creek wader

Siusaluki, I agree, I really like this combo, so far. Time will tell. I think I read a post where you said that you fished the Tavern before. I counldn't find it though. This bridge is on Kemna Road. South of St. Elizabeth, Mo. This stir any memories?

Nice smallie. I gotta get out in a canoe or yak and fish the bigger water. By wade fishing, I'm limited to skinny water and short distances. ... Nice catch.

I just bought a new Pflueger President combo and was itching to try it out. I got to say, It worked well and is a very smooth reel. I've been trying to hit sections of the local streams that I haven't fished yet, or haven't fished for a few years. I decided to access a section at a "swing bridge". I fished it once several yrs. ago. When I started fishing the area 4 yrs. ago, there were 4 swing bridges, but, now I only know of two still standing. It was easy access below the bridge. It looked like it had been frequented a lot by the locals. Usual trash and tracks. Still the hole below the bridge looked fishy. The stream had been out of it's banks several times this year. But, it was fairly clear and back down. I started with 3" Yum dingers and the Green sunfish were loving it. I caught a handful before I finally caught several "sport" bass. The first was a smallie, followed by a couple of lg mouth. I then headed down stream and ran out of gravel bar and started wading the long pool. I caught several more sport smallies and lg mouth, before it got too deep for me to wade. This is why I bought my inflatable yak. But, I haven't brought it down yet, this year . So, I had to take what I call the "poison ivy trail". I climbed the bank and made my own trail through the brush/trees. Clad in only swim trunks and wading shoes. I busted through the trees, poison iy, itching nettles, thorn bushes, and downed limbs. Not to mention the tick infestation. Then I climbed back down the bank and came out in the middle of a shallow run. I p/u mix of sport bass. Below the riffles was a beautiful long deep pool. It had a good current on the opposite side against a steep rock bluff, lined with chunk rock. It looked very inviting. I realized that I'd have to finish my trip here because the hole would be too deep to wade any further. I alternated between the dingers and a twister tail. I caught quite a few sport smalies and lg mouth with some redears and green sunfish, mixed in. The sunnies were on the nests and I noticed 3 lg mouth cruising along the weed line. One was about 3"- 4" bigger than the next largest and the other was a few in. smaller yet. I seriously under estimated thier size. I thought the largest was around 15", I was wrong. I tossed a dinger by them and the middle size one ripped it off the hook. I put on a 4" senko and waited about 5 min. till they came back by, again. I tossed the senko, in front of them. All 3 went for it, but the middle sized one took it, again. I got him that time. He wound up 17"+. I was really suprised. The largest one had to of been over 20". Wished he'd of beaten out the other one. After leasing the 17"+, I waited for the big one to come back by, but all the splashing scared him off. I then headed back through the poison ivy trail, to the truck. Yes, I got some on my ankles. Suprisingly, I only found one tick on me, so far. I'm going back in a few weeks and taking the yak with me. All in all not a bad day. In a little over a half mile of water. I caught over 30 bass, and quite a few sunnies. Also, caught a sport Kentucky. Hate to see them that far upstream. The lower section has been invaded by them, I figured the high water allowed them to move up.

St. Elizabeth? Are you talking about the Osage-Tavern Access, north of St. Elizabeth? Or, are you talking about the one near St. Thomas?

Chief, Ok, I have to admit it. I just "Googled", "Northern Studfish". Curiosity was getting to me. Cool little fish.

Sorry, Gunner, I haven't been down for a few weeks. It was very dead, that day. You've been there since I have. I have noticed that they're doing a yo-yo effect with the release. They're releasing hard till a little after dark, then shutting it down. Then starting it back up in the morning. .. Good luck... wader

Hate to be one of those prudish people, always correcting people. ... But, .... The fish Buzz caught is a Logperch. Not a Longperch. Maybe you just misspelled it. I do all the time. If I wouldn't of spent a about 2 hrs. trying to find one, I wouldn't know how to spell it either. Here's some good info and a good pic of one. http://www.duluthstreams.org/understanding/logperch.html

Yeah Chief, I got the main project done. Unfortunately, it created a lot of other smaller projects. Looks like my summers full up. Glad I get down to Jeff., every now and then, so I can get some fishing in. After my last outing there. I've decided to check out a few sections, that I skipped over. I'm still keeping your area in mind for a float, though, I'll keep you posted. Problem is now, the wife wants to go somewhere for vacation, and it won't be fishing. Buzz, A log perch, wow. The weird things you catch while fishing. I did my qualifying "Nature Dive" down at Table Rock, 9 yrs. ago. My assignment was to find certain type of fish that was described to me, but they didn't tell me it's name, till I found one. It turned out being a log perch. After a long search I found one. After finding it. I found quite of few of them. Pretty cool little dudes.

I say Senko, but, I'm cheap. I've been using a lot of 3" Yum Dingers or Bass Pro's Stiko in 4 1/4" . Since the fish are on the small side. But, they'll still go after the 5" Senkos. But, with Yum Dingers and Stiko's, you get more per pack. ... I fish em different ways. Usually weightless, like a texas rig without the weight. Sometimes I add a small split shot up the line 6" to 12". Lately, I've been using a jig head more, so I can alternate between a twister tail and senko or dinger. But, the most productive is weightless. If you cast it to a likely spot, let it sit till you can't stand it any longer. Then wait another minute. It'll drive you nuts, but it'll drive the fish nuts, also. Try them. I think you'll be happy with them. 5" Stiko, candy corn .......................3" Yum Dinger green pumpkin, chartruese

Had some free time 06/25 at Jeff. City. So, I thought I'd try a new spot. It was very hot mid 90's and high humidity. Drove down to one of the middle sections. I've fished both up and down stream, but never there. Started wading at a low water crossing and caught quite a few Sunnies there. Down stream looked better so, I headed that way. The water was up a little but, fairly clear. It was cool and very refreshing. Caught the first of about 25 smallies right off. I was using the usual senko's. Most fish ran small, between 8 and 12 in. Went to a twister tail and started catching goggleye. Nothing big but they all hit like freight trains. I caught very few smallies in the usual spots (below riffles). After awhile I found that most were holding tight to the cover. Probably because of the hot mid-day sun. After losing several lures in the brush, I went back to senkos and started pounding the logs and brush. Also, caught a few largemouth. All together caught about 60 fish total, in six different species. I also, sat my butt down in the stream several times to cool off. For such a hot day, it felt good to get out and fish a different section.

Glad you guys had a good time. I always love trying new water. I fished a different section of the Big Tavern Creek last trip at Jeff. City. I'll have to put together a post.

couldn't agree with you more on snakes, way to go

Don't know of any off hand. I'd say up by the dam would be your best bet, if there are any.

I used to rarely get line twist. Seems like the only times that I got any was after using an inline spinner. But, anymore I get them a lot. I'm not sure why. I used to use mono, but now I use a variety of fluorocarbon and co-polymer lines. Not sure if this is the problem or something else. But, I think I'll put on new line on a couple of my go to rods and give this method a try. They need new line anyway. I guess I could call it a field test.

I was fishing the Maries river a few days ago. It was at the lowest level that I've seen in a long time. Most of about a mile section was knee deep or less. Most wasn't much more than ankle deep. The river was low and just a small narrow channel, was winding through a large gravel bar. The water was very clear and you could see the fish very easily. The Longear Sunfish were guarding their nests, and all decked out in their bright spawning colors. At one of the deeper spots, I saw about a 12 in. smallie on a nest. The hole itself was maybe 18" deep at the deepest. It was maybe 4' wide and about 6' long. Then it tailed off to just a few inches deep. Anyway, I watched the dude fight off a variety of sunnies and a few minnows, for about 10 min. Every time he would chase off a fish, he'd circle the hole then return back in the same spot. He made me tired, just watching him. Poor guy was having a busy day. Anyway, according the the U.S.G.S. Reat-Time Water Data Stream flow chart. The Maries Height Gage, was down to less than a foot, that day. The stream flow was at about 15 cubic ft. per sec. The stream got a gully washer the next day. The Height gage went up to over 11 ft. and the stream flow went from 15 cfps to over 700 cfps. Now, I don't know much about this stuff, but common sense would tell me that the nest, the poor little guy was guarding, got blown away. Does anybody know about this? Or does somehow nature take care of itself, and the nest and eggs/fry could of survived? The location of the nest, was in the channel, (the only place the water was that day). So, The nest would of took the brunt of the raging water.

Chief, my plans to head your way fell through. I started a project on the house, that turned out being much bigger than I thought. Once, I started this project there's no turning back, till it's done. My buddy called last night wanting to head down this Thur. But, my wife 86'd the trip. Looks like no fishing for a month or better, for me..... keep sending those reports, I'm still holding some hope for late July.

Al, your right. I looked up where we stayed. It was the lower section of the Buffalo. I stand corrected. Thanks, wader

cool, thanks for the report. I'll have to try it today. were you close to the dam? or by the boat ramp?

Floated that same section about 7 or 8 yrs. ago. I went with a dive club out of Little Rock. We did a canoe/dive/fish trip. The water was so low that year, that we did a lot of dragging of the canoes. Only found a few holes on the entire stretch that was over 10' deep, worth putting on the tanks. In the Buffalos's defense, it was in late summer. The outfitter said, that they had been in a drought for a few years, also. We didn't fair well with the smallies either, a few dinks, here and there. Glad to see that the river has recovered. The scenery alone, was worth the float.

I gotta agree, great pics. I too, love to wade the small creeks also, hence my handle. Don't blame you for keeping it a secret. The smaller streams don't need the traffic. The streams up here a raging, lots of heavy rain, in mid-missouri. Bummer, even the small er streams are up and muddy.

Thanks for sharing Al. Knowing and keeping a secrect (that may not be all that secret), for all those yrs. Must of been tough. Well, you know all of us reading this, is dying to try it. Do you use a full skirt, on something that small?

I guess most of my experience has been with State game wardens and State conservation agents. Not with the Fed agents. So, maybe that is why I have not had many problems.

I like experimenting with others but, use the palomar most of the time. It works for me.

I'm sorry all of you had bad experiences with the agents. I personally like seeing agents out checking bad guys. If your doing everything with in the law, you should have no problem. I've encountered many more people violating game laws, then I've encountered agents. Agents are humans, too. You got your nice helpful ones and you have your jerks.

True, the wee craw doesn't act like a crawfish. True, other crankbaits work for smallies. True, I don't use other cranks as much as I do the wee craw. But, true, the wee craw works quite well. I personally like the results. So, ozark trout fisher , try it and see for yourself. I personally like experimenting with other baits and tactics. I prefer soft plastics, while other anglers prefer spinnerbaits or crankbaits. So, go with what works for you. But, I keep a few of the Rebel Wee Craws, in my tackle box. It's my second choice, behind soft plastics. I've used them and Rapala floating minnows, where I couldn't use soft plastics and have done well. Good luck. ...wader