Family Outdoors

Adair County Public Access Fishing

Big Creek Conservation Area offers fishing opportunities for bass, sunfish, and catfish. For bass, the MDC states there is a fair population in ponds 5,6, and 7. For catfish, they state a fair population resides in Pond 6. Finally, there is a fair population of bluegill in ponds 5,6, and 7.

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Driving Directions: Adjacent to the west side of the City of Kirksville, accessible via Royal Oaks Drive, Rainbow Basin Trail or West Michigan St.

 

Elmer A. Cook Memorial Access offers fishing access on the Chariton River 7 miles West of Kirksville on Highway 11 at the bridge. There is a good population of catfish and fair populations of carp and drum.

 

Driving Directions: Seven miles west of Kirksville on Highway 11 at the Chariton River bridge.

 

Just North of Kirksville is Hazel Creek Lake. This 530 acre lake offers quite a variety of fishing opportunities from the bank or by boat. There are good populations of muskie and bass in the lake. There are also fair populations of catfish, crappie, and carp.

 

Driving Directions: Three and two-tenths miles north of Kirksville on Highway 63, then 1.5 miles west on a gravel county road (look for cantilever sign).

 

Spur Pond is located in the SE corner of Patryla Park, right in Kirksville. This little 3.6 acre pond offers good fishing for bass, catfish, and sunfish. Perhaps more interesting to local anglers is the opportunity to catch stocked trout. A catch and release winter trout fishery is open for fishing November 1 through January 31. From February 1 through October 31 anglers may catch and keep 4 trout daily. A trout permit, in addition to the prescribed fishing permit, is required to possess and transport trout. Trout are stocked every fall, but are harvested by anglers in the late winter and early spring. Trout are not present in other months.

 

Driving Directions: Located in the southeast corner of Patryla Park, Spur Pond is on Osteopathy Street, 0.8 miles south from the intersection of Potter and Osteopathy, or 0.4 miles north of the Northeast Regional Medical Center.

 

Another access fishing point to the Chariton River can be found at Mullanix Ford Access. Just like Cook Memorial Access, fishing is good for catfish, and fair for drum and carp.

 

Driving Directions: Six miles west of Greentop on Route K to the Chariton River bridge.

 

At Sugar Creek Conservation Area there is a one acre pond that has a fair population of bass and catfish.

 

Driving Directions: Four miles west of Kirksville on Highway 11, and .25 mile south on Route N. The pond is near Parking Lot 1 off Foghorn Trail.

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Area Brochure with additional information for fishing this area (posted 4/15/24...don't assume info or regs still accurate...visit mdc.mo.gov)

 

The Henry Truitt Access offers one more access to the Chariton River and as do the others in Adair County, has a good population of catfish and fair populations of drum and carp.

 

Driving Directions: Henry Truitt Access is one mile east of Novinger on Highway 6 at the Chariton River bridge.

 

At Union Ridge Conservation Area there is an 11 acre pond/lake called Union Ridge Lake. This holds fair populations of bass, sunfish, crappie, and catfish. The lake is located at parking lot E. There are also 2 smaller ponds simply named ponds 1 and 2. They hold the same species as Union Ridge Lake except for there are no crappie.

 

Driving Directions:  Route D, two miles north of Greencastle.

 

Thousand Hills State Park is located very near Kirksville. Thousand Hills State Park boasts excellent fishing opportunities at the 573-acre Forest Lake, which is stocked with crappie, largemouth bass, walleye and channel catfish among others.