New To The Area. Tips On Fishing The Jack's Fork?

[countryred]

We just bought some property near Mountain View, MO. The Jacks Fork is only a couple miles away. Any advice on fishing that stretch from Buck to Rymer.

I have fishing down from Alley mill to Eminence in the fall and caught a fair number of smallies, all under 2 lbs, quite a few goggle eye, and some chain pickerel.

Seemed like small plastics in natral colors were about the only way to get bit.

Thanks for any help.

[duckydoty]

Welcome to the forum. I'm not familiar with that area, but I'm sure a few on here are. Hopefully they will chime in and give some of the advise you are looking for.

[Al Agnew]

Jacks Fork is no different from any other small to medium size Ozark stream, same things will catch fish, and LOTS of things will catch fish. There also isn't any one section of the Jacks Fork that is so much better or worse than any other section, although the stretch between Alley Spring and Eminence may be a little worse than anywhere else on the river because it's too cold in the summer (unless you want to catch chain pickerel, which thrive in that kind of water). Read everything you see on here about catching stream smallmouth, and spend time on the water trying what you read. I've caught nice fish on the Jacks Fork on topwater lures, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, jigs, and various soft plastics.

[Phil Lilley]

Here's something that may help. It's from the forum.

http://www.ozarkanglers.com/jacks-fork/2013/03/25/jacks-fork-information/

[countryred]

thanks Al, love your work. We did catch several pickerel in that area and saw a really big one under the Alley Spring bridge.

Are they good to eat?

Are there enough goggle eye in the river to keep some for dinner? I don't want to hurt the resource.

Thanks to everyone for the tips.

[P_L]

Where have I seen that name before? welcome red

[Al Agnew]

Lots of people like to eat pickerel. I don't bother with them because, like all the members of the pike family, they have those pesky Y-bones that make getting boneless fillets problematical.

[countryred]

Thanks PL Yep, same countryred different place....

I might have to try filleting those pickerel,..the smallies are safe, I don't put a knife anywhere near them.

Our place is situated between Buck Hollow and the Blue Spring. Looks fishy when we have walked along the shore.

[The Troutdoorsman]

Red,

For the fishing I use 4 lures: Pumpkin green 4" curly tailed grub with a bullet head no bigger than a 1/8 ounce, rebel crawdad in tan and orange for clear water or yellow for stained, brown and orange jig and pig with a brown pig (again no bigger than an 1/8 ounce (which are hard to find) or and especially at dusk a double back minnow. They seem to hit it before it hits the water at times. All your standard smallie stuff will work.

Most importantly in times other than spring, on the upper end, the water can be really low. If your canoeing you will be dragging a lot. Make sure you had good wading shoes and not sandels. That section is a graveyard of broken flip flops. The scenery is more than worth the trade off as the float to Rymers has Jam Up and Meeting House caves.

[countryred]

Thanks Troutman,

Those sound like great choices. Guessing that with the low water the deep pools hold alot of fish. Is a double back minnow like a jointed rapala ?