Any and all the local public water is pretty good for gill terrorizing. There's a smallish lake in Grandview, MO that is stocked with winter trout, contains some really good bass (until they're exhausted by the maniacs) and there seems to be a few good gills in there, too.

I have yet to try it, but there's a lake south of Higginsville, MO off I-70 that was a reclaimed private lake, emptied, deepened, with new and plentiful structure added, refilled and stocked, and is said to harbor some really good redears.

North of KC is Smithville lake, owned by the Corps of Engineers that has boasted some good crappie the last 2-3 years. And then there's Watkin's Mill State Park, the lake there is nice and quiet with good gill action, crappie, cats, and bass. Further north there's Pony Express and Buffalo Bill lakes that have bass, cats, musky, gills, and such and is monitored by the MODoC for growth rates, catch rates, etc. Some tagged cats are worth a few dollars if you send the tag back to Columbia for their statistical research.

All good for kayaking/canoeing.

But, I'm getting really close to giving away all the good spots, Blue Springs and Jacomo aren't quite established "good spots" yet, in my mind. I just like the fact they're close and there's good paddling water there so far. I'll get a little deeper next time out and then we'll know.