Wintertime Smallmouth On Current River

[LittleRedFisherman]

Looking for a good place on the Current River to catch some Wintertime smallies. I've traded in alot of my Duck hunting for fishing this winter and have loved it. Have only been on the Current a few time around Reyno, mostly for Walleye and Catfish, I know the northern part of it in Missouri is a great trout stream, i'm figuring the southern part would be better for smallies? Thanks for any insight, Bret.

[Al Agnew]

Since the Current has so many big springs, there's always a chance of catching smallies around the springs, or in the vicinity of tributaries that are big enough to hold smallies, in the winter. Basically, however, a lot of those places get pounded. There are smallies in wintering pools in good numbers from about Round Spring on down, but there are more big fish below the mouth of the Jacks Fork than above. Quite a few big ones are caught between Big Spring and Doniphan. So basically, your chances are probably about equal anywhere between the Jacks Fork and Doniphan.

[LittleRedFisherman]

Thanks Al, I was thinking about Big Spring as well. Doniphan is only about an hour drive from here. I've crossd it several times heading to the Eleven point this winter. I fished an area the other day that wasn't around any springs on the Eleven Point, and had really good success, even some largemouth, and some pickeral. There's an area here in Arkansas on the Current River they call Sugarbush I've been wanting to try, it's the transition area where The Current goes from a Ozark stream to a Bottomland River. Heard there's good fishing, as well as big Walleye, so gonna try it there, but wanted to try it north as well. Thanks again.

[drew03cmc]

LRF, in that segment of the Current, the odds are probably better that you will stick more largemouth than brownies. With that said, try it out, you never know!

[Al Agnew]

I hope you try out that lower section...I've heard there are still smallies down there, although they are outnumbered by spotted bass. I've never fished it below Doniphan.

[Chief Grey Bear]

I've heard there are still smallies down there, although they are outnumbered by spotted bass. I've never fished it below Doniphan.

Do you have any data on that??

[LittleRedFisherman]

There definitely are some smallies that far down, we actually caught a couple vertical jigging for walleye as far south as Johnstons Eddy around Reyno several years back. I have a friend that has a cabin near sugarbush and they catch them there, but like you said, there are a mixed bag with Largemouth's and Spots as well. I was surprised on a trip a buddy of mine took a month ago to the Narrows on the Eleven Point, we found an area of slack water, and fished tubes around some downed trees, we pulled several largemouths out in a row there, once we hit the current I pulled out my flyrod and my white 1/16 ounce jigs, and started catching smallmouths again. I have to say, I have absolutely have loved devoteing some of my downtime I get in the winter due to farming, to fishing over the hunting I usually do. One thing I've always said to people, " I like to hunt, but I love to fish". My ozark fishing has been limited to arkansas until this year, mostly to trout, and fishing tailwaters, but I have devoloped a love for the natural streams, and can't wait to try out Current River sometime. I have seen what a love and respect many of you have for these streams, and I'm right there with ya.

Al, I plan on going with that buddy I mentioned that has a place there at Sugarbush, he wants to go after duck season is over, which is in a couple weeks. He's been talking to a neighbor down there, and said the walleye are starting to bite there, hope to try a few walleye as well as some smallies. I"ll let you know how it goes.

[Al Agnew]

Do you have any data on that??

Trying to stir up trouble, Chief?

Spots are native to the lower end of Current River. In any other stream coming out of the Ozark hills onto the flatlands of SE MO and NE AR, the spotted bass will be the dominant species by the time the stream reaches that point, because the stream has become perfect spotted bass habitat and marginal at best smallmouth habitat. In fact, smallies will probably be non-existant. Not so the Current, because of the large volume of clear, cool water coming from all the springs feeding it. Spotted bass barely even show up in the Current until you get below Doniphan.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Trying to stir up trouble, Chief?

I'm sorry Al, I'm not familiar with that term.