Jack's Fork/current Overnighter 9/13-9/14

[moguy1973]

Bassmaster#1 and I drove down to Two Rivers campground at the confluence of the Jack's and Current Friday morning and they shuttled us to Eminence. Got on the river around 9:30ish and we pretty much had the river to ourselves all day long. There were 3 kayaks putting in right before us that we never saw again and one group with a canoe and a kayak later in the day, and that's all the people we saw until we got back to Two Rivers. Fishing wasn't bad, at least for Bassmaster#1. He caught 22 smallies a goggle eye and a chain pickerel but I only caught 10 smallies. Nothing real big, I think my biggest was 13" and his was 15". Water was pretty low and it was hard to find deeper pockets that held fish, but usually where there was structure and current there were fish.

We got to Two Rivers around 7:30, set up camp on the gravel bar there instead of up in the campground where it seemed a little noisy, and then drove into Eminence for a quick sandwich before heading back for a short campfire before heading to bed.

Got up around 6:15 Saturday morning, packed up camp, left the car for Two Rivers to drive down to Powder Mill for us, and we hit the Current. It was pretty foggy until the sun burned it off which made it hard to see how to read the river. Once the fog left it was a gorgeous day. We both agreed that the Current defiintely was a harder river to fish than the Jack's was, mainly because it's a lot wider and faster. Plus where it seemed there would be fish, there wasn't any to be found. Most fish on the Current were caught in some kind of current and around boulders or down trees. It was a tough day of fishing with only 11 fish for me and 10 for him (his mainly came on live minnows), with his biggest being 16" and mine 15". It seemed the biggest problem we had was because the current was a bit faster than we are used to, we would get to a good looking spot but by the time we got positioned to cast we had already blown past all the good stuff and had to 180 and paddle back up to the spot. Had the river mainly to ourselves though, with only about a half dozen or so jet boats buzzing by us and only a couple canoes during the day. We did get to watch a Bald Eagle soaring overhead at one point.

All in all, it was a good trip even if the fishing on the Current was less than stellar. Didn't get many pictures of fish but I did get this cool panorama of the confluence.

[SmallyWally]

Thanks for sharing Moguy. Like the photo too.

[jdmidwest]

Water looks good.

[TroutRinger]

I have that same issue with the Current. I'm used to fishing rivers like the JF that have fish in holes where it looks like fish should be. The Current in places is like one giant hole. Makes it a bit harder to find them.

[Al Agnew]

One thing I've found in the Current is that you catch fish off bottom structure far from the banks, like gravel drop-offs in the runs and pools, especially below Two Rivers where the river is larger. Above Two Rivers it's a more manageable size stream. There are still fish on the banks and around cover, but those fish get pounded by the jet boat anglers and can be pretty wary.

[ColdWaterFshr]

Beautiful photo. Haven't been to that confluence in many years.

[BassMaster#1]

Like Moguy said, the fishing was tough on the Current. I only caught 3 on a tube and 1 on a spinnerbait, then had to resort to minnows because the fishing was so tough. I can usually hold my own with these two baits any river I go to, but not so much on the current. I was certain I would catch a bunch on a least a minnow, but only ended up with 7. We saw more drum than we did smallmouth, and couldn't produce a top water bite on either the Jacks or Current. I would like to say to the top water bite wasn’t producing because it was to clear water, but I caught some pretty good fish on top water at table rock and most streams don't get a clear as table rock. All in all it was a good float, but don't think I would drive 3hrs to fish the current again when there is just as good fishing close to home. The Jacks was a great river to fish that reminded me of huzzah in a way. If I would d like to try the Current again, but would try the upper current next time. I'm hitting the Meramec this weekend, to get a last chance at trying to catch that 4lb + smallmouth I’ve been chasing so long before hunting season kicks in.

[Gavin]

Good for you guys. I love the scenery on that stretch.

[moguy1973]

Here's a few more scenery pictures I took and one of Bassmaster#1's pickerels

[Phil Lilley]

What's the last pic - the spring?