Pike Lake in Grundy County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Grundy County, Pike Lake is a Missouri water. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. At 18 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. For supplies, Trenton is 9.4 miles out. East Independence is the closest city, 69 miles away. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Pike Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Reported across Grundy County: channel catfish, goldeye, green sunfish, johnny darter and orangespotted sunfish. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Pike Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 25°F in January and 77°F in July. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Winter locks it down, and early March brings it back. In an average year the thaw lands around early March and the freeze near late December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan any trip to Pike Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. There is a launch about half a mile from the bank. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. A toilet block sits half a mile away. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Kilburn Pond sits 4.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Pike Lake if anything is unclear.