Opening day

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                   Instead of deer hunting on opening day, I decided to go smallmouth fishing.  I made the right decision as they were really biting well.  I was between Coldwater and HWY 34.  The river was low and clear and I caught all of my fish out of winter holes.  I threw my usual jerkbait, jig/worm, swimbait, and the last year or so I've been having luck with a skirted jig.  All 4 worked well for me. I didn't bother to count, but I had 5 fish in the boat in first 15 minutes of actual fishing.  I probably ended the day somewhere in the 30 fish range, most were smallies between 12 and 15 inches, a handful of spots, 1 largemouth and 1 walleye.  The biggest fish was a 19 inch largemouth, and a 22 inch walleye.  It is nice to know there are still some walleyes swimming around in there, and I threw him back.  Throwing back a keeper walleye should put me in good favor with the fish gods.  He was pretty lucky that the crappie have been biting up at Busch though so I have fish in the freezer. 

 

[jdmidwest]

Coldwater to 34?  The MDC access down would be quite a float.

I always did a Sam A to 34 for a day trip.

Looks like the fishing was pretty good, low water is all over in that stretch.  Its been dry on that drainage since a freak little storm in August.

Nice walleye.  Glad to see the MDC stocking may be working on those.  Been looking forward to retirement to hit those spots again more frequently like I did when I was younger.

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12 hours ago, jdmidwest said:

Coldwater to 34?  The MDC access down would be quite a float.

I always did a Sam A to 34 for a day trip.

Looks like the fishing was pretty good, low water is all over in that stretch.  Its been dry on that drainage since a freak little storm in August.

Nice walleye.  Glad to see the MDC stocking may be working on those.  Been looking forward to retirement to hit those spots again more frequently like I did when I was younger.

It was a long day, at least for November.  Dark to Dark.  I put in at Sam Baker and paddled up as far as I could get.  Then paddled back down.  Fishing was really good,  but I paddled through quite a bit of fishless water and caught everything out of the same 2 holes. 

[Gavin]

That's a pretty good day for that stretch of river, good for you. That Coldwater float is a long one, and the Coldwater access if very remote. I would not leave a vehicle there.

 

[jdmidwest]

5 hours ago, Gavin said:

That's a pretty good day for that stretch of river, good for you. That Coldwater float is a long one, and the Coldwater access if very remote. I would not leave a vehicle there.

 

I was there during spring turkey season.  The locals have made a ramp that I think I can get my little jet boat into if the water is up some.  Looking forward to trying it out.

Below Saco to Coldwater is a 13 hour float with alot of paddling.  Big slow holes with short runs at the end of them.  But, fishing is good if you catch it right.  Nice scenery.

From Coldwater to 34, you would need to bring a tent and spend a nite.  I have not did the stretch below the Girl Scouts to Sam A in a float.  We did run a jet up from Sam A one time when water was up.  But the fishing was lousy.

I need to hit the parts above Saco and that stretch between the Girl Scout camp and Sam A.  Then I can complete the river as a whole for the most part.  Don't worry much about the lower parts in the mud banks of SEMO much since my duck killer urge is gone.

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18 hours ago, Gavin said:

That's a pretty good day for that stretch of river, good for you. That Coldwater float is a long one, and the Coldwater access if very remote. I would not leave a vehicle there.

 

I have never actually been to the Coldwater access, just the sam baker, hwy 34, and greenville access's.  But my favorite spots are way above sam baker, so I have to get there super early, and paddle a pretty long way up river to get to where I want to fish.  I find that stretch of river to be great.  Seems like I have caught em pretty good every time I have been down that way.  Plenty of bass and crappie, and apparently there is still 1 walleye swimming in it.  My son and I did a summer day trip on that stretch too, and they were biting pretty well in and around the current areas. 

[Gavin]

Big Creek is the float at SAB but not for rookies, there are several shut ins. Do not try to paddle Big Creek through the park. It braids and gets super skinny. Take out is the lot south of SAB lodge. It’s not always floatable,  easy to twist an ankle in the cantaloupe sized rocks and it’s got plenty of rattlesnakes.

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I went again on Friday, different pool, same results.  The air was cold, the water was cold.  Didn't bring the graph or thermometer, i just look for water thats deep enough. Caught mostly smallies, with a few largemouth, another walleye and a mess of spots that came home for dinner.  I caught them on a jig, a worm, a swimbait, and a jerkbait.  The biggest were all on the jerkbait. The walleye was just ahort of 20" and i threw it back too. 2 walleye in 2 trips while bass fishing.  Im thinking they may be worth targeting!  Too bad they aren't 15# like the ones in days of yore.

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