Patterson Lake Fishing near Wardsville, Missouri

• Overview

  Patterson Lake lies within the bounds of Cole County, Missouri. Country round the bank runs to rolling hill. Wardsville lies 11 miles from the water. Columbia sits 39 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Not far off: Henley Lake 3.1 miles, Scott Lake about 6.8 miles, Lakewood Estates Lake 12 miles, Lake Ja-Ha about 12 miles and Lake Claradean 13 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Patterson Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Reported across Cole County: orangethroat darter, green sunfish and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Patterson Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 78°F and January reads 29°F. Spring and autumn are the strongest, but nothing is truly closed. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. That shapes the year on Patterson Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Henley Lake is 3.1 miles off. Ask locally about Patterson Lake if anything is unclear.