Joplin, MO area fishing...

[WaterDawg]

My son and I will be in Joplin, MO next month for about a week for a Premier League Baseball national tourney.

We are avid small-lake anglers from Central, TX and would like to find some decent fishing to take in during our slack time between games.

We'll mostly be looking to bank fish, but may bring kayaks if needed.

I've found some somewhat guarded info online about a lot of reclaimed strip mine lakes or something in that area?? Any info would be helpful.

Thanks in advance,

Donnie from TX

[CPT Scrap]

well, from joplin you got a couple options. there is the river that is too the south of town that has some really good smallmouths. another is stockton lake to the north. thats a really good lake, with some really nice areas to bank fish from. if you go over to kansas (pittsburg is only a 30 min drive) there are strip pits all over that area that are loaded with bass and will bite anything. only boats allowed in the strip pits are small carry in's, but walk-in is the prefered method. layouts of the strip pits can be found at johns sporting good in pittsburg, or walmart. hope this helps. 8-)

[ring fry]

Yup, just come on over to the strip pits.  Perfect for a yak and most have some bank fishing.  A lot of them have cement ramps and range in size from a puddle you can cast across to some that are a couple of miles long.  Dark plastics, traps, and jigs for bass.  There are plenty of blue gill, crappie, whisker fish, and walleye.

SE Kansas grass grower

[WaterDawg]

Thanks ring fry...I posted a follow up on this topic.

We're up in Joplin now and looks like we will have significant time between games this week...therefore, WE SHALL FISH!!!

Posted a couple of ??'s regarding access and info on the pits.  Hope you can help a brother out.

Thanks in advance,

Donnie

[RandySBreth]

Google "Mined lands wildlife area Kansas" for more about the areas off just to your west.

An hour and a half drive would put you over here to fish the lower James River for trophy Smallmouth, just SouthWest of Springfield. That would be a an entire day trip, though, out of either Hootentown or Galena.

Rentals available http://www.jamesriveroutfitters.com/