Al Agnew Posted March 25, 2012 Posted March 25, 2012 Down in the "gigging is stupid" thread, Ron said he thought the upper Black River and its forks were the clearest streams in Missouri, and Chief and Gavin challenged him on it. Now I haven't seen every stream in the state at its clearest, but let's set a parameter or two, shall we? First, let's postulate that we're measuring stream clarity during the warm weather months. In the winter, many streams get very clear. Also, let's limit it to streams of significant size...at least marginally floatable. So...under normal, stable summer water conditions, which stream or streams are the clearest, and how clear are they? I've never measured a stream with a sechi disk. All I know is how deep the water can be and I can still clearly see the bottom. Of the streams I've seen and floated and fished, here are some nominations for the clearest ones: West Fork Black River Middle Fork Black River Black River from the forks to Clearwater Reservoir Castor River upstream from Highway 34 Huzzah Creek Courtois Creek Big Creek (tributary of the St. Francis) Jacks Fork, Bay Creek to Alley Spring Swan Creek Flat Creek Now...the minimum for clarity would be the ability to see the bottom clearly in eight to ten feet of water. Some of these streams don't have much, if any, water that's any deeper than that. So maybe it's hard to really come to a hard and fast decision on this. But I will say that, of the streams I listed above, Black River and its forks appear to be the clearest. I've been on Black River in the summer when I could very clearly see everything on the bottom EVERYWHERE in Black River, including pools that were 12-15 feet deep. I have little doubt that if there had been water that was 20 feet deep I'd have still been able to see the bottom. Castor River, at times, has appeared to be close to that degree of clarity, but finding water over 8 feet or so deep in much of Castor River is difficult. I've floated the upper Jacks Fork, which is normally quite clear all the way from the Prongs down to Alley, but seems to become its clearest below Bay Creek, and there I've seen pools at least ten feet deep where I could still see the bottom well. Huzzah and Courtois can get very clear, but usually about ten feet of visibility is maximum for them. About the same is true for Big Creek. I haven't spent enough time on Swan Creek and Flat Creek to have a clear opinion on them. So I'm fairly certain that of the streams I've spent time on, Black River and its forks are "clearly" the clearest. What say others?
ColdWaterFshr Posted March 25, 2012 Posted March 25, 2012 Elk and its tribs (Little and Big Sugar) are just as clear as anything I've seen on the Black. How much more clear than clear can you go? Its like the Spinal Tap Black album. "The answer is none clearer' zosk 1
Mitch f Posted March 25, 2012 Posted March 25, 2012 I can second Big Creek being ultra clear, Isnt that the one at Sam A Baker Park? None More Black! "Honor is a man's gift to himself" Rob Roy McGregor
ozark trout fisher Posted March 25, 2012 Posted March 25, 2012 I'd say the upper Current would have to be up there too.
LittleRedFisherman Posted March 25, 2012 Posted March 25, 2012 I fished near Van Buren this winter on the Current, and that was the clearest water I had ever fished, but i havn't fished in the northern stretch of the Ozarks much yet. I was fishing a pool that was at least 10 feet, and could see everything down there. At least for "Big Water" that would have to be up there. There's no such thing, as a bad day fishing!
fishinwrench Posted March 25, 2012 Posted March 25, 2012 Ultra clear water is a curse if you ask me. Sure it makes for a pretty float and makes the women less freaked out about alligators, sharks, and anaconda's but I prefer to see some color in the water when I'm trying to fool fish. zosk 1
Buzz Posted March 25, 2012 Posted March 25, 2012 Elk and its tribs (Little and Big Sugar) are just as clear as anything I've seen on the Black. How much more clear than clear can you go? Its like the Spinal Tap Black album. "The answer is none clearer' The Elk River is so clear in the summer you can tell what the most popular beer was for the day and you can see a beer tab at 15' easily. The Big Sugar is about the same. Ultra clear water is a curse if you ask me. Sure it makes for a pretty float and makes the women less freaked out about alligators, sharks, and anaconda's but I prefer to see some color in the water when I'm trying to fool fish. Ditto. I'm not too keen on fishing ultra clear water either. I would much rather fish water with some color. If fishing was easy it would be called catching.
joeD Posted March 25, 2012 Posted March 25, 2012 1. Black river is the clearest. 2. Al wasn't asking about fishing clear water. 3. Spinal Tap is not a good gauge about clarity. After all, Nigel got caught at the airport with a cucumber down his trousers... 4. Do not use the term "gin clear." It's an insult to gin. As if. ( "c'mon Bombay, let's get away from these ruffians, and get back to our leather club chair.")
Mitch f Posted March 25, 2012 Posted March 25, 2012 Correction Joe, it was Derek Smalls with the cucumber "Honor is a man's gift to himself" Rob Roy McGregor
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