Crooked Creek Angler

In about 20 years of fishing mainly on the Buffalo and Crooked Creek I've caught two over 20 inches with one at 20 1/2" and one at 21 1/2". I didn't weigh them, but I'm pretty sure they would've pushed 4 lbs. really hard and maybe gone over a touch. One float trip on the lower end of the Buffalo me and a friend of mine caught 8 fish over 18". I've also had some pretty reliable guys I know of tell me they've caught smallies between 5 1/2 and 6 1/2 lbs. on the lower end of the Buffalo. Personally, I believe them. Last year was an excellent year on Crooked Creek. There were several trips when we caught around 20 fish between 16 and 20 inches. (See my post on the Crooked Creek forum for a few pics with one pushing 20") That is definitely not typical though, an average trip might produce 1 to 4 or so fish over 16 inches. All in all, I think anything over 16 is a good fish, but I'm happy to catch them just barely bigger than my bait as well. To me the keys to catching the big ones are 1) High, stained water, (preferably in the spring or fall), or 2) Fishing at night in the summer.

Just became a member and thought I'd try to post a few pictures to get you thinking about this spring on Crooked Creek. I think these fish were caught on Sep. 7th last summer. We had had some heavy rains and the water was at the upper limit of being floatable. A little scary, but the big ones were biting. Couldn't tell you how many we caught over 14", but it was probably in the neighborhood of 20+. Caught a handful in the 17-19" range. The photos are the ones my floating buddy caught. I caught a few that were as large as the smaller of the two in the pics. I've seen Crooked Creek up and down over the last 20 years, but the last several have been UP! Looking forward to this year. Hope I got the pics attached correctly...

I'm not a striper fisherman per se, but when I do fish for them over here on lake Norfork, it's in the spring or fall and only at night. I generally cast a big floating smithwick rogue up on flat points and reel it in as slow as I can possibly stand it when the waters really cold in late February, and just a hair faster than that when the waters warmer in April and early May. This is idiot fishing that nearly anyone can do, even at night. That also explains why I can be successful at it. Ten fish nights aren't uncommon at all. Once that water temp starts getting much above 70, the bite generally tapers off. Just reel slowly, hold on, and have your drag set right. Only about a month away. My biggest so far is 26 lbs., but I have friends that have caught them over 40.

I can tell you that I have floated every inch of CC from Pyatt to the mouth. In the drier years there is virtually zero water between Yellville and Flippin due to the fact that the creek goes underground. In the wetter years it can be floated, but I wouldn't personally recommend it. Too many willow thickets in the middle of the creek and not enough fish. However, once you get down quite a ways past Flippin to the 101 bridge some of the water starts coming back up and there are year round pools at the very least and pretty managable floating after good rains. The AGFC put in a pubic access below the 101 bridge that is a good place to put in and float to the mounth, probably about a 10-12 mile float all in all, but can feel longer if the water is a little too low. The Ranchette White River access is the place to take out on this float. The lower end has more largemouth than smallmouth, but both can be huge. I've caught LM's over 8lbs and heard of them being caught over 10lbs, (which I personally believe). My biggest SM from this section is only about 3.5lbs, but I've seen some I thought were larger. Easily the best place I know of in this area to catch a LM over 5 lbs. Also the VERY best place I know to see lots of cottonmouths. I'm not the least bit afraid of your regular old garden variety water snakes of which CC has many of, but I do get a little spooked after almost stepping on a big thick cottonmouth. If you go in the warmer months keep an eye out.

Great to get so many responses just from an introduction. Again, I look forward to swappin' stories and info with everyone. I already recognize many of the names of the responders from forums that I've read prior to joining.

Looking forward to sharing information about stream fishing for smallmouth on Ozark streams with other conservation-minded fishermen. Found this site a month or so ago and just signed up. Have slowly been trying to fish every smallmouth stream big or small within a couple hours drive of Mtn. Home, Ar over the past 20 years. I primarily fish Crooked Creek and the Buffalo River with spinning gear, but have fished the Kings River, Osage Creek, the Eleven Point, the Spring River, the Jack's Fork and a few others that shall remain nameless for now. It's hard to beat Crooked Creek day in and day out and I've either floated or waded the entire stretch from above Pyatt to the mouth. Right now I am a spin fisherman, but could see myself eventually tinkering around with a fly rod. Looks like there are quite a few people on this forum that fly fish for smallies. Look forward to talking about fishing a little during the winter months as the creek fishing is slow...