Big Tavern Creek

[creek wader]

10/12 .. It was a nice fall day. Figured I'd take my yak out, one last time this year. I drove down to the last low water x-ing on the lower section of the Tavern. Aired up the yak and headed upstream. The water was slightly murky but, not bad, a little low. Probably normal for this time of year. I mainly threw senko's and twister tails. Caught about a dozen mixed largemouth and Kentuckys between 8 and 10 in. and a handfull of various sunfish. Finally, when I was almost back to the starting point I caught a 14+ smallie and a 12+ largemouth on a wiggle wart. It was the only smallie of the day. I'm a little disapointed with the lower section of the Tavern. It looks like good smallie water, gravel bars, riffels, runs, etc., but I've caught very few smallies in the last 10 mi. of it. The Kentuckies are very common on this section. Yet, the upper section is quite good smallie water and I have yet to catch any Kentuckies on it. I may sound like a broken record, but I'm afraid it won't be long and they'll take over up there also. ... wader

[Guest]

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[creek wader]

siusaluki, .. .. Hate to put it up yet, myself. But, I rarely get the the time and daylight and weather to coincide. They say I'm not to let it freeze. I leave it in my suv at Jeff. City. The weather is changing fast. I'll give it till early Nov. But, probably won't get many chances to use it. There's a stretch on the Maries, I've been wanting to hit. I'll wait a few weeks and see what happens.

[Al Agnew]

There have been spotted bass in Tavern Creek for many years. Chances are that if they haven't colonized the upper reaches by now, they probably won't. On all these smaller streams where spotted bass were not originally native but have invaded, there seems to be a point past which the stream is too clear, too fast, too cool, or something, for them to do well. Below that point they are common, above it they are rare or nearly non-existent. They try to colonize it...in high water periods they will move upstream many miles. But they just don't seem to stick.

On the larger rivers it's sometimes a bit different. They tend to take over the lower sections, and the population in the upper sections varies from year to year. But on the Bourbeuse and Big River, the habitat is good for them almost to the headwaters, and they have gradually colonized much of those rivers.

[creek wader]

There have been spotted bass in Tavern Creek for many years. Chances are that if they haven't colonized the upper reaches by now, they probably won't. On all these smaller streams where spotted bass were not originally native but have invaded, there seems to be a point past which the stream is too clear, too fast, too cool, or something, for them to do well. Below that point they are common, above it they are rare or nearly non-existent. They try to colonize it...in high water periods they will move upstream many miles. But they just don't seem to stick.

On the larger rivers it's sometimes a bit different. They tend to take over the lower sections, and the population in the upper sections varies from year to year. But on the Bourbeuse and Big River, the habitat is good for them almost to the headwaters, and they have gradually colonized much of those rivers.

I hope your right Al. The Upper Tavern is a nice little smallie stream. Like to see it stay that way.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Thanks for the report and pics wader. I always enjoy seeing what you have been up to.