What Lies Beneath? Missouri Waters Hold a Surprise

They’re slippery, elongated, slender and scaleless (mostly). You could be forgiven for not expecting to come across them, but eels are here in Missouri, and have been for a long time.

Freshwater eels in Missouri

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The Mississippi river is a longtime habitat for eels in North America, but you may run into them in other Missouri streams, rivers and possibly the Lake of the Ozarks per the Missouri Department of Conservation map.

Mississippi River fishing could get you an eel

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Female eels spend most of their lives in freshwater areas but travel to the gulf of America and into the Atlantic Ocean to breed. Then they return to their freshwater home.

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They potentially can be aggressive as they cluster in “beds” in cover areas of Missouri rivers and streams, under logs and boulders. Females are larger than males eels and can grow to up to over 30 inches long.

Females can grow up to over 30 inches long

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Next time you are fishing or boating in Missouri and you think you see a snake. Depending upon the location and circumstances you may have actually run upon an eel.

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