Winter Fishing on the Finley

[jdavis]

I'm going to try and do some exploring on the upper Finley River in the next couple of weeks. It is a great little body of water close to home but I have limited experiance fishing Ozark streams during the winter. I'm guessing I need to try and find some of the deeper holes and throw something that I can work fairly slow. I know people don't like to give away there secrets but I would be greatful for any hints as to where, when and what to throw. I will probably be using my spinning rod until I get a feel for what is going on.

[Sam]

The main trouble with fishing the Finley is getting to it. Christian County closed all the access points a few years back - and now everywhere a road comes near it, there are barricades, fences, and No Parking signs.

I understand why they had to do it, with all the beer and dope parties and littering, but it's too bad.

About the only places you can get to the river now, legally, are the Ozark Park and just below the 125 bridge at Lindenlure. If it were me, I'd try Linden and work downstream from there. The pond above the bridge at Linden is all private property, and the Finley is so low this year there's not going to be much water to fish upstream from there anyway.

In past years, in the summer, I've put a car-topper boat in at Linden and fished down to Ozark Park. There are some good holes of water in that stretch. This time of year, though, with the water so low and clear, I think fishing would be tough. One good thing - it's a snaky place, and you wouldn't have to watch out for those in February!

[Wayne SW/MO]

I would throw jerkbaits and hair jigs and I would probably look for deeper holes, with wood preferably. Be careful at the 125 put in, there is some slab rock there that is as slick as it gets.

[RSBreth]

You guys have it about right. Put in at 125 ( don't leave your truck there)and float to Ozark city park.

Skip shallow water and concentrate on deep slow pools, even small ones.

Both hard jerkbaits(X- raps, rogues, etc.) and soft jerks (flukes, jerk shads,etc.)work well if you work them near wood over deep water.

You will catch more Largemouths than you would expect.

[CaptainT16]

Yeah, I used to just take my canoe and put in at the ozark park and work the area around the park and a little bit further upstream. Only used topwater bait such as a zaraspook and always had a great time throwing that around. Also fun to take a topwater weedless frog bait and cast it over the lilly pads that are there in the summer. Now that is a fun time!

[Wildside88]

Is there any way to get into the water above the Linden bridge, I know that all of the property on te north side is private property, but can you put in any where on the south or up stream and get down to it. Has anyone on here fished it? if so what is it like? Am I right to assume that they can not make the river private property?

[vonreed]

there are several access points above Linden which are good places to put in. The closest is a tall bridge. It is privately owned but the guys name is Ed and he's really nice, his house is on stilts. It's been 2 years since I floated it but the best I can remember it is about a 3 hour float or so. Above that is a low water slab which is a little longer float than the previous stretch but both are very easy day floats. There is lots of good holes up that way, especially Linden lake. I never fished it but it looked real nice and I seen lots of good bass in there. Good luck.

[Wildside88]

Thanks Vonreed, the holding water above the Linden bridge looks like great fishing, and it would be very close for me if there was a way to get in. My problem is I only have a small flat bottom boat, which I don't believe would be very good to float a great distance on that small of a stream. I wish there was a place that you can put in that is close to the Linden bridge hole. I guess I will have to do some research. Thanks again

[Flysmallie]

Let us know if you find a way to get on Linden Lake. There are some nice smallmouth in those waters. I have stood on the dam and covered as much water as possible and have caught several 14 - 16 inch fish. Saw a guy a couple of years ago that had been fishing along the darn carrying two really nice smallmouth in a 5 gallon bucket, one had to be pushing 17 inches. He asked me if I wanted them, I said no and suggested that he realease them. Oh no, he had been fishing too many times and caught nothing. He was dead set on somebody eating them. I blame myself for not taking them and then releasing them myself.

Don't be fooled by these waters, there are some monster smallmouth that hang out around Linden. I stalked one for well over a month a couple of years ago. It hung right below a small run in a very small rootwad, the water was about waist deep. It would come up and look at my fly, get within inches of it, then vanish. That always sent goosebumps all over me.