Fishing at Hidden Valley Lake, Mercer County, Missouri

• Overview

  The Mercer County end of Missouri holds Hidden Valley Lake. The country here is lake country bush. It covers about 13 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Mercer County list. You are 5.8 miles from Princeton. For a city, Des Moines is 77 miles off. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Hidden Valley Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Work Hidden Valley Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it. Head north for the nearest town.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 76°F; the cold one sits at 23°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Count the season from break-up, usually mid March. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid March in spring and again near mid December in autumn. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. It sets the rhythm of the year at Hidden Valley Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Lake Marie Marina is half a mile from the water and covers boat needs. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lake Marie at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Hidden Valley Lake should be assumed from this page alone.