Favorite Fly Fishing Waters

[rFisherk]

I'm not fishing for names or locations. I prefer small waters, creeks and upper arms, because I think smallmouth, though they hold and feed similar to trout, are basically bottom huggers, and getting weighted lines and flies down in larger rivers is not a lot of fun for me. I'd rather just use a spinning rod.

Besides, I usually have smaller streams all to myself, which seems fitting and proper when I fly fish. Bass are generally smaller in smaller streams, but that doesn't matter to me. At my age, I just like to feel my rod throb. Small streams give me a total experience, not something to brag about, but something to digest deep into my soul.

I think you can catch smallmouth on most any fly you can put in front of them on small streams. They're usually very clear, so the real key is to keep from spooking them. I like to wear camo, sneak around, keep low and make delicate casts.

[Amery]

I grew up in the Boston mountains of northwest Arkansas, the creeks there are very seasonal and, although they hold smallmouth, do not support real healthy populations. So when I discovered the creeks of southern mo I was hooked. Those are my ideal flyrod waters.

[Al Agnew]

Ever since jetboats became popular among river anglers, the better fishing streams (in warm weather) have become the ones too small for jetboats. Wading size streams can be terrific, but their vulnerability to even just a few anglers keeping fish makes some of them much poorer fishing than others. Back in the pre-jetboat days, I always felt my best chance at big smallmouth was on larger streams like lower Big River and the middle and lower Meramec. Now, in the summer at least, I have far more confidence in the streams that are only marginally canoeable by mid-summer. So yeah, I really love the little streams, whether I'm wading them or "float-dragging" them.

[rFisherk]

I agree, Al. These creeks are very vulnerable. They can be ruined by just one fish hog in a single season. I saw that happen to my closest and formally one of my favorite creeks a few years ago. I used to fish it often and never saw another soul, until that fateful year I ran into a bait fisherman. Saw him twice that year and talked with him each time. Nice enough fellow, and I talked to him about how harvesting the smallmouth could ruin it, but he just stared at me. By the end of that season, even little smallmouth were very hard to find.

Haven't seen him since, probably because the fishing isn't any good anymore. I'll bet he still doesn't have a clue he's the reason. Probably blames MDC for mismanaging it. That's the kind of logic I've heard poachers and meat fishermen voice around here.

Anyway, last season was the second year since the depletion, and the population was just starting to rebound. Maybe it will be decent this year, good again in a couple more years.

Farm ponds are the same way.

[Flysmallie]

Farm ponds are the same way.

Oh how I miss the farm ponds of southern Oklahoma. The ones that I fished never had a problem with anyone overfishing them. Most of the time they had problems with stunted fish because people didn't keep enough. But these were ponds that were heavily patrolled by the farmers and their crew. If you didn't have permission you were going to be in serious trouble.

I like fishing the smaller creeks just because I always have enjoyed it. You can run into waters that are overfished but it seems like all of these streams have areas that are extremely difficult to access and that is where you are going to find what you are looking for. But I don't have to catch a "trophy" smallmouth every time I go to call it a successful trip or a great creek. Many more important things to enjoy that don't require breaking out a ruler.

[fishinwrench]

Probably blames MDC for mismanaging it. That's the kind of logic I've heard meat fishermen voice around here.

Well, if one person keeping limits of legal fish can harm the fishery....then they are correct. No ?

[rFisherk]

I suspect this guy kept everything, though I don't know for sure.

At any rate, you're point is valid and I would love to see MDC impose much stricter length and creel limits on all creeks and parts of rivers that can't be floated. Why don't you bring that up at the next meeting?

[Amery]

I wish arkansas would protect the spawn on our creeks.

[joeD]

Your soul might benefit from bigger fish caught in bigger water. Your purity of method actually stunts your spiritual and fishing growth.

[Smallieguy87]

Ever since jetboats became popular among river anglers, the better fishing streams (in warm weather) have become the ones too small for jetboats. Wading size streams can be terrific, but their vulnerability to even just a few anglers keeping fish makes some of them much poorer fishing than others. Back in the pre-jetboat days, I always felt my best chance at big smallmouth was on larger streams like lower Big River and the middle and lower Meramec. Now, in the summer at least, I have far more confidence in the streams that are only marginally canoeable by mid-summer. So yeah, I really love the little streams, whether I'm wading them or "float-dragging" them.

I've wade fished mineral fork for close to 10 years now and the last two years(both times have been around July) i've seen the same individual on a river pro jet going down stream from the low water bridge to all the way down past the access.Both of those years I wrote letters to MDC to try and encourage them to put a stop to that.