COUNTY PROVIDES DIVERSE FISHING OPPORTUNITIES

Cape Girardeau County offers an abundance of angling opportunities for both novice and seasoned veteran.

Within the county's borders, streams, lakes, ponds and the mighty Mississippi beckon to their banks men, women and children all armed with their choice of tackle for some excellent fishing.

The county also offers a myriad of fish to entice anglers to the water. Cape Girardeau County's streams, lakes and ponds provide great opportunities for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, Kentucky spotted bass, white bass, rock bass (goggle-eye), bluegill, crappie and catfish.

Tired of catching bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill? Then try your hand at catching walleye, sauger and muskellunge.

You won't have to leave the county to catch any of the aforementioned species of fish.

Another great aspect of fishing in Cape Girardeau County is the many different fishing settings.

From the peaceful and very civilized fishing atmosphere afforded at the North and South County Parks and the newly opened Rotary Lake in Jackson to the traditional lake fishing setting at Lake Girardeau to the pure joy of being alone in the wild while fishing one of the many streams in the county, Cape Girardeau County has it all.

And there are plenty of public access areas for anglers to enter these waterways teeming with fish. The Missouri Department of Conservation office located in the North County Park can provide anglers with all the information they will need for fishing in the county and in Missouri. There are also books, pamphlets and flyers with information and maps to every public angling opportunity in the state.

Let's start at the north border and work our way down through the county.

Apple Creek

Apple Creek makes up the northern border of Cape Girardeau County and the southern border of Perry County.

This creek, which winds its way into the Mississippi River, has a plethora of gilled game that are either native to the stream or have entered it from the Mississippi River.

Boat access to the creek is located off of State Highway CC, three miles east of New Wells.

Missouri Conservation Department agent Paul Cieslewicz said that because of high water on the Mississippi, the boat access is currently under water, but when the water is down this area provides good crappie, catfish and bass fishing.

The Mississippi River

Cieslewicz said there is also good fishing in the Mississippi River.

"You'll want to stay away from the sturgeon and paddlefish, but the bass, crappie, walleye and sauger are safe," he added.

Contamination of fish taken from the Mississippi River isn't a myth and there is a one-pound per week consumption restriction on all catfish, carp, buffalo, drum, suckers and paddle fish caught.

Bass, crappie, walleye, sauger and sunfish from the river do not have consumption restrictions because they are not as susceptible to contamination as the bottom feeding fish like carp and catfish.

But if you are strictly a catch and release angler and eating the fish you catch is the furthest thing from your mind, the Mississippi River offers some excellent fishing. It also offers the greatest number of different fish species in Cape Girardeau County.

The Maintz Wildlife Preserve

Travel to the northwest part of the county and there is a special place for anglers and hunters alike. The Maintz Wildlife Preserve, located west of Oak Ridge off State Highways B and BB, is an 804-acre wildlife area that provides hunting, hiking, bird watching, archery, camping and yes, fishing.

There are several different ponds that are open for public fishing.

Bass, bluegill and catfish are stocked in the ponds. There are parking lots located near the ponds, so you can get close to the fishing areas before you have to leave your car.

There are more than 10 ponds in the wildlife preserve, so if the fishing is bad in one or there are too many people on one pond you have other options.

The Whitewater River

Traveling west on Highway 72 past Millersville, make a right onto County Road 385 and you are headed for the Old Plantation Access on the Whitewater River.

This is a 70-acre area of mostly cropland, but there is one-mile of frontage on the Whitewater River for public access.

Whitewater River provides an excellent escape for small stream anglers. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are prevalent in the Whitewater River.

Rock bass (goggle-eye) and sunfish are also abundant. The river also provides many opportunities for catfish and crappie.

"You never get skunked on a river," Cieslewicz said.

The Whitewater River bends from the northwest of the county to the southwest corner of the county where it drains into the Diversion Channel.

Check with the conservation office for specific rules and regulations and always obtain the permission of private property owners before entering any fishing area from private lands.

Rotary Lake in Jackson City Park

Rotary Lake was reopened to fishing last weekend. It is easy to get to, located in Jackson City Park, and there is a handicapped accessible fishing dock.

Conservation agent Brad Pobst said the lake was restored in 1994. Before then about 90 percent of the lake was covered with algae because of domestic waterfowl. It was recommended that the lake be renovated and the problem waterfowl be removed.

Silt that had filled in the lake was dug out and the bank was given new rip-rap. The disabled angler accessible fishing dock was added and the lake was stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish, fat head minnows and grass carp.

Pobst said there should be bass in the lake that are more than 15 inches. This lake has special limits. No bass are to be taken that are under 15 inches and only six bass each can be kept by hungry anglers. You can keep four channel catfish from the lake and there is no size limit on the catfish.

There is also a limit of 30 crappie from the lake, because even though crappie were not stocked by the Missouri Department of Conservation, the king of panfish has been added by sneaky area anglers.

There is a limit of 20 fish for all other species caught in the lake.

The lake is 15-feet deep by the dam and has a depth of four to five feet on the lower end.

Fish structure was added to the lake's bottom during the renovation and these fish habitats are generally located about 15 feet off the bank. Structure for fish is spread out all over the lake, so cast out there and see what hits.

Rotary Lake can be fished from the bank and fishing dock only.

The County Parks fishing opportunities

The North and South County Parks offer three small lakes stocked with bass, bluegill and catfish.

There isn't any structure on the bottoms of these lakes, so the fish are spread out, but the fishing can be excellent at times. The water is muddy so the fish will have pale complexions as compared to fish caught in clear and moderately clear water. But they fight just as hard and since there isn't any underwater structure, you're not likely to lose a fish because it swam into some brush and hung you and your expensive artificial lure out to dry.

The best part about fishing at the county parks is the convenience of the park facilities and the grass is mowed right up to the edge of the water, so any unwanted encounters with snakes are kept at a minimum.

Cieslewicz said some nice bass have been caught in these lakes.

Lake Girardeau

Lake Girardeau is located 14 miles southwest of Jackson on State Highways U and RA. To get to this 162-acre lake take Highway 34 out of Jackson to State Highway U.

Lake Girardeau has bass up to eight pounds ready to pounce on your lure. Another wonderful sport fish present is the muskellunge.

Muskies were stocked in the lake in 1995 and the bigger ones are approaching 30 inches, but the size limits on muskies is 42 inches so any undersized Muskies hooked in the lake need to be released unharmed immediately.

In a couple of years the muskies should grow to 42 inches and beyond. Lake Girardeau could someday have Muskies approaching the state record of 41 pounds from the Lake of the Ozarks.

Muskies have been known to grow as long as five feet and weigh as much as 70 pounds. Anglers need to be careful with these fish, which are the largest in the pike family; they have large teeth so hook removal can pose dangers that are not present in bass, crappie and bluegill angling.

This lake is also home to catfish, crappie and sunfish. There are special regulations for this lake as well. Black bass taken from the lake are limited to six per day and there is a slot-length protected minimum size between 12 and 15 inches. Any bass measuring between 12 and 15 inches are protected. If you catch one, release it unharmed as soon as you remove the hook.

Should the fish have the misfortune of swallowing the lure, or the hook won't come out without injuring the fish, Cieslewicz recommended anglers cut the line to increase the fish's chance of survival.

There is a daily limit of 30 crappie and four catfish (channel, blue and flathead combined). You can only keep one muskie more than 42 inches and all other fish combined have a daily limit of 20.

The lake also provides opportunities for camping, hiking, bird watching, frogging and picnicking.

There is a boat ramp available and boating restrictions for the lake are enforced. Boats can only be used for fishing and wildlife related activities and cannot be stored or left unattended overnight. Outboard motors in excess of 10 horsepower must be run at a no-wake speed.

The Block Hole Access

Due south of Lake Girardeau is a 10-acre area known as the Block Hole Access.

Located off Highway U about a half mile east of the junction of Highways T, N and U, this public access spot on the Diversion Channel offers anglers entry to the waterway that has fish from the Castor River, Whitewater River, Crooked Creek and the Mississippi River.

Cieslewicz said white and black bass are abundant as well as crappie and sunfish. Catfish are also lurking in the water. Another fish that anglers can find success catching at the Block Hole is the walleye.

Cieslewicz said a 15-pound walleye was recently landed there. That's a nice size fish, considering the state record is 21.1 pounds.

Headwaters Access

Traveling east on the Diversion Channel we arrive at the Headwaters Access. To get to this spot by land you take Highway 74, the access is located east of I-55.

The Diversion Channel offers a great many different species of fish. Just as was the case with the Block Hole Access, this area of the Diversion Channel sports any kind of fish that can swim into it from the Mississippi River, Castor River, Whitewater River or area creeks.

A boat ramp is available for anglers -- an added advantage. Some boating restrictions may apply so contact the Missouri Conservation Office if you have any questions.

Bass, bluegill and crappie are present, but catfish, buffalo, carp and many other bottom feeders can be hooked. As always, use caution when the water is high and contact the conservation office with any questions as to consumption, size and number limits on the fish you catch.