2026 regulation year
Mark Twain Lake (Monroe / Ralls Counties) 2026 — Missouri Fishing Regulations
Missouri statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Mark Twain Lake (Monroe / Ralls Counties) carries 4 special-regulation overlays on top of Missouri's 2026 fishing rules — covering Crappie (white + black), Blue catfish, Flathead catfish. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
18,600-acre Salt River impoundment; crappie 15 / day (no length limit); black bass 15 in min, 6 / day combined; blue + flathead catfish 26 in min
Source: Missouri special-water list
Per-species rules on Mark Twain Lake (Monroe / Ralls Counties)
Crappie (white + black) regulations →
15 / day, no length minimum
Blue catfish under 26 in must be released; 18,600-acre Salt River impoundment
Flathead catfish regulations →
Flathead catfish under 26 in must be released
Official source
Missouri Department of Conservation publishes the authoritative 2026 Missouri fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Missouri fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Missouri Department of Conservation's emergency-order feed — check it before any Missouri trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Missouri
- Barren Fork Creek (Shannon County)
- Bennett Spring State Park (Dallas County)
- Big Piney River (Texas / Pulaski Counties)
- Blue Springs Creek (Crawford County)
- Blue Springs Lake (Jackson County)
- Bull Shoals Lake (MO/AR boundary, White River)
- Capps Creek (Newton County)
- Courtois Creek (Crawford County)
- Crane Creek (Lawrence / Stone Counties)
- Current River (Ozark National Scenic Riverways)
- Eleven Point River (Oregon County)
- Elk River
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Mark Twain Lake (Monroe / Ralls Counties)?
- Mark Twain Lake (Monroe / Ralls Counties) carries 4 special-regulation overlays that override Missouri's statewide 2026 rules, covering Crappie (white + black), Blue catfish, and Flathead catfish. One of them reads: "18,600-acre Salt River impoundment; crappie 15 / day (no length limit); black bass 15 in min, 6 / day combined; blue + flathead catfish 26 in min." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Mark Twain Lake (Monroe / Ralls Counties)?
- Yes. Mark Twain Lake (Monroe / Ralls Counties) is in Missouri, so a valid Missouri fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Missouri Department of Conservation. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Mark Twain Lake; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Missouri rules.
- Do Mark Twain Lake (Monroe / Ralls Counties)'s special rules replace Missouri's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Missouri's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Mark Twain Lake by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Mark Twain Lake?
- Crappie (white + black), Blue catfish, and Flathead catfish have a water-body-specific rule on Mark Twain Lake (Monroe / Ralls Counties), each linking to its full Missouri regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Missouri limits.