Kemp Lake, Missouri: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Crawford County in Missouri is where Kemp Lake sits. The land about it is open valley. The water measures roughly 15 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. The town to know is Bourbon, 3.4 miles out. It is 69 miles to St. Louis, the nearest city. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Kemp Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Records held for Crawford County cover rainbow darter, smallmouth bass, longear sunfish and meramec saddled darter. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Kemp Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 77°F and January about 29°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Plan any trip to Kemp Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. A carry of 0.9 miles from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Pine Lake, 2.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Kemp Lake before loading the car.