Where To Start With Creeks

[jibro]

understood. Hopefully with the references posted here ill be able to find some of these gems. No worries all, any fish caught will be returned to their homes unharmed (caveat: there maybe a small hole in their mouths LOL)

[ness]

For less than a tank of gas http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0961459956/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&sr=8-1&qid=1402087361

[jibro]

thank you ness. that one looks interesting especailly since i would rather catch smallies than anything else. i like how low budget it looks. will def check it out

[Al Agnew]

If you can find a copy of Chuck Tryon's book, "200 Missouri Smallmouth Adventures", it's the creek angler's bible. It covers most fishable creeks and gives all the possible access points. It's a bit out of date by now, having been written a number of years ago, and you can't depend upon the access information. But it's the best starting point. The MDC paddlers' guide gives all the public access points on floatable streams, but doesn't cover very many wadeable streams.

No matter what you use for information, from the De Lorme Atlas to the MO Conservation Atlas, another very useful MDC book, you're still going to have to do your own exploring and find your own creeks. And there's always a good chance that you'll run afoul of irate landowners on these small creeks. When you come to a bridge or roadside possible access point, check it out to see if there appears to be a place that's been used for parking and accessing the creek, and check for no trespassing signs and purple paint. If there's an obvious place to park and there isn't any purple paint and keep out signs, chances are you're good to try it out. If there aren't any places where it looks like people have been parking, no paths to the creek, etc., chances are there isn't much fishing there.

Do most of your initial explorations during the middle of the summer when it's been dry for quite a while. You don't want to explore in wet weather, when a creek might be flowing well, and then find out it dries up completely once the rains stop.

[jibro]

thanks for the tips Al. accessing from a bridge is something i have been wondering about. i am using google earth to check some creeks out and a lot of the accesses seem like a bridge. I figured just pulling off the road and parking on the shoulder somewhere near a bridge would get me towed. But searching for other peoples tracks and parking spots seems very logical

[LarrySTL]

Or join Missouri Smallmouth Alliance for $ 20 and, if they still have them and I think they do, get a free copy of that 200 SM Adventures guide which is indeed great. StL County Library has it too, but there is generally a waiting list for it.