At only 17 acres, Tobacco Hills is definitely small, but its bluegill fishing's big on quality. One of the 178 Missouri venues between 10 and 1,000 acres in area at which the plan has been implemented, the lake met the qualifications for becoming an excellent bluegill resource, and within a short time has become a model of the plan's success.

Fisheries management biologist Jake Allman can't say enough good things about the fishery. "The best place to go in our area for bluegills is Tobacco Hills," he offered. "We purchased this area in 1994, and it already had a quality bluegill fishery. We knew that if we just opened the lake with our regular statewide regulations that the larger fish would quickly be fished out. We decided to manage the lake for quality bluegill fishing and put on a 8-inch minimum-length limit with a daily bag limit of eight fish to protect the spawning males in the spring."

According to Allman, the bluegill population in Tobacco Hills has thrived as a result. "The fishing is better than when we first bought it," he said. "Stringers of 8- and 9-inch fish are common and several 10-inchers are caught every year. The largest reported bluegill was a whopping 11 1/2 inches."

Tobacco Hills has plenty of submerged vegetation and produces a lot of food. A large number of largemouth bass are maintained in the fishery to keep the smaller bluegills in check.

The local favorite is a fly rod in the spring during the spawn. Dry flies work, said Allman, but slow-sinking nymphs are deadly. Black and olive green are the colors of choice. Another effective way of taking big 'gills off the nest is with a float tube.

The water clarity is superb, such that being able to see 10 feet down is common in the early spring. "From a boat these fish can easily see you," cautioned Allman. "But it's not every day that you can catch a bluegill large enough to spin your float tube around!"

The bonus fish here are the bass. There is a 15-inch minimum-length limit on largemouth bass.

Once summer rolls in, try crickets in about 8 feet of water. The fish will still be hitting.

A great place to take the family, Tobacco Hills is part of the Guy B. Park Conservation Area. It's three miles north of Platte City off Highway 371 in Platte County. Only electric motors are allowed on the lake. A boat ramp and a fishing dock are available.

For additional information contact the MDC's Kansas City Regional Office at (816) 655-6250 or the Guy B. Park Conservation Area at (816) 858-5718.

MOZINGO LAKE
"Anglers can catch a limit of 9-inch bluegills here," said the MDC's Tory Mason. "There's good water clarity. The lake is fertile, and still at its peak."