An Interesting Float Adventure

[jdmidwest]

Bad thing about Apple Creek is its lack of access points. I assume the creek was open and there were no log jams. We went out on the upper Whitewater Sunday and had to paddle back up, we met up with a huge log jamb where the river changed course a few years ago. Plus all of the downed timber from last May's Inland Hurricane made a huge choke point.

Sorry to see the Asian Carp moving up that stream, would have hoped the Mill Dam at Appleton would act as a barrier. It will only be a matter of time before I start seeing them in the Whitewater and Castor Rivers.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Thanks Al. Never would have thought of that.

But those rules change in the west flowing creeks of SW MO. If you will look back at the pics posted from this area and compare to those caught from other watersheds you will notice that the Neosho brownie is more of a olive green coloration.

We have caught some that depending on the current habitat, as stated, will have more of a broze color. But both seem to lack the tiger stripe type marking of their eastern counter parts.

You will also sometimes notice in Kentuckies and all the species goggle eyes that at times they don't seem to have much of a red eye and other times it look as if lit up like a light bulb.

[eric1978]

We have caught some that depending on the current habitat, as stated, will have more of a broze color. But both seem to lack the tiger stripe type marking of their eastern counter parts.

Like this one?

[ozark trout fisher]

Like this one?

Pretty fish.

There's nothing quite like a smallie with the deep coloration that this fish shows.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Kind of. The belly will be a brighter white. Like it has bleached.

Nice fish. Where did you catch it?

[eric1978]

Kind of. The belly will be a brighter white. Like it has bleached.

Nice fish. Where did you catch it?

That one was out of the Meramec. I've seen a million different colors and patterns on the fish from that river, depending on which stretch it was caught, time of year, and conditions of the stream.

You got any pics of what you're talking about CGB? I'd really like to see a Neosho.

[drew03cmc]

There you go (if it uploaded correctly). That is a Neosho smallmouth.

[eric1978]

Thanks Drew. Kinda tough to see though. Any way to blow it up some? Just sort of looks like any ol' smallmouth in the little pic.

[Buzz]

Thanks Drew. Kinda tough to see though. Any way to blow it up some? Just sort of looks like any ol' smallmouth in the little pic.

Eric, they really do look like any other smallmouth until you really get close enough to see the slight differences. The main one that I noticed is that the lower jaw protrudes past the upper jaw. This is one of the differences I've been told to look for. I've only recently started taking notice of these things and I'm still comparing to see if I notice any others. Heck, until last year I didn't know there was a differece. I will tell you one thing that is not different between the strains, and that is the fight. The Neosho's just don't get as big as the Tennessee Smallmouth do. At least I haven't found one yet.

This is a picture of one of the nicest fast water smallmouth I caught last year. It came from Shoal Creek like all of my bigger smallmouth.

[eric1978]

That's a porker alright. Nice fish! Looks like CGB's busy tryin' to hook up with her sister. I know the feeling.