Grand Tower MO/IL

[joewildlife]

I've fished there a few times, this oxbow lake of the Mississippi river on the IL side. You can fish it with a MO or IL permit, from a boat. State line runs through the middle of it. The only time I caught them there I was fishing the deepest hole near the ramp with jigs and/or minnows straight below the boat, with long jig poles. I've seen guys spider rigging there too. Interesting to note, if you fish it with an IL license you can only use 3 poles. If you fish it with a MO license you can use as many as you want--MDC will not enforce the 3 pole limit against spiderriggers. So flash your MO permit and tell the IL warden "good day sir".

does anybody know the history and details of this lake? Was it connected to the river at one time..before 93? Did the flood blow out the levee in 93? Is the water level controlled at all or is it directly connencted to the River via pipe? How is the fishing there?

Any fishing tips for it would be appreciated. I am hearing reports of it being good right now. might hit it sometime soon. I'm open to taking a free guide or jumping in someone else's boat too, just PM me.

[joewildlife]

Interesting to note, if you fish it with an IL license you can only use 3 poles. If you fish it with a MO license you can use as many as you want--MDC will not enforce the 3 pole limit against spiderriggers. So flash your MO permit and tell the IL warden "good day sir".

.

Uh, I checked around and actually, since it isn't connected to the river reciprocal priviledges do not apply...it would not be a good idea to fish with MO license/regs unless you KNOW you are on the MO side of the lake. It ain't marked... Not sure if an IL Game Warden would argue if you were fishing with a MO license. But in my line of work I wouldn't fish there unless I had BOTH licenses and abided by BOTH of the state laws....but that is just me. Sorry for the misinformation. I guess nobody has much to say about the place...

[coreymassey]

I work with a guy that fishes it but thats all I know

[joewildlife]

I went to GT years ago with the kids, the river was coming up with water coming in through the pipes on the north end. Not sure if anybody has control of it or not. I would think there must be a valve...otherwise why would there be a levee if the Miss River water can just come under it into the lake? Anyway, we threw minnows under bobbers and caught a mixed bag of fish including a few keeper crappie and such, all around structure in the upper end of the lake.

I fished it early in the year a couple days in a row, a few years ago and me and a buddy caught about 20 crappies total between us each day. No braggin sized fish but it wasn't bad.

Maybe if I post a fishing report after going tomorrow, more folks will chime in... I hope to find em shallow biting on jigs under bobbers...or on minnows and bobbers around structure...or jigging in deep water.

[endo2075]

use to have good luck fishing there but 2 years ago people started taking the crappie out of there buy the hundreds and hasn't been the same since. not to mention the locals do not like you to fish there, blocking the ramp, spreading roofing nails over the parking lot etc.

[rocket rich]

I have fished it long before they put that new dumb steep ramp in. before the flood of 93 it was a hidden treasure we really torn u[ the big crappie and bluegill but don't fish it if it's raining or you won't get up the ramp the above is true

[joewildlife]

I had my north south mixed up in my earlier post. The pipes that let water in/out are on the south end of the lake. This morning there was no current either way, but by noon water from the big muddy was coming in quite a bit. I caught a couple largemouth (one about 4 pounds), a nice hybrid striper, and a few other smaller fish. One small crappie. The ramp is a bit tore up at the top but passable. A local guy told me the lake was about as full as they let it get right now, or the farmers complain. There must be a shut off gate somewhere. I've never had any problem out of the locals, but they do trash the place with their ATVs, 4WD trucks, bonfires, beer cans and broken bottles... I think I'm done with the place...now I think it is invaded by the asian carp, gar, and lots of other rough fish.