Good Smallmouth Creeks?

[cullinby9]

I've caught bass all up and down the james last spring I caught an 18 incher up at y hwy ten miles above crighton acsess. Below the Springfield lake dam down to rivercut can be good in the winter I've caught smallies largemouth spots and meanmouth good ones to. I don't really know why people would be tight lipped about creek fishing I personally don't know anyone who harvest's smallmouth anywhere or any other bass out of public waters(exept the gigger's) Just about every creek in southern mo has good bass fishing I havent been to one yet that I didn't think was full of fish when I left. Here's my list of favorite streams in the state that I've fished.

1. Beaver creek 2. Gasconade river 3. Big piney river 4. eleven point 5. Swan creek 6.Jack's fork 7. Finley creek 8.James river 9.Bull creek 10. Flat creek

Honarable mention to Current River and Bryant Creek I've caught fish in both but not like the others maybe I haven't done the right sections or maybe the giggers keep the numbers thinned out I caught a big smallie this fall on the current that had been pierced by the gig had a bad wound in the back. I've seen the giggers on Beaver too but there's not enough water to run a jet so they can't get very far from the access points I personally think the MDC should try to regulate it a little better by being seen some around these streams. They make they're presence felt at every lake in the state during the crappie spawn but can't send one agent out on a friday night in december.

[Chief Grey Bear]

I don't really know why people would be tight lipped about creek fishing I personally don't know anyone who harvest's smallmouth anywhere or any other bass out of public waters(exept the gigger's)

Ahh my little naive friend. There is much to learn. But at least you are on the gigger band wagon.

[cullinby9]

What I mean is I'm not at the lake fishing for money or anything exept the love of fishing. Creek fishing is my relaxation time it doesn't matter how big a bag i catch i can enjoy each fish i catch and catch is the word I have alot of fifty fish days on the creeks down here and I would tell anyone exactly where and how I catch them, anytime a friend wants me to take them fishing it always starts on the creek let someone have sucsess early in their fishing before I try to take them to the lake. I'm from swmo I know of the meat hunting dude's with a can of worms and a stringer of bass I see them. I don't think many of those people spend time researching the internet to become a better angler.

[fishinSWMO]

You just don't know enough people that fish.

Almost all that I know who fish will keep a limit of whatever they catch.

[fishinSWMO]

And they don't use worms.

[Terrierman]

You just don't know enough people that fish.

Almost all that I know who fish will keep a limit of whatever they catch.

My buddies and I will keep stocker trout. We'll keep catfish as long as it's not a channel. We'll keep carp. We'll most certainly keep crappie and bluegill. We don't keep bass of any kind as a general rule. The exception being a night on the river, and then enough for dinner - maybe. And then if I am catching any spotted bass, those are the ones to keep.

[cullinby9]

Thats where you'd be wrong everything in my life revolves around fishing and no one I know brings home limits of bass. Crappie walleye flatheads those species get caught and fried and as many days on the water that I spend I can keep the freezer stocked.

The guy i saw last summer on beaver was using worms and had a stringer of smallmouth I was polite to the man as I floated by.

The deal is I associate myself with other like minded sportsman that value the resources we have avalible and guess what they're tournament fishermen or people that I have introduced to fishing who have accepted the responsibility to protect our fisheries. I have nothing against people keeping a legal creel of fish but you'd better be starving to keep smallmouth out of small stream like these.

[flyrodman]

Thanks for the advice Cullinby. I am a catch and release guy and have not and will not take fish from any of the waters I fish. No fish in the James?.........hmmmmmm

[Wayne SW/MO]

For the most part it's a matter of water now and I suspect that may follow into summer. It's hard to name a good stream if you're limited to wading because the wadeable streams are all but dry now and probably won't recover as fast as they normally do. If it were me I would hit the James and possible the Finley. I'm not sure what the Finley looks like now. The James will offer a lot more with the low water.

Of the streams cullinby9 mentions, 1,5,9, and 10 wouldn't be worth the drive. You might see if the Osage Fork has enough water, it's a good stream.

[BrianS]

Alot of good Smallmouth on Norfork River. Also on Bryant but you need to be further down the creek to get into the gooduns