Wade fishing and camping trip

[ILmike]

Hi all, next March my cousin and I are looking into taking a 3-day trip to somewhere in southern Missouri. After fishing the NFOW this past March for trout, we decided we wanted to come back to the Ozarks for smallies. My question for y'all is where is good place catch a few by wading at that time of year? I've been looking at Jacks Fork and the Current but I'd love to hear any other suggestions. Size isn't of the utmost importance, I just want to get him on some decent action. (On-river campsites is a plus) TIA. Picture is from last year's trip.

 

[TroutRinger]

Are you dead set on wading or would you be willing to rent a canoe? That would open quite a bit of possibilities. 

Depending on water levels, the Jacks Fork can offer some wading opportunities, but it is not really a wading steam. You’ll hit a hole too deep to wade pretty quickly. The Current has very little wading opportunity anywhere that has smallmouth bass. 

Most people won’t share good wading streams on open forums, but they will share good stretches of floatable streams. 

[Gavin]

Wading streams start to get really slow this time of year. Allot of the bass  seem to move down to the main river around Sept 15th...Creek mouths can be really good this time of year. I'd rent a canoe, float, and camp on the river. Gasconade, Meramec, and the James river systems usually produce the biggest fish, but you will have to share the river with other users. Gigging season is open, so expect some lights and jet boats at night. You can't gig in blue ribbon trout water....so maybe do that instead.

[ILmike]

Renting a canoe isn't an option. I'd be our first time on a canoe and with the combination of cold water and current, it's not something we'd feel safe doing.

[ILmike]

8 minutes ago, Gavin said:

Wading streams start to get really slow this time of year. Allot of the bass  seem to move down to the main river around Sept 15th...Creek mouths can be really good this time of year. I'd rent a canoe, float, and camp on the river. Gasconade, Meramec, and the James river systems usually produce the biggest fish, but you will have to share the river with other users. Gigging season is open, so expect some lights and jet boats at night. You can't gig in blue ribbon trout water....so maybe do that instead.

Our trip will be in mid-March of next year.

[Gavin]

Did not see your time frame....Mid May-June would be better for smallmouth. Trout fishing will be better in March. You could do the NFOW again. and try for a mixed bag. There are smallmouth above and in the trout water on the NFoW, and on Bryant creek. Bryant Creek is a tributary of the NFoW (just over the ridge to the west). There are several public  access points on the upper NFoW and the Bryant. Good Luck.

[Bushbeater]

It's hard to SM fish in March without a canoe, I think I'd consider 11 Point at Greer, upstream for SM and plenty of trout downstream.. Wading will still be difficult.

[tjm]

You might want to look at a long-range forecast, March can be high waters and flash floods if I remember right from past years. 

[Flysmallie]

Wait for summer. Especially if you want to strictly wade. Lots of good places to wade in SW MO but you aren’t going to get folks to tell you out in the open.