What Area For End Of March?

[basscatcher]

What area of the river would you reccomend for the end of March? Im not asking for exact spot but just looking for an area to start. My family has had a place near Tea Access for 40 years and have only fished the river alittle bit during the summer.

Thanks Dan

[Gavin]

Depends on what you want to catch..You can find decent fishing throughout its length. The smallmouth population is better above Hwy 185/Noser Mill, but it decreases as you go downstream. Its about 60/40 spotted bass/smallmouth between Noser Mill and Goode's Mill near Union, Mostly spotted bass between Goode's Mill and the Meramec Confluence. The Peter's Ford area see's the most canoe traffic..Devil's Back floats serves that area. You will have to run your own shuttles if you want to float other areas. A canoe or kayak comes in handy due to all the long slow holes and short riffle areas. Good luck.

[Smalliebigs]

The Bourb has gone down hill bigtime in the last 10 years, due to many factors, the biggest beeing the attitude of the people who use it and live on it. You are very lucky to have property around Tea, that river pales in comparison to what it once was so good luck.....Gavin's advice is about all you should need....go out on a limb and explore a little on your own....it's more gratifying in the end.

[joeD]

If you have had a place on the Bourbeuse for 40 years, and then ask for advise with a name like "basscatcher," well, then.... Listen to Gavin. Oy.

But, given the B., water color will determine your success. Especially at the end of March. Brown is no and green (or greenish) is go. Simple as that.

40 years. Good grief.

[basscatcher]

It has been in my family for that long. I am 15 years old. I apologize for asking a simple question.

If you have had a place on the Bourbeuse for 40 years, and then ask for advise with a name like "basscatcher," well, then.... Listen to Gavin. Oy.

But, given the B., water color will determine your success. Especially at the end of March. Brown is no and green (or greenish) is go. Simple as that.

40 years. Good grief.

[hank franklin]

Either the Hog Trough Road to Tea Access or Tea Access to Shawnee Ford Rd floats can be good in spring. My favorite stretch is probably Wenkel Ford to Peters Ford.

In higher water you can run Mt. Pleasant Ford to Mint Springs which I've found to have great Ozark character.

Good luck.

[Greasy B]

Having spent many day trips floating Hog Trough to Tea and overnighters floating Tea to Mill Rock I would love to hear how that part of the river has held up. Two prime early season destinations for an angler fed up with jet boat traffic and partiers.

[thewhitesnoop]

Most likely the biggest reason the fishing on the Bourbuese has declined over the last ten years is otters. I used to see them in good numbers on the lower part of the river, but in the last ten years I have been seeing more and more further and further upstream all the way to the source of the river. I think most small rivers around the state are in decline for bass fishing due to this, and we don't even yet know how bad the effects of last year's drought will be on many small rivers and steams that may have completely dried up in their upper and mid reaches last summer.

[Kayser]

I seem to remember a massive kill on the upper Bourb about 15? years ago, after some levee on a chicken farm retention pond broke during a flood and washed into the river near Gerald. Before the event- mussels, crawfish, hellgramites, and minnows everywhere. After? Nothing, and horrible fishing to go with it- just piles of dirty river foam after every riffle. Finally started to see signs of life a few years ago. But... uhhh... still no fish... No fish at all in that river...

[Greasy B]

A fine example of land stewardship for a river know for it's flotsam of pig carcasses.