HighPlainsFlyFisher

That's pretty much the story. Spent about three hours at each location with the public access definitely fishing better for me on this day.

Finally got the chance to hit the water again this past week. With only one day to fish I decided to hit the Niangua and see what was going on. The water looked perfect to me , up a little and slightly stained , just how I would have ordered it. The weather was incredible for this time of year and that alone made it a great day on the water. The fishing was not as good as I expected considering the conditions , I caught decent numbers of fish but they were all small cookie cutter stockers , no holdovers at all. I didn't work at it too hard and never ventured to even change flies all day , the setup worked just well enough to keep me from trying something else. I fished a two fly streamer rig with a size 12 red fox squirrel nymph followed by a size 6 sculpin pattern. I didn't feel like messing with indicators and weights so I just swung streamers all day. Quite a few other folks out on the water today and who can blame them , fifty degrees and sunny in late December , I'll take that any day. Full TR on my blog..... http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

Appreciate all the help guys...first off I'm from the Kansas City area so pretty much anyone in the Ozarks region wouuld be considered "local" to me. I've fished a couple bamboo rods over the years through friends and enjoyed them all , but only one was made by a name which I can remember...Tony Spezio. As far as what I want , to be honest I'm not absolutely sure. I do know that I want a lighter weight rod which could be used for small trout on small streams. Obviously casting a few different tapers and lengths would be a big help before actually purchasing a blank. While there are several flyshops locally , none of them carry any bamboo rods that I can look to for insight. I think that's got to be my first goal, to find someone who's got several different rods that I can look at and cast before making my decision. You guys have given me at least a couple of local builders who might be able to accomodate , I'll just have to get in touch with em and find out. Any other names or suggestions throw em up , it's gonna be after the holidays before I seriously consider the purchase so I'm just looking to make a few contacts and get some good info at this point.....Jeff Ted - it's not the bank I'm concerned about , the wife on the other hand...that's another story! Brian - Thanks....and yeah those were all on Turkey. I purposefully cropped out the trailer parks and old washing machines lying along the shore while taking the shots! http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

I've been building my own rods for over 10 years now , started off with spinning and casting rods and then when the flyfishing bug hit me I began building flyrods for myself and friends. I've always wanted to try building a bamboo rod (wrapping a bamboo rod I should say , I realize that it takes specialized equipment I don't have access to for building one) and wondered if anyone on here had information or advice on the subject that might be helpful. I've found several internet sites that offer bamboo blanks but honestly I know nothing about the different levels of quality and workmanship involved in these things. Does anyone have any experience with purchasing boo blanks?? Are there any local guys that sell blanks they've built?? Unfortunately I can't justify dropping a house payment on a bamboo rod , but on the other hand I want something that will be worth investing my time and effort into. Thanks for any info.....Jeff http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

Podum - Thanks for the great info , I've only fished Smithville a couple times for walleye and that's about it. Sounds like a great place to target some whites though...I have a feeling I may have missed the window for this year with the cold weather lately but you never know. If I decide to give it a go I'll definitely PM ya. Thanks again.......Jeff

Justin - Night fishing for stripers with a flyrod would be a hoot for sure , especially with the size of some of the fish in the lake down there. Definitely something to put on the "list". Cricket - Great idea , but you probably wanna target a different demographic than myself , I'm too darn poor to afford a guide. The wife says that if I'd work a little more and fish a little less.....aw hell , screw that! Wrench - You convinced me , I may try to sneak back down for an evening this weekend if the weather holds out.

Got out for a very short trip on Clinton Lake the other day and found a few whites and hybrids on some shad. The majority of the fish were too far out for my shore based flyfishing but I managed a couple fish , nothing of any size but I'm not complaining. I was wondering if any of the Missouri lakes would have this same opportunity this time of year?? Anyone else catching fish shallow enough to be targeted with a flyrod from shore?? Short TR on my blog.....Jeff http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

Very cool stuff...makes me wanna get out from behind this desk and hit the water!! I guess I'll just have to get by with watching the video for a third time....Jeff http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the comments guys. Chris - I love my Korkers Chrome wading boots. They are definitely the most comfortable boot I've worn , although I'd have to rate the Chota's a very close second. The Boa lacing system is super sweet though , makes taking the boots on and off a breeze. That being said I have to add that I went through a pair of studded rubber soles already this year , pretty much just tore them up. I would guess that by the end of the year I'll have tore up another set. Personally I'd like to be able to get more wear out of them. Like I was telling a buddy , it's not like I'm a guide who's on the water all the time , you'd think the average fisherman like me should be able to at least get a full year out of a set of soles. Bottom Line...I'd buy another pair if I lost mine tomorrow.

Got the opportunity to spend a little time on a couple of the wild trout waters this past weekend. As always I had a great time...got away from the crowds and managed to catch a few fish as well. Nothing of any size this trip but when I visit one of these streams that really doesn't matter , it's all about the experience. Got a few pics and a full report on my blog.....Jeff http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

ColdWaterFisher - I'm sure that those fish aren't feeding down in that section of the spring...just hanging out in the slack current areas. The only other life we see down in the spring hole is sculpins , and these fish are just stockers that are too small (and stupid) to eat sculpins.

Thanks guys...the Kaintuck Hollow option sounds like my best option. I googled it and found lots of info on hiking in the area but not much mentioned about camping. Did find one site that mentioned primitive camping there but not much else. Looks like it may be a little difficult to find with what directions I came up with , guess that's part of the adventure! Seeing as I've never fished Mill Creek and will be right there I may not even make it to the LP. A day on some new water sounds pretty good actually.....Thanks again for the help. Jeff

Quick question for some of you who know this area better than myself...I know that Lane Springs campground is now closed and wondered if there was any other primitive camping areas in that vicinity? If I'm lucky I might get the opportunity to fish LP one day next week but the 4 hour drive is killer after fishing most of the day so I'd like to be able to throw up a tent and head out in the morning. Thanks for any information......Jeff http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

Looking forward to those reports guys...I'm working all weekend so living vicariously through others is gonna have to be my fix. Pretty sure there's a tournament this weekend so I'll be checking to see what those results are if they post em up somewhere.

This last Sunday I got the opportunity to meet up with a fellow OAF guy from here in KC , WalleyeRich , and hit Pomme with the ten weights for muskie. Richard had fished the lake many times and caught several muskie , but never on a flyrod and I'd never even been on the lake before. We chucked big flies all day (or at least until our arms couldn't take it anymore) and didn't connect with a fish , but that's all part of this muskie game. He had us on the right spots I'm sure but we just didn't drag that fly in front of the right fish. We still left the lake with smiles on our faces and a plan to return for a second chance in the near future. Full TR on my blog....Jeff http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the kind words guys , appreciate it. Justin , I didn't intend for it to sound like I was dissapointed in the 18+ brown , not at all , but after seeing some of the fish I've witnessed swimming in those waters over the last couple years it's easy for me to set my goals a little higher. Besides , goals are meant to be set high enough that it takes a little effort and time to achieve. I'm still gonna take you up on that fishing offer though , I'll see you this fall...Jeff

Spent a few days this past week on the Current with my best fishing buddy. Fishing was very good , lots of rainbows and a couple browns , although I didn't catch anything of any size. Several hatches had the fish looking up and fish were caught on dries as well as nymphing and throwing some streamers. I saw lots of tricos and caddis with a few smaller hatches of BWO's mixed in. A few too many people on the river for my liking , but that's what 70 degrees and sunny will get you I suppose. All in all a great trip and it proves again why it's one of my favorite rivers in the Ozarks. Full TR on my blog....Jeff http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

Justin - those pictures say it all , that's one happy and proud boy. Dry Run Creek is a geat little stream , I've walked the banks a few times (minus flyrod obviously) and just wished I was under sixteen again!! Looks like you've got a heckuva fishing partner there for a good long time to come......Jeff

I'd be more than willing to participate if it was on a weekend when my work schedule would allow. Lord knows there isn't a stream in the Ozarks that doesn't need a little love after being used and abused all summer long.

This whole problem could have been curtailed by MO DNR years ago by putting some restrictions on numbers of outfitters or canoes on certain rivers. At this point they'll never add any regulations because it'd hurt too many people's business (as well as their own) so we're just stuck with the River Mardi Gras from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Even law enforcement can't really help us fishermen , they may bust a group or two for smoking pot or drinking too blatantly but there aren't any laws against being loud, obnoxious or just plain STUPID. I could really care less about the folks floating down the river smoking pot (but that's who they'll bust) it's the screaming, paddle slapping , four letter word spewing drunk that I'd like to drag off the river and teach some manners. In my mind it's a losing battle and all we can do is let em have the rivers for six months and then do our best to clean up after them when they leave , cause they sure as hell aren't doing it! Jeff

Glad to hear the trout fishing is picking up Justin , I need to make a trip down your way real soon and check it out.

Got the opportunity to float the Niangua on Monday with another buddy from KC. Great weather and an uncrowded stream made for a very enjoyable day on the water. It didn't hurt that the fish were very cooperative either , we caught lots of average sized bows and quite a few small browns as well. Fly selection didn't seem to matter much , beadhead nymphs..buggers..sculpin patterns , they all produced. Just glad to have our river back from "the other crowd" for six months or so. Full TR on my blog...Jeff http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

I posted a question on here earlier about musky fishing on Pomme de Terre and got some good info from several folks. With the weather cooling off and summer ending I'm starting to seriously plan a trip for the near future and thought I'd poke around for any more info that might help in locating the fish of 10,000 casts here in Missouri. I've been researching fish preferences and such but honestly have never seen Pomme de Terre except from the road across the dam so I'm pretty clueless (about more than just muskies on Pomme!!). Any and all info that might lessen the casts by one or two is appreciated. I plan to rent a boat (somewhere?) and fish for a weekend , strictly tossing big meaty flies around structure in hopes of a follow or take. If anyone else is interested in joining us we could make it a group trip and up our odds of at least someone seeing a fish. No dates are set yet...still figuring that one out , but if anyone's interested in a weekend of big rods , big flies and sore arms drop me a line and maybe we can make a trip happen. http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

Thanks guys..I have to agree that the whole landowner easement thing is a little strange compared to what we have around here. It's such a nice change of pace to see landowners that are willing to allow access to streams that otherwise wouldn't be fisheable. I have to admit that the streams and surrounding area were some of the cleanest I've ever encountered while fishing , obviously the folks utilizing the waters are doing their part to make sure the landowners don't change their minds.....Jeff

Ness - I'd highly recommend staying at the Highlandvile Store campground , great little place with some super friendly people. OTF - Thanks....You seem to appreciate the small streams and wild fish like I do , I'd say you'd thoroughly enjoy the Driftless area. There's really nothing in Mo. to compare it too , lots of different water to choose from. StlFisher - Thanks!