Floating And Fishing

[OzarksRiverman]

Floated today down to John's Ford. Fish weren't biting, but the pace was great, and the color of the water is awesome right now on the Upper Finley.

[Jack Jones]

That's the Ford Access right before it flows into the James, isn't it? Where did you put in at?

If all goes well, then hopefully Monday I'll be putting in at the town park and padding up river to Linden Lake, then just float back and fish. Hope it's not too swift to go upstream.

[RSBreth]

That's the Ford Access right before it flows into the James, isn't it? Where did you put in at?

If all goes well, then hopefully Monday I'll be putting in at the town park and padding up river to Linden Lake, then just float back and fish. Hope it's not too swift to go upstream.

John's Ford is above Linden (he did say "upper Finley") and good in high water - lot's of dragging in low water like Summer/Fall.

John Ford Road

If you're going tomorrow I may be over there at the park or above it - depends on how much writing/yard work/gardening I get done today. I was over at the park yesterday for a little bit - the water looks really good. I got a tip from a couple of floaters that there is one log jam up near Linden - but I doubt you'll make it up that far if you fish much. Really the best spots are just above the park to the big bluff pool, then above Green bridge a bit, not up by Linden. But then again, maybe the high water has the fish moved around different this year - only way to know for sure is to fish it.

[Jack Jones]

Once again I stand educated and corrected. I am grateful for your patience on this issue. One of the hardest parts about being a transplant and a newbie to these waters is learning the names of the access points, and the names of the holes and hollows that people refer to in their posts. I had never heard of John's Ford road and didn't know to distinguish between upper and lower.

So then....in your opinion RS, is the fishing generally better between Linden and the park, or above Linden? Also, if you put in above Linden Lake, can you paddle into the lake and fish it?

[OzarksRiverman]

Once again I stand educated and corrected. I am grateful for your patience on this issue. One of the hardest parts about being a transplant and a newbie to these waters is learning the names of the access points, and the names of the holes and hollows that people refer to in their posts. I had never heard of John's Ford road and didn't know to distinguish between upper and lower.

So then....in your opinion RS, is the fishing generally better between Linden and the park, or above Linden? Also, if you put in above Linden Lake, can you paddle into the lake and fish it?

I think the fishing is good all the way from Linden to the Park, so wherever you want to paddle at, you'll be catching some fish.

Don't worry about asking all these questions, that's what this fishing forum is for anyhow.

[RSBreth]

I'm echoing OzarksRiverman here, but in my experience the part of the Finley from Linden to the park is one of it's best. Both for numbers and size of Smallies and Rock Bass (Goggle-Eyes).

"Don't worry about asking all these questions, that's what this fishing forum is for anyhow."

Again, he hit the nail on the head. That's what it's here for.

The thing about paddling down to Linden and then back up - the lake is O.K. - but most who have fished it and the park off and on over the years will agree that the park in Ozark is actually better fishing than Linden. The park gets plenty of "not very serious' pressure from guys, and then that's followed by a few of us who educate the fish to the newest thing every year. Some poor dude wonders why he cant get a bite on a plastic worm - he doesn't realize those fish have gone through finesse jigs, shaky heads, wacky rigging, swimbaits, chatterbaits, wakebaits, square bill cranks, swim jigs, and everything else you can name. They're educated, and not as easy as you would think. But they're there.

Anyway, there are nice Bass up there in Linden from time to time, but I generally do the best from Linden to the park, in the park itself at the right times, and then the lower part of the Finley from 160 to where it dumps into the James. I guess I'm saying go ahead and try it - but it's more to say you did it then getting into any "secret" fishing spot. If you want to fish Linden it's easier in low water (low WARM water) to climb the face of the dam at Linden with the 'Yak or solo canoe, and then fish it.

I just re-read your post and realized you said "paddle up to Linden and then float and fish back." What I do is fish up - don't paddle through a hole spooking the fish, get a good first shot at them fishing towards the riffle at the top, then pull up to the next one, so forth and so on. When you're getting short on time, turn around and float back. It works out easier to do it that way for me - if I paddle up gung-ho and don't fish I find I get to far up before I turn around to fish the water I already paddled through thoroughly. That's a bad feeling - you rushed through it going up, now you have to rush through going back. AAArrrrrggggggghhhhhhh! And fishing upstream allows you to get casts at spots that normal floaters don't get.

[Jack Jones]

Well....after chores I only had a few hours (and still had to head back to mow). I spent about 2 1/2 - 3 hours on the water. I confess I did very little fishing and more paddling. I took one side trail up past the ball fields to a dead end and just sat in the water watching some fur bearing critter swim back and forth, and splash around. Also, tons of turtles. Some of the biggest I'd ever seen.

As I paddled further up, I could see a few channels and some nice shoals. Part of me wanted to just pull out and then jump in, but I didn't. Maybe next time. Also next time probably pack some crankbaits and 1/8th spinner baits to play around with. Either way, Finley is fun.

[RSBreth]

I was going over there today and then "found" another project (mower's carb giving me fits). Then I seriously cut my finger making dinner tonight. It seems like sometimes I'm just not meant to fish.

[Tank]

Last summer just past the dam there at the park there is a bunch of rocks with like a 4ft drop off. I would throw a little chartruese tube jig. I would catch alot of goggle eye. This summer I have not done much fishing down there yet on account the rain and weather. Last summer when it was warmer I would go down to the park at 7am and stand on those concrete spots. I would throw a super spook down the bunk and run the bank and caught a couple large mouth and small mouths. Don't know what they weighed but I did measure them one was 15inch and the other 16inch. Hope this helps I am gonna hit the Finely again this year will keep posting where I go and what I catch.

[polock]

I have a 12 foot ascend sit on top anglers. I climb the dam a lot and paddle up as far as I can and float back. I usually catch some decent fish for a river that size, but nothing to write home about. Once you get above the houses, it gets really pretty though. I have seen a few largemouth that would go 3-4lb but never got em to bite. I have yet to make the linden to ozark float. Looking to do that next thursday possibly. Any one know how the logs are after the flood? I know people said that there were a few places you had to drag around where trees were across the water. Was wondering if the flood took those out or not.