Sport Fishing in Missouri

When it comes to fishing, Missouri has a lot to offer the angler. While there are more than 200 species of fish in the Show-Me State, anglers focus their attention on about two dozen species. The seasons are long and the daily limits are generous; but there are regulations to improve and maintain the quality of fishing, ensuring that everyone has an equal chance of catching fish, while protecting fisheries resources.

The Wildlife Code of Missouri is a permissive code. This means that you may take or attempt to take only those species of fish and other aquatic wildlife permitted by the Code, and only by those methods, and only at the times and under the circumstances mentioned. As one angler put it: “If they don’t say you can, you can’t!”

A permissive code means that rather than giving you an endless list of “thou shalt nots,” we keep it simple by telling you what you may do. The reason for this is to make access to Missouri fishing as fair and as uncomplicated as possible.

General Rules

Methods

You may take fish by pole and line, trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line and jug line. If you use more than 3 poles (or two poles on the Mississippi River) at any one time, the additional poles must be labeled with your full name and address. Regardless of the method or number of poles, you may not use more than a total of 33 hooks at any one time; except on the Mississippi River the maximum is 50 hooks at one time. If fishing on the Mississippi River and on other Missouri waters at the same time, no more than 50 hooks may be used and not more than 33 on waters other than the Mississippi. Hooks on trotlines must be staged at least 2 feet apart. Hooks on any type of line, as well as the line itself, must be attended every 24 hours or removed.

Certain species in designated waters may be taken by the use of longbow, crossbow, gig, atlatl, snare or by underwater spearfishing, snagging, grabbing or by hand. (See pages 9-14.) However, game fish not hooked in the mouth or jaw must be returned to the water unharmed immediately, except:

All of the above methods of taking fish are considered sport fishing methods. Of course, no one may use any explosive, poison, chemical or electrical equipment to kill or stupefy fish. Such material or equipment may not even be possessed on waters of the state or adjacent banks. Spearguns may not be possessed on unimpounded waters or adjacent banks, and spears may not be propelled by explosives. It also is illegal to attempt to take fish by hand, with or without a hook, except catfish during the experimental hand fishing season, and to intentionally leave or abandon any commonly edible portion of any fish.

Fish traps, including slat and wire ones, may not be possessed on waters in Missouri or on adjacent banks. However, live-bait traps are allowed. See live-bait section on pages 10-12.

Labels Required: You must place a tag of a durable material with your full name and address on live-bait traps, trotlines, throwlines, limb lines, bank lines, jug lines and live boxes.

Use of Lights: As an aid to fishing methods, an artificial light may be used only above the water surface. However, while fishing by pole and line only, underwater lights may be used to attract fish.

Daily and Possession Limits

You may possess no more than the daily limit of any given species while you are on waters, or on the banks of waters, where daily limits for those species apply. Where only catch-and-release fishing is allowed, fish must be returned unharmed immediately to the water after being caught. See regulations on culling on page 42.

The possession limit is twice the statewide daily limit. See page 8. Fish you take and possess must be kept separate or distinctly identifiable from fish taken by another person. If you are away from your catch, the device holding the fish must be plainly labeled with your full name and address.

Length Limits

A minimum length limit means that fish below a designated length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught. A slot length limit or protected length range means that fish within a designated length range must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught. A maximum length limit means that fish above a designated length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught. See page 27 for details on how to measure fish.

Regardless of where taken, fish that are not of a legal length cannot be possessed on the waters or banks where length limits apply. The head and tail must remain attached to the fish while you are fishing on waters where length limits apply.

Transportation

The fish you catch in Missouri, or elsewhere, may be possessed and transported as your personal baggage, if you have the required permit. Fish may be stored, preserved or refrigerated only at your home, camp, place of lodging or in a commercial establishment. Stored fish must be labeled with your full name, address, permit number, species of fish and the date placed in storage. Fish taken in another state by methods not permitted in Missouri may not be possessed on waters of the state.

Jug Line Regulations

Anchored jug lines may not be left unattended for more than 24 hours. The anchor must be sufficient to render a jug immobile so that wind, current or large fish will not move the jug. A line that does not meet this standard is considered unanchored. Under normal fishing conditions, a 2-pound weight for a 2-liter soda bottle would be an appropriate anchor. Use a heavier weight to anchor larger floats or during times of high wind and current.

Unanchored jug lines must be personally attended at all times. Complying with this regulation will reduce catfish waste and jug line litter on our public lakes and rivers. Anglers who cannot personally attend their jug lines at all times can still enjoy jug fishing by using anchors. Personally attended means that the angler whose name is labeled on the jug line: