Taylor Bridge Conditions

[Butthead]

With the warmer weather, the truck started yesterday so I drove over to Taylor bridge and the Iron Bridge (Orleans bridge) to check out the water conditions in anticipation of the walleye run. The water level is very low. The "boat ramp" at Taylor is unusable due to low water and there are a few shoals downstream that are only a few inches deep. Walleye would have to swim on their side in order to get through them. Not much ice and only in the slack current. Someone did fix the ruts in the road so you can get in and out of the parking area without dragging your bumper. Drove over to Orleans bridge and things looked better. A guy could float a boat there. With the reduced current, found more ice along the banks but not bad. Orleans also received a couple of loads of shot rock so I didn't have to sink in the mud. Saw a pair of otters.

[Ketchup]

Thanks for the report. Did ya go by Aldrich or HighPoint by chance?

[bfishn]

... there are a few shoals downstream that are only a few inches deep. Walleye would have to swim on their side in order to get through them...

I've seen 'em do just that, but those fish were actually in the spawn and interested in one thing only (and it wasn't eating). The ones you want are the pre-spawn fish a little further downstream.

[trythisonemv]

After all the rain this weekend and a warm up it should be time to see them move into the river hopefully

[bologna]

60 degree thunderstorms this week might turn em on I hope

[trythisonemv]

That'll do it for sure. If it stays above fifty for a week it wouldn't hurt either. I just want a walleye on my fly rod

[trythisonemv]

Realistically it won't happen til mid March

[bwcballer10]

As cold as its been for the last couple of weeks it probably won't be til the later part of March but that isn't going to keep me from getting out and trying it as soon as we can string together a couple of nice days

[riverhyker]

Hi All...I do a lot of reading, but don't contribute much because of family issues...I am just not out there often enough to really give anything that would be of use...I have NEVER caught a Missouri Walleye, but the river walking/smallmouth fishing made me move here over 30 yrs ago.

It looks like I am going to finally be able contribute to my Stream Team and learn about the rivers that made me fall in Love with MO.

I am not asking for anyone to give me any specific holes and I am trying to drill down on things with Google Earth and other apps, but this Walleye/White Bass run in MO has really stumped me.

I found a sight that lists bridges in MO, but it doesn't show the knowledge that you guys have and I really appreciate it. (I am a multi species fisherman so things can get scrambled all over the place with short time).

Being from Ohio, I kinda traded....huge Walleye/White Bass runs for river Smallmouth....but I now know that is because of the lack of my own reach...I took my grandson to Blunt and he couldn't pick up the pole past his belly because of the White Bass he had....made my year...

Now I am just looking at how to follow the fish of my favor AFTER Smallmouth, I have turned a lot of kids on to fishing for bass, but have turned children and some would be grownups like me into eating fish for the first time because of Walleye.

Thanks for posting....If you see a rookie out there in a kayak....holler it will probably be me....

Ryver

[Ketchup]

I moved here from Ohio also. I lived in the N/W part of the state, and Lake Erie and the Maumee River "mommy" were my homes. Walleye and smallie galore.

As you stated, this is white bass country to a point. Theres decent areas of walleye and smallies, but nothing like Lake Erie area.

Are you wanting info on where to fish from shore, where to put your kayak in, or a boat?

Nice job introducing those to fishing, and the taste of fresh fish.