Any Good Locations?

[jshipman23]

I don't want to walk around that much in the water, is there any good locations on the Big River that are shallow, and easy access to? I've been looking on google earth and have been seeing alot of areas where the river just looks deep and wide. I want to fly fish so I need a shallow location, any suggestions? or is the Big River not a good location. I am looking at joachim creek too. I've fished there before.

[Al Agnew]

Big River is definitely not wader-friendly, except in the upper reaches above Leadwood. I don't know of any good spots next to accesses to wade and fish in Jefferson County, except right below some of the mill dams. You might try those accesses, but they are pounded pretty heavily. Other than that, St. Francois Park is a possibility. There is a nice, long, rocky pool along the upper picnic ground and canoe access, and some decent water adjacent to and just below the lower picnic ground (the one you come to first as you're driving in). But you have to go during the week when it isn't crowded. Not many people except worm dunkers fish there, but there are always lots of swimmers. I haven't caught a big smallie in the park for a long time, but I used to catch a 20 incher about once a year there, often right in front of swimmers and picnickers.

You can also wade and fish for a short distance below the Leadwood Access on the upper river. But there isn't much opportunity at Washington State Park, nothing at Mammoth Bridge, nothing much at Merrill Horse, and nothing at Browns Ford. That is, unless you want to fish for catfish and rough fish with bait from the banks, in which case you'll find lots of opportunities right around all those accesses, but of course lots of other people do the same thing.

[Mark]

A young 12-14 year old boy was fished out of the Big River over the weekend. He was wading with an adult and another teenage boy. He got too close to a culvert and got sucked into it. The adult tried to hang onto him but the current was too swift and pulled the boy through the pipe. Another rescuerer came to the aid and manage to pull him out of the other end of the drainpipe. The boy was unconscious and turning blue in the face. The rescuerer gave him CPR and resusitated him - luckily! Tragedy was averted. One lucky boy.

[Haris122]

Funny I was just about to post about those accesses Al mentioned in the other Ozark section. I headed out to those 3 accesses (Brown's Ford, Merril Horse, and Mammoth) just today to explore some fishing spots. First 2 are not exactly made for bank fishing, Mammoth at least today, with some slower spots and a few more open areas compared to the first 2, was a little better. But I didn't catch anything there either, rough fish or not so rough.