Smallmouth On The Spring River?

[WhiteOak1]

We're headed to the Spring mid August. We're starting at dam 3 and floating 8 miles. Is the smallmouth fishing any good on this section?

[jdmidwest]

I have started picking them up above the first set of big falls above the Bayou Access. They really get good below Riverside on down as do the goggle eye and walleye. I even pick up a few largemouths. Go on the weekday, weekends are crap till schools get back in session. We have a trip planned the weekend of the 20th.

[gotmuddy]

I have started picking them up above the first set of big falls above the Bayou Access. They really get good below Riverside on down as do the goggle eye and walleye. I even pick up a few largemouths. Go on the weekday, weekends are crap till schools get back in session. We have a trip planned the weekend of the 20th.

[Thread hijack]how far downriver do I need to go to get my Riverboat in and go up/down the river?[/thread hijack]

[jdmidwest]

Nice thing about the Spring River, it has a series of falls on almost every stretch of the river above Hardy, and maybe even below that, that prevents operation of a motorized boat. When I say "falls" I am referring to Rock Ledges 3 to 5 foot that water flows over. It is essentially a float stream only.

There is Cold Springs access at Mammoth that lets you motor around in a lake created by Dam 3 at the fish hatchery. I have floated and fished it, caught some large mouth and goggle eye in that stretch. Otherwise, I would check out the lower river around Imboden Ark for motorized fishing, it would probably be your best shot to run a boat, although I have never been there,

[WhiteOak1]

JD, Were going to be on the water Monday the 16th and Tuesday the 17th. Is the section your talking about between Dam 3 and Many Islands. Thanks for the info.

[jdmidwest]

JD, Were going to be on the water Monday the 16th and Tuesday the 17th. Is the section your talking about between Dam 3 and Many Islands. Thanks for the info.

Yes, you will know it when you cross the first waterfall above the Bayou access. Riverside Campground is pretty easy to spot on the left and then you will have a series of long slow pools and runs to fish for the smallies. I have only been to Many Island once on a float, we usually pull out below the party rocks at Riversides Pullout.

You should have a good float, most schools start around here that Monday. Most crowds should be gone on a Mon-Tues.

[WhiteOak1]

Good to hear. Maybe we'll catch one or two. Y'all have a good one on the 20th.

[gotmuddy]

school starts here on the 19th.

I fished cold spring access in January. we caught a few largemouth, a couple spots, and a few trout. It is pretty awesome to be fishing in a river that is 52 degrees when the lake is 39.

[Terry Beeson]

The smallie action below Hardy is awesome! JD is correct in that Imboden is a great place to put in and motor up and down - I would recommend motoring up. There is some fishing above Hardy, but you might have limited access with a boat. Myatt Creek and Southfork of the Spring are good Smallie action streams as well, but forget the boat... unless it's a canoe, kayak, or one-man pontoon.