Autumn Lake in Camden County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Missouri, Autumn Lake belongs to Camden County. This is rolling hill ground. Surface area runs to about 4 acres — small enough to read in one session. 0.6 miles away sits Four Seasons, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Columbia, 55 miles away. Close by you have: Treeline Lake out at 1.4 miles, Lake of the Ozarks 2.5 miles away, Blue Springs Lake out at 7.3 miles, Lake Ja-Ha 13 miles away and Derbey Lake out at 23 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Autumn Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Survey and observation records for Camden County include bluegill, channel catfish and common carp. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Take Autumn Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 31°F in January to roughly 79°F in July. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. At Autumn Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Treeline Lake is 1.4 miles off. What applies at Autumn Lake may have changed since it was mapped.