Fishing at Number 185 Reservoir, Lafayette County, Missouri

• Overview

  Number 185 Reservoir is a Lafayette County water, in Missouri. Country round the bank runs to farm and woodlot. The water measures roughly 4 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Our Lafayette County list holds plenty of bigger water. Supplies mean a trip to Lexington, 3 miles off. Higginsville is 9.4 miles and Odessa 11 miles. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Number 185 Reservoir

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. County-wide records name rainbow smelt, bluegill, channel catfish and common carp. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish this water where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 26°F in January to roughly 77°F in July. The year gives four workable seasons without severe ends. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. That is the shape of the year on this water.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Number 140 Reservoir is 0.7 miles off. Treat this water as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.