Off the river by 1430 slow pace for intense fishing. Access under bridge.2.7 Hwy. Lake fishing regulations apply downstream from here. No ramp, but easy canoe/kayak access. We stopped to swim in a few different places. Water level was just below "Good", but still easily navigable. Supplies in town. 44.3 Cole Pit Hole access on County Road V-70 off Hwy. Remarkably (to me) the DoJ was actually flowing fairly well, despite this day being right in the middle of the summer season and additionally having had nearly no rain in the previous month. 65 to Evans Road to Kissick. Not a soul in sight, just the way we like it. With my normal Monday activities sidelined, it was a perfect weather day to get on the water. The river was remarkably quiet. Bridge. The river is a total joy to be upon and I am sure that somewhere, lurking beneath one of the thousands of boulders that are strewn along the bottomis a big, hearty smallmouth ready to do battle. The take out near Rivercut is not the best access site but it does the job. The lady with microphone to herd us on the shuttle bus had a good sense of humor but clear directions. How big is the James River in Missouri? Thanks man! James River Basin Partnerships effort to clean up the river, 2111 S. Eastgate Ave, Springfield MO 65809. 20.3 Shallow rapids caused by rock ledge, with brush and logs at bortom. The colors of all of the fish were striking, adding to the beautiful setting. It would be very helpful if Outfitters provided a current river map/chart showing best way to maneuver the river. Last year we canoed, this year we kayaked. 248-13 Bridge. We like to float from Shelvin Rock to Hootentown, clocking in at 7 miles. Use caution, particularly in high water.44.3Cole Pit Hole access on County Road V-70 off Hwy. James River Near Nixamissouri is located in Greene County in Missouri. 52.8 Crane Creek on right. Only caught one smallie near the low water bridge and lost one below Davis Creek. 07.01.2017 - Fishing on the James River from Cox/Indian Creek access to JRO (James River Outfitters) ~ 11 miles. River was crystal clear and banks of the river was pristine. Try it now. We caught the very tail end of it on this trip. Anglers who are familiar with James River and want to make a suggestion to the information provided are asked to use the suggest changes button below on this page. There are 12 public access points on the Upper James River Water Trail that are owned and operated by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. 65. take Evans Road to Southwood Road. Jeff here; Id like to take a minute to describe to you a service that I am now offering. 9.7 Farm Road 181 Bridge. I caught my personal best smallmouth at just over 15" and Josh caught a 3lb spotted bass near Galena. Water was clear, fishing non-existent, since I didn't even see any in the water. Another couple taking out at Kerr said their canoe dragged along in several places. Walk or line! No access. They were even showing horror movies on a huge screen while you wait for your turn- that was an unexpected touch that we thought was great! Still, an enjoyable day was had on the DoJ. We were allowed to peak into a tent. Despite how much water we had and how fast it was flowing, I had forgotten how many loooong slow pools there were on this stretch of the James. We spent most of the day on a gravel bar about 3/4 of the way through, cooking burgers for lunch and swimming and snorkeling. Some anglers still prefer the stability they provide for casting while standing and the comfort of folding arm chairs which they can carry. 65 to Evans Road to Kissick. Please ensure to adhere to the fishing regulations for the state. Did not stop much due to ample current and flow. James River in Missouri has scenic high-quality drift fishing for bass PAUL SMITH Smith: Float trip for smallmouth bass in scenic Ozark Mountains river exceeds expectations Paul A. Smith. Longear sunfish are always a great option for anglers of all ages due to their aggressivenature when presented with small hooks baited with pieces of worm or small artificial lures. Weather was gorgeous too. 65 Bridge. In addition, Im really not very good at taking instruction or having people tell me what to do. Wind from the FloatAngler.com has named Jeff as one of its Most Influential Anglers in Float Tube Fishing. Most of the river was fine, with even some fast areas flowing. 65. take Evans Road to Southwood Road. But for me, the excitement was below the boat. Took us about 4 1/2 hours to do this trip. Thankfully the DOJ's current had movement for most of this long stretch, because doing 12.7 miles without its assistance would have been WAAAAY too much. Thanks Mike! The spring has a flow of nearly 2 million gallons per day, is used to supply a private trout hatchery and is one of the largest springs in this river drainage. No access. Someone reported much higher haystacks above the Finley. National tournaments target the Walleye. Saw bald eagles, deer, and a family of beavers swimming in the current. The weather was beautiful. Side note: either the county highway department or adjacent landowner made the ROW at the bridge steeper, so be careful with low clearance vehicles. Once in a while all the stars align and weather, water and flies are on the same page . The trick was to fish it slowly, and twitch the bait just enough to get some erratic action. It took me a while to figure out how to fish the fluke properly. Memorable day for sure. We caught them in the current, up against rock banks, and under root wads or submerged trees. Fishing utterly sucked, mostly due to WAAAAAY too many people taking advantage of the gorgeous day outside. It takes about three and a half hours in a canoe, which makes it the perfect length to knock out of work early and get out on the water on a weekday. Branson sits along the White River. The main portion of the James River extends from the dam at Lake Springfield south to Galena. Not sure what fish to prepare force when fishing on James River . River was just a bit murky due to it being a little higher than normal for this time of the year, but otherwise, couldn't have been better. One real exciting rapid with a drop 6-9" just above Finley on the right fork. Largemouth Bass with a 7.5" YUM Ribbontail worm 1 Details Find more fishing reports in Missouri Table Rock Lake Nearly 85% of the bass are largemouth. Keep in mind that we link to these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. I owe a bit of thanks to Murielle and Venku for leading on an adventure that wasnt even on our radar a few months ago. This is an electronic reprint of a Missouri Department of Conservation document. Although the river didn't seem high at all, we didn't encounter a still pool the entire day. Old Hwy. He lives near Flat Creek and offered to help with our shuttling anytime in the future. Catch rates in 2022 were some of the highest recorded with roughly 35% of goggle-eye sampled greater than 8 inches. Off Hwy. This trip was to celebrate Andrea's 33rd birthday. Urban Fishing 'You will miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.' - Wayne Gretzky River was a bit crowded, especially for a weekday. 125 Bridge. James River Outfitters provided good equipment. Unlimited access to the best fishing spot finder in the game. 10.0 Southwood Access (Springfield City Utilities) on left downstream from Hwy. Outstanding aesthetics, water clarity and outdoor recreation opportunities account for the lake's popularity. No access. Ryan helped us along by standing on his kayak and pointing out submerged boulders or even fish that we could not see from our lower vantage point. Our recommendation is based on aspects about the weather conditions, moon phase & water conditions. Prepare for success with accurate data about the type of fish that are caugh in James River, learn what baits are used, and fish smarter with weather forecasts. Billy and I found Ryan already there, kayaks ready and on the ramp. Difficulty: I; a few places on upper river rate up to III due to obstructions. which is about 2 miles long, begins. James River is a stream located just 3.2 miles from Kimberling City, in Stone County, in the state of Missouri, United States, near Marmaros, MO. Many fish were spotted but no rods brought on the trip. I was able to float about 5 miles of one of my favorite NW Wisconsin rivers in [], Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. Followers 1672 This James River tributary can be floated in high or medium high water. 29.3 Rock ledge at old fotd site makes good riffle. You are trying to access a feature that requires a Fishidy account. Smoked sausage and macaroni and cheese for dinner with chocolate for dessert. Access. Anglers regularly report catching smallmouth greater than 18 inches, particularly in the Smallmouth Special Management Area (SMA). The variety and quantity of fish in the James river says a lot about the quality of the fishery. Unlimited access to the best fishing spot finder in the game. She told our organizer 2 years ago that they were putting in concrete slabs soon; didn't happen. All day long, at any moment, fish were visible in the clear water. Fly Fishing The James River in Missouri - YouTube If you find yourself in the Branson, Missouri area.needing a little fly fishing time, then look no further than the James River. We take a number of different data points to make our fishing recommendation. Looking to head out over the next few days. We both labored through some restless sleep, so waking up at 4:30 was no big deal. Click here for the latest 7 day fishing weather forecast for James River. 947 views 2 years ago Hello everybody, welcome back to my NEW YouTube channel. Congrats on the spotted bass. Not a single other paddler seen but many fishermen at road crossings. Most of this water provides fine fishing. According to legend, the James was the birthplace of the Ozark float trip. The flukes, poured by Jackin Jaws Baits, were fished weightless Texas rigged on a circle worm hook. The current state record white bass - a 5-pound, 6-ounce behemoth - was pulled from Table Rock on March 19, 2002. 25.2 Wilson Creek on right. The fish were aggressive. Having paddled upstream for 2 miles there wasn't one moment where I couldn't hear the drone of traffic noise along highway 65 and / or highway 60. 42.6 Watch for down trees in river along right bank. The views are lovely. Access.4.0Smallen Cave Branch on right. Note that three river arms of Table Rock Lake - James River, Long Creek and Kings River - hold the majority of the crappie population in the lake. Looks like you had a great time! We're building software in our members area to tell you. I [], Oh, what a night . Required fields are marked *, Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. 28.3 Blue Hole. Contact Jeff about guiding you on a Float Tube Trip to NW Wisconsin. D.3.0San Francisco St. Louis R.R. Fishing the James River might have spoiled me a bit. 13 Bridge. Required fields are marked *. It was very windy and cloudy for nearly the entire time, making for an unpleasant float. Paddled upstream 1.5 miles (approx. Before the days of Table Rock Dam a five-day float of about 125 miles was available from Galena to Branson, but now little, if any, of the river is floatable below Galena. The water level was fine for this trip, but we counted perhaps 6-8 obstacles that were technically challenging in a canoe or for an inexperienced kayaker. Hwys. 160 Bridge. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Hiking Rockwoods Reservation in St. Louis County, 5 Best spring wildflower hikes near St. Louis, Fishing the James River in Missouri for smallmouth bass. True to form, I managed to lose the largest fish of the day on Saturday as well when a 20 rainbow broke me off when I tried to force her in. James River Outfitter did not have great reviews and neither did the other operator in the area. Holiday weekend float. H.L. Hootentown Canoe Rental & Store is only 40 minutes from Springfield, which means you can be on the river and floating about an hour after leaving the house, which is one of the best parts about living in the Ozarks. Suckers of all types, all 3 black bass species, channel catfish, carp, crappie, sculpin, shad and minnows of all types were present. Website crafted by Mostly Serious. The night was cool but good. We rented 2 kayaks and a 6 man raft at a fair price. Montague Spring, 2.5 miles up creek, reached via Hwy. Although the water was relatively low, most places were fine in a kayak if you were careful and paid attention. This is an electronic reprint of a Missouri Department of Conservation document. 12.3 Kissick Darn. We took our time, enjoyed the water, and made the float last about 4.5 hours. While the water was low and we had a few places where we dragged, we did not have to exit our boats. Early evening solo float. A short Christmas Float on a beautiful sunny day.