Fishing at Fairview Lake, Boone County, Missouri

• Overview

  This water sits in Boone County, Missouri. The surface lies 738 feet up. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Boone County. Nearest town is Columbia, 2.4 miles off. Ashland lies 14 miles off, Hallsville another 14 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Fairview Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Fish documented in Boone County include orangethroat darter, bluegill, shortnose gar, green sunfish and longear sunfish. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fairview Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 78°F, the coldest about 28°F. In milder years the surface never sets. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. It sets the rhythm of the year at Fairview Lake. Long daylight spreads the feeding across more hours.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Hulen Lake sits 0.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Fairview Lake as something to verify.