Looking For New Places To Fish

[Arofishing]

Hi all,

I was thrilled to find this forum to satiate my newly (rediscovered) love of fishing. I moved back to the Ozarks this past year after spending sometime in Vancouver, BC, and to make a long story short, I've been fishing with a friend of mine at least once a week this summer. Our preference is to "wade" of sorts, we actually just enjoy walking up or down stream for miles and then returning in the afternoon. He lives in Ozark near the Finley, so we've been doing that lately. We've now walked from just downstream of Riverside bridge (where it starts getting deep) to a mile or two upstream from Smyrna/Greenbridge road bridge. Previously we've walked the dam side of Lake Springfield. We also tried shore fishing at Fellows Lake without much success.

So, I'm asking for some more recommendations of places where we could do this sort of drive and walk fishing. Anywhere within a 30 minute of radius of Springfield would work great. We'd both like to get into some bigger fish, but realize that likely won't be possible if we're on foot. We also intend to get access to some kayaks at some point this summer, which would open up other possibilities for us.

Thanks in advance

[Daveinozark]

you might want to try the James around Shelvin access. It gets shallow around there.

Also, on the Finley, park by the 14 bridge, where the Jeep dealer used to be. There's a trail along there that will lead to shallower sections past the pool that's under the 14. From there you can go down stream quite a ways with few deep pools, probably until you get near Riverdale.

I was thinking of hitting that section this weekend actually

[Arofishing]

you might want to try the James around Shelvin access. It gets shallow around there.

Also, on the Finley, park by the 14 bridge, where the Jeep dealer used to be. There's a trail along there that will lead to shallower sections past the pool that's under the 14. From there you can go down stream quite a ways with few deep pools, probably until you get near Riverdale.

I was thinking of hitting that section this weekend actually

Thanks for recommendations. We are going to head towards the James, either Shelvin or just a bit further south. Do you recommend heading up stream, down stream, or does it really matter? We'll do that section of the Finley too, once we're in a Finley mood again that is .

[Daveinozark]

Thanks for recommendations. We are going to head towards the James, either Shelvin or just a bit further south. Do you recommend heading up stream, down stream, or does it really matter? We'll do that section of the Finley too, once we're in a Finley mood again that is .

Randy is the authority on that. I haven't been there many times, but there is a nice pool upstream from Shelvin. Not too far.

[RSBreth]

Randy is the authority on that. I haven't been there many times, but there is a nice pool upstream from Shelvin. Not too far.

It's nice to know that years of shirking responsibility to go fishing finally payed off - now I'm an "Authority" on something.

Anyway - one great spot to wade is close to Shelvin - check your P.M.'S

[Arofishing]

It's nice to know that years of shirking responsibility to go fishing finally payed off - now I'm an "Authority" on something.

Anyway - one great spot to wade is close to Shelvin - check your P.M.'S

Thanks a lot RSBreth. Another user PM'd me about that exact same spot. We're going to give it a try sometime next week!

[RSBreth]

Thanks a lot RSBreth. Another user PM'd me about that exact same spot. We're going to give it a try sometime next week!

O.K - Great! I'll have to send you some tip on the Finley later this weekend then.

[Arofishing]

Thanks, I'd really appreciate it (the tips)!