Need Local Advice On River Fishing

[Mitch f]

Talked with 2 guys from the Missouri SMA and they have both caught their personal best smallmouth in the last 2 weeks. With this rain the rivers should be getting good!

[Colorado Bassmaster]

Another question... We all have personal pontoon boats that are set up for bass fishing. We are debating on whether to rent canoes when we get there or bring our pontoon boats. Thoughts?

[Gavin]

I'd leave them home and rent....Most of our smallmouth streams have some long sections of unproductive frog water, and its hard to make time in a toon.

[Al Agnew]

Gavin is right, but the only question I'd have is, how experienced are you in fishing from a canoe? For those who haven't done much of it, fishing from a canoe can be a little difficult. The trade-off would be ease of fishing from the toons compared to a canoe, or ease of getting through the frog water with a canoe vs. the toons. Personally I'd much rather fish from the canoe, but then I've been fishing from canoes for more than 40 years.

[Colorado Bassmaster]

We have fished from canoes before so that should not be a problem. I'm concerned about being as flexible as possible. If we want to up and go, we have more freedom with our own gear. We have electric motors on our toons but not sure how that works on the rivers.

[FishinCricket]

Take the toons, you'll be fine...

[Al Agnew]

With the toons and two vehicles, you will be able to float stream stretches that aren't served by the canoe rentals, so yes, you'll be more flexible with your own toons. Trolling motors are usable on the larger streams, but a lot more trouble than they're worth on smaller streams like the upper and middle Big Piney.

[Colorado Bassmaster]

Ok guys, thanks for the help in pointing us un the right direction. Our dates are set. We will be out that way from June 17th to the 22nd. Our first stop will be Crooked Creek for a day or two, then on to Missouri. My question(s) is this... there will be four of us and we have a lot of experience fishing all over for smallies. I won't ask for specific tips or exact locations as I am a guide in Colorado and I get it, but if you all are kind enough to help... we are looking for quality over quantity. As far as stretches of rivers, put in and take out points, where would you recommend we fish? We would like to avoid long stretches of frog water and big boat traffic if possible. Again, I know and respect how local knowledge is disseminated, but your help is greatly appreciated.

[gotmuddy]

Ok guys, thanks for the help in pointing us un the right direction. Our dates are set. We will be out that way from June 17th to the 22nd. Our first stop will be Crooked Creek for a day or two, then on to Missouri. My question(s) is this... there will be four of us and we have a lot of experience fishing all over for smallies. I won't ask for specific tips or exact locations as I am a guide in Colorado and I get it, but if you all are kind enough to help... we are looking for quality over quantity. As far as stretches of rivers, put in and take out points, where would you recommend we fish? We would like to avoid long stretches of frog water and big boat traffic if possible. Again, I know and respect how local knowledge is disseminated, but your help is greatly appreciated.

canoes are big boats on CC, and on CC there really isnt anything that I would call frog water. There are a few stretches where there is limestone bottom a foot deep for 200yds though. For big fish I would fish anywhere between pyatt and the slab....anywhere in there will find big fish.

[Brian Sloss]

Granted I outfit on the Eleven Point, so I have have obvious leanings, but June is a good time for upper river Eleven Point smallmouth. Cane Bluff to Greer (7.5 miles) is great. An unusually dry spring would be the only thing that might screw that up. If you wanted to add more miles you could continue another 5.5 miles by continuing downstream to Turner and fish the trophy trout (blue ribbon) section. Being late June rather than earlier June, the Thomasville stretch down to Cane Bluff may be too low to run. If going one day and you want smallies, Cane Bluff to Greer would be perfect, if you want an overnighter and fish 2 days, I would go Cane Bluff to Turner and get both smallies and trophy trout (which should be good too). If the water is right and you are good with canoes and can handle a possible portage or two, you could do Thomasville to Greer (17 miles) for all smallmouth water.