Cottontail Lake in Jackson County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Cottontail Lake in Jackson County, Missouri. The ground around here is open valley. Small at around 21 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Greenwood lies 2.6 miles from the water. It is 15 miles to East Independence, the nearest city. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Cottontail Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Across Jackson County, recorded fish include bluegill, channel catfish and green sunfish. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Cottontail Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 78°F in July and bottom out at 27°F in January. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. The season on Cottontail Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. A toilet block sits half a mile away. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Lake Nell is 0.5 miles distant. For Cottontail Lake in particular, ask before you travel.