I Talked To A Native Of Yellville Today

[gotmuddy]

Lost a post.:rolleyes:

I would have never thought the White could have reached the edges of Riley's Station, impossible. I've seen pictures where it was lapping at the edges of it. The river at normal must be 40 or 50 feet lower that the Station. I've often wondered how far it backed up the Buffalo there, which is across the river.

I would like to have seen how far it backed up but it would have been incredibly dangerous to have been out there.

[Al Agnew]

I see what you're talking about...but did that water come mainly from dam release or from flooding coming down Crooked Creek and the Buffalo? I was assuming you were talking about the river in the miles between the dam and Crooked Creek.

You never know what a really big flood is going to do, and that flood looks more like what I call a REALLY big one, which does a lot of bank damage as well as some scouring. Widening due to bank damage often causes shallowing of the channel. And assuming that high water came mostly from Crooked Creek and the Buffalo, you can imagine how much gravel those streams dumped into the White during the flood.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I'm headed down tomorrow morning to check things out. I'll camp at Norfork Dam and fish both rivers if generation cooperates.

That flood was epic in proportions Al. I don't believe the Buff and CC were blown out at the time. That water came out of the lakes, OVER the dams.

SIO3

[gotmuddy]

I see what you're talking about...but did that water come mainly from dam release or from flooding coming down Crooked Creek and the Buffalo? I was assuming you were talking about the river in the miles between the dam and Crooked Creek.

You never know what a really big flood is going to do, and that flood looks more like what I call a REALLY big one, which does a lot of bank damage as well as some scouring. Widening due to bank damage often causes shallowing of the channel. And assuming that high water came mostly from Crooked Creek and the Buffalo, you can imagine how much gravel those streams dumped into the White during the flood.

The dams were releasing but it didnt matter, the water was going OVER the top of the floodgates at norfork and likely the same at Bull shoals.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I wonder if they were even able to gauge the river? I don't know how deep they anticipate when setting up a gauge, but it would be interesting no if that one had enough capacity..

[taxidermist]

2008, the water was crazy. one night it went over the Hwy 65 bridge by a couple inches.

Below is Crooked Creek at flippin from 101 bridge.

Yes White River was up and over the bottom. We put in at Rim Shoals and ran up to Roundhouse shoals and you did not see anything but water between the bank by the sewer plant and the bottom of the mountain on the south side.

The gravel sizzled, sounded like a pop bottle fizzing.

[KrookedKreekKing]

24 inches? That's more than likely a state record, and would almost surely be a record for an Ozark river smallmouth if it wasn't completely emaciated. Given it was caught in the summer, I doubt that would be the case. If you look at the state by state records for smallmouth bass, only two of the fish with documented lengths are over 24 inches, and they both weighed in at over 9 pounds. I think your buddy needs a new tape measure.

You're probably right on that one. I have generations of families that have fished crooked creek and the buffalo hard and have never seen one in person or picture that was that long. But also, you gotta think maybe it is possible because a bass' life is finite. Those state to state records are caught out of lakes and I've seen smallmouths out of bull shoals that are about 4 lbs and only 18 inches long. I myself have caught a smallmouth out of the little buffalo that was 20 1/2 inches and only weighed 3 lbs, and one out of crooked creek that was almost 20 inches and weighed just about 4. But yet, 24 inches seems a little far fetched. Not trying to down anybody's statements but thats why I take a camera, scales, and something to measure them with.

[KrookedKreekKing]

That was my reaction also to a reported 24" smallie coming from the Buffalo, that thing has got to be over 8 lbs. Are there any pictures of it? What did he do with it?

22" largemouths are in the 6-7 lb range based off my own measurements. Granted there are some really big fish in the wilderness section of the Buffalo.

Are there records kept for ozark streams?

A 22 inch fish at the lake might get to 6 or 7 lbs due to feeding on shad and not fighting strong current. In the river they fight current their whole lives and feed primarily on crayfish and small forage; resulting in a slimmer body. And quite honestly largemouths fit that scale better. They're just heavier than smallmouths.

[Crooked Creek Angler]

My biggest is 21 1/2" on the lower Buffalo caught on a black jitterbug after dark. I'd have guessed it at about 3 3/4 lbs. It was released immediately. I've caught heavier fish that weren't as long. Was floating with my cousin of Crooked Creek this year between the slab and Yellville and he caught a 21 incher. Biggest fish I've seen on Crooked Creek, and that section gets pounded. I've been fishing CC since 1989 and it seems about as good the past five years as its ever been since I began fishing it...

[taxidermist]

Fish from a creek with moving water of the same size as a lake fish will normally be a bit heavier due to muscle verse flab. Lake fish dont have a lot of current to fight.