OzarksRiverman

Thanks for the report. I might head out there this weekend. What were you using?

Thanks for the replies, I think I'm going to give it a go this summer (just to change things up a bit) and try taking some worms at least on one trip. What size of hook would you recommend using? mic: if you want to come on a wade trip this summer come on down, I see you're in Illinois though so it'd be a long trip to Douglas or Christian County MO.

I'm a creek freak in the summertime. I float, I wade the smaller creeks looking for Brownies and Goggle-eye. I use the old stand-by's: Tubes, Cranks, Spinners... I was talking to one of my uncles the other day and he was talking about using worms at the creek. Anybody have any thoughts on using worms for creek fishing. How do you fish them? Bobbers? Anybody had any luck with them catching creek bass?

Sorry to tell you dude, but NW Ark is still Cardinals Country.

Usually it would be the southern rock mix for me (Marshall Tucker, Skynyrd, OMD, etc....), but recently I've been listening to Blitzen Trapper, Deer Tick, Band of Horses. They're sort of Indie-throwbacks to the 70's country rock bands (with less fiddle).

I was thinkin it was because they're on that 'shine.

I got the survey, and replied. I don't have suspicion about the intentions of the MDC.

Wow, it's weird that you all have never heard of sucker grabbing. In my family (uncles, cousins, etc...) they're more likely to take a grabbing pole to the creek with them than a fishing pole. In fact I learned how to grab suckers long before I was able to consistently catch brownies and such. Not dissing you guys, it's just crazy how it's so prevalent where I'm from, yet foreign to you guys. By the way, going grabbing is a pretty good time. You should look into getting a pole and some hooks. Suckers are really good if you score them right.

That's the way I've always built campfires on gravel bars. It's a lot easier to just make a small pit than collect big rocks to make a ring.

I bought a bumble bee last spring and haven"t had a bite on it yet. It really pissed me off, and a I tried to forget about it. Thanks for bringing it up.

lol. good one.

It just goes back to the way people are raised, and what they're exposed to. It's a state of mind if you will. Here's a good example: I waded Beaver Creek with my 15 year old cousin from Bradleyville this summer, we were slayin' em, we probably caught around 80-90 bass in 2 miles. He looked at me like I had three eyes when I turned my first big smallie back. He was confused as to why I wouldn't take the fish home, cook it up and reap the benefits of the fishing trip. After explaining how the creeks and the fish in them are fragile and scarce resources that we're blessed with in our part of the country, he seemed to take it to heart. A lot of the locals who were born and raised around the rivers and streams we love to spend the weekend floating and/or fishing don't hold them in the same regard as us. (This isn't to say that locals are the only one's doing this, this is just my observations around Douglas/Taney Counties)

I did that a few times this summer. I went to places where I'd had no luck in the past at the time the Solunar tables indicated, and I didn't do any better than before.

I agree. I figured it's more about water conditions than cosmic conditions. My dad and grandpa always said just after the sun comes up and just before the sun goes down. That's always worked for me on the creeks I fish.

I get Field & Stream mag, and every issue they have a Solunar Table, which is supposed to tell you peak times that fish are going to feed throughout the month. It has something to do with the location of the sun and moon in relation to the earth. I've tried them out this summer and haven't noticed any increase in my fish catching ability during the "peak feeding times". I was just wondering if anybody'd had any luck using these tables or something like it, or if it's just filler for the magazine. Addendum: I don't fish lakes, just creeks and rivers.

Did you ever check it out? Have any luck?

I say leave it up for pedestrian/bike traffic. I figure the old Riverside Inn site will become a park. Maybe they can link that area to the park trails farther downstream. They could build a new two-laner on the west side of the old bridge.

I like it. I'm going to try to make one.

I just replied to a post from a guy asking about access points on the Sac/ L. Sac rivers. I gave him directions right to a bridge that has good fishing up and downstream. Now on this same river, I do have a "secret spot" or Honey Hole or whatever you want to call it, it's a long wade from any access. It's not accessible from this spot I divulged, but if the guy who is new to the area puts in the leg work and stumbles upon it, and is using the right tackle, then more power to him. This is the first time on the forum I've been in the position to give some local knowledge to someone who was asking. I understand the Little Sac isn't as fragile as some of the creeks we all love to fish, but it is somewhat scarce due to its location between Springfield and Stockton Lake. What do yall think of this approach?

On the Little Sac, if your wanting to wade, stay upstream of the 215 bridge (near Morrisville). Below that the water starts getting unwadeable because it's starting to get close to Stockton Lake. I've never waded Sac River but I would suspect the same. I'm not 100% on the course of it, but the wading would probably be best south of the Ash Grove area. I moved north of Springfield a couple years ago from Ozark. And I used to fish the upper Finley, Swan, and Beaver a bunch. When I first went and looked at the Little Sac it didn't look very good and I though I was screwed, but there are some good fishing holes if you look for them. This summer I've really been slayin' em on green bitsy tubes with 1/8 oz. jighead. The easiest access I use for the L. Sac is NE of Walnut Grove. Go to Walnut Grove, right at the flashing light, 1 mile to JJ hwy, turn left, then two miles to 550th road turn right, go about 1 1/2 and park on the far side of the bridge. Good fishing up or downstream from bridge. Of course if the water is up its hard to wade anywhere, especially on the Little Sac, so try to hit it during a dry spell. Good Luck.

Nice fish. I waded the upper finley last saturday (above John's Ford) and caught a bunch of fish. I caught a LM about that size, didn't have a camera but I marked my pole and it was 18".

There is a badass little stretch of Swan Creek that I wade (about 15 miles SE of Ozark) that now has two strands of barbwire crossing the creek. The spot where the wire is ran is a old party spot, decent fishing, but I never spent much time there and just moved on up the creek. When I first discovered the new barrier, I didn't cross the wire, just went back to the truck, and next time I go down there I plan on asking permission to pass through. I would think Swan Creek would be considered a navigable stream since there is a canoe outfitter less than ten miles downstream from the spot where the wire is located. Can the landowner fence of the stream like this???

the sewage treatment plant is a little bit down river from the US 65 bridge.

My favorite lure for the Finley is the Bomber Fat A crankbait, I've had the best luck with it too. You catch some Perch with it, but I've caught a lot of Bass on it. My favorite color is just try to match the creek gravel color, and a orangish bottom/belly.

darn, I almost stepped on a copperhead this evening while I was mowing. It'll sure make ya move pretty quick.