishery is definitely making a huge understatement. If you have any doubt of this fact just make note of the numerous bass fishing tournaments occurring every weekend from late March through mid-November. It is common to find that many of the anglers who plays well in those tournaments typically weigh a five bass limit of 18 pounds or greater. Another indication of just how good Mozingo Lake Bass fishing is pertains to the size of the big bass weighed in these events. More often than not it takes a largemouth bass exceeding 6 pounds to win the big bass pot in the numerous tournaments held at Mozingo.

Recently one tournament was held on Mozingo Lake where the winning weight for a five bass limit was over 23 pounds in the big bass was over 8 1/4 pounds. Make no doubt about it; Mozingo Lake is an exceptional bass fishery. Over the course of the year almost any type of the common bass fishing baits will work.

And just like crappie and bass catfish and walleye populations in Mozingo Lake are also very strong usually providing those anglers with both quantities and quality of fish that leave a smile on their face.

In addition to fantastic fish populations, Mozingo Lake has abundant habitat in the form of many submerged brush piles; numerous rocky points; expensive weed beds and weed-lines; many submerged road beds and farm ponds along with shallow codes with standing brush and timber. The variety of fishable cover provides all anglers the opportunity to use a variety of fishing lures and presentations in their quest for their finny friends.

Click on the Mozingo Lake Map image below to access the full size copy!

So if you’re any sort of angler and coming to the northwest corner of Missouri take a little time and visit Mozingo Lake for your best fishing trip of the season.