Fishing at Ben J Koch Lake, Gasconade County, Missouri

• Overview

  You will find Ben J Koch Lake in Gasconade County, Missouri. The bank gives way to farm and woodlot. This is a pocket water of some 7 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Some 8.9 miles away sits Gerald, the nearest settlement. It is 60 miles to Columbia, the nearest city. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Ben J Koch Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Across Gasconade County, recorded fish include orangethroat darter, longear sunfish, fantail darter and bluegill. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Ben J Koch Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 77°F, with January the cold end at about 29°F. Whether it freezes depends on the year. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Plan any trip to Ben J Koch Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Daizy Vally Reservoir, 4.5 miles out. What applies at Ben J Koch Lake may have changed since it was mapped.