Berndt Lake Fishing in Mercer County, Missouri

• Overview

  You will find Berndt Lake in Mercer County, Missouri. It sits in lake country bush. At 19 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Compared with other Missouri water on our list, it sits high. The nearest place of any size is Princeton, 7 miles away. It is 76 miles to Des Moines, the nearest city. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Berndt Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. At Berndt Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes. Fish the shade line as the sun moves round.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 23°F in January up to 76°F in July. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice-out usually falls in mid March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up sits around mid March on average, with the water closing again about mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Expect Berndt Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. The nearest marina is Lake Marie Marina, some 0.9 miles out. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Berndt Lake SW SW Section 30 sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Berndt Lake if anything is unclear.