Newbie To Wading

[LarrySTL]

Hi everyone. I’m de-lurking here in St Louis. Gas prices are keeping me out of my bass boat and since I don’t own a canoe, I’m looking at wading some smallmouth streams. I won’t ask for your favorite places, and I don’t mind paying some dues by getting wet.

I’ve read back through the Forums for tips, I own the MDC Canoeing Mo book, I have 200 Smallmouth Adventures from the library for a bit longer, and I have some places in mind to try. I assume (risky, I know) that I’d be better off far enough upstream that I am above most of the canoe traffic; is that right ?

I am used to having about 8 rods and thousands of dollars worth of lures with me. Is what I need for wading as simple as grabbing a spinning rod with 6 or 8 lb line, or a medium casting rod with 10 or 12 lb, and a few lures, and just start fishing and exploring ?

If I have a buzzbait, a jerk bait, a spinnerbait or two, a very few shallow or mid-depth cranks and a couple hands full of plastic ( tubes, craws, and a few jigs) will that cover what I need ?

Suggestions are welcome. Thanks for the information so many of you make available here.

Larry

[RSBreth]

If I'm wading I try to keep it simple - one rod (for me that means either spinning or fly) and I use my mesh summer fly vest with a few small boxes - some small finesse jigs, smaller cranks, topwaters, and spinners that can be cast on a spinning rod - or just flies if I'm using the fly rod obviously.

Usually further upstream is better - but there are parts of rivers I know that I wade that are in the bigger sections - for rivers closer to you there are several good people on here that can steer you right.

I feel your pain on the boat thing - I have a nice aluminum rig that I just don't have time or money to use right now.

[eric1978]

If I have a buzzbait, a jerk bait, a spinnerbait or two, a very few shallow or mid-depth cranks and a couple hands full of plastic ( tubes, craws, and a few jigs) will that cover what I need ?

I agree with RS...for wading just take one rod, but if those are the lures you plan to use, then I'd take your most versatile BC rod. When I go wading I hit the skinniest possible water that will hold fish...one deep pool and you're either blocked off from moving further up or down or you have to bushwack through poison ivy and thorns...no thanks. So since I'll be up in the smallest part of a stream, I like downsizing my lures a bit. Plopping big lures in tiny water are more likely to spook fish than trigger them to eat, so I'll take mostly plastics and flukes, a couple small cranks and some topwaters, and leave the spinnerbaits and other bigger lures in the canoe...which means I'll be taking my most versatile spinning rod. I'd suggest a med or med/light 6 foot rod with light line...probably less than 8#.

The general rule is the farther upriver you go, the fewer big fish you'll find, but there are still some in there, and plenty of smaller fish. It's a good time to break out the fly rod to keep things a little more interesting.

Take your Paddlers Guide and a Delorme Atlas, and find some accesses ABOVE the first accesses listed in the Paddler's Guide. Plan to do a LOT of driving and exploring. Some accesses work for wading, others not so much. Spend the morning going a mile or two down from the access, head back to the truck for a sammich, then go the other direction in the afternoon...that way you don't wander miles away from your vehicle and have to run a marathon back when the sun starts to go down.

If you hit the right access on the right day, wading can be fun, but a canoe or kayak is truly the most efficient and enjoyable way to smallie fish the streams...but it does take an investment and you'll need to work out shuttles. It's worth it, though.

In the meantime, since you're in STL, focus on the Meramec and its tribs...Bourb, Big, Huzzah, Courtois. They're the shortest drive for us unfortunate east-siders, and there's enough wading in those five streams to keep you busy for five years. Please release ALL smallmouth, and please KEEP all the spots you catch out of those rivers.

Good luck.

[OzarksRiverman]

I find it hard to differentiate the Spot and LM. Especially after having consumed a few beers. Does the LM always have an unbroken "line" going down it's side? I've caught several that I swore were LM's but the line down the side was interrupted in places. Is that the distinguishing feature of the Spotted Bass? Is there anything else to look for?

I see these two examples are different in color, but the bass I catch on creeks around here are so varied in color it's hard to judge by that.

[MOsmallies]

I can usually tell by just their appearance and markings, but an easy way to tell is to look at their jaw. The pictures you posted were perfect examples. A spotted bass' jaw when closed will not extend past it's eye. The largemouth's jaw when closed will extend a little bit past it's eye. Also, the tongue on a spotted bass has rough patch, but so do some largemouths, so that's not really the best test. Once you catch enough of both, they're actually pretty easy to tell apart.

Paul

MOsmallies

[eric1978]

The markings, the rough patch on the tongue, the shorter jaw, and also the spots will have smaller scales on its face.

Fortunately, there's no mistaking a spot with a smallmouth, or even a spot with a meanmouth...they're just too different to screw up. I would also suggest harvesting any meanmouth you catch, IF you can positively identify the fish as a hybrid AND it's of legal length. (I'm talking Meramec system only here...don't get all worked up SWMO guys. )

[RSBreth]

Red eyes AND tongue patch is a Spot around here. The Largmouths and Spots in my local rivers are easy to tell apart.

[OzarksRiverman]

Sounds easy enough. I like the jaw comparison method. Maybe I haven't caught enough spots to know one when I see it? I usually creek fish Swan, Beaver, Upper Finley. Thanks

[eric1978]

Sounds easy enough. I like the jaw comparison method. Maybe I haven't caught enough spots to know one when I see it? I usually creek fish Swan, Beaver, Upper Finley. Thanks

Then you don't need to worry about it...they're native down there and there's no need to remove them.

[Smalliebigs]

Then you don't need to worry about it...they're native down there and there's no need to remove them.

Nice.......