I Said I'd Report

[LarrySTL]

First I learned this isn't going to be just "show up, catch gobs of nice smallmouth and then go find lunch". I hadn't really thought it would, but it was a nice fantasy.

I learned I still am carrying too much tackle. That little bag took zero energy to take to the car, but quickly got heavy tromping around in the countryside. Next time, two surface plugs, two crankbaits, a few hooks and jig heads for some plastic, and a small amount of plastic (tubes, senkos, craws, and two or three flukes)that would leave a lot of room left over in a sandwich size baggie.

I learned to not just toss the first cast out there as a dry run, even into about a foot of water because an ok size bass might grab it and put on a display before spitting the tube back out after a poor hookset.

I should have put a second rod and reel in the car, especially with the first one having a very old Cardinal 4 spinning reel that had never broken anything until about noon on Friday. Naturally there are no parts stores out where I was. Later I learned that that $ 2 piece of plastic is about $ 20 on Ebay, and close to non-existent elsewhere.

I caught and released several small spots before the plastic reel spool broke but no SMs. I enjoyed the day, and spent the afternoon scouting around a broader area. That taught me why everyone swears by Delorme, because a state highway map and the 200 Adventures maps make finding some places, especially the 'county road' places tough. I ordered Delorme today.

Questions if I may; a few weeks back I was wading a bit wearing old gym shoes and slipped and fell a lot, plus got a lot of grit and small rocks in the shoes. This time I tried water shoes, decent traction, didnt let rocks in much, but not so great walking to the water, and if I step on an underwater beer bottle or tin can, I'll be wishing for the gym shoes. What are folks wearing on their feet for this ? I'd like to avoid buying actual wading boots til I see how this goes a bit more.

River gauges. In the Meramec group I found lots of info on the Meramec gauges and water flows that folks like. Today I found gauges for the Big River at Irondale and Brynes Mill; does anybody have any tips for the water level and cfs flows they would look for at those gauges ?

Thanks folks !

[Arofishing]

I wear an old pair of hiking shoes, La Sportivas. For as much as they cost you'd be better of getting something made for the job in wading boots. My next recommendation would be a pair of trail running shoes - essentially tennis shoes with more traction and big soles to help with boulders etc... Protection for the front of the foot is important IMO, I've broken more toe nails than I want to this summer.

[Flysmallie]

Something like this works well for wading.

[GloryDaze]

River gauges. In the Meramec group I found lots of info on the Meramec gauges and water flows that folks like. Today I found gauges for the Big River at Irondale and Brynes Mill; does anybody have any tips for the water level and cfs flows they would look for at those gauges ?

Thanks folks !

Do a search for Al Agnew's posts on river gauges. He has written a couple of VERY informative posts on river gauges, how to read them and what the numbers mean on the local stream you are researching.

[Tim Smith]

Something like this works well for wading.

Ditto on the Keenes. I like mine. Just don't try to use them in silt.

Used to cycle through old sneakers until the water blew them up.

Hip waders, waders and wading boots...

[Al Agnew]

Guys, you must have a lot tougher feet than I do. I love the Keens on Western streams, but for use in the Ozarks they are simply unworkable for me. The gravel migrates in and out, but if you're wading in gravel you'll ALWAYS have gravel in sandals, every step. It may not be the same gravel each step, but I think you're crazy for using sandals in the Ozarks.

We've had discussions before on wading shoes. There just isn't the perfect wading shoe. I'm still using the ones that came closest to being perfect, but they were discontinued years ago. They were fast-drying, drained very well, gave you some ankle support, and had felt inserts with a rubber sole around them with decent traction both on underwater rocks and on dry ground. I don't remember what they were...they're in Missouri.

It all depends on what bothers you the most...hiking shoes are great for getting to and from the river, but the traction on river rocks sometimes leaves a little to be desired and they usually don't drain well or dry really quickly. Water shoes drain and dry, but traction is questionable and there is absolutely no ankle support. Wading boots stay wet for a while and if they are felt-soled, they don't get good traction on dry ground.

The perfect wading shoe, in my opinion, would be made of the same kind of rubber stuff that Crocs are made of, and have the same insoles. The holes like you have in Crocs would be covered with a fine mesh to keep sand and gravel out. They would come up to your ankles, and have a tongue like wading boots and a quick lacing system like Chota wading boots. They would also have a thin, stretchy neoprene collar around the top to keep out gravel. And the outsoles would have cleated rubber around the outside with a felt insert. Comfortable, sturdy, well-fitting, dry instantly, get good traction everywhere, and KEEP OUT THE GRAVEL.

I wish somebody would listen to me.

[Flysmallie]

Your right on the sandals, the gravel does move in and OUT. Key word being out. Water shoes suck for every reason. No Traction, no support and when gravel gets in you have to take them off to remove it. With the sandal you can just swish it around in the water and the problem is solved.

The best thing in my opinion is a felt wading boot with studs or cleats. Not very comfortable in the heat of the summer though and it leaves some weird tan lines!!

I've tried everything out there and besides the wading boots, good sandals are the best option available.

[ColdWaterFshr]

I'll second Al's comments. Keens, Teva's, Chaco's -- doesn't matter, they get gravel in and you constantly have to be kicking or flicking rocks out of them. Okay if you only plan to do a minimal amount of wading, but if you're doing a lot, your wading boots with gravel guards and thick wool socks are what I use. I have soggy feet all day, but its better than having those stuck rocks in the arch of your foot from a sandal.

[Al Agnew]

Big River gauges...

The Irondale gauge will give you good info for the river from the highest possible fishing stretch down to the Desloge area, and decent info for the stretch between there and the mouth of the Mineral Fork. The other useful gauge is "Big River near Richwoods", which gives you pretty good info for the rest of the river. You don't need the other gauge.

Don't look at the river level in feet, look at the flow in cubic feet per second. The level means nothing to you unless you have a lot of other level readings to compare it to.

Normal summer flows at the Irondale gauge run from single digits when it's really low, to about 100 cfs when it's a little high. At 100 cfs and above, it might possibly be muddy, and it will probably be too high for easy wading. If it's over 150 cfs in the summer it probably isn't worth wade-fishing.

Springtime flows at the Irondale gauge can be as much as 200 cfs and still be very fishable, but difficult wading. Keep in mind that the river gradually gets bigger as you go downstream--lots of small creeks feeding it--so when it's a little on the high side you should be going farther upstream to fish, while when it's reading pretty low you can wade it about anywhere from Irondale to Washington State Park.

The Mineral Fork adds considerable water, so the readings in the summer at the Richwoods gauge can run from 100 cfs (very low) to 400-500 cfs (a little high but still fishable--but probably not wadeable). In the spring you won't be wading below Washington Park anyway, but it can be over 1000 cfs and still be floatable and fishable, depending upon when the last big rain was.

[Smalliebigs]

I'll second Al's comments. Keens, Teva's, Chaco's -- doesn't matter, they get gravel in and you constantly have to be kicking or flicking rocks out of them. Okay if you only plan to do a minimal amount of wading, but if you're doing a lot, your wading boots with gravel guards and thick wool socks are what I use. I have soggy feet all day, but its better than having those stuck rocks in the arch of your foot from a sandal.

I agree sandals are only good if there is no silt or gravel. Over many years of trial and error and more error than trial, I use theseMy link they have a Vibram sole that provides great support and they don't let sand or gravel in. The only real draw back is price and they kind of look gay to me but, I laugh when my buddy has to stop and remove gravel from whatever shoes he's trying this time. There are a few companies that make an adequate aqua sock with a good sole and one that even has a Vibram sole but where the ankle is unless your ankle is enormously fat it let's gravel in.