Anyone ever fish the Finley?

[CaptainT16]

While I was living in Springfield, I decided to stop and try fishing the river after a trip to taney earlier that day. I knew I had my baitcaster and some topwater zaraspooks. Coming from KS, fishing the rivers there, you only fish for Catfish, or white bass when they are running. This would be a pretty new experience for me. I tell you what I got down riverside in the park in ozark and started casting my zara spook and it took only around 10 minutes until "Kaboom"! Nice little 1.5-2lbs largemouth took off with it. I tell you I had so much fishing that little river that day. I enjoyed it so much I loaded up my canoe a couple of days later and headed out and fished all the lilly pads it gets in the summer and I caught bass after bass. Biggest was around 3, but I was amazed at how well this little river produced for me. If you ever get a chance, stop on by, it will be worth your time!

[Wayne SW/MO]

It can be productive. There's also some fishing above Ozark for Smallies.

[Phil Lilley]

When I hear of the Finley River, I think of Charlie Farmer, an outdoor writer who lives in Nixa (or Ozark, not sure). His first love is the Finley and fishes it often.

There are many small streams in this area which offer great floats and equal angling opportunities... if only we had time to take advantage of them!

I'm hoping to float the Finley this spring.

[RSBreth]

When I hear of the Finley River, I think of Charlie Farmer, an outdoor writer who lives in Nixa (or Ozark, not sure). His first love is the Finley and fishes it often.

There are many small streams in this area which offer great floats and equal angling opportunities... if only we had time to take advantage of them!

I'm hoping to float the Finley this spring.

Hey eveyone, I didn't introduce myself when I registered, but since the topic of the Finley popped up I'll get on the board. I'm Randy Breth and I live in Ozark right by the town square about 3 blocks from where Mr. Farmer used to live. Don't know where he is these days, I think he moved down near Theodosa, but not really sure.

Anyway, I fish the Finley so much that it probably is the water I know the most about these days. I sure don't see that many folks repeatedly, with the exception of a few kayakers, who of course don't fish.

The Finley park here in Ozark does have a good number of "keeper" largemouth's due to it being like a large pond, with limited shore access. The upper Finley is great for numbers of smallies all the way to the other small lake at Linden. From Linden dam to Ozark is a decent day float that I do 6 or 8 times each year.

Tip: Don't leave a vehicle you care about at Linden as it is a notorious "party" spot. You know what I mean.

I do fish the lower James some for smallies, along with Beaver, Swan, Bull, Bryant and North Fork.

I guess I will have to start posting as the fishing starts getting good in spring.

[Phil Lilley]

The jig in my avatar is a killer lure for any smallwouth creek. You mentioned Bull Creek... I've had so much fun with smallies using a scuplin jig it's almost cheating. The Finley is one of the new waters on my list to fish in 06.

[jdavis]

I live only two miles from the Finley. I have casually fished it during early summer with little rebel crawls and caught some small small mouths. I have wondered if the water where I'm fishing, below the Ozark treatment plant, was safe tough. What type of flies could I try in this section? Lilly, where can I get "Sculpin Jigs?"

[Greg]

I used to fish the Finley a lot when I was younger - this was in the 80's. I would start at the intersection with 160 just South of Nixa. I always used and ultralight spin rig. I would generally head downstream flipping a small rapala or crawfish plug. I caught some fine smallmouth and largemouth at times. When I would head back upstream I would switch to "BJ" dough bait for catfish. I could almost always count on the channel cats cooperating. It was a lot of fun. But as Nixa grew the water quality really went down and so did the fishing. I've heard the water quality is better now. I plan to give it another try next spring. The owner of the fly shop here in Springfield likes to wet wade the Finley and says he catches some pretty good smallmouth with a fly rod and streamers.

Greg

[slammerman]

is there good carp fishing the finley near bridge on 160 south of nixa.or can anyone tell me where there is great carp fishing spot thx for the help from jim