Dirtworm

I was able to get away for a few hours on Saturday (thank you to my wife and kids). For some odd reason, I thought the best thing I could do with that time is to tackle Blue Springs Creek again. I have decided that God designed this place in such a way that it is a little like parents putting their child's Christmas presents in an electrified box - it may be pretty, and you really want whats in there, but getting to it is going to be painful. So again on this trip, with my limited time, I ended losing more flies than casts made (for those of you who were wondering if that was possible). I have come to the end of my complaining for now, I suppose I should here ask for some advice so that I can be better equipped to suffer blissfully at this little stream in the future. So the question rolling around in my head at this point is this: How and where do people cast on this creek? I am seriously thinking about leaving the fly rod in the car next time, and I think maybe the best outfit for all these tight corners is actually sold by Ron Propiel and not Bass Pro. The only time I can manage any sort of backcast is when I am right on the edge of the stream (I have already long ago sworn off getting in the water here) or once when I found a spot so close to highway N that I was able to throw a real nice loop standing right on the double yellow line, which may be hazardous. So is a traditional cast out completely? I have heard tell about a slingshot cast, I tried a few times this trip and it seemed to work fairly well with my new 3w rod, but I couldn't hope to get it out far enough to cast somewhere where the fish wouldn't see me. Even this method is challenging with all the brush around. So, I am open to new ideas. I can see how after enough trips one would start to get to know the creek well enough that I could find a few spots that are far enough down stream from some good holes and have adequate backcasting room, so maybe thats an answer. I'm hoping that there is something else I am missing. This is a beautiful little stream and I would feel darn good about myself If I finally wrangled a 5 inch rainbow out of there. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this, and double thanks if your reply is anything more than: "stop whining, thats fishing." God bless, Adam

I was able to get away for a few hours on Saturday (thank you to my wife and kids). For some odd reason, I thought the best thing I could do with that time is to tackle Blue Springs Creek again. I have decided that God designed this place in such a way that it is a little like parents putting their child's Christmas presents in an electrified box - it may be pretty, and you really want whats in there, but getting to it is going to be painful. So again on this trip, with my limited time, I ended losing more flies than casts made (for those of you who were wondering if that was possible). I have come to the end of my complaining for now, I suppose I should here ask for some advice so that I can be better equipped to suffer blissfully at this little stream in the future. So the question rolling around in my head at this point is this: How and where do people cast on this creek? I am seriously thinking about leaving the fly rod in the car next time, and I think maybe the best outfit for all these tight corners is actually sold by Ron Propiel and not Bass Pro. The only time I can manage any sort of backcast is when I am right on the edge of the stream (I have already long ago sworn off getting in the water here) or once when I found a spot so close to highway N that I was able to throw a real nice loop standing right on the double yellow line, which may be hazardous. So is a traditional cast out completely? I have heard tell about a slingshot cast, I tried a few times this trip and it seemed to work fairly well with my new 3w rod, but I couldn't hope to get it out far enough to cast somewhere where the fish wouldn't see me. Even this method is challenging with all the brush around. So, I am open to new ideas. I can see how after enough trips one would start to get to know the creek well enough that I could find a few spots that are far enough down stream from some good holes and have adequate backcasting room, so maybe thats an answer. I'm hoping that there is something else I am missing. This is a beautiful little stream and I would feel darn good about myself If I finally wrangled a 5 inch rainbow out of there. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this, and double thanks if your reply is anything more than: "stop whining, thats fishing." God bless, Adam

I was able to get away for a few hours on Saturday (thank you to my wife and kids). For some odd reason, I thought the best thing I could do with that time is to tackle Blue Springs Creek again. I have decided that God designed this place in such a way that it is a little like parents putting their child's Christmas presents in an electrified box - it may be pretty, and you really want whats in there, but getting to it is going to be painful. So again on this trip, with my limited time, I ended losing more flies than casts made (for those of you who were wondering if that was possible). I have come to the end of my complaining for now, I suppose I should here ask for some advice so that I can be better equipped to suffer blissfully at this little stream in the future. So the question rolling around in my head at this point is this: How and where do people cast on this creek? I am seriously thinking about leaving the fly rod in the car next time, and I think maybe the best outfit for all these tight corners is actually sold by Ron Propiel and not Bass Pro. The only time I can manage any sort of backcast is when I am right on the edge of the stream (I have already long ago sworn off getting in the water here) or once when I found a spot so close to highway N that I was able to throw a real nice loop standing right on the double yellow line, which may be hazardous. So is a traditional cast out completely? I have heard tell about a slingshot cast, I tried a few times this trip and it seemed to work fairly well with my new 3w rod, but I couldn't hope to get it out far enough to cast somewhere where the fish wouldn't see me. Even this method is challenging with all the brush around. So, I am open to new ideas. I can see how after enough trips one would start to get to know the creek well enough that I could find a few spots that are far enough down stream from some good holes and have adequate backcasting room, so maybe thats an answer. I'm hoping that there is something else I am missing. This is a beautiful little stream and I would feel darn good about myself If I finally wrangled a 5 inch rainbow out of there. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this, and double thanks if your reply is anything more than: "stop whining, thats fishing." God bless, Adam

Had a great day catching a variety of fish on little creeks that intersect I-55. At one stop I noticed the majority of the fish I caught had strange open sores on them. I never had a thought of eating fish from this creek anyway, but seeing this makes me a little concerned for the fish population in this really fun little creek. What is up with this fish?

thanks all for the tips, I appreciate your hard - earned wisdom. I will update this post with pictures of my first BSC trout soon!

I tried bsc again this past weekend, this time fishing upstream from N just like jpgwntile planned. He must have caught them all because I again saw mo evidence of a fish's existence. I barely got my waders wet this time, and I am confident that tactic will pay off eventually. I really appreciate everyone input, especially flyflungers anecdote. I will be back to bsc again soon, it is such a beautiful spot.

I parked at Blue Springs Rd., I knew I was going to love this place. The parking area was so small, and the creek so narrow that I actually doubted I was in the right spot until I saw the fishing regulations sign. Perfect! I had read that it was important to be stealthy here, so I figured I would have to hike up stream from my car to have any luck, but I need to warm up my casters so I threw a few into the trees right there by the low water bridge anyway. It was right then that I realized I was really going to have to watch my backcast. The problem is I can only pay attention to one half of my cast at a time! I waded up stream a ways and saw quite a bit of shallow, riffly, water but a few nice looking holes. I was somewhat dissapointed not to actually see any fish, I guess that is my trout park experience messing with my eyes. It was then that I realized I had forgotten my polarized sunglasses. Darn. The water was so clear and shallow and it was so overcast I didn't think it would matter, and maybe it didn't. I had also read that fly selection here isn't near as important as stealth and presentation, so I didn't fret too much, I just threw whatever I could cast decently. After wading and alternately tracking through the woods I saw a beuatiful looking hole under a mini bluff on a bend in the creek. I wasn't going to waste this one, so I crawled on my belly over a bunch of rocks, into the riffles below the pool, and went to work. I let the current take my fly line as far behind me as a dared and used that as my backcast. It took a lot of doing to get my fly into the calm water, but I was eventually very pleased with my efforts. I did see fish hitting the surface, and some even bumped my fly, but when I got tired of sitting in the water with my knees and elbows in the rocks I crept up closer and saw that there were mostly little chubs coming after my little black dry fly. This is where I learned that you can see your dries really well when your eye is at water level. I waded up stream some more but had no luck, no fish. Some more adventures, though. I learned how to cast around and over spindly branches and put a loop into the forecast to drop a parachute adams right over a nice pool on my left side. That was fun. After a few nice casts there my reel fell apart. It shouldn't have surprised me as "made in Japan" is stamped on the bottom, which is no knock on the Japanese and their workmanship, but the reel is old enough I'm not sure at the time it was built they even had boats big enough to make the journey from the far east to the Americas. I got the reel back together but ran out of tippet when I landed my 57th brush trout. So, back to the car. I had time to drive upstream to another access and ended up wading just past Highway N. Still no fish, but heck I learned a lot. I will come back and I will be better equipped, but thats not to say the day was a loss. I may have spent several hours wading around only to throw $20 worth of flies into the trees, but on Good Friday I think it is worth reconsidering what is "good." Enjoy some of God's finest creation and being challenged by beautiful fish in a stream so small most wouldn't even give a second thought, I call that Good no matter what the fish count.

I would echo mo guy. We put in a a couple miles below the spring on Saturday, took out a mile past Indian springs. Only had to get out of the canoe once. Great float, cold clear water.

Floated from alley spring to two rivers on the 4th. didn't see a soul below eminence, plenty of water, too. We caught some nice small mouth, including my first on a fly rod, lots of bluegill, long eared sunfish, chub, shiners, etc. Saw plenty of nice fish as the water is very clear. It was a blessing of a day, even came up on a herd of wild horses drinking from the river as we passed by my canoe. Thanks to Windys canoe rental for shuttling our car.

That sounds great.... I understand none of those fancy google earth machinations but the trout hunting is enviable. God Bless, happy hunting.

Thanks for the compliment on the pictures. If anyone would like to try the creek out give me a shout. I would be happy to come along and show you the holes. There is nothing big there, but lots of little stuff and a nice variety.

Went back to my favorite little stretch yesterday. Caught 5 species on one Olive Woolly Bugger, size 8 I believe. This time I nabbed both Horny Head Chub and Creek Chub, I think the creek chub get a little bigger. I didn't see any Horny Head here before, I wonder if they migrate around and are here to spawn? Also saw the tiniest red eared slider I've come across. I can't imagine he hatched already this year, but he couldn't have been old enough to have hatched last season. Very odd.

there are several nice wadeable creeks intersecting I 55 starting at imperial all the way down to Cape Girardeau. I would say all of them are wad able and should be close enough to hillsboro.

Sounds like fun to me. I need to get into some small mouth. My favorite little creek has nothing but the spotted variety when it comes to bass. MAybe I'll bump into you on one of these little creeks.

How did that little chub fight? I caught a 9 or 10 incher a few weeks ago and he was a lot of fun. I was quite surprised as well but I guess they can approach 10 or 11 inches.