Big Sugar Creek

[MObassin95]

Hey all! 

This winter I'm researching new rivers and creeks to fish in 2024. Big Sugar Creek is on my radar. It's about an hour and a half from me so it's alittle bit of a drive. Anyone know, generally, how the fishing is? Worth the drive? I know it'll be crowded in the summers, and it looks like a pretty little stream from the photos! 

 

Thank you!!

[Ham]

1 hour ago, MObassin95 said:

Hey all! 

This winter I'm researching new rivers and creeks to fish in 2024. Big Sugar Creek is on my radar. It's about an hour and a half from me so it's a little bit of a drive

Lol, Hop, skip, and a jump. I’ve never fished if, but with enough water during the week, it’s probably pretty good. 

[Quillback]

Fished it once about 25 years ago with my dad, we caught smallmouth wade fishing.  It does get a lot of traffic in the summer.  

[ollie]

I fish it occasionally, but it isn't anything like it used to be. There was major drought a few years back and the creek all but disappeared. I haven't done well on it in the last few years since then. I mean yes, there are fish in there, but the numbers and size isn't there like it use to be. JMO

[MObassin95]

31 minutes ago, ollie said:

I fish it occasionally, but it isn't anything like it used to be. There was major drought a few years back and the creek all but disappeared. I haven't done well on it in the last few years since then. I mean yes, there are fish in there, but the numbers and size isn't there like it use to be. JMO

Thank you for the reply. That’s a bummer to hear!  

[Mitch f]

21 hours ago, MObassin95 said:

Hey all! 

This winter I'm researching new rivers and creeks to fish in 2024. Big Sugar Creek is on my radar. It's about an hour and a half from me so it's alittle bit of a drive. Anyone know, generally, how the fishing is? Worth the drive? I know it'll be crowded in the summers, and it looks like a pretty little stream from the photos! 

 

Thank you!!

Do you have a boat?, or are you going to wade? How far are you willing to travel?

Where do you live?

[MObassin95]

24 minutes ago, Mitch f said:

Do you have a boat?, or are you going to wade? How far are you willing to travel?

Where do you live?

I have a canoe but I would most likely wade upstream and float back. I live in Republic. I’m not looking for honey holes, but I want to know if this stream is worth my time vs going elsewhere. I’m willing to drive but only if it’s worth it! 
 

I haven’t found a lot of info on the fishing on the google. Which may not be a bad thing. 

[Al Agnew]

I've never heard of really good fishing on Big Sugar.  I haven't fished it myself, but I try to watch out for any reports of fishing streams I may want to fish sometime.  I do know it's gravelly, very clear, crowded on warm weather weekends, and gets too low to float.  

But...it has been my experience in fishing all over the Ozarks that there are no streams that are MUCH better fishing than the rest, and very few that are much WORSE than the rest.  On a good day, you can catch a bunch of fish on just about any of them.  So, half the fun is in going and trying it.  After all, you'll be on an Ozark stream, and that's a good thing in itself.  Sometimes the fishing is a bonus.

[MObassin95]

18 hours ago, Al Agnew said:

I've never heard of really good fishing on Big Sugar.  I haven't fished it myself, but I try to watch out for any reports of fishing streams I may want to fish sometime.  I do know it's gravelly, very clear, crowded on warm weather weekends, and gets too low to float.  

But...it has been my experience in fishing all over the Ozarks that there are no streams that are MUCH better fishing than the rest, and very few that are much WORSE than the rest.  On a good day, you can catch a bunch of fish on just about any of them.  So, half the fun is in going and trying it.  After all, you'll be on an Ozark stream, and that's a good thing in itself.  Sometimes the fishing is a bonus.

Thank you!

[MarkG52]

I used to float it a lot when I was kayak fishing. Always caught fish and had some epic days catching smallies. It's probably been 4 years since I fished it though. There is wading/launching access at Deep Ford, and a low water bridge a little downstream with wading access. Best day ever was in the pool just above Sugar Island campground.