Late Summer Smallmouth Adventures

[basska]

Well - I think my Smallmouth season is over. It was a good one, being my first full year of fishing Ozark streams semi-consistently. I didn’t complete all my goals… No 18 incher, but I did have some really solid days on numbers. Was happy to burn a bunch of gas cash to see a ton of new beautiful country. As follows is a report from the last couple months. 

The first week of August I spent near Wentzville visiting family. For most of the week, I didn’t get the chance to do a lot of fishing, and rightfully so. However, I had made my plans to fish some of the Ozark streams near St. Louis, and I had cut out my last full day (First Tuesday of August) to do so. I would take 47 down to the Mineral Fork, fish it at Kingston, then cut over on 8 to the Huzzah and fish Huzzah Valley and the CA. I had one rod, and a bag of very basic tackle. Unfortunately only plastics and jigs.
 

I woke up at 6 AM and began my heavily foggy drive, enjoying Bluegrass music and the new scenery. I got to Kingston around 7. I got there around the exact same time as an older gentleman who would also be wading. He reported that years ago, his buddy caught what would’ve been the state record Smallmouth Bass upstream around Hwy 47 bridge out of season. Seems crazy, but I was almost inclined to believe him. He seemed like he knew what he was talking about.  I spent maybe an hour and a half there. I began by  wading up stream through the long, shallow pool. I was looking for any little deep place with cover, and found some spots where trees provided just that. I threw my Finesse Jig and Craw over there and I felt a little tap. I set the hook and immediately saw a nice size Smallmouth dart out at me, putting slack in my line. I reeled in quick and it took me for a ride all over the place. Finally got it landed and it went for my new PB. A 16 inch Smallmouth for my first fish of the day. I continued throwing the pool and pulled out a big Sunfish and one other tiny Smallmouth. Continued downstream and fished the obvious fast moving pools with downed trees for a second, surprisingly to no fish. I didn’t fish them hard as I wanted to keep moving, but I wish I had a Spook, as that has become really one of my favorite lures for that situation.

I drove over to Huzzah Valley and made arrangements to wade their property. By this time, the sun had began to really show and floaters were showing up. I was surprised by how packed it was on a Tuesday. I honestly was not impressed by the majority of water I waded. Largely shallow pools. The fish were where I thought they would be though, and I had no trouble catching 4 or 5  Smallmouth on a Nikko Hellgrammite. I spent probably an hour doing this but the floaters got a little too thick for my liking so I decided to leave and try out the Huzzah CA. I wondered if Bass River Resort would be similar.

At this point, I was kinda running out of time (I didn’t have ALL day, I left so early because I had to be back by 3 or 4 to spend time with family). Huzzah CA was a really cool spot, but again, it was packed! Crazy for a Tuesday. Talked to a kid probably 5 years younger than me that worked Ozark Outdoors. He said he’s seen some people catch some quality fish. I waded right around where the Huzzah and Courtois met, and somehow, caught zero fish! I was perplexed because this WAS good looking water, the best I had seen all day. To be fair, I didn’t spend too much time at this location. Floaters came in hoards and I decided to continue. I stopped to check out Onondaga Cave park. Didn’t even get my rod out but it was pretty cool. Got home satisfied. It was a fun day. 

Here’s the cool part. I go home Wednesday and immediately meet up with a buddy of mine and take off south to Galena for a Thursday float on the James River. Talk about some pretty country. We got a nice cabin in Galena right on the James and were going to float with JRO from Kerr to Galena. Our place was just below the Y bridge, and we had a good time wading the property. There were truly good holes to fish and we caught tons of Tubes, Neds and Spooks. My buddy caught a 16. Just wading the property that evening, I was able to complete the black bass slam.

The float itself was slightly less great, due to the mild misfortune of choosing a float day with a massive, 100+ people, family reunion. You could not escape the people, it felt like a parade at times. Because of this, we didn’t fish hard and floated fairly fast. We finished the 6 mile float in only 4 hours or so. Regardless, we all caught fish. I primarily fished my Finesse Jig and Craw and did well. I didn’t catch many, maybe 6, but was impressed with the average size of the fish on the James. Seems like every fish I caught was around 14 inches, which is by no means giant, but definitely better than the consistent 8-12 inch fish you see a lot in the Ozarks.

The next day, before we headed home, we stopped and checked out Flat Creek for a little Wade fishing. First stop was at EE bridge. I waded up stream and had no trouble catching 6 Smallmouth out of one little pool in 20 minutes. All on the Ned. Biggest went for 14 inches. We drove down to Stubblefield. This place was really cool. It was also pretty busy. We waded downstream this time and Smallmouth were harder to come by, I did however, catch a TROPHY Ozark bass. I mean, it may have been 10 inches. It was incredible, but like a fool, I couldn’t take a picture because my phone had overheated baking on the gravel bar. After swimming below the water fall and inquiring with locals about their Crawdad hunt, we decided to call it and take it home.

 

I could continue to ramble about my other journeys early in the summer on Big Sugar, the Gasconade and the Lil Niangua, or my adventure last week on the Upper Niangua and Osage Fork, but my fingers are getting tired and they’re probably not worth a report.

Yep, it was a fun week.

[Quillback]

Good deal!  Fishing is always fun.  Bunch of people out on the lakes too during the week.  I don't know if anyone works anymore.  

[WestCentralFisher]

Good stuff. It's always fun looking back on the season when its done, or as close as it'll get. Looks like you had some good times. 

There might be something to calling it a season while the fish are still readily biting, though I've never been able to pull that off. There is always that one, sad trip, usually in late October where I realize the smallmouth fishing has finally gone off for the year. Every year I know it's coming, and yet every year it still comes as kind of a shock when the fish suddenly aren't where they're supposed to be, or if they are, I can't catch them. It can sometimes literally happen overnight.

Last year, it happened to me on the Gasconade. It was a beautiful fall day, but the fishing had just turned off like someone shut off the faucet. 

Although, by way of a counterpoint, my best day of smallmouth bass fishing last year was on the winter solstice. It was just one of those beautiful, warm winter days where I got on the water because it was too nice not to, with zero expectation of success. And then I stumbled right into what must have been an epic wintering hole. One of those days where you stop fishing after an hour because even with careful C&R you worry if you keep going, you might actually catch so many fish any level of accidental mortality might have a real effect.

I'm basically incapable of calling it a year and not fishing for more than a few weeks at a time, so it's always a search for those sorts of rare days. 

[basska]

20 minutes ago, WestCentralFisher said:

Good stuff. It's always fun looking back on the season when its done, or as close as it'll get. Looks like you had some good times. 

There might be something to calling it a season while the fish are still readily biting, though I've never been able to pull that off. There is always that one, sad trip, usually in late October where I realize the smallmouth fishing has finally gone off for the year. Every year I know it's coming, and yet every year it still comes as kind of a shock when the fish suddenly aren't where they're supposed to be, or if they are, I can't catch them. It can sometimes literally happen overnight.

Last year, it happened to me on the Gasconade. It was a beautiful fall day, but the fishing had just turned off like someone shut off the faucet. 

Although, by way of a counterpoint, my best day of smallmouth bass fishing last year was on the winter solstice. It was just one of those beautiful, warm winter days where I got on the water because it was too nice not to, with zero expectation of success. And then I stumbled right into what must have been an epic wintering hole. One of those days where you stop fishing after an hour because even with careful C&R you worry if you keep going, you might actually catch so many fish any level of accidental mortality might have a real effect.

I'm basically incapable of calling it a year and not fishing for more than a few weeks at a time, so it's always a search for those sorts of rare days. 

Yea, my biggest thing is the distance and not yet owning a kayak. I was thinking about going to McDonald Co. or the lower Niangua this weekend, but IF the fishing is getting harder, will it be worth the gas and tackle bought? I wanna say yes but it’s tough to say when you are in college and budget is tight. This winter, I really got to save up so next year I will have a multitude of rods and lures and a kayak to get to less pressured places. I gotta get my 18+ inch fish. 
 

Who knows, maybe I will go out this week. It’s going to stay hot. Like 80 plus degrees hot. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

2 hours ago, basska said:

This winter, I really got to save up so next year I will have a multitude of rods and lures and a kayak to get to less pressured places. I gotta get my 18+ inch fish. 

Try estate sales.   Most have pictures now.   My wife tipped me off to one last month with a bunch of fishing equipment.   I went on the last day which is typically half off or make an offer day.  I bought some high end jerk baits and topwater baits for $2 each.   This guy had over 10 rod combinations but none left by the last day.  

[snagged in outlet 3]

2 hours ago, WestCentralFisher said:

It's always fun looking back on the season when its done,

It’s never done.😆.  

[WestCentralFisher]

2 hours ago, basska said:

Yea, my biggest thing is the distance and not yet owning a kayak. I was thinking about going to McDonald Co. or the lower Niangua this weekend, but IF the fishing is getting harder, will it be worth the gas and tackle bought? I wanna say yes but it’s tough to say when you are in college and budget is tight. This winter, I really got to save up so next year I will have a multitude of rods and lures and a kayak to get to less pressured places. I gotta get my 18+ inch fish. 
 

Who knows, maybe I will go out this week. It’s going to stay hot. Like 80 plus degrees hot. 

I get it. Been there. When I was in college the only smallie stream I had access to regularly during the semester was the insanely polluted one in town that in retrospect I'm very surprised had any fish, let alone the few snallies it had.

I worked in the Ozarks most summers and made the absolute most of it. Good memories 

[Lloyd]

On 10/1/2025 at 1:20 PM, basska said:

I got there around the exact same time as an older gentleman who would also be wading. He reported that years ago, his buddy caught what would’ve been the state record Smallmouth Bass upstream around Hwy 47 bridge out of season. Seems crazy, but I was almost inclined to believe him. He seemed like he knew what he was talking about.  

This reminded me of an encounter I had with a swimmer on my favorite creek last summer. We were near the upstream end of the smallmouth habitat on this creek, but he told me I should try about a mile upstream. He said there was an amazing hole where as a kid he caught huge bass, some of them over 20 lb.s. I just smiled and said "wow, very impressive!" 😆

[basska]

On 10/1/2025 at 7:01 PM, WestCentralFisher said:

I get it. Been there. When I was in college the only smallie stream I had access to regularly during the semester was the insanely polluted one in town that in retrospect I'm very surprised had any fish, let alone the few snallies it had.

I worked in the Ozarks most summers and made the absolute most of it. Good memories 

Well, I lied. As I type this, I’m at a gas station in Nevada, MO fueling up. I don’t know if I should cut east now or head for glory in McDonald co. 
 

The tug is the drug, I guess.

[WestCentralFisher]

On 10/3/2025 at 4:54 PM, Lloyd said:

This reminded me of an encounter I had with a swimmer on my favorite creek last summer. We were near the upstream end of the smallmouth habitat on this creek, but he told me I should try about a mile upstream. He said there was an amazing hole where as a kid he caught huge bass, some of them over 20 lb.s. I just smiled and said "wow, very impressive!" 😆

Today I ran into a guy on the middle Current River with a big baitcasting rod spooled with what looked like 20 pound test. He asked if I'd caught any big ones. I said no, not really, most of my smallies were in the 8-12 inch range, but I'd seen one that looked real nice, maybe  about 20 inches.

He said "Oh, no, I meant real big ones."

Either he's a really good fisherman or he didn't know what a danged fine smallmouth bass was.