Number 72 Reservoir near Owensville: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Number 72 Reservoir lies in Gasconade County, in Missouri. The country here is open valley. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The closest town, Owensville, is 6.2 miles distant. The big place round here is Columbia, 66 miles distant. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Number 72 Reservoir

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Records held for Gasconade County cover orangethroat darter, longear sunfish and fantail darter. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. This water repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 77°F, with January the cold end at about 29°F. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. This water fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Hickory Lake, 1.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For this water in particular, ask before you travel.