Mark Twain Lake

Living in Iowa and looking to do some crappie fishing at Mark Twain Lake.
I would like to hit the spawn on the lake.
What is a safe weekend to figure this?
Thanks

That's a good question, I have been fishing MTL since it was built and still have not figured it out. Lots of variables, it is a flood control lake so water levels are a issue and water temps.
I have seen the spawn as late as Memorial weekend.
Good luck!

DEADEYE is dead on it...... kinda like that saying about telling God your plan and he laughs.

Twain is the most unpredictable lake I've ever fished and a lot has to do with it being on the smaller side in terms of Corp. lakes but its watershed is huge. May is generally the month to be there but try to be flexible. I know I'm in the minority on this but very much hoping for an unstable spring. The lake was raped last year due to essentially perfect spawning conditions.

U

The lake was definitely fruitful last year. The Corp will never admit it but they underbuilt the dam for the amount of watershed it gets. Definitely under estimated that one. Should have been 30 feet higher. They messed up in 2008 and couldn’t control the watershed and were lucky they didn’t lose it. When the lake gets 4 foot above normal pool now they drop the bottom out of it because they know if it gets away from them there is nothing they can do about it. The spawn is usually anywhere from early to late May. Obviously some fish spawn before and some after due to different parts of the lake being clearer/dirty and cooler/warmer. The lake is pretty dirty right now and just shot up to 613 so the spawn could be interesting this year to say the least.

Come the first week in May. The lake will be busy but even if they are not spawning they are pretty easy to catch.

We did great last August

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Originally Posted by mac

We did great last August

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Indeed we did, Mac! Ate great, drank great, bs'd great and caught fish...........great!

U

Since the Mississippi has crested they are dumping water right now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Route U

Indeed we did, Mac! Ate great, drank great, bs'd great and caught fish...........great!

U

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Boy I’ll say. Can’t wait until this August


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Howdy Hi there friends Crappie from Mississippi here. I’m visiting a friend in Hannibal for the next week to 10 days and was [emoji120] i could hitch a ride with whom ever might fish Mark Twain here’s my cell # 254-485-9198 give me a text. I’ve got all my own gear & mostly fish Jigs but I can adapt quickly. If no answer leave me a message so I’ll get back to ya asap.


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My best friend owns and operates "Chauffered Guide Service", Ken Erb and I have been fishing with him for 8 years. Retired St. Louis fireman and a very good fisherman. He has been fishing mark Twain Lake since it reach it's normal pool the first time some 25 years. Too many variables to list when the crappie are in the middle the spawn. On average the Mark Twain spawn commences from middle to late April to sometimes as late as Memorial weekend. I just received notice that the old Missouri Department of Conservation is no longer going to post the weekly fishing reports that they have been posting in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for over 40 years and will discontinue their weekly emails. This is fact by the way because I read in their last monthly publication and emailed them and the response was that anglers to day have much greater fishing information resources than ever before and the MDOC is no longer neccessary. They are just getting lazy the truth be known. When I was a guide out of Fall Creek Trout Dock & Campground in the late 70's and the St. Louis Post - Disptch would call seeking fishing information. Well no one would say fishing sucks I would stay home until fishing improves and lose the revenue. All dock owners would say many nice fish have been coming in over the last several days, the fisherman would show and most wouldn't do well and we would look them in the eye and would say, "YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE YESTERDAY!"