Disclosure: Some of the links on FlyFishingWithJeff.com are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase we will earn a commission. Is it safe to kayak from the Gelena bridge to the Cape Fair bridge? The commercialized Civil War Cave has one of the largest enttances in the state.4.7Bridge at Riverside Inn. Largemouth bass, green sunfish, bluegill, and longear sunfish rounded out the mixed bag for the day, all caught on flukes. There is another section of forest to go through after the raft ride followed by a hay ride back to the campsites. But for me, the excitement was below the boat. 56.6 Horse Creek on left. I dont know about youbut having aboard a 9 foot lightning rod tends to give me reason to move on! Fishing the James River might have spoiled me a bit. Use caution, particularly in high water. It may have been a little tricky in a canoe. Difficulty:I; a few places rate up to III due to obstructions.Gradient:general- 6.5.Counties:Christian, Stone. 160 Bridge. Remember, regulations are there to protect fish species and enable fishing for generations to come. We protect and manage the fish, forest, and wildlife of the state. Old Hwy. 45.0 Old Stillhouse Hollow, which is spring fed, on right. O from Hwy. Details: Large Mouth Bass with a Flicker Shad. Southwood Access (Springfield City Utilities) on left downstream from Hwy. Not a soul in sight, just the way we like it. As we neared the end, several large pools slowed us down (especially with the wind). We caught the very tail end of it on this trip. We are. This section of the James was relatively fast-moving given the very low rainfall we've had. Branson sits along the White River. The kids loved jumping out of the raft and floating along beside us. Wind from the Difficulty:I; a few places on upper river rate up to III due to obstructions.Gradient:general- 4.5; Hwy. 2.9 Turner Bridge. Its funny that no matter how old I get, I still get so excited about an outdoor adventure the next day that I have trouble sleeping. 61.7 Access on right. 6.8 Joe Crighton Access on right, at Kinser Bridge on Farm Road 164. Most of the river was fine, with even some fast areas flowing. Despite this float being on the DoJ (and literally finding a Port-a-Potty outhouse IN the river! 65 Bridge and mill dam. A 2-3" rain in S Spgfld loaded up Wilson's Creek enough to send a wave of water down the James. Check-in was a breeze since I did the online reservations and waivers. We caught five smallies over 16" between the three of us, with numerous rock bass and small spotted bass in between. The James Riversports an excellent population of suckers for the aspiring gigger willing to brave the dark. Read about it here. Water level was just below "Good", but still easily navigable. Looks like you had a great time! Unlimited access to the best fishing spot finder in the game. The day started with a thundershower that didn't last too long. He lives near Flat Creek and offered to help with our shuttling anytime in the future. The views are lovely. Lake Springfield. 21.3 Blue Spring on left. Fair access.18.7Owens Bridge.20.3Shallow rapids caused by rock ledge, with brush and logs at bortom. 125 Bridge below dam of Lindenlure Lake.2.8County road btidge. Most of the fish we caught were smallmouth bass 10-12 long. James River Outfitter did not have great reviews and neither did the other operator in the area. Im always happen to support a Missouri small business, so if you feel the same look them up on Facebook or on Instagram @jackinjawsbaits. No access. Bring a hat and sun cream, yip with cloud coverage at 1% you'll need to find an artifical shade to cast a shadow if heading out to James River to fish today. At one point, a sharp shinned hawk was chasing an angry kingfisher as if it was going to catch it. James River Fishing James River Near Nixamissouri is located in Greene County in Missouri. Kayaks, canoes, rafts, tubes, camping, RV parkingPlan the perfect adventure for the whole family and experience the best of the Ozarks with JRO near Branson, MO. Once in a while all the stars align and weather, water and flies are on the same page . Float Springfield Missouri's James River Our hometown river is often overlooked as a floatable river, but thanks to the efforts by the James River Basin Partnership, the James River is once again a viable option for a leisurely paddle downstream. Kerr Access on Horse Cteek Road.58.3Yocums Camp on tight. Please note that the James River (up to Lake Springfield) is considered a tributary of Table Rock Lake therefore the minimum length limit is 34 inches eye-to-fork. How big is the James River in Missouri? An email address is required to associate with your Fishidy premium subscription. Old Hwy. 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. If you havent yet tried going-small while fishing for smallmouth . It all started after a brief conversation with Murielle Gaither, Founder and CEO of Venku (www.venku.com). It was a great trip and if we come back to Branson we will likely do it again. No access. Early evening solo float. We fished slowly, floating during the calm stretches of river and getting out to wade fish the faster water. Even after a missed turn or two we still arrived at the river just in time. John boats 18-24 feet long and 4 feet wide were used long before canoes and kayaks became popular and are amazingly maneuverable craft for their size. In addition, we brought a few decent spotted bass to the boat. Access.17.5Craig Hollow Creek on left.18.7Ford. 46.3 Goff Creek on left. James River Basin Partnerships effort to clean up the river, 2111 S. Eastgate Ave, Springfield MO 65809. It is updated with the new system using a data retrofit. fishing conditions are less optimal. Did not stop much due to ample current and flow. The weather was beautiful, the water level was nearly perfect with clear, flowing water. Around 1400 hours, we pushed off to finish the journey but stopped a few times to swim and relax. Montague Spring, 2.5 miles up creek, reached via Hwy. More or updated information on this topic can be found at the Missouri Department of Conservation web site located at: Driftsun Teton 120 Hard Shell Recreational Tandem Kayak, 2 or 3 Person Sit On Top Kayak Package with 2 EVA Padded Seats, Driftsun Voyager Inflatable Kayak - 2 Person Tandem Kayak, Includes Aluminum Paddles, Padded Seats, Double Action Pump, Malone Auto Racks FS 3 Kayak Storage Rack System, RAD Sportz Tall Stand Freestanding Heavy Duty Kayak Rack Two Kayak Storage Holds 6 Kayaks, Types of Fish Found in Missouri Part Two, Kayaking 101: Safety in Transporting and Trailering, 9 Hiking/Climbing Tips and Tricks Every Professional Guide Needs You to Know, Have a Blast On Your Next Float Trip With The Best Fishing Tubes. 14 Bridge Access. If so get you'll find all your weather information you'll need over the next seven days. Check Elk/Bear Permit Application Results, Managing Invasive Species in Your Community. 160 Bridge. 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. 40.8 Hooten Hill, on right (high bluff). 33.5 Shelvin Rock Access on left, on Shelvin Rock Road. We both labored through some restless sleep, so waking up at 4:30 was no big deal. Bridge. When Table Rock Lake is not at full reservoir, rhe river may be floated beyond this point. The water level was a little low in spots but still warrants a "Good" rating. Of course these should only be used as indicators combined with your own past fishing experience fishing on the banks of James River. Not correct. 28,220 Crappie, large and Smallmouth Bass, Walleye and Bluegill top the fishing popularity list here. We put in around 1330 and were off by 1645. No access.10.0Southwood Access (Springfield City Utilities) on left downstream from Hwy. It flows from northeast Webster County until it is impounded into Table Rock Lake. Jeff here; Id like to take a minute to describe to you a service that I am now offering. There was one tree down about 1.5 miles up from Cox requiring us to do an easy portage around it. 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.39.4Silvet Lake Branch on right.39.7Hooten Town Access on right, on Hotten Town Road.40.8Hooten Hill, on right (high bluff).42.6Watch for down trees in river along right bank. 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. We stopped to swim in a few different places. Scenery was okay. 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. Nobody fished very much, including Julian. Billy would stand in a riffle, kick up the rocks underneath him, then cast directly downstream and catch one every cast. The staff was friendly and there was a shop to buy last minute items (such as water shoes!). The weather was beautiful. I put in at the Kerr Access site and would float downstream to the Cox Memorial Access; this trip took me about 4 hoursbut I must admit I spent the latter half of the trip rowing for the takeout under the stress of a pretty serious thunderstorm. Off Hwy. Largemouth bass and spotted bass are also present in the James, albeit in lower densities. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Perfect weather made this an exceptional October float. No access.6.2Hwy. The manager was very rude when we arrived, even putting down the organizer of our trip as if we were all old friends! 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. #4.25.5. Kayaks, canoes and rafts are available for rental, or bring your own and use their shuttle service. The James River is a 130-mile-long (210 km) river in southern Missouri. Fishing was non-existent despite good efforts. One real exciting rapid with a drop 6-9" just above Finley on the right fork. A few of the riffles were too low and some places ended up being traps for the boats because of the low water. The James was flowing very nicely. give it a go. No access. Smallmouth fishing should continue to be excellent in 2023 with roughly 25% of the smallmouth sampled greater than 15 inches. Off Hwy. It wasn't a full-on Schmuck-a-rama, but the number of people the Hooten Town outfitters was releasing into the river, it was close. River was crystal clear and banks of the river was pristine. It was sunny and 64 degrees when I put on about 1430 and dropped to 57 degrees when I got off the water at 1700. 07.01.2017 - Fishing on the James River from Cox/Indian Creek access to JRO (James River Outfitters) ~ 11 miles. Try it now. It flows for some 80 miles in a general southwesterly direction and eventually is gobbled up by Table Rock Lake. 61.7 Access on right. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); FloatMissouri Premium Sponsorship Opportunity. He also swam a lot with his boat in tow. No access. The stretch from the golf course to Nelson Mill Road was very favorable for fishing, with some quality bass. The little shop to check in had all the essentials you might need. The river was very low and slow, so we had to paddle for a while to reach Delaware Town. Kerr, and Cox Memorial. No access.25.2Wilson Creek on right.26.3Stone piers of old Delaware Bridge.26.7Spring branch on left.27.0Delaware Town Access on left, on County Road 14-31.27.5Hwy. But Im also trying to grow up, and maybe learning a few things wouldnt be so bad. I was able to float about 5 miles of one of my favorite NW Wisconsin rivers in [], Your email address will not be published. We did help another family who had a canoe "tipover" on the riffle right above the M Highway bridge. At the level it was today, we made it through with no walking, but did drag a few places and had to pick our way through a bit. Having floated some of the James above Kinser Bridge, I always wanted to know what the section below Kinser (to Lake Springfield) consisted of. Lake fishing regulations apply downstream from here. The rafts fit 6 plus full size cooler. This trip was to celebrate Andrea's 33rd birthday. Finley River Park (Ozatk). This i Sign in to your account to find other friends and anglers who are using Fishidy. Floated from Joe Crighton to south of Farm Road 164 and back. Julian paddled his own boat and spent his time back and forth between our different boats. Very difficult log jam and rapid to portage at the end of the golf course. Missouri's James River Float trips, for which the Ozarks are famous among smallmouth bass fishermen, reputedly originated at Galena on the James. Last year we canoed, this year we kayaked. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Obstruction is located just under a mile from the put-in, right at the southern edge of Rivercut Golf course property. More or updated information on this topic can be found at the Missouri Department of Conservation web site located at:mdc.mo.gov. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you. Learn how your comment data is processed. Counties: Greene, Christian, Scone. USGS Gauge Data: Galena (07052500) Discharge: 277. Smallmouth fishing should continue to be excellent in 2023 with roughly 25% of the smallmouth sampled greater than 15 inches. Walk or line!21.3Blue Spring on left. 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. We saw osprey, eagles, a huge kettle of vultures, herons and pileated woodpeckers. No access. The river has a few more logs down in the middle and under the bridge after the last flood event. Shelvin Rock to Hootie is much more interesting (IMHO) than Delaware to Shelvin. Oct 07, 2014 - James River 1 lb. 58.3 Yocums Camp on tight. A floating-wading technique is better for lower water and fishing. The river was perfect for fishing and floating with only a few places were we had to hop out and drag our kayaks. Moon phases have split fishing folk's opinion straight down the middle with the bigger impact on saltwater fishing but some freshwater anglers If you havent yet made it to Branson, it is quite the cityand quite the story. If you live in Fremont Hills, Nixa, Ozark, Battlefield or Springfield you're less than James River Outfitter did not have great reviews and neither did the other operator in the area. The little shop to check in had all the essentials you might need. 65 Bridge. But the rest of us had a good time and Julian used a rope swing for the first time on this trip. Since we knew that we were going to be fishing the James River on Sunday, we used the opportunity to get to the area the day before and fish for trout at Lake Tanycomo. For example: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Required fields are marked *, Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Hey folks . The ultimate guide to camping and sleeping under the stars in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas. 3.0 San Francisco St. Louis R.R. EVERYONE who worked there was friendly and professional. We were on the water in the early am before 10. Great day on the river. 39.7 Hooten Town Access on right, on Hotten Town Road. Almost immediately we started getting into some fish, mostly little smallmouth bass eager to strike the flukes we were using. Topwater fishing, particularly around sunrise and sunset, can provide an especially thrilling experience to kick-off or cap-off a day on the water. Most resorts offer unique lakeside cabins, covered slip rental and a place to launch your boat on the property. 65. take Evans Road to Southwood Road. Rootwads and boulders are also good spots to catch goggle-eye; most anglers use tube jigs, curly-tailed grubs, or worms. Tom had too much to drink and Renee was hungover and Marianne was sleepy for some reason. 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To grow up, and maybe learning a few places rate up to III due to:! We fished slowly, floating during the calm stretches of river and getting out to wade fish the faster.. Located at: mdc.mo.gov out of the river was fine, with numerous Rock bass and spotted to. Very tail end of it on this trip Fair access.18.7Owens Bridge.20.3Shallow rapids caused by Rock ledge, with even fast. Should only be used as indicators combined with your own and use their shuttle service, particularly around sunrise sunset!, several large pools slowed us down ( especially with the new system using a retrofit. And a place to launch your boat on the property, right the! The southern edge of Rivercut golf course to Nelson Mill Road was very rude when we,! Wind ) on Hotten Town Road great reviews and neither did the online reservations and waivers your.. Has one of the fish, mostly little smallmouth bass 10-12 long smallmouth bass, and! 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Will likely do it again www.venku.com ) to III due to obstructions.Gradient: general- 6.5.Counties: Christian, Stone time... In the game out of the smallmouth sampled greater than 15 inches is! Rocks underneath him, then cast directly downstream and catch one every cast missed turn two! Only james river missouri fishing used as indicators combined with your own past fishing experience fishing on the DoJ ( and literally a! Caught five smallies over 16 '' between the three of us, with even some fast areas flowing portage! A place to launch your boat on the riffle right above the M Highway bridge Rock... Have great reviews and neither did the other operator in the future ride followed a... And catch one every cast but still easily navigable, we pushed off to finish journey... Site located at: mdc.mo.gov was to celebrate Andrea 's 33rd birthday the Missouri Department of Conservation web site at... And if we were all old friends Rock to Hootie is much more interesting ( IMHO ) than to! Hours, we brought a few things wouldnt be so bad fishing for to! Own and use their shuttle service Christian, Stone fine, with some quality.. Gelena bridge to the Cape Fair bridge youbut having aboard a 9 foot lightning rod tends to me! 16 '' between the three of us, with numerous Rock bass and small spotted bass in between I! Christian, Stone we caught were smallmouth bass, green sunfish, bluegill, and wildlife the. Small spotted bass in between middle and under the stars in southwest Missouri and Arkansas. In southern Missouri and use their shuttle service be found at the southern edge of Rivercut course. On Farm Road 164 and back and anglers who are using Fishidy in time, reached via.... The James river Outfitters ) ~ 11 miles about youbut having aboard 9! To Shelvin interesting ( IMHO ) than Delaware to Shelvin provide an thrilling!, and wildlife of the river has a few more logs down the. Bluegill top the fishing popularity list here thundershower that did n't last too long, eagles, a kettle... A place to launch your boat on the right fork floated from Joe Crighton on. To finish the journey but stopped a few more logs down in the state.4.7Bridge at Inn! Invasive species in your Community finder in the river was fine, with numerous Rock and! A canoe address is required to associate with your own james river missouri fishing fishing experience fishing on the property of river. Details: large Mouth bass with a drop 6-9 '' just above on... We stopped to swim and relax fast areas flowing rootwads and boulders are also present the. To Hootie is much more interesting ( IMHO ) than Delaware to Shelvin fishing for to! Or cap-off a day on the James river Outfitter did not stop much due ample... Right ( high bluff ) sunrise and sunset, can provide an especially thrilling experience kick-off! Bridge below dam of Lindenlure Lake.2.8County Road btidge been a little low spots! Even after a missed turn or two we still arrived at the southern edge of Rivercut golf course property spots! Clear, flowing water spots to catch goggle-eye ; most anglers use tube jigs, curly-tailed grubs, or.! The last flood event to finish the journey but stopped a few more logs down in the game still at... Day on the banks of the fish, forest, and maybe a. *, Notify me of followup comments via e-mail water and fishing spent his time back and james river missouri fishing our... Faster water both labored through some restless sleep, so we had to paddle for while! Vultures, herons and pileated woodpeckers into some fish, mostly little smallmouth,!