Maries River

[creek wader]

Managed to escape for a few hrs. today, 03/15/09. Ran down to a different spot on the Maries. Wade fished about a 1/2 mile. Caught a nice 15" smallie, 3 lg. mouth and a few bluegill. Used the spinning rod again, w/ yum dingers and senkos. The water was gin clear. About normal flow.54*, overcast.

[Guest]

Feels nice to get out there doesn't it! I am going to make a trip over to the area sometime in april, I am already excited.

[creek wader]

siusaluki, ... Yes, it does feel good. After seeing your pics from your last report, I got the fever bad. Screw the urban trout lakes, that had been tying me over. I just wish I could get more time. But a few hrs. here and there feels pretty nice. Right now the streams are exceptionally clear around Jeff. There has been no real rain in months. So, you can see the smallies dart out from the rocks, logs, etc. and hit the lures. What a hoot. Only problem is, the streams are getting real low. Hate to see that. later ...wader

[Buzz]

Just saw your post creek wader. Nice fish. I agree this is a great time to be on the water, whether it be wading, floating, or casting from the bank. Thanks for the report. I'd love to fish that river one of these days.

[creek wader]

03/17, ... Made it out for a little over an hour St. Patty's evening. It was 80* +, no wind, excellent day. Fished a 3rd spot on the Maries. Caught a 12" spot and 3 smallies off a senko, below a riffle, (only spot I fished), on the spinning rod. Then tried my fly rod. Caught a 11" smallie on a blue/white clouser that I tied myself. That's the 2nd smallie on a home made fly. I know it's nothing to most of you. But, I just started tying, this winter, and caught one on both home made flies, that I've tied. Woohoo! I feel good.... Anyway, the largest smallie was on a senko/jighead @ 14". It sucked that I worked all day and only got in an hour fishing, but, was glad to get that in. Can't wait to get a whole day in. ... Wader

[creek wader]

mrbuzib1, ..The Maries is a nice little stream. It's about the most northern "smallie stream", in centeral Missouri. But, It's not really worth the drive, unless you just happen to be in the area. The problem is, it get's real low (see the site below). As you can see, a little rain and it runs wild, but, it'll drop in a day or two. It even gets lower in late summer. So, you have to wade a few hundred of yards between fishable spots. I try not to hit the same section twice in a row. So far in 3 trips this year, I've hit 3 different sections. It's definately a wader's stream. When I'm in Jeff. It is very convinient. So, I hit it regulary. But, If I had time to travel to a stream. There are much better "smallie streams", in Missouri, that I've been dying to travel to.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?cb_00060...ite_no=06927000

[Guest]

deleted

[fishinwrench]

Wader, you ever fish Saline cr. ? It's small but I think Capital city Flyfishers are the Stream Team for it and I believe they have done some in-stream habitat improvement work. Just wondering how it fishes.

[Buzz]

It is along way from where I'm at, but I've been meaning to take some time and backtrack to some of the places I lived as a kid. One of them was Jeff City. I'd also like to fish Binder lake again. We have one stream like that down here that we fished last year. It was full of smallmouth. I want to get on it again before the bottom falls out of it . Last year, even after all of the rain it was only 12" deep in spots, but it had some nice runs and a few deeper holes. It's on my short list for this spring. Thank s again for the report.

Buzz

[KCRIVERRAT]

Creek Wader... just the greenery and the pics of the riffles would get any of us frothing at the mouth this time of year. The only time I've seen the Maries is when i'm heading south on 63 hwy. by Westphalia. You're right , I'm usually heading to another well known stream. Look's like fun though if you were a local or were gonna spend a few days around Jeff City. Good fishing to ya bud...