Chariton River Fishing Spot
- Elevation: 792'
- Last Modified By: vinny60 on 09/16/09 01:09 PM
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Set lines and pole and line methods can produce fast fishing action. The Chariton's finned quarry – catfish and carp – find live bait, stink bait, liver, worms, corn and dough bait to their liking. Channel Catfish – Cut shad and dead minnows in the early spring, and worms, stink bait, frogs and chicken liver in the summer are good choices for this bewhiskered resident of the Chariton. The river supports good numbers of catfish but they are concentrated in and around areas of cover. Dip-type and regular stink baits are popular. Anglers can't go wrong with worms and other live baits such as minnows and frogs. Remember, look for cover and current, and you should find channel catfish. Flathead Catfish – When you find dense woody cover, deep holes and swift current nearby, you may want to consider set-line fishing for this Chariton River favorite. Most serious flathead anglers use goldfish or green sunfish for bait and use trotlines and limb lines to subdue their quarry. Carp – There are many favorite dough bait recipes used by carp anglers. Here's one version: Mix 1-1/4 cups flour, 1-1/2 cups yellow cornmeal, two tablespoons sugar and one teaspoon salt together. Set aside. Boil 1-1/2 cups water; turn heat down to simmer. Add a small package strawberry gelatin and a tablespoon of vanilla, stir. Using a wooden spoon, add dry ingredient mixture on top of the gelatin water until surface is covered. When the water bubbles up through the dry mixture, continue adding mixture. Stir dough or take out of pan and knead for two minutes. (Be careful, mixture will be hot!) Dough bait will be very stiff. Store in refrigerator in plastic bag until ready to use.
Chariton River Description
The Chariton River is a 280-mile long tributary to the Missouri River in southeast Iowa and northeast Missouri. It has been called Missouri's "Grand Divide" because streams west of the Chariton flow into the Missouri and streams east of it flow into the Mississippi River. Below the Highway 136 bridge at Livonia, Missouri the river has been channelized and dredged. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, "public use of Chariton River watershed streams is very low, largely because instream habitat has been so adversely affected by channelization and sedimentation". Chariton River is an outdoor Mecca In spite of channelization, this river continues to offer hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreational opportunities in northeast Missouri. Changes to the stream channel don't mean anglers should mark the Chariton off their list. Anglers interested in cooling their fishing fever will find no problem with stream access on the river's upper and middle stretches. Additional accesses are planned for the lower stream in the future. The Chariton River forms the boundary between Putnam and Schuyler counties as it enters Missouri from Iowa. It splits Rebel's Cove Conservation Area (CA) as it winds south through rolling, wooded hills in a near-natural state. This outdoorsman's paradise features two boat ramps and has nearly 10 miles of river frontage. This is nearly half the portion of the Chariton River that remains unchannelized. An energetic soul can make a mile trek back from the lower boat ramp to the launch point and not have to bother with two vehicles. Rebel's Cove to Archangel Access (on Highway 136) is approximately a 10-mile float. A brand-new boat ramp at Archangel will greatly facilitate launching and loading canoes or small, flat-bottomed boats. Archangel is the line of demarcation for unaltered stream habitat. Upon entering Adair County the meandering stream abruptly becomes a relatively straight, man-made waterway designed to move water quickly and efficiently across the farmland of Macon and Chariton counties, emptying its contents into the Missouri River near the Dalton Bottoms Public Fishing Access. This downstream portion of the river is surrounded by crop land and pecan groves. Several Conservation Department accesses provide bank fishing opportunities along the Chariton; Henry Truitt Access on Highway 6 at Novinger and Elmer Cook Access on Highway 11 are two such locations. The previously mentioned Dalton Bottoms access, near the confluence of the Chariton and Missouri, offers bank fishing in the Missouri River. If a boat ramp is a requirement, try Mullanix Ford Access off the end of Highway K in Adair County, or Dodd Access at the end of Highway UU in Macon County.
The Chariton River is a 280-mile (450 km) long tributary to the Missouri River in southeast Iowa and northeast Missouri.