Flooded

[Buckshotdad1960]

That’s right; it’s called the Roubidoux, named after an Indian tribe or chief (or something like that). As far as being void of fish nothing could be further from the truth. The first mile or so up above the spring that holds water gets fished hard by the locals all summer and soon holds not many fish. In the spring just after the floods all the locals know to search the holes before they dry up above the interstate 44 bridge. If they don’t get the fish the raccoons will as the pools shrink, then for miles it all just becomes a dry creek bed for the rest of the summer. I was told the flood waters came from the Gasconade when it floods but I have never looked at a map to verify this. I only know that when the Gasconade is flooding so will be the Roubidoux. As a kid the Roubidoux flooded like clock work. I could tell a few flooding stories. My father in law who still lives there told me that the creek doesn’t always flood now every year. In fact he said he saw three years in a row without flooding one time. That seems weird to me and perhaps is due to the weather changes we’re seeing around the world. It’s the end of days! WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!! LOL Just kidding! Bottom line, if it floods get there early. Finding a real trophy in one of these pools is not out of the question.

[laker67]

The Roubidoux originates somewhere south of Plato,Mo. Where I am not sure. But I can't imagine it being an overflow of the gasconade. The area above the spring that you spoke of, I have heard that the river merely travels underground for a few miles. There is water at the south 17 bridge and water at the hwy 32 bridge. Curt Jones and I have fly fished for smallmouth just north of Plato. I think there is even a conservation area somewhere south of Waynesville. There is alot more to Roubidoux creek than just the spring in Waynesville. Sorry, this is all the information that I can add.

[Buckshotdad1960]

Well, it’s all good information. Yes, the spring only influences the last 2 or 3 miles of the creek. And I don’t know but you could very well be right about the creek going underground. There are a lot of creeks that do that, even if it’s only in spots or for short periods of time. In the case of the Roubidoux, if that’s what it’s doing then it goes underground for a long ways in the summer.

[Buckshotdad1960]

Well, the spring influences the last mile of the Roubidoux anyway! I don’t know, it could be 2 or 3 miles if your walking and don’t have cigarettes! LOL

[Wayne SW/MO]

ood to hear it helped in 08, guess we'll see how it goes. not used to this weather, I'm from Phoenix where it only rains for 2 minutes

Wait until May, the weather goes beyond rain then.

[Daveinozark]

I tried the section of the Finley by Riverside for a few hours on Sun afternoon. I figured the warm-up would bring some good action. Nothing but a few bites though. I tried spinners, jigs, and the ole faithful 4inch worms in brown, green, and oil. Never messed with cranks since I always just get them stuck anyways. The river is still running high though. I bet this weekend will be better after the warming of a few days. Is that the general concensus?

[smallmouthjoe]

I tried the section of the Finley by Riverside for a few hours on Sun afternoon. I figured the warm-up would bring some good action. Nothing but a few bites though. I tried spinners, jigs, and the ole faithful 4inch worms in brown, green, and oil. Never messed with cranks since I always just get them stuck anyways. The river is still running high though. I bet this weekend will be better after the warming of a few days. Is that the general concensus?

I fished the upper section Sunday and couldn't get anything going on anything except for a bitsy tube in copper craw. All the fish I found were bunched together in a deep pool with light current flowing through it. They were all sitting out in the middle of it and they wanted almost no movement from the bait, they wanted it stuck to the bottom. This, in concert with the fact that a really nice riffle filled with current breaks that was just above the pool was empty, tells me that they are transitioning into their winter pattern. But on another stream that I'll call stream X, the fish were willing to hit anything you threw at them on the same day. I hope that the warmer weather turns them on a little more, especially since I'm going back to the same spot on The Finally this weekend. It should.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Joe that's not unusual for Fall. They are most likely entering winter holes, or at least staging. Try an X Rap, Pointer or a Husky Jerk worked slow over their heads. The take for me is always at rest and very subtle.

[Daveinozark]

i figured they'd be nestled in somewhere from the weather/flooding, but man, I couldn't find em. the river was swift and wind made it hard to cast. probably the worst fishing trip yet, made me want to throw the pole in the river

i couldn't take more abuse than a few hours, I'll stay at home if I want to be abused

[smallmouthjoe]

Joe that's not unusual for Fall. They are most likely entering winter holes, or at least staging. Try an X Rap, Pointer or a Husky Jerk worked slow over their heads. The take for me is always at rest and very subtle.

I tried an x-rap for a while with no takers. I did use it in recycled water so maybe that's why I couldn't get anything going on it.