Matt Williams.

Can one be proud of a state’s angling opportunities? My emphatic answer is yes. I’m proud of Missouri’s fine year-round fishing. In truth, Missouri supports some of the best freshwater angling anywhere in the country.

I’m also proud of having played a small part in developing Missouri’s current fisheries management program as one of the Missouri Department of Conservation’s fisheries biologists prior to my retirement. Join me now as we travel through the coming year, visiting those special fishing locations where anglers can expect tight lines in 2008.

JANUARY
Crappie All Winter Long
The key to catching winter crappie is locating where they hang out. One great Missouri hotspot for winter crappie is the warm water arm of Thomas Hill Reservoir in Randolph County. Thomas Hill is a water supply reservoir for a power plant.

When the main lake freezes, the plant’s warm water discharge keeps the discharge bay ice-free and attracts large crappie. Successful anglers fish 1/16- and 1/32-ounce jigs tipped with small plastic curlytail grubs or live bait. Minnows are popular; however, this past year, Berkley’s new Gulp Minnow proved very successful instead of live bait.

Other Options: Winter bass anglers often miss opportunities for black bass in Table Rock Lake in southwest Missouri. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass can be found readily, holding over deep, rocky points and rocky bottoms, feeding on crayfish and shad. The key to catching winter bass is slowing your presentation and allowing feeding bass to pick up your jig as it bounces along the bottom and climbs over rocks. Once you feel a fish pick up your jig, allow a little slack, then set the hook.

Ice-anglers target large bluegills, bass, and crappie in north Missouri ponds, community lakes and watershed lakes using small 1/80-ounce jigs tipped with small, live grubs, mousies, mealworms or minnows. For safety, anglers need at least 4 inches of ice.

FEBRUARY
Winter Trout In The Ozarks
Missouri anglers have the opportunity to participate in some of the best trout fishing of the year -- with no crowds. Missouri’s winter weather usually breaks in February, providing warm, sunny days and allowing anglers to visit any of Missouri’s four trout parks for some of the best catch-and-release trout fishing of the winter season. These parks include Montauk State Park, Bennett Spring State Park, Roaring River State Park and Maramec Spring State Park.

The Missouri Department of Conservation usually stocks the trout parks heavily for the final weeks of the winter catch-and-release season.

Winter trout park anglers must use artificial lures or flies. For the best success, go small: 1/80-ounce Marabou jigs, small spinners or small flies that imitate midge larvae or small caddis flies.

In addition to Missouri’s trout parks, the Current River downstream from Montauk State Park to the Cedar Grove Access and the North Fork of White River from Rainbow or Double Springs downstream to the Dawt Mill Access provides outstanding brown and rainbow trout fishing in February.

Anglers fishing the Current River must use artificial lures or flies and are limited to one 18-inch trout each day. This Red Ribbon trout fishery has exploded over the past 10 years as the brown trout population responded to special management regulations. Arguably, it is Missouri best brown trout fishery.

The North Fork of the White River in the Blue Ribbon section supports Missouri’s best wild rainbow trout fishery and has good numbers of large brown trout. Anglers must use artificial lures and flies only and harvest only one 18-inch or larger trout per day. Access this section from the Kelly Shoal Access east of the Crossroads of state routes 181 and H, or by fishing upstream from Blair Bridge.

Other Options: Crappie in Lake of the Ozarks and Stockton Lake can be caught around hard cover such as bridge pilings, sunken timber and rocky points. Tailwaters trout fishing in Lake Taneycomo heats up in February as mature rainbows migrate to the headwaters to spawn.

MARCH
Missouri Trout Parks
March heralds the traditional opening of Missouri’s nationally-known catch-and-keep trout park fisheries. How can any red-blooded Missouri trout angler pass up fishing the trout park opener? It is a time to renew old acquaintances, shake out the cobwebs of winter, and catch a few trout. The MDC stocks the parks with rainbows -- including a few lunkers -- and browns to satisfy needs of all anglers. If you don’t enjoy crowds, fish after opening day, and you can have the trout parks to yourself.

My favorite is Montauk State Park. It has the longest spring branch of the four trout parks and a catch-and-release area with some outstanding and challenging fly-fishing for large rainbows and browns.

Successful anglers think small: Small lures; small flies; small natural baits and hooks; and small-diameter monofilament line.

Early in the day, use small, dark-colored flies, fished near the surface. Later, as the trout numbers decrease, add a small split-shot and fish deeper, near the bottom. Natural bait anglers prefer corn or flavored trout baits including Zekes and Berkley’s Powerbaits. Spin-fishermen use small 1/80-ounce and smaller jigs tipped with brown, green or black marabou, or small rooster tails, Mepps or Panther Martin spinners.

Other Options: Missouri’s paddlefish snagging season opens March 15. The best snagging is in the Osage River just downstream from Harry S. Truman Dam and downstream from Bagnell Dam; the headwaters of Harry S. Truman Reservoir, also known as Truman Lake; and in the James River arm of Table Rock Lake. Walleye fishing heats up in Bull Shoals Lake downstream from Powersite Dam and up Swan Creek arm as walleyes move upstream to spawn.