Short answer: Missouri has four trout parks: Roaring River, Bennett Spring and Montauk state parks, plus Maramec Spring Park near St. James. From March 1 through October 31, 2026, they are stocked daily and open for catch and keep fishing. You need a Missouri fishing permit plus a daily trout tag, the daily limit is 4 trout, and you stop fishing at 8 in possession (MDC trout park season). From November 13, 2026, to February 8, 2027, fishing is catch and release with flies only.
Every rule here comes straight from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), Missouri State Parks or the park operator. Rules do change, so give the linked page a quick look before you head out.
Rules that apply at all four parks
- Season: catch and keep from March 1 to October 31, 2026, with daily stocking from on site hatcheries (MDC trout parks).
- Permits: a Missouri fishing permit, unless exempt, plus a daily trout tag. Tags and permits are sold at the park (MDC Bennett Spring rules).
- Limits: 4 trout a day, rainbow and brown combined. Stop fishing for any species once you have 8 trout in possession.
- Methods: one pole and line per person. Gigging, snaring, snagging and taking live bait are prohibited, and food used to attract fish has to be on a hook. Some water is posted for specific baits or lures, and zones vary by park.
- Winter: November 13, 2026, to February 8, 2027, is catch and release with flies only. A fishing permit and an annual trout permit are required, and the annual permit replaces the daily tag.
Fishing times, March 1 to October 31
MDC lists the same start and stop times for each park (MDC Roaring River rules):
| Month | Begin | End |
|---|---|---|
| March | 6:30 a.m. CST, 7:30 a.m. CDT | 6:00 p.m. CST, 7:00 p.m. CDT |
| April | 7:00 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. |
| May | 6:30 a.m. | 8:15 p.m. |
| June and July | 6:30 a.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
| August | 7:00 a.m. | 8:00 p.m. |
| September | 7:30 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. |
| October | 7:30 a.m. | 6:30 p.m. |
Roaring River State Park
Roaring River sits in a deep, narrow valley in the southwest Ozark hills in Barry County, and it is one of three state parks stocked with rainbow trout (Missouri State Parks). One rule is unique here: from the first bridge below the old dam in Zone 3 to the downstream park boundary, a daily tag or a trout permit may be used (MDC).
Where to stay: the campground has basic, electric and sewer, electric and water sites. There are rustic cabins, modern rooms at the CCC Lodge and the Emory Melton Inn and Conference Center, which has a full service restaurant. The park also has seven hiking trails and a nature center.
Bennett Spring State Park
Bennett Spring, near Lebanon, is one of Missouri's earliest state parks. More than 100 million gallons of water flow from the spring each day into a spring branch stocked daily with rainbow trout (Missouri State Parks). Allowed lures are flies, artificial lures or soft plastic baits depending on the zone, so check the hatchery area map (MDC).
Where to stay: you get campgrounds, cabins, a dining lodge and hiking trails.
Montauk State Park
Montauk sits at the headwaters of the Current River in Dent County. Its springs and Pigeon Creek supply more than 40 million gallons of water to the river each day (Missouri State Parks). The park also has three trails and a gristmill built in 1896 that you can tour.
Where to stay: a modern campground, rental cabins and motel rooms, plus a dining lodge. As of October 16, 2026, Missouri State Parks lists a Stage 2 burn ban at Montauk that prohibits all outdoor fires, including campfires. The ban also covers Solo Stove style fire pits and propane fire pits. Liquid and gas fueled stoves are still allowed. Check the park status before you bother packing firewood.
Maramec Spring Park
Maramec Spring Park near St. James is privately owned and operated by The James Foundation. The spring is the fifth largest in Missouri, at about 100 million gallons a day, and MDC stocks rainbow trout daily (Maramec Spring Park). It is the one trout park MDC lists as open daily for winter catch and release, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (MDC Maramec rules).
Where to stay: basic and electric campsites along the Meramec River with shower houses. The park store sells fishing licenses. The park notes its reception building was heavily damaged in the November 2024 flood, so check its site for current services.
Gear for a trout park weekend
It's one pole and line per person, so there's no need to haul a pile of gear. Everything below was in stock when we put this together.
- Small jigs: Leland Trout Magnet 1/64 oz, Bubble Gum, Glow In The Dark or Crawdad. Check the zone rules before you use soft plastic.
- Floats: Leland E Z Trout Floats, 4 count, or browse the bobbers and slip floats aisle.
- Hooks: Eagle Claw Nitro Trout Treble, size 14 Chartreuse or Sunburst, where bait is allowed.
- Nets: Eagle Claw Tool Trout Net with retractable cord, Frabill Trout Net, 11 x 15 in, or the fishing nets aisle.
- Winter flies only season: Absolute Trout Leader, 9 ft 1X.
- Everything else: rods, reels and line in Fishing Rods, Reels & Tackle, and more baits in the lures and baits aisle.
Want to fish beyond the parks? Our Missouri rivers fishing guide covers trout ribbon water and other Ozark streams.
Quick questions
When is trout season at the Missouri trout parks?
The catch and keep season runs March 1 through October 31, 2026, at Maramec Spring Park, Bennett Spring, Montauk and Roaring River, according to MDC. A flies only, catch and release season follows from November 13, 2026, to February 8, 2027.
Do I need a trout tag and a fishing permit?
Yes. Unless you are exempt, MDC requires a Missouri fishing permit plus a daily trout tag from March 1 to October 31. Tags and permits can be bought at the park. In the winter catch and release season, the annual trout permit replaces the daily tag.
How many trout can I keep at a Missouri trout park?
MDC sets a daily limit of 4 trout, rainbow and brown combined, and you must stop fishing once you have 8 trout in possession. Brown trout must be at least 15 inches; rainbows have no length limit.
What time can you fish at the trout parks?
Fishing times change by month during the March to October season. MDC lists 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in June and July and 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in October, for example. Winter catch and release fishing runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Which trout park is open daily in winter?
MDC lists Maramec Spring Park as open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for winter catch and release. Bennett Spring, Montauk and Roaring River are open Friday through Monday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Can you camp at the Missouri trout parks?
Yes. Missouri State Parks lists campgrounds and cabins at Bennett Spring, Montauk and Roaring River, plus a lodge, inn or motel rooms at some parks. Maramec Spring Park, run by The James Foundation, has basic and electric campsites along the Meramec River.
