Ozark Creek Fishing

[OzarkFishman]

Finally got a little time to hit one of my favorite small Ozark creeks. It is one of those creeks that seems to always produce good fish for me, but you gotta work if you want the reward.

Fished topwater 95% of the time, senko the other 5%. Caught a fish in the first hole, then the work began. The riffles that are usually just high enough to get through were no where close to high enough. This is the time of a float when a person gets to decide whether or not to get annoyed. The more I float and enjoy the outdoors, the more I understand that the enjoyment a person gets out of an experience is 100% connected to their outlook on the situation. I decided to "enjoy" the 100 yard drags and the beautiful scenery. The first part of the float doesn't ever produce like the second half and this float was no different.

Once we made our way to more lively water it was GAME ON. The fish were lively and fighting hard. I was having fun catching respectable fish, but I knew I was waiting for something more. As I brought the bait slowly across the top, a solid 17-18" inch fish came totally out of the water and annihilated the bait. It is one of those fish that I will remember the rest of my life. Not the biggest smallmouth, but definitely the most violent bite I have ever had.

Went on to catch somewhere between 30 and 40. As for the bait, be creative and fish baits differently than other people.

[TroutRinger]

Very cool. I had a similar experience this weekend on a creek/small river that is boxed in by private land and rarely fished. We had to paddle or walk upstream 2.5 miles to get to smallmouth water, but it was definitely worth it.

Like you said, it's all about outlook. We enjoyed the scenery on the way up and knew there was the reward of under fished habitat at the end of the journey. 

[Al Agnew]

That's my favorite kind of summertime fishing.  I LOVE it when my streams are "too low to float".  I know I'll have them pretty much to myself, and I go into it expecting to have to work at it.  Of course, I've never been able to turn down the work even when it gets excessive, because the rewards are always there, but as I get older, I have begun to question myself when I decide, as always, to do the longest float I think i can possibly handle just so I'll have more water to fish.  Those marathon 12-15 mile "float-drags" are getting a little tougher to do.

[MOPanfisher]

I love the too low/small to float creeks, tennis shoes, shorts and an old safari vest for the pockets.  One rod and some excess energy to work off.  The further you go the better the fishing gets sometimes. And sometimes it's a long dark walk back to the truck!

[OzarkFishman]

It is funny to take someone to a small creek and start fishing. They usually ask within minutes, is there even fish here OR how are we gonna catch fish of any size in 6-12" of water. That is usually about the time a topwater hit explodes and their addiction to small water fishing begins. The best part about the skinny water fishing is seeing the multiple wakes coming towards the bait. When one misses, another is right there to pick up the scraps.

Of course, I don't share these spots very often ...