Missouri’s Smallmouth Bass Special Management Areas provide excellent smallmouth bass habitat. The Special Management Areas have regulations to help smallmouth bass populations increase and allow more fish to grow to a quality size.
MDC and Missouri Smallmouth Alliance invite you to go out and test your skills against these smallmouth bass in the riffles and pools of Missouri’s twelve special management areas.
The Missouri Smallmouth Slam honors anglers who can catch a smallmouth bass in at least 6 of these 12 streams. Catch a smallmouth bass in more than 6 special management areas and your level of achievement goes up. Participants who choose to, can have their successes listed on the MDC website.
- Big Piney River (From Slabtown Access to the Gasconade River)
- Big River (From the Council Bluff Lake Dam to the Meramec River)
- Eleven Point River (From Thomasville Access to the Arkansas line)
- Elk River (Entire length of Elk River in Missouri)
- Gasconade River (From Hwy Y bridge in Pulaski County to Hwy D bridge in Phelps County)
- Jacks Fork River (From Hwy 17 bridge to the Current River)
- James River (From Hooten Town bridge to Hwy 413/Hwy 265 bridge at Galena)
- Joachim Creek (From Hwy V bridge to Hwy A bridge in Jefferson County)
- Meramec River (From Hwy 8 bridge to the railroad crossing at Bird’s Nest Access)
- Mineral Fork (From Hwy F bridge in Washington County to the Big River)
- Osage Fork of the Gasconade River (From Skyline Drive bridge near Orla in Laclede County to the Gasconade River)
- Tenmile Creek (From Hwy B bridge in Carter County to Cane Creek)
View stream images of each Smallmouth Bass Special Management Areas
Do you have a legal right to use Missouri’s streams. The answer is yes … in some places and in some ways.
Here's How the Smallmouth Slam Works:
Missouri’s Smallmouth Slam has been divided into three levels of accomplishment.
Bronze Level
- Catch a smallmouth bass from 6 of the 12 Special Management Areas.
- Award: certificate and bronze pin.
Silver Level
- Catch a smallmouth bass from 9 of the 12 Special Management Areas.
- Award: certificate, silver pin.
Gold Level
- Catch a smallmouth bass from all 12 Special Management Areas.
- Award: certificate, gold pin, medallion.
Complete a slam and get your name added to the list of smallmouth bass slam achievers.
Smallmouth bass of any size caught after March 1, 2022 will qualify for a Smallmouth Slam, but smallmouth bass under 15 inches must be released.
Check the map for black bass seasons.
A photo of the fish is not required, but uploading an image to the MDC photo sharing page is encouraged.
Never trespass, and always ask permission before floating or wading through private property.
Only enter streams at public accesses or with landowner permission.
Bronze
- Doug Crouch, Springfield
- Andrew Everett, Kimberling City
- Logan Fritts, Columbia
- Chris Grimi, St. Louis
- Payton Indelicato, Richmond Heights
- Corey Lee, Columbia
- Grayson Lee, Columbia
- Ike Lightner, Fordland
- Joshua Nickels, Waynesville
Silver
- Tom Adams, Kansas City
- James Bohanon, Fort Leonard Wood
- Mark Crabtree, Festus
- Raymond Coultrip, Kansas City
- Jeff Johnson, Republic
- Dan Kreher, Ellisville
- Craig Mueller, Imperial
- Brock Neel, Fredericktown
Gold
- Glenda Celestino, University City
- Michael Collins, Jefferson City
- Chris Curtis, Niangua
- Russell Davenport, Gracey, Kentucky
- Cody Diehl, Kirkwood
- Isaac Emfinger, Rolla
- Bryan Grimm, St. Louis
- Adam Guerich, Desloge
- Ed Heist, Alto Pass, IL
- Joseph Lynch, Harrah, OK
- Glen Marshall, De Soto
- Vince McColl, House Springs
- Lindsey Neel, Fredericktown
- Shawn Neel, Fredericktown
- Matthew Patten, Jackson Center, PA
- Eli Redstone, Springfield
- Devan Scroggins, Cassville
- Jeff Sherer, O'Fallon
- Dennis Sullivan, De Soto
- Mark Wise, Bourbon
To share your photo:
- Fish should be photographed while still in the water to minimize the amount of time it is exposed to the air. Follow fish handling and release guidelines.
- Post your image to your Instagram or Twitter account
- Tag your photo with #MOSmallmouthSlam
- Be sure your post can be viewed by the public