First Crooked Creek Float, Water Level

[npierceuark]

Alright guys, another question. I've read that the stretch below yellville dries up late spring. I'd have to guess that with this latest rain that shouldn't be the case but just to be safe, do any of you have any first hand knowledge of that stretch recently?

I'm going on my 3rd weekend in a row fishing this river and I'm addicted. Something about those fire eye smallies just keep me coming back for more. Hopefully this rain won't keep me away this weekend.

[Guest]

Im pretty sure it goes underground below Yellville,

look at the different years on Google Earth to check it out

[Al Agnew]

Yep, if it's fairly low at Yellville, it will be dry in places below. Legend has it that lower Crooked Creek is supposed to have some huge smallies that seldom get fished for because nobody wants to try to float it when there are stretches that are totally dry. I suspect that's mostly legend and not fact. I've seen it bone dry when I've crossed it at the Hwy. 101 bridge, more than once.

[npierceuark]

launched at the slab saturday morning around 7am. Water was moving right along (200 cfs) and dropping. went from there to yellville and completed the float in 4.5 hours. Fished pretty heavily but this was the worst of the past 3 weekends out there. Had 3 fish over 15" and 2 just under. Largest being a 16.5" largemouth, the rest smallies. Caught them on finesse worms and spinnerbaits. I think from here on out I will try and float with a little less water, makes it tough to fish when you're cruising along at mach 3 through every pool and riffle. I really liked the convenience of that stretch but I can see that portion getting a lot more traffic than most of the other floats.