ozark trout fisher

I saw this one yesterday and knew it was gonna be trouble-I was sort of hoping it would just slip by without anyone seeing it, apparently not. I'd better get some popcorn going, this is gonna be a good one.

I'll post pics here in a couple days-as of now it hasn't come in the mail yet. I'm not sure what reel I'm going to go with to be honest-I haven't quite figured that out or what line I'm going to be using. Thanks for the tips, hopefully it'll be a nice rod, if not, oh well.

Good luck. I'll be down Monday and I think I'll give it a shot.

I'm trying to hold my tongue as I have for the last couple train wreck threads, but dang it, why is it so important that you have the "right" to harvest 12" -15" smallmouth? There are so many other fish that are so much more abundant that folks can keep and eat if they want to. Go to a trout park. Fish for bluegill, goggle-eye, or catfish. String up some farm pond crappie. I just don't see the need for anyone to be keeping smallmouth, and if special regs keep meat hunters off the water, I couldn't be more happy about that. I'm not making the case that smallmouth are in all that bad of a position in the Ozarks, but I think that the fishing would be better if more fish would be put back into the river instead of the frying pan. One fish that a meat hunter keeps is one less that you or I have the opportunity to catch and admire. Smallmouth aren't overpopulated on any stream I know of, and so I can't think of why it might be beneficial to keep them. 12"-15" fish are prime spawners. They should be left in the river to keep the smallmouth population healthy, not served with fried 'taters.

I haven't been able to make it down in nearly two weeks, and I was wondering if there has been any terrestrial activity lately? I know it's a little early in the year for hopper fishing, but it has been pretty darn hot lately. I was thinking with the the water back to being normal and clear, it might be a good time to try a hopper dropper rig instead of the usual indicator set up.

If they really do have cameras all around the campground and park, that does seem a little weird. I still think you're being over dramatic, but it is a bit more understandable if it's more than just the one by the dam.

I'm having difficulty following this... There is a camera at the mill dam so folks can know whether the stream is blown out before they drive two hours to fish it-so what? The money could have been spent in a better way, but it's not a huge deal. Sure, if someone keeps thirty fish right in front of the camera, the MDC will probably bust them for it, but otherwise you ought to be fine. Has it never occurred to anyone that the camera may actually be there for the reason the MDC says it is? I'm just as suspicious of the government's motives as the next guy, but maybe not everything a government agency does is a conspiracy to spy on the people. I really think the camera is just there so folks can know what the stream is looking like before they come down.

Yep. I say anything we can do to get the folks who keep smallmouth off the stream is a good thing. Also,if someone gets scared off by a 15" minimum, that's one less person that might be fishing my spot.

PM sent.

Bennett must be a lot different from Montauk and Maramec, where as near as I can tell, just about any fish that gets caught is strung up. I don't see very many folks releasing fish at trout parks, and I'm not complaining about that either as long as they stay within the law. While I'm catch and release only everywhere else for trout, I usually keep a couple at the trout parks, except obviously in catch and release areas and during winter. What's the point to releasing every trout park fish you catch? They will be replaced tomorrow, and if I don't have the fish for dinner, someone will the next day.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to playing around with it a little. It will probably never replace my graphite St. Croix as my primary fishing rod, but it will be nice to have around anyway. I'm going to take it down to the Current next week and see how it does.

I just purchased a Montague Leaping Brook Bamboo fly rod (9') for $75. The rod appears to be in fishable condition, with just a bit of damage on one of the ferrules and normal signs of wear and tear. It was pretty cheap, and I figured I didn't have a lot to lose. I'm not expecting a high quality fly rod for that amount of money, but has anyone used or heard anything about this make, and is it at least usable?

The water levels don't look too bad. There was a spike in flow last night, but it doesn't look like it should kill the fishing-I'd venture to say you'll be alright, although I could be wrong. Expect clearer water the further upstream you are.

Parachute Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, and Royal Coachmens in size #12-16, plus maybe a couple wet flies (soft hackles are my favorite). Those high country brookies are rarely selective, although they can be easy to spook. You can use nymphs and small streamers as well, but why? They always seem happy to slam a big dry fished with any attention. I didn't really know how to fly fish when I use to live out there, but even then I could catch the brookies on dry flies pretty easily. They just aren't hard to fool except on rare occasions. Navigating the terrain seems to always be the toughest part of fishing the high country out there. And as Gavin mentioned, brookies are great to eat, and they are usually plentiful enough that you don't have to feel the least bit guilty about having a couple for dinner.

At the conservation area I hunt in the Southern Ozarks, I have had encounters with deer dogs nearly every year for the last eight years I have hunted there. It is getting so bad that I may have to choose a different area, somewhere outside of the Ozarks, next year. Last year I had two hounds run right below my tree stand just a few minutes after legal light started, right at prime time. The year before, I had one hang around my campsite in the evening after I got back. They were all hounds, and they all had radio collars, and it was the November deer season in southern Missouri... So I think it's a pretty safe assumption that folks were dogging deer, on public land no less. I really wish local law enforcement and the MDC would watch out for that more. Deer doggers kill the experience for hunters and they hurt the deer population. Considering that there are none too many deer in south central and southeast Missouri as it stands, I think it's a pretty big problem.

Treble hooks are fine. The only bait restrictions you'll run into will be from Montauk to Cedar Grove- artificals only, but treble hooks are legal even there.

Test Tube Trout grilled with lemon and butter! My favorite.

Awesome. Have a good trip! The water levels look like they ought to be about perfect right now on the middle/lower Current.

I like the Milldam Hollow area down for smallies a lot myself. It's getting pretty late in the year though for the trout that far downstream-if the water isn't too warm already it will be soon.

Statewide, 12", although I would encourage you to release them.

If you are down on the lower Current (anywhere below Akers really), there are few if any trout. Smallmouth fishing is good though. I've never fished the Current for smallies myself, but I'm sure if you use what Al said you'll catch fish. I've also hear that the smallmouth fishing is better below Round Spring.

That's a pretty broad question. It would really help to know what water you fish, but there are a couple standards. Hare's Ear and Pheasant tail nymphs in sizes #14- #18 work under most circumstances for Missouri trout, especially when fished under an indicator. #12 Woolly Buggers in black, olive, or brown, either stripped in or fished under an indicator also will catch a few most of the time. I'd have to know what stream you're fishing to give any more specific advice. To be honest, technique is much more important than the fly you use. If you're nymphing, you need to be getting down to the bottom. And you need to watch your indicator carefully-it can be kinda hard to detect strikes sometimes. And the leaders you use are also important, nothing shorter than nine feet or heavier than 4x in most situations. Fish the water where the riffles dump into the pools, and you'll catch a few. If you're like me, it will be awhile until you really start catching good numbers of fish with consistency, but it's not all that difficult to get a couple early on. I'd also suggest you practice fly fishing for bluegill on a little pond or lake before you head to trout water for the first time. It really helps develop casting and other skills you need to catch trout on a fly rod. Good luck! Once you start fly fishing I'm sure you'll fall in love with it, and things will never quite be the same again. It sounds corny, but it's also true.

Trout Panther Martin Spinners-1/24 and 1/32 ounce Rooster Tail Spinners, same size as Panthers Marabou Jigs, 1/32 ounce black, olive, and white A couple small suspending Rapalas. You'll also do better for the trout if you use four pound line. The trout like to hang right at the head of pools on that river, so make sure to stop and cast to those places. I've never fished for smallies on the Current River before, so I can't help you there.What stretch were you planning on trying? That will really effect the fishing of course.

Thanks. That's another idea I haven't thought of. Definitely worth looking into.

Thanks JD. I hadn't thought of that.