Fishing at Lake Hogan, Carter County, Missouri

• Overview

  Lake Hogan sits in Carter County, out in Missouri. The water sits 650 feet up. It covers about 13 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The closest town, Doniphan, is 16 miles away. It is 122 miles to Memphis, the nearest city. Other water within reach: Pinewoods Lake out at 6.8 miles, Shore Acres Lake just 14 miles, Big Lake out at 16 miles, Wren Lake just 16 miles and Elston Lake out at 17 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Lake Hogan

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Reported across Carter County: rainbow darter, current darter, longear sunfish, smallmouth bass and banded darter. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Lake Hogan gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 78°F at the top of summer and 31°F at the bottom of winter. Some winters cap it and some do not. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. The season on Lake Hogan follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Pinewoods Lake, 6.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Lake Hogan before loading the car.