Fishing, Daily and Possession Limits

PURPOSE: This rule establishes daily and possession limits for fish on areas under management agreement with the department. (1) Statewide daily limits shall apply for all species, except as otherwise provided in this rule. (2) The daily limit for black bass is two (2) on the following lakes: (A) Arrow Rock State Historic Site (Big Soldier Lake); (B) Ballwin (New Ballwin Park Lake, Vlasis Park Lake); (C) Belton (Cleveland Lake); (D) Blue Springs (Lake Remembrance); (E) Butler City Lake; (F) Columbia (Stephens Park Lake, Twin Lakes); (G) Concordia (Edwin A. Pape Lake); (H) Confederate Memorial State Historic Site lakes; (I) Fenton (Preslar Lake, Upper Fabick Lake, Westside Park Lake); (J) Ferguson (January-Wabash Lake); (K) Higginsville (Higginsville City Lake, Upper Higginsville City Lake); (L) Jackson County (Lake Jacomo, Prairie Lee Lake); (M) Jefferson City (McKay Park Lake); (N) Jennings (Koeneman Park Lake); (O) Kearney (Jesse James Park Lake); (P) Keytesville (Maxwell Taylor Park Pond); (Q) Kirkwood (Walker Lake); (R) Liberty (Capitol Federal® Sports Complex Ponds Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8); (S) Mexico (Teal Lake); (T) Mineral Area College (Quarry Pond); (U) Osage Beach (Osage Beach City Park Lake); (V) Overland (Wild Acres Park Lake); (W) Potosi (Roger Bilderback Lake); (X) Raymore (Johnston Lake); (Y) Sedalia (Spring Fork Lake); (Z) St. Ann (Gendron Lake); (AA) St. Charles (Fountain Lakes Pond, Kluesner Lake, Moore Lake, Skate Park Lake); (BB) St. Joseph (Corby Pond); (CC) St. Louis (Benton Park Lake, Boathouse Lake, Fairgrounds Park Lake, Horseshoe Lake, Jefferson Lake, Lafayette Park Lake, O’Fallon Park Lake, North Lake, South Lake); (DD) St. Louis County (Bee Tree Park Lake, Blackjack Lake, Carp Lake, Creve Coeur Park Lake, Fountain Lake, Island Lake, Jarville Lake, Simpson Park Lake, Spanish Lake, Sunfish Lake, Tilles Park Lake); (EE) Union (Union City Lake); (FF) Warrensburg (Lions Lake); (GG) Watkins Mill State Park (Williams Creek Lake); (HH) Wentzville (Community Club Lake, Heartland Lake); and (II) Windsor (Farrington Park Lake). (3) The daily and possession limit for black bass is twelve (12) in the aggregate on Cuivre River State Park (Lincoln Lake). (4) The daily limit for channel catfish, blue catfish, and flathead catfish in the aggregate is four (4). (5) The daily limit for crappie is fifteen (15) on the following lakes: (A) Ballwin (New Ballwin Park Lake, Vlasis Park Lake); (B) Fenton (Preslar Lake, Upper Fabick Lake, Westside Park Lake); (C) Ferguson (January-Wabash Lake); (D) Kirksville (Hazel Creek Lake); (E) St. Ann (Gendron Lake); (F) St. Charles (Fountain Lakes Pond, Kluesner Lake, Moore Lake, Skate Park Lake); (G) St. Louis (Benton Park Lake, Boathouse Lake, Fairgrounds Park Lake, Horseshoe Lake, Jefferson Lake, Lafayette Park Lake, O’Fallon Park Lake, North Lake, South Lake); (H) St. Louis County (Bee Tree Park Lake, Blackjack Lake, Carp Lake, Creve Coeur Park Lake, Fountain Lake, Island Lake, Jarville Lake, Simpson Park Lake, Spanish Lake, Sunfish Lake, Tilles Park Lake); (I) Springfield City Utilities (Fellows Lake); and (J) Wentzville (Community Club Lake, Heartland Lake). (6) The daily limit for white bass, striped bass, and their hybrids in the aggregate is four (4) on the following lakes: (A) Cameron (Eagle Lake); (B) Hamilton (Hamilton City Lake); (C) Maysville (Willow Brook Lake); (D) St. Louis County (Sunfish Lake); and (E) Watkins Mill State Park (Williams Creek Lake). (7) The daily limit for bluegill is ten (10) on Liberty (Capitol Federal® Sports Complex Ponds Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8). (8) The daily limit for fish other than those species listed as endangered in 3 CSR 10-4.111 or defined as game fish is twenty (20) in the aggregate, except on the following lakes where the daily limit is ten (10) in the aggregate, and except for those fish included in section (7) of this rule: (A) Ballwin (New Ballwin Park Lake, Vlasis Park Lake); (B) Columbia (Stephens Park Lake); (C) Cuivre River State Park (Lake Lincoln); (D) Fenton (Preslar Lake, Upper Fabick Lake, Westside Park Lake); (E) Ferguson (January-Wabash Lake); (F) Jennings (Koeneman Park Lake); (G) Kearney (Jesse James Park Lake); (H) Kirkwood (Walker Lake); (I) Mineral Area College (Quarry Pond); (J) Overland (Wild Acres Park Lake); (K) Potosi (Roger Bilderback Lake); (L) St. Ann (Gendron Lake); (M) St. Charles (Fountain Lakes Pond, Kluesner Lake, Moore Lake, Skate Park Lake); (N) St. Louis (Benton Park Lake, Boathouse Lake, Fairgrounds Park Lake, Horseshoe Lake, Jefferson Lake, Lafayette Park Lake, O’Fallon Park Lake, North Lake, South Lake); (O) St. Louis County (Bee Tree Park Lake, Blackjack Lake, Carp Lake, Creve Coeur Park Lake, Fountain Lake, Island Lake, Jarville Lake, Simpson Park Lake, Spanish Lake, Sunfish Lake, Tilles Park Lake); (P) Union (Union City Lake); (Q) University of Missouri (McCredie Lake); (R) Watershed Committee of the Ozarks (Valley Water Mill Lake); and (S) Wentzville (Community Club Lake, Heartland Lake). (9) Trout must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught from November 1 through January 31 on the following lakes and may not be possessed on these waters during this season: (A) Cape Girardeau (Capaha Park Lake); (B) Columbia (Cosmo-Bethel Lake); (C) Farmington (Giessing Lake); (D) Fulton (Veterans Park Lake); (E) Hannibal (Huckleberry Lake); (F) Jackson (Rotary Lake); (G) Jefferson City (McKay Park Lake); (H) Jennings (Koeneman Park Lake); (I) Kirksville (Spur Pond); (J) Kirkwood (Walker Lake); (K) Marshall (Lake Minesa); (L) Mexico (Kiwanis Lake); (M) Moberly (Beuth Park Lake); (N) Overland (Wild Acres Park Lake); (O) Perry County (Legion Lake 1); (P) Sedalia (Liberty Park Pond); (Q) Sikeston (Sikeston Recreation Complex Lake); (R) St. Louis (Jefferson Lake); (S) St. Louis County (Tilles Park Lake); and (T) Union (Union City Lake). (10) No person shall continue to fish for any species after having four (4) trout in possession on the following lakes: (A) Ballwin (Vlasis Park Lake); (B) Ferguson (January-Wabash Park Lake); (C) St. Louis (Boathouse Lake, O’Fallon Park Lake); and (D) St. Louis County (Carp Lake, Island Lake). (11) All fish must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught, except that the daily limit of four (4) trout may be taken from February 1 through October 31 on the following waters: (A) Missouri Western State University (Everyday Pond); and (B) St. Joseph (Krug Park Lagoon). (12) No person shall continue to fish for any species after having four (4) trout in possession, from February 1 through October 31, on the following lakes: (A) Jennings (Koeneman Park Lake); (B) Kirkwood (Walker Lake); (C) Overland (Wild Acres Park Lake); (D) St. Louis (Jefferson Lake); (E) St. Louis County (Tilles Park Lake); and (F) Union (Union City Lake). AUTHORITY: sections 40 and 45 of Art. IV, Mo. Const., and section 252.040, RSMo 2016.* This rule previously filed as 3 CSR 10-4.116. Original rule filed April 30, 2001, effective Sept. 30, 2001. Amended: Filed Aug. 30, 2001, effective Jan. 30, 2002. Amended: Filed May 9, 2002, effective Oct. 30, 2002. Amended: Filed July 31, 2002, effective March 1, 2003. Amended: Filed May 9, 2003, effective Oct. 30, 2003. Amended: Filed Aug. 1, 2003, effective Nov. 1, 2003. Amended: Filed Oct. 9, 2003, effective March 30, 2004. Amended: Filed June 4, 2004, effective Nov. 30, 2004. Amended: Filed Oct. 8, 2004, effective March 30, 2005. Amended: Filed April 20, 2005, effective Sept. 30, 2005. Amended: Filed Oct. 13, 2005, effective Nov. 1, 2005. Amended: Filed March 6, 2006, effective Aug. 30, 2006. Amended: Filed Aug. 23, 2006, effective Nov. 1, 2006. Amended: Filed Aug. 14, 2007, effective Nov. 1, 2007. Amended: Filed April 30, 2008, effective Sept. 30, 2008. Amended: Filed Oct. 10, 2008, effective April 30, 2009. Amended: Filed March 23, 2009, effective Aug. 30, 2009. Amended: Filed Sept. 25, 2009, effective March 1, 2010. Amended: Filed March 12, 2010, effective Aug. 30, 2010. Amended: Filed Aug. 30, 2010, effective Jan. 30, 2011. Amended: Filed March 7, 2011, effective July 30, 2011. Amended: Filed Sept. 12, 2011, effective March 1, 2012. Amended: Filed Sept. 19, 2012, effective March 1, 2013. Amended: Filed Sept. 27, 2013, effective March 1, 2014. Amended: Filed March 7, 2014, effective March 17, 2014. Amended: Filed March 17, 2014, effective Aug. 30, 2014. Amended: Filed Aug. 28, 2015, effective March 1, 2016. Amended: Filed Aug. 29, 2016, effective Sept. 15, 2016. Amended: Filed March 1, 2017, effective March 31, 2017. Amended: Filed Aug. 29, 2017, effective Sept. 30, 2017. Amended: Filed March 1, 2019, effective March 15, 2019. Amended: Filed Jan. 29, 2020, effective Feb. 29, 2020. Amended: Filed Sept. 4, 2020, effective Oct. 1, 2020. Amended: Filed Feb. 17, 2022, effective Aug. 30, 2022. Amended: Filed July 29, 2022, effective Feb. 28, 2023. Amended: Filed Feb. 10, 2023, effective Aug. 30, 2023. Amended: Filed Sept. 8, 2023, effective Sept. 18, 2023. Amended: Filed Feb. 7, 2025, effective Aug. 30, 2025. Amended: Filed Oct. 3, 2025, effective April 30, 2026. *Original authority: 252.040, RSMo 1945, amended 1989.