Fishing at Palmer Lake, Washington County, Missouri

• Overview

  Set in Washington County, Missouri, this is Palmer Lake. It sits at 1,109 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 103 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The whole outline is near 2.9 miles, and most of it is walkable. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Missouri listings. The town to know is Potosi, 11 miles out. St. Louis is the closest city, 68 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Palmer Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Species logged across Washington County include fantail darter, rainbow darter, greenside darter and orangethroat darter. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Palmer Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 76°F and January about 30°F. Most months fish reasonably, given the right weather. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. The season on Palmer Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. For the panfish, a small hook, a float and a piece of worm outfish everything fancy. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Council Bluff Lake is 7.1 miles off. What applies at Palmer Lake may have changed since it was mapped.