Bella Vista Lake in Cape Girardeau County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, sits Bella Vista Lake. The surface lies 466 feet up. It measures about 43 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. With about 1.4 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. It ranks high for size among our Cape Girardeau County listings. The closest town, Jackson, is 8 miles distant. The nearest city of size is St. Louis, 86 miles away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Bella Vista Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Open biodiversity records for Cape Girardeau County list common carp, bluegill and longear sunfish. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Bella Vista Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 31°F in January and 78°F in July. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. The season on Bella Vista Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Carp respond to sweetcorn or boilies fished patiently on the bottom near feeding areas. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Lipps Lake, 2.5 miles out. For Bella Vista Lake in particular, ask before you travel.