Carp Lake — 1.5 acres
Carp Lake is the compact option. MDC lists trout, sunfish and catfish among its fishing opportunities and prohibits boats.
WATER SELECTOR
Choose your water.
Then choose the setup.
Each lake gets its own map position and planning notes. Exact conditions change, so use the guide as a starting point.
Start here
- Walk the bank before changing lures.
- Prioritize shade, vegetation, cover and wind-blown edges.
- Fish early or late during hot weather.
- Keep exact honey holes private; learn repeatable patterns instead.
SUSON PARK · VERIFIED LOCAL DETAILS
Carp Lake and Island Lake are not interchangeable.
Official sources checked September 25, 2026
Suson gives anglers two public lakes with different scale. MDC lists Carp Lake at 1.5 acres and Island Lake at 6.5 acres, and both participate in the winter-trout program. Island Lake also gets a specific spring-bass mention in the annual St. Louis prospect report.
Island Lake — 6.5 acres
Island Lake gives you more shoreline and a broader species mix. MDC lists trout, white bass, sunfish, catfish and black bass; boats are prohibited here too.
Winter trout at both
MDC includes both Carp and Island in the winter trout program. Seasonal trout rules can change what tackle, bait and number of poles are legal, so winter visits need a regulation check before fishing.
Spring bass edge
The metro prospect report specifically names Island Lake as a spring largemouth bass opportunity. That makes Island the better first choice when bass are the main reason for the trip.
Pick Carp or Island before you leave the car
- Choose Carp Lake for a short session, trout-focused winter stop or a simple catfish/panfish outing where covering a tiny water body is the advantage.
- Choose Island Lake when you want to walk more shoreline, target bass, or give yourself more room to change depth and bank angle during the same trip.
- If the park is busy, keep the plan flexible. A two-lake park lets you move waters instead of forcing a poor position at one crowded bank.
Cast STL planning note: These are source-backed trip-planning recommendations, not a claim that Cast STL visited the water or caught fish there on the verification date.
Official sources used for this guide
Rules, stocking details and access can change. Use these links and posted signs as the final authority.
SIMPLE SETUPS
Three ways
to start fishing.
These cover most first-trip situations without turning the guide into a tackle catalog.
BASS
Finesse + moving bait
8–12 lb mono/fluoro or 15–20 lb braid with an 8–12 lb fluorocarbon leader. Start with a finesse worm, small jig or spinnerbait.
PANFISH / TROUT
Light spinning
4–6 lb mono/fluoro. Small jig, float rig, worm or trout presentation when the selected water and season allow it.
CATFISH
Simple bottom rig
12–20 lb main line with an abrasion-resistant leader. Use legal natural/prepared bait and match sinker weight to wind or current.
ACCESS + REGULATIONS
Check before you keep.
- Boats are prohibited on Island Lake; verify posted rules for the exact Suson water before launching anything.
- Carp Lake and Island Lake are winter trout waters. Seasonal trout rules apply.
- The Suson rearing pond is not a normal public fishing lake; do not treat it as one.
- Current MDC/park signs override this guide.
OFFICIAL SOURCE
Current rules win.
Cast STL is for trip planning. Missouri Department of Conservation regulations and posted park rules control on site.
Check official information