creek wader

When I fished the Jack's a couple of years ago, I caught "smallies, goggle eyes and brimm". No trout. I know there are trout on the Current river, but they are mostly further upstream, on the Current. He owes you.

Who did you use for an outfitter? Or did you shuttle yourself?

Well, I figured my succes would be short lived. It was. I couldn't wait to get back down and hit the spot upstream again. I made it on Mon. 7/7. It was blistering hot, around 95. Water was super clear and very low. Like most smaller streams the water level flucuates greatly in it's upper reaches. On July 2, it's flow was only 50 cfps and 1.3 ft. (I caught 50 + bass). On July 3, it was at 3500 cfs, and 7.3 ft. (I caught some nice ones on the 4th). Then I went on the 7th, it was 150 cfs and 1.7 ft. (I only caught 2 smallie dinks and a black dink). I've noticed that when the river is dropping that the fishing is poor. The opposite when it's rising. When it's stable for a week or better, I usually do well. Anyway, the deep hole that slowed my momentum last time was no problem on Monday. It was knee deep or less. That should of warned me. I think that unless a person has a lot of time to wade a couple of miles to find the fish, the upper Maries is pretty well done till next spring. I did run into two people fly fishig, they weren't catching much either. I think I'll try the Big Tavern next trip.

Thanks for the report, may have to try it Wed. Were you bouncing the bottom? What size jig heads were you using? When I tried it this spring, the 1/16 oz. couldn't get to the bottom in the current and the 1/8 oz. were snagging up. I just couldn't get it right. I lost about a doz. jigs then gave up.

Well said, Al. I am very thankful, every chance that I get to go fishing. I just enjoy the experience of going. Of course, it would always be nice to go out and slay them, everytime. But, that would raise the bar each time. Then there would have to be diappointment, sometime. I don't know who said it, but I borrow this quote quite often , ... "that's why they call it fishing and not catching".

July 4th. I decided to try upstream from where I fished the other day. The river was up a little and stained. I only managed to cover a short section. The first couple of hundred yards was a fast run and pretty murky. Did however, managed to pull a 10' smallie and a 12" largemouth. Then encountered a knee to chest deep, 1/4 mi. long pool. Couldn't see the bottom which slowed my movement quite a bit. I didn't catch any through the pool and it wound up eating up much of my fishing time. Then encounted a 100 yd knee deep fast run and only p/u some sunfish. I about gave up and ws going to head back. But, decided to push on. Glad that I did. Above a short pool was a good riffle running hard. I fished the riffle and caught 4 smallies in 4 casts. Wound up with six smallies and a largemouth out of the riffle on 5 different baits. Biggest was about 13". and several over 12". Was getting ready to head on upstream which looked much better than what I had encountered so far, when I recieved an erroneous text message saying that I had to go to work in a few hours. So, I grabbed my gear and took the tick/poison ivy/ itching nettle route, through the timber. Thinking it would be faster than the long pool. Wrong! Not a wise choice wearing only shorts and wading shoes. Turned out I didn't have to go to work so soon. So, I'm itching (literally) to try that section again. I think I'll use my yak over the long pool next time, so I can cover a little more water. Wound up with 7 smallies, biggest was 13", and 2 largemouth, biggest 12".

posted in the wrong spot see "Other Ozark Waters", sorry

Nice fish. Congrats.

It's a little south and east of Jefferson City. It runs north from near Dixon, to northwest of Westphalia, to it's confluence with the lower Osage river. The best water is from near Vienna to Westphalia. Normally it holds a pretty good population of smallies with a few black bass mixed in. I was a little suprised by the numbers of largemouth that I caught. I think all the high water this year gave them more access to the upstream section. They probably moved up out of the Osage. The Maries had been low for several years and I believe the slab crossings had been blocking thier migration. I'm sure the spots have probably gained some ground also.

Finally got a chance to get back on the Maries. Haven't fished it since mid-May. Tried a new stretch. The river is down to it's summer levels and very clear. Ideal for wade fishing. Wade fished about a mile stretch and did real well. Caught arourd 50 bass. It was pretty much 50/50 smallies and largemouth. The biggest smallie was a fat 15 in. Caught 2 largemouth at 16 in. The rest ran between 8 and 14 in. Many green sunfish, one 9 1/2 in. fatty. Quite a few longear's, one goggleye, and a couple bluegill. Mainly used soft plastics. (senkos, crawfish imitations, and twister tails) and a teenycraw crank. The sunnies were on the beds and wearing their mating colors. The longears were bright orange and the male greenies fins were dark black. I added a couple of pics. Not sure if the attatchments will post. Never tried it. If it does, I start attatching more... Wader

Float/fished the Big Piney, 2 days, June 27 and June 28. Put in at Sand Shoals and floated to Boiling Spring the fisrt day. The 2nd day we went from Boiling Spring to Mason Bridge. 1st day was a beautiful day, partly cloudy with temps in the 80's. Water was at it's usual summer flow. It rained hard that night and most of the the 2nd day it rained, until we could see the take out. Then naturally, it cleared up and became a beautiful sunny day. Boiling Spring canoe rental and campground was wiped out in March by the floods, nearly all the cabins and the general store were wiped out. He nearly gave up on his business, but with help from his neighbors, Licking, Mo. businesses, and a local Morman church suppliing plenty of manpower, and all of his savings, it was rebuilt. It makes you feel good about your fellow man. Anyway, I used my inflatable yak. The Boilings Springs canoe rental gave me free shuttle both days. I owe them one. The others rented three canoes. Since, I was the only fisherman, the others insisted on having me play catch up with them. So, I didn't do any power fishing. Mainly fished the runs and below the riffles. I skipped most of the long deep pools and never spent much time in one spot. I wound up with about 40 smallies and about 20 google-eye, along with too many sunfish to count. I used mainly soft plastics. Anything resembling a crawfish worked well, along with senkos. I also, used a rooster tail and it gave me plenty of action with the smaller fish. No real size to report on the smallies. The biggest landed was 14 ", along with several 12"ers. Most were in the 10" range. Naturally the big one got away, again. Had a nice one to the yak, but it kept going under the boat. I was using 6lb. test and it made short work of it. I didn't have my drag set properly, (had just snagged up and had to break my line and didn't reset the drag, oops). I know excuses. It wasn't that big, maybe 16" or so, got a few decent looks at him. This section gets alot of pressure and I believe that most keepers (state reg. 12>) are kept. It's of shame but, that's all part of it. The section is a goggle-eye special mang. area. I think this helps. Most of them ran right around 8in. I caught one 9" and one 9 1/2". It looked like it had swallowed a golf ball. Not sure if it was eggs or had just had a meal. I noticed several of people keeping the goggle-eye just over the keeper limit. I think that this is common, also. The rain didn't hurt the bite. but I paddled during the heavy showers. So, I missed out on a lot of the fishing, the 2nd day. I think a feller could do pretty good on this stretch, if he took his time and power fished. I may try it again in the fall. If you ever want to float the Big Piney, please use the Boiling Springs Resort & Canoe Rental, LLC • 573-674-3488 Reservations: 1-800-564-3285 15750 Hwy BB • Licking, MO 65542 Help the guy out. He's a good man and is trying hard to recover. All in all, it was a good trip. ... Wader

I believe that NRO brags that it has more camping sites than any private outfitter in the state. It also, is the start of a floating "party cove", of sorts. I believe that the wardens have been cracking down on the public drunkeness and lewdness (pissing in the river and flashing boobies), and littering. My only float on the the river was on a Saturday, a week before the 4th of July, 3 yrs. ago. Never again. We put in at Sand Spring. It was quiet and serene, until will came around a bend and encountered the NRO. The river was full from bank to bank with rafts and canoes, and as far as the eyes could see. I've never seen so many rental boats. If you have ever been to Arrowhead Stadium and tried to leave after a game, that's what it reminded me of. We litteraly had to stop and wait awhile, before we started weaving in an out of traffic to get going again. People were running into our canoes right and left, most were accidental, not all. For the next 5 mi. of our trip, I almost could of walked from canoe to raft to canoe to raft, etc. all the way, without ever getting my feet wet. It was a huge floatilia of booze, dope, swearing, and boobies. It was a "spring beak" in rafts and canoes. If I was 21 and single, I might of enjoyed it. But, I was with a church group and we really didn't want a contact buzz from the cloud of of pot smoke rising from the river valley. So, my first and only taste of the Niangua river was that it was a party river, and not a tranquil, peaceful river. I'll probably never float it again. Too many better ones. If I did, I'd leave my poles at home, fill my cooler and take my camera along for all the boobies. When in Rome .....

Snakes get a bad rap. I don't know whether it's the Bible reference or because of the way they slither. I don't kill them. There are plenty of other people doing it for me. Snakes serve a purpose, keeping the rodent and bug population in check. It's amazing how a 6' 200 lb. man can be afraid of a 1" tall, 1/2 lb. snake. I've been startled by a few and bitten by a snake once, a garter snake, when I was a kid. That's because I was carrying it around and holding it too far behind the head. I don't blame it for biting me. I would of done the same, if someone was carrying me like that. When I think about it. I've been bitten by dogs about 25 or 30 times and by a snake once. I guess I should shoot every dog that strays into my yard, (about 3 a day). Just kidding, I wouldn't hurt and dog. I love all critters big and small. Now there's a few humans that I'd like to .... Anyway, You guys take care of them snakes for me, so I don't have to. ...tight lines.

I float fished the Little Piney 3 years ago for smallies from Milldam Hollow Access down to Hwy T. I did ok, on smallies, nothing to brag about. I also, caught quite a few goggle eyes and bluegill, that kept the action going. Two years ago, I waded up from Hwy. W (Vida Slab) with my fly rod on Jan. 1., a beautiful day. Didn't catch any trout but, caught quite a few bluegill. I'm not very good with a fly rod and not much of a trout fisherman, but still try. Anyway, it is a very pretty little stream and one of the fastest moving floatable streams in the Ozarks, with an gradiant around 8 and 9. When I get a chance, I'd like to float it from Lane Spring down to Jerome. I believe a person could do it in a day. But, I'd do a two day trip, to enjoy it and get some fishing in.

Chief Greybear, .... The UP, still uses Jeff, to change crews with the St. Louis crews. They wanted to make the run from KC to St. Louis but, with all the traffic we have now, coal trains and intermodels (filled with goods from China). We can't hardley make it from KC to Jeff in 12 hrs., let alone KC to St. Louis. Through attrition (retirement), the crews based in Jeff. are being eliminated. The new terminal is out of KC. So, currently we have a split board. kayaker, ... We had a 4 hr. drive down and stopped to eat and by the time we got our car shuttled and canoes loaded and in the water. We didn't get floating till about 4 pm. the first day. We camped on the river across the river from Burnt Mill Spring. My buddies aren't early risers so even though we were right on the river by the time we ate breakfast, packed up the tents, loaded all the gear, fished a bit, and broke camp, it was past 11 am. So, it was a leasurly trip. Plus I think between the 4 of us, not one rock, log, or undercut went untouched from a lure.

Well, to answer your first question, We did the 4 mile float, from Howard's Ford to Bannister Ford. 2 mi. per day fishing pretty hard. To answer your 2nd question. I don't think I do enough float trips. lol. I feel your pain. We live in an area where we have to drive 4 hrs. minimum to the first smallie stream, and 6 to 7 hrs. to the more popular streams. So, when we go, we do an overnighter. I work for the railroad and take trains from KC to Jefferson City. I lay over in Jeff, between 12 and 30 hrs. So, depending on the time of day, weather, how tired I am, and when my return train shows up. I try to fish. I keep a Ford Explorer, loaded with fishing gear, and an inflatable kayak. I usually wade fish streams within an hour's drive of Jeff. (cell phone reception permitting) . When I find a stream that's to deep to wade, I use my yak. As far as the over night trips, go. I usually get one or two in a year. Depending on how tight a leash my wife has on me at the time. I try to float/fish at least one stream that I haven't done before, each year. We're doing the Big Piney in two weeks, near Boiling Springs. I'm on vacation for 5 weeks. that helps.

We did a 4 mi. overnight float/fish trip on hte Little Niangua May 18, and 19th. The water was up and running strong, but suprisingly clear. We got on the water about 2 p.m. on Monday, and fished pretty hard the first 2 mi. down to where we camped. Took us about 3 1/2 hrs. Two canoes, two in a canoe, with 3 of us fishing. The fishing was pretty tough. We threw a lot of soft plastics and senkos. Wound of with around 20 bass between the 3 of us the first day. Mostly smallies with and occansional largemouth here and there. Lots of sunfish. Biggest smallie of the first day was a 13.5 in. and the biggest largemouth was a 15 in. Camped the night and float fished on down to the take out on Tuesday, with pretty much the same results. Largest smallie the second day was a 15 in. and the largest largemouth was also a 15 in. Never really got into a fast and furious situation. Most fish were pulled out of the usual ambush site, log, stum, rock, or below a riffle. Fished the deep holes pretty hard but only came up with an occasional largemouth. Most smallies ran in the 12 in. size, same as with the largemouth. For both days we only wound up with around 40 bass and quite a few sunnies. It was probably one our poorest productive trips so far but, was still an awesome float and a good time.

I'd never call any fisherman a liar but, as we all know fisherman have a tendency of stretching the truth a wee bit when it comes to size and numbers. lol For my own info. I usually measure the smallies that I that I catch, prior to releasing them. It's a much more accurate gauge. By the way, we're heading down to do an overnight float on the Little Niangua, in the morning. I'll give a report when we get back.

That's one thing I like about this site. You can get a lot of info, opinions, and views on a variety of things, without the usual trial and error method. You gotta love this site. Keep the posts coming.

It sounds as if you were fishing below the dam and you said either side was good. How deep were you fishing? What weight jig head were you using? 1/16, 1/8, 1/4? When I fished there earlier in the year the current was so strong that my 1/6 and 1/8 ounce jigs zipped by me in the current. I felt as if I wasn't getting deep enough. When I used 1/4 oz. I kept getting snagged up. I felt like a beginner. I wasn't worthy. lol

It's a little late now, "water under the bridge" so to speak. But, if I was interested in investing in a canoe to use a trolling motor with. I would look real hard at a square back canoe. ie; http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2131649 or http://www.directboats.com/20ba160sqstc.html or http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/se...86474-Gifts.com There are many makes and models in various sizes and price ranges. Just a thought to anybody else interested in mounting a trolling motor.

Where would you be coming from?

I own an inflatable kayak, for the convience. Since, I have to store it in my vehicle, that I leave in Jefferson City. When I bought it, I was looking for a sit in, that would give me storage like a canoe. So, I bought a 11 ft. sit in inflatable tandem kayak. Which I use solo. It isn't as wide as a solo canoe, still it is fairly stable. I can store alot of gear. Also, I can lay rods in it, which makes it much more hands free. It's kind of like a travel rod, it gives me a boat when I normally would not have one. It works for my situation.

The few times that I've made it out this year, I've caught quite a few nice fat ones in the 9 in. range. They were all very aggressive.

I'll get back with you. ... Wader