Tempel Lake, Missouri: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Tempel Lake sits within Pettis County in Missouri. Height above sea level is 846 feet. Surface area runs to about 8 acres — small enough to read in one session. Head to Sedalia, 5.6 miles away, for anything you forgot. Columbia sits 45 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Tempel Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Survey and observation records for Pettis County include orangethroat darter, green sunfish, longear sunfish, bluegill and johnny darter. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Tempel Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 78°F and January near 28°F. In milder years the surface never sets. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Tempel Lake. Long daylight spreads fish out; short daylight concentrates them.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Hermora Lake sits 2.2 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Tempel Lake may have changed since it was mapped.