ANDERSON, Mo.—Ozark streams that paddlers dream about have a steady flow of clear, clean water and a quiet shoreline of deep green forest. Bright, clean gravel bars appear at every turn for a sumptuous shoreline lunch.

These dreamy streams are close to home. They’re reached via good roads with an outfitter available to hire for a shuttle.

Wake up, sleepy river runner. Indian Creek is no dream. Have a stretch then splash it’s cool water on your cheeks during a float down one of the Ozarks premier streams.

Indian Creek meanders its way for about 25 miles through Southwest Missouri near Anderson. It’s an easy trip with no real rapids. A couple of low-water bridges deserve attention. For the most part, Indian Creek is a mellow and peaceful float perfect for families.

With a steady flow of lovely, cool water, scenic banks and numerous gravel bars, Indian Creek has it all, plus a bonus. The stream is loaded with line-busting smallmouth bass. A float trip on June 26 found the river level perfect and the smallmouths eager to bite.

CREEK KARMA

One of the tallest bluffs along Indian Creek towered over us and the canoe wasn’t even in the water yet. Russ Tonkinson of Rogers and I were at the big rock put-in about 4 miles upstream from Indian Creek Campground. Here the gravel road is squeezed between Indian Creek and a 100-foot cliff .

We’d met Gina Redmon at Indian Creek Campground for our shuttle. On the drive to the put-in, we quizzed her about the fishing.

“People are saying they’re not catching as many smallmouths this year, but they’re catching more big fish,” she said.

It’s been a good year, Gina went on. The river level has been ideal most of the spring and summer, unlike last year when streams nearly went dry. Lots of people are getting on the river and the fi sh are biting, she said. Several smallmouths longer than 15 inches have been reported.

Gina drove our car back to the campground where we’d end our fl oat. Tonkinson and I started our prefloat ritual — picking up any litter at the put-in. The deed increases our karma with the fish. We’re sure of it.

Tonkinson was itching to get his feet wet, so we did a bit of wade-fishing first. Our fish karma didn’t kick in gear. No smallmouths tapped our lures after 20 minutes. We slid the canoe down the big rock to the water and started our fl oat.

Reservoirs are nice, Tonkinson said, “but you can’t beat these Ozark streams. They’re so beautiful and you always catch fish.”

Current cradled our boat and carried us easily down the creek. Minutes into the drift we’d already welcomed a half-dozen smallmouth bass aboard that we quickly set free. These puppies put the word “small” in smallmouths. All six fish were 8 inches long or less, but the brazen little warriors were full of fight. They attacked the tube baits and small plastic crawfish we cast, tied to 6-pound test line.

We couldn’t have asked for a better water level. Indian Creek was moving right along and our float was only 4 miles. We’d float a bit, stop and wade, then float some more. Kingfishers cackled and wood ducks whistled, escorting us downstream while we waded, floated and fished.

The river is far enough from the gravel road that we rarely heard traffic. Only one or two homes come into view on this stretch of Indian Creek. Another section of river goes right through downtown Anderson.

CITY SLICKERS

Launch a canoe or kayak at Indian Creek Campground and in a couple miles you’re floating into Anderson. There’s a river access right in the middle of town. On a trip many moons ago, another fishing buddy and I beached the canoe downtown and walked to a cafe for lunch. After burgers and pie, we hopped back in the boat and floated another 4 miles to the city park at Lanagan where there’s an access.

The next section downstream from Lanagan lets paddlers explore two rivers. Launch at Lanagan City Park. Two miles downstream, Indian Creek empties into the Elk River. Float another 2 miles along the Elk to the take-out at the Mount Shira public access.

People-wise, Indian Creek and Elk River are as dift erent as ballet and the boogaloo. Paddlers aren’t likely to see a soul on Indian Creek, but lots of people on the Elk. Best to do this fl oat during the week to avoid the thundering herd of weekend revelers on the Elk.

Traffc rumbled along U.S. 71 above Indian Creek when we drifted under the highway’s twin overpasses at 1 p.m. This trip passed too fast. We were on our last mile of river.

By now our count was up to 30 or 40 smallmouth bass. Our fish karma had kicked in, but size was lacking. Our longest fish measured about 13 inches. Numbers made up for it. Who’d sneeze at catching 40 bass on a 4-mile float?

Anything crawdad gets bitten on Indian Creek or the Elk River. Tube baits, small plastic craws or grubs all get bitten. Dark colors work best.

Gina, our shuttle driver, swears by live bait. She traps minnows out of the river and catches the dickens out of all species that swim in Indian Creek.

With our cameras full of photos and our noggins filled with river memories, we bid farewell to Indian Creek, an Ozark waterway that is truly a stream of dreams.