creek wader

05/05, Ran down to the dam for about 4 hrs. this evening. They're running the most water I've seen so far, this year. Running over the top of the dam. It was overcast, drizzly, and about 70*. I thought they'd be going wild, but I was wrong. I caught 4 crappie (2 at 13 in.), a small largemouth, a small Kentucky, and a couple of bluegill. Oh, and a large gar. Threw everything at them but, minnows. I walked up from the boat ramp on the east/south side. Couldn't fish the cove, water was too high.

I 2nd all of the above. My first smallie was caught on a Rebel Teeny Craw. I've caught largemouth, smallies, spotted bass, rainbows, goggle-eye, bluegill, sunfish, and crappie off of them. I like the diver in the streams, it plows the gravel and draws a lot of attention. Here's a pic from last year. It's not a smallie, but I caught many smallies on it, that day.

Question to all you stream smallie fishermen. I've noticed that alot of you use spinnerbaits for smallies. I have yet to catch a smallie on a spinnerbait. I've caught them on inline spinners and beetle spins but, not on the regular spinnerbait. I realize it is probably because I don't use them much. Anyway, I saw someone on TV, using the chatterbaits for largemouth. It looks like an effective bait for smallies. Just curious if anyone has ever tried them and what were the results. I already have multiple tackle boxes full of lures that I don't use. Sometimes I think I'm not a fisherman but, a collector of fishing gear. Like women with shoes. I hate to spend any more money on something else, that I won't use.

Sounds like a wonderful place. Al. ... It also, sounds like most of the streams, that I fish in the Jeff. City area. Most fisherman wouldn't give them a second look. I rarely find water much over waist deep. Long stretches between fishable water. Most fish are around 12". But, when I fish it. It's my little stream and my little world. At least for a little while, until I have to return to the real world. Hence my handle ... "Creek Wader" ...

Redbud, Glad to hear they caught the poachers. .. .. I understand what your going through with the trespassers. I used to own a farm and had problems with people fishing my ponds and the deer hunters. I guess it goes with the territory. I may have to take you up on that stream access part. I'm going to be down that way in late May. Unlike your unwelcome visitors, I wouldn't trash your property. I C&R, only. I have total respect for the landowners and their land. Where in Mac county, is your land located? What mile marker on the Big Sugar?... wader

Well I had a different experience one night, while camping at a primitive campsite on the Curtois, river. In the middle of the night I hear snorting, panting, grunting, and something moving through the brush. My first thought was a wild hog. It came within inches of my tent, I could see it's silhoute on my tent. Pitch dark, I'm in a pair of shorts, no weapon and the only thing between me and it, was a nylon tent. I lay still till it moved on down a little bit. Then I bolted to my truck and unlocked the doors in a frenzy and jumped in. My dome light comes on and I have tinted windows, so I can't see out. Then something jumps against the door and puts it's face to my window. it's a pit bull. Needless to say my heart was racing and when I saw it's face, I about sh*t. I watched it snoop around a couple of other tents. It went over by my buddies' tent and snooped around. I got out of the truck and watched it. Then someone on down the lane, got out of his tent to take a piss. I hollered at him and asked him if it was his dog. He said it belonged to a tent on down the way. Then an old hillbilly, down the way, opened his tent and called it into his tent. I was over the fear and now was pissed off. I was about ready to tell him off. But, he had a pit bull and I had nothing. I saw him the next morning and almost said something but, let it go. It was a public site and he let a pit bull roam free. What an butt. Maybe it was friendly, but, you just don't let it roam like that. I would of shot it had I had a gun. I know they are not all vicious killers but, how would you like one waking you up out in the woods, like that.

Chief It looks like an eagle's nest to me. We have two of them along our tracks. One near Waverly, Mo., the other near Blackwater, Mo. We can only see them when the leaves are off the trees. The one near Waverly is across the river and darn near a half mile away. The one near Blackwater is over 1/4 mi. away. Both are quite large. According to all that I have read. They use the same nest every year and add to the nest every year.

Chief, I can't tell by your description. Where did you float?

Chief, Nice. Don't mess with the fish too much. I want them still in the biting mood, when I get down there in May.

Our tracks cross the Little Blue near 24 hwy. It don't look too bad, there. It's a little on the skinny side but, looks like a fun float. Plenty of accesses. You'd have to take some worms or minnows, just in case.

Cool, I hope you turned him in. Did you measure the smallie (length)? Glad someone finally got a report in. Were you fishing on the east/north side in the cove?

yeah, the little Blue has a lot of access points. It has walking and bike trails all along it. I'm afraid I'll never have the time to do it. The Kaw don't move much through the area you described (backed up by the Mo.) It's more of a cat and carp river. Still would be fun. "Knoche". Now there's a place I haven't been for sometime. Sounds like you've been all around the KC terminal. Me too, I did a lot of transfer work and hosteling. Back when I was forced into the yards, in my younger days. Sounds like, between the two of us, we've covered the whole KC terminal. I'm still running around all over there. Believe me your not missing much. .. lol

lol, your not far off there, cheif, .. actually the Little Blue don't look too bad for a skinny river. ... How's Shoal Creek looking these days. We're taking your advice and looking hard at the Big Sugar and Indian Creek. Thanks.. wader

Thanks for the reports. Keep them coming. Hope to visit you in May.

Yes, I like the Maries much better than the Moreau. This is what I found. ; ... The Moreau is more of a border stream, than the Maries. The Maries has a rock bottom, gravel bars, riffles, some chunk rock, googleye and smallies. It's probably the first real southern stream, from Jeff. The Moreau has a mud bottom and mud banks for the most part. It takes a lot of runoff drainage and rarely clears up. Except in a dry year. It"s more like the Platte river near KC. However it does have bass in it.(largemouth, Kentucky, and crappie). More of a catfish river. The South Fork of the Moreau, is much clearer and does have some gravel bars and some smallies. The Kentuckies have really taken over all parts of the Moreau and are crossing with the smallies. The South Fork is what I would call a crossover stream, between north and south. As far as the Maries, goes right now it can be floated but, in 2 mos. it'd be a wade only stream. Right now I can wade it anywhere I want to go. So, that makes it shallow and some places you have to walk 100 yards or better, before there's enough water to cast to. It has it's gives and takes. If you had some free time passing through, it'd be worth a few hrs. But, I wouldn't make it a destination smallie stream. I just fish it out of convenience. There are much larger smallie streams with much larger smallies in it, that I haven't fished, yet. Every year I try a different stream for my main annual outing. This year it looks like the Big Sugar and the Elk rivers. S. Fork of Moreau River

Next time you go below the dam. Check the level for that day, you can go back 60 days., and see what the generation was. Maybe we can figure out a pattern. Now if you want to see something funny, look at the Bagnell graph today. I would of been down there yesterday morn., from 9 a.m till noon. Now, I'm in St. Joe. It's going to be over 80 degrees today and they are running water hard. ... Timing is everything. lol .. wader

My work takes me to Jeff, every couple of days. I usually get a few hrs. of free time. The Maries is the closest stream to Jeff. with smallies in it. I've fished it for 4 yrs, I've found several accesses. I also, fish the North and South Moreau, Osage, Big tavern Creek, Cedar creek, Little Piney, Meramec, and several other streams. Maries River Big Tavern Creek

No, Jefferson City. My work takes me to Jeff, every couple of days. I usually get a few hrs. of free time. Unfortunately, my free time varies, sometimes it's at night. So, then I got to wait till my next trip, down. So, I try to make the best use of my free time. .. wader

Managed to make it out for a few hours this morning. When I pulled in under the bridge, there were two guys in waders gearing up.They were there 1st, so, I gave them the choice of up or downstream. They chose up. Rats!! I've always had better luck upstream. So, I headed down. I had big plans for the day but, got called into work, soon after I started fishing. The river was up a little and slightly stained, but not too bad. The current was moving at a pretty good clip. Anyway, since I was short on time, I left the fly rod in the truck. I caught 4 largemouth right out of the gate, less that 25 yrds., from the truck, on a yum dinger. I waded on downstream about a 1/2 mile and casted my arm off, to no avail. There were plenty of fishy looking spots but all I caught was a green sunfish. I had fished this stretch last year and didn't do well either. The better fishing is in the next mile, downstream. But, time didn't allow it. I can't wait to get a full day in, on the Maries. wader

Seth, Also, I wasn't sure how much it was going to drop today. I saw it falling in the morning. I didn't want to make the drive and have the river drop 10 ft.or more. If it was rising or level. I would of made the trip. ..wader

Seth. I'm probably using the same graph as you....: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/uv/?site...065,63160,00060 See that drop on the graph, today. I've been down there several times already this year, when the generation starts dropping and the river level drops, (see bottom of the page). Today, I would of been there at the bottom of the drop. The fishing just dies, as the river level starts dropping. If it's rising, it starts to pick up. At least that's what I've witnessed so far. I've been there once when it was rising and faired well. I was there once when it was peaking and the bite was the hottest, so far this year. I was there twice when it was falling and caught nothing. Once when there was no generation and didn't get a hit. That's just my personal experience, I could be wrong. Maybe it was just a little early in the year. Maybe it was something else. If you fish it let me know how you do. I'm all ears. Let me know how the graph reads when your down there, also. (check the days flow, when you get back). Maybe we can figure out a pattern. I could be way off.

They ran water all day, yesterday. I got up early today, with visions of whites and crappie. Looked at the stream flow chart, and they quit generating at midnight. So, I'm going to the Maries river with my fly rod. Plan B. ... Keep watching the stream flow. If they start generating, they should be there. Warm late April days with major generation = fish. ... wader

Sounds like a fun day. I like hearing of people catching fish other than trout, on a fly rod. Since I don't have much of an opportunity to fish for trout. I got a little free time today. I'm going for smallies today with my fly rod. I'll let you know how I do. .. wader

Oops! my bad. Please accept my humble apologies. We hold nothing against the Cow Polks, even though, you got us last year, also. I'm glad you had a good trip, up here. The part of the Current that you fished, produces some nice Browns in the fall. You may keep that in mind. .. Wader

Great report and pics. Glad you Sooners did well. Now quit beating us in football, or your not allowed to come back to the state. ...lol ... I got to agree with you, the Current is a very pretty river. Sorry you guys got rained out. The Little Piney is a pretty little stream, also. I doubt if you would of done as well on it, as you did on the Current, but you never know. Sounds like you had an awesome couple of days.