Black River Fishing Spot
- Elevation: 630'
- Last Modified By: vinny60 on 09/15/09 09:13 PM
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Fish Species
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Spotted bass (Kentucky bass) are more numerous than either largemouth bass or smallmouth bass. Spotted bass up to 14" are common throughout the river. Anglers trying to catch a memorable size spotted bass (=>17") should fish just downstream of Clearwater Dam. The river supports a good walleye population. Most walleye are less than 3 pounds, but walleye up to 15 pounds have been caught. Anglers interested in walleye should fish the river upstream of Poplar Bluff. Each year several 8 lb+ walleye are caught near the Hendrickson Access. Local anglers fish for walleye primarily during the winter, but walleye can be caught throughout the year. Anglers should try a jig tipped with a minnow or nightcrawler or crank baits. The river supports an excellent channel catfish population, with many fish up to 5 pounds. Chicken liver fished on the bottom is a popular method, but limblines or trotlines baited with minnows or small sunfish are very effective. The sucker population is excellent. Try fishing for them with small hooks baited with the meat of mussels or clams and fished on the bottom just downstream of a riffle. Gigging for suckers should be good late in the season as water clarity improves. During the paddlefish snagging season, anglers have an excellent opportunity to catch a paddlefish below Clearwater Dam.
Black River Description
The three forks of the Black rise virtually within the shadow of the highest point in the state, Taum Sauk Mountain, and join near Lesterville to flow quickly toward the lowest section of the state. The upper Black is exceptionally clear and has enough feeder springs to produce some good smallmouth bass fishing. Below Clearwater Lake, the river moves more slowly and is less clear but is still a good float-fishing stream. Some of the most beautiful scenery in Missouri is to be found in the upper reaches of the Black. This includes several "shut-ins," areas where the stream runs through jumbled rocks and potholes in gorge-like valleys. One such area open to the public is Johnson Shut-ins State Park on the East Fork. Shut-in Creek, a tributary of the East Fork, has a section which drops 70 feet per mile, but these upper shut-ins of the Black are not boatable. Mill Creek (10.7) is the best starting point during normal or low-water levels. Good camping area at Clearwater Dam.
The Black River is a tributary of the White River, about 300 mi (480 km) long [1], in southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas in the United States. Via the White River, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed. Black River Technical College is named for the river.