Largemouth on an ozark stream.

[flipinstick88]

I just returned from a trip on the Big Piney river, I caught plenty of smallmouths but the Largemouths eluded me. I know there is good largemouth fishing on this stream, the lodge had a couple of 5 plus pounders mounted on the wall. How do you catch green fish on these streams?  

[tkite16]

Easiest way to catch largemouths in ozark streams is to fish the slack water.  Find a place out of the current and youll usually find em.

[flipinstick88]

I know that Largemouth prefer slack water, the problem is that there is literally miles of it. Surely the fish are keyed in on a specific depth, cover, or type of structure. I need tips to eliminate the unproductive water.

thanks  

[cart7t]

Slack water in a river doesn't mean a lack of current,  there's still current there just far less than in the swifter areas.  Much like the swifter areas, look for current breaks created by cover such as downed trees, boulders and rocks.  

[Daniel My Brother]

As a general rule when I fish the little streams around here I find largemouth in grass or near downed trees, over softer bottoms, in slower moving water.

I have better luck catching smallies hiding behind current breaks, in faster moving water, with a rocky bottom.

The smallies tend to chase the crawdads while the largemouth seem to be more interested in baitfish.

[tkite16]

Also look for water flowing back up the river. Usually youll see this at the end of heavy current runs off to the sides around rocks and trees. Throw a crawdad imitator in there and you will catch fish.

[vulture1]

which lodge did you go to? I am not aware of any place on the Big Piney that rents canoes.

Were there alot of floaters??? they are a perfect way to ruin a fishing trip on a river.

[405z06]

I have fished the Piney a couple of times out of Rich's Last Resort near Duke, Mo.

And frankly, I don't worry about largemouth too much when there are brown fish in the area to be caught. I'm trying to think back to remember if I caught any largemouth and I don't remember any.

Also, here is a list of outfitters on the Piney:

Devil's Elbow

Route 66 Canoe Rental, LLC 573-336-2730

Route 2 Box 10630, Hwy Z Devil's Elbow, MO 65457

Dixon

Boiling Spring Campground, LLC 573-759-7294

18700 Cliff Road Dixon, MO 65459

Duke

Richco, LLC 573-435-6555

10980 Western Road Duke, MO 65461

Rich's Last Resort, LLC 1-888-427-2408 573-435-6669

33401 Windsor Lane Duke, MO 65461

Wilderness Ridge Resort 573-435-6767

33850 Windsor Lane Duke, MO 65461

Licking

Boiling Springs Resort & Canoe Rental, LLC 573-674-3488

Reservations: 1-800-564-3285

15750 Hwy BB Licking, MO 65542

St. Robert

Lay Z Day Canoes & Camping, LLC 573-336-8639

23417 Teak Lane St. Robert, MO 65584

[vulture1]

Wow! great information, I appreciate it!