Roubidoux and Spring Creek

[JestersHK]

I'm heading down for a day trip next Friday.  Anybody been out lately?  

[bkbying89]

I don't know how I missed this post but now maybe I can add something. I was down at Montauk the 25th and we passed over the Little Piney at Hwy 63 and it was up then. the rain that came thru on the 27th was 1 1/2 to 2 inches. The rivers are up and moving. I believe the spring level in the park went up a foot from when I was there and that would make a large area that I fish almost or totally un-wadeable. I was thinking about heading down to Mill creek (Bohegan) and fishing there but I have no clue if it would even be fishable. If I go there and it doesn't pan out I can try a couple different areas on the way home. How fast would Mill creek go down after a rain like that? And we have more rain expected Friday as well. It looks like a crap shoot might as well roll the dice.

[Kayser]

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/uv?site_no=06932000

This is the Little Piney gauge. Don't fish this Creek until the CFS is 400 or under. It still has a lot of color and is moving fast, even at that level. Recommended only for experienced waders.

Spring Creek and Mill Creek are in this area, and can be approximated from this gauge. Upper reaches of Spring go down first, then Mill. I've gone from Mill to Spring Creek when Mill wasn't fishable- takes about 20 minutes on AA, P, & J? The Little Piney gauge reads 1000 CFS or better, but I think I completely stay home at 1500.

High water is dangerous. The streambed is unstable and will scour out around your feet. New snags wash into areas and you can't see them in high water. Holes and drop offs move around, so even if you know the area, be careful.

Take a friend. Take a wading staff. Avoid Lane Springs due to water depth. Don't go past your inseam if you can't see your feet. No fish is worth drowning.

Oh, and get involved with getting funding for this water gauge. It's invaluable for this watershed, even if the usgs doesn't think so.

[JestersHK]

Thanks for the info,  We stayed local and fished some creeks out by us last week right before the big rains hit.  Looks like they are still flowing pretty high... Hopefully we can find a day to head back down and check things out.  Worse case we will head down to Meramec or Bennett.  I heard the Niangua was fishing pretty good.

[JestersHK]

Reviving this topic as my buddy and I are hitting these 2 creeks in the morning.  Hopefully have a good trip report to follow if we can find a few.  Water conditions look good since the last rain they had which had them running pretty good.  Hopefully they are cleared up since then.

[JestersHK]

Success at spring creek this morning.  Fishing was tough.  Heading to roubidoux now...

[JestersHK]

Some big shad

[JestersHK]

[BilletHead]

6 minutes ago, JestersHK said:

Some big shad

                   Boy you have that ID wrong . Wait until that Folly character sees this. hahahhahaha.   I once missed the correct ID and he reamed me good. You would think he was a scientist or something along those lines. 

   Billethead

[JestersHK]

Shad, shiner, minnows, all the same bait for me!