Saddle Creek Park

Bank fishing opportunities here are excellent! Many anglers will target black crappie (specks) during the winter months but switch to bream during late spring, leading into early summer. Live Missouri minnows and small jigs trolled or drifted are the best bets for good speck action. Bluegill (bream) fishing will improve with the warmer water, and they can be caught with crickets and red wigglers. Catfish can be caught on chicken livers and commercial stinkbaits around deeper holes. Largemouth bass fishing will be good during this “post-spawn” transition. Use live, wild shiners for the best bass action, and try plastic worms in Junebug, red shad, and black and blue colors fished slowly along the edges and near drop-offs. Large schools of shad are coming to the surface in the morning and just before sunset. Don’t be afraid to throw your suspending jerkbaits, “wacky” rigs, or weightless shad-colored flukes in and around the schools to catch bass chasing the shad. During past electrofishing surveys, some Largemouth bass larger than 8 pounds were tagged in Saddle Creek. Tags are yellow and located on the back (dorsal) of the fish. If you catch a tagged fish, remember to cut the tag off and call the number provided. You will need it to collect your $100 reward. Tight lines!