Any new reports on water level and whites on the James???

[troutgnat]

Haven't seen any recent news on the James lately. What's the latest word??? By the way is there any water yet to hold any whites??? I will be down to Springfield next week on vacation and would like to chase some whites somewhere with the fly rod, any suggestions?

[2bfishn]

rumor has it that things are heating up on Beaver Creek and also around the mouth of Swan Creek. Either place should provide some fly rod action. Personaly I would go to Swan. If you are not familure with that area. Look aroud the mouth of Swan Creek and if there is no action there go across to river run park and start up the lake. That road goes all the way to the dam and in the past during low water conditions it has been awsome for fly fishing.Good luck and let us know how you did!!!!

[Phil Lilley]

troutgnat - you're asking questions about fishing very early in the week seeing you're coming this weekend. Alot can happen betwen now and then- we could get a downpour bringing the creeks and rivers up, making them unfishable. We have local rains where the James basin may get 2 inches and Swan gets nothing.

Watch for reports later in the week- watch weather reports and USGS water gages linked off the forum for water/lake levels. And be patient- watch for reports Thursday-Friday. They'll give you a better idea than reports from today.

[Flysmallie]

But it's so hard to be patient when your trying to plan a fishing trip. Troutgnat, I am also planning on fishing this weekend and I think we have a pretty good plan. We will be fishing either Beaver or Swan Creek (maybe both), Kings River, or James River. Of course anything holding water in between any of these is also considered a possibility. We are taking a boat and our waders, plus spinning rods, flyrods and I heard a rumor that someone was bring minnows! I'm not a live bait guy, but if that's what it takes. I feel that with this narrowed down plan we should be successful!!

Take Phil's advice, be patient, check this site often and a the last minute make the totally wrong decision as I always do. As long as I'm near the water with a rod in my hand I always feel that I have succeeded.

[Phil Lilley]

REally - rainfall will dictate where you go. And it may be a last minute decision.

[Sam]

By the way is there any water yet to hold any whites???

I wouldn't worry about that. In past years, I've waded the James in a foot of water and had white bass zip between my feet. They'll get upriver if there's any water at all - then they'll be in the deeper pools.

Low water should make it easier for waders and fly fishermen. Low water just makes it tough on guys like me who'd like to get a boat to their old fishing holes.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I stopped at Cox (Galena) yesterday on my way home and no one was fishing. I would imagine if they are up that far there would likely be some fishing it.

[Drew711]

I fished the James down by Galena Wednesday afternoon. I couldn't find any whites and I did quite a bit of walking, but that was before yesterdays rain. I know lake springfield came up a lot, so I can only speculate on the lower James. I used both fly and spinning tackle. No whites, but the smallmouth were more than willing to cooperate. Nothing of any size, but still a blast.