Something Wrong with Black River?

[rFisherk]

I've fished the West and Middle forks of the Black River for years. Each year it seems they have declined in water quality and fish. Just got back from the West Fork at Sutton's Bluff. Not a single fish in the mile or so I investigated--not even a panfish. Didn't get one hit. Didn't see any, except for one that looked like a small sucker. Brown scum that used to cover the bottom in late August is already there. This used to be very popular with local swimmers, but few of them come any more, and last year by June the water was so scummy no one went in.

It could be that the forks just need a big flood to rinse out well, but I'm wondering if something more serious is the matter.

[MOsmallies]

This is terrible news as the Black is very near and dear to me! I was down this past weekend and did about an 8 mile float on the upper Black. It was TOUGH for us as well. Only a handful of fish with a 14" being the biggest. A wacky jighead with a 4" worm was all that I could get bit on. Topwater was nonexistent. We saw hundreds (literally) of giant carp and gar everywhere we looked. Did not see any beds which I found strange. Only saw one nice smallmouth cruising. The few others that we saw cruising were relatively small. Saw two giant fish busting baitfish in one spot, but that was it... The normal baits I catch fish on on the Black were unproductive. I'm hoping the fish are just in a funk as they get ready to spawn. They haven't appeared to have started at all yet. We still caught some nice fish last summer, so I'm hoping it's not a bigger issue. Only noticed a little bit of that brown scum you mentioned.

[Smalliebigs]

Gigging, poor land management if any at all and I don't blame them after what Ameren has done to that corridor. Catch and keep on the Clearwater in the winter early spring and throughout the river shed. It's one of the most infertile river basins I have seen in Missouri which makes it even more precarious in regards to all of the above mentioned. ..Now I am very scared for my trip there now...all the minnow fisherman and catch and keep freaks...keeping my fingers crossed

[Old plug]

You need Jerry to chime in on this. I am sure he is up to the minute on the area.

As far a minnow fisherman go they have been abundant on Clearwater since I can remember more than likely there are just tooooo many people using the lake now days.

As to Amerens they are a anti fisherman and conservation bussiness since way way back long before they merged with U E. Their old company name was Central Illinois Power Service. They need to be watched every minute. They need to het into some deep S--- with a federal agaency. They ried to seize a whole bunch of land around LOZ.

There is also some sort of slim growth that has invaded Missouri. The name slips my mind, but that might be part of the problem.

I hate to hear about it. I fished the lake every week for a long time way back in yesteryear. Had many friends in the area all dead now.

[Jerry Rapp]

Ron and I have discussed many times about the smallmouth movement into the lake in the winter time. I think more smallies are being taken out of the lake in the wintertime than before, but still don't think it is a significant amount. But Ron's observations about not seeing "anything" is more interesting. Do the sunfish and goggle eye all migrate south in the winter? Has the lack of a good spring flood not allowed everything to disperse back out again? This area is very dry, I keep a daily calendar with notes on it, and in April we didn't have a 1/2 inch of rain. Don't know, just thinking.

[Old plug]

You know Jerry I am wondering about that brown slop they see on the bottom. Could that be that invasive crap. I am sure Jerry more or being taken buy more and more fisherman.

Smalliebigs------ As to minnows it is a rare day when a minnow will outfish a lure. If your implying the over fishing is due to locals you surely do not know that.

[Amery]

I think the link is that minnow fishermen don't normally catch and release. I remember seeing a lady catch a nice smallmouth on the mulberry years ago, as she fought it in she informed me they only bite "baby bream". She then put it on a stringer. The mulberry isn't a brown fish hot spot. I was a teenager and I was furious.

[jdmidwest]

I never really cared much about the whole watershed. The upper parts were too clear. Clearwater Lake has had many problems. I always like floating below the lake down towards Poplar Bluff. The best fishing I have seen on the river has been the lower parts from Mill Spring to Sportsman's.

The upper river is a nice float, but fishing is better below.

[Al Agnew]

Another thing that nobody seems to think about is the mining going on around the upper West Fork. Water pumped directly out of the mines can be rich in nitrogen from the blasting process, and water from milling is rich in both nitrogen and phosphorus, which can cause excessive algae growth. It's a fragile watershed, and it may not take much disruption to mess things up.

I'd also say it's pretty certain that the winter smallmouth in Clearwater are being overexploited. Those fish hang in a limited area, and they are the fish that disperse back up into the river in the spring.

And it does take at least moderately high water to move fish out of their wintering areas in the spring, and the high water has to be warm enough to get them moving. Cold high water probably doesn't do it, and a drier than normal spring can really change the dispersal patterns of the fish.

[ozark trout fisher]

I've fished the West and Middle forks of the Black River for years. Each year it seems they have declined in water quality and fish. Just got back from the West Fork at Sutton's Bluff. Not a single fish in the mile or so I investigated--not even a panfish. Didn't get one hit. Didn't see any, except for one that looked like a small sucker. Brown scum that used to cover the bottom in late August is already there. This used to be very popular with local swimmers, but few of them come any more, and last year by June the water was so scummy no one went in.

It could be that the forks just need a big flood to rinse out well, but I'm wondering if something more serious is the matter.

Dang, you always hate to hear that .

Hope it was just indicative of somewhat odd weather conditions this spring and not something worse. Keep us posted.