Best Fishing Times in Missouri This Week
Near Branson, Osage Beach and Lebanon: today on a 24 hour timeline and the next seven days rated Fair to Best.
Working out the moon and the sun for Branson, MO, and reading the forecast.
Fishing somewhere else? Enter any ZIP for your own spot
Photo: “Fall fishing on the Madison River at sunrise”, Jacob W. Frank, Yellowstone National Park (NPS), Public domain
Missouri at a glance
Solunar windows plus the agency calendarWhen fish bite in Missouri
Missouri's fishing year runs from crappie spawning mid March to late May and catfish on riprap in late May and June, to fall crappie under docks and catch and release trout parks in winter.
Each entry below is from Missouri Department of Conservation or its published guides, quoted word for word and linked. Line the season up with the week above: a run in its prime and a Great day with a window at first light is the morning to take off.
- Mid-March to end of May
Crappie
Crappie spawn as early as mid March in southern Missouri and as late as the end of May in the north, usually when water reaches 55 degrees F.
“Crappie may spawn as early as mid-March in the southern part of the state and as late as the end of May in northern Missouri. The spawn generally occurs when water temperatures reach 55F.”
Crappie: Tips For Fishing, Missouri Department of Conservation, read October 9, 2026 - Late May through June
Channel catfish
Larger channel catfish spawn along rock riprap shorelines in late May through June, a good place to fish once water reaches 65 degrees.
“Larger channel catfish often spawn in late May through June along shorelines protected with rock riprap. This is a good place to fish when water temperatures reach 65 degrees.”
Catfish: Tips For Fishing, Missouri Department of Conservation, read October 9, 2026 - October and November
Crappie
Crappie are predictable and aggressive in October and November, and docks hold fall crappie in the upper 10 feet of water.
“Crappie are generally very predictable and aggressive in October and November. Docks are a prime location for fall crappie, where they can be caught in the upper 10 feet of the water column.”
Crappie: Tips For Fishing, Missouri Department of Conservation, read October 9, 2026 - Second Friday in November to second Monday in February
Trout
Missouri's trout parks are catch and release only from the second Friday in November through the second Monday in February.
“Only catch-and-release fishing is available from the second Friday in November through the second Monday in February.”
Trout Parks, Missouri Department of Conservation, read October 9, 2026
Reading the Missouri timeline
Each day has two major solunar periods of about two hours, centered on the moon overhead and underfoot, and two minor periods of about an hour at moonrise and moonset. A window within an hour of sunrise or sunset is marked in gold. The rating adds the moon phase, the gold windows and a capped nudge from the National Weather Service forecast for each town. Every factor and its points.
Dawn and dusk are the reliable part; the moon windows are the old angler’s rule.
