Fishing McDonald Lake in Taney County, Missouri

• Overview

  Out in Taney County, Missouri, sits McDonald Lake. Elevation runs to 846 feet. Surface area runs to about 4 acres — small enough to read in one session. For a base, Branson sits 3.5 miles out. Hollister follows at 4.7 miles, then Merriam Woods at 6.5 miles. Nearby, in order: Rockwood Hills Lake at 1.4 miles, Lake Taneycomo 5.7 miles away, Table Rock Lake at 12 miles, Fuller Lake 24 miles away and Lindenlure Lake at 27 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on McDonald Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Taney County records list rainbow darter, slender madtom, fantail darter and flathead catfish among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. McDonald Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 78°F, the coldest about 33°F. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. That shapes the year on McDonald Lake. Short days concentrate it into a narrow window.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping records boats as not allowed here, so plan to fish from the bank. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. You can camp about 0.9 miles away, going by the mapping. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Rockwood Hills Lake, 1.4 miles out. What applies at McDonald Lake may have changed since it was mapped.