Fishing at Paul Veale Lake, Audrain County, Missouri

• Overview

  Paul Veale Lake lies within the bounds of Audrain County, Missouri. The ground round it is open valley. Surface area runs to about 14 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Audrain County. Mexico at 6.1 miles is the nearest place to stop. It is 22 miles to Columbia, the nearest city. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Paul Veale Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Across Audrain County, recorded fish include johnny darter, green sunfish and black bullhead. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Paul Veale Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 77°F; the cold one sits at 26°F. A lid forms in a hard winter only. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Anyone fishing Paul Veale Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Matthews Lake at 2.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Paul Veale Lake if anything is unclear.