ozark trout fisher

I just want to take this opportunity to say that every time I fail to catch fish, I blame this forum 100%. All your fault :lol: Seriously, the idea of someone complaining to a forum moderator because they didn't like a fishing report is just plain silly. If you must pm somebody, pm the person you have a problem with in the first place. Get a life. The fact is, this is already the best site for information on all things fishing in the Ozark region, let alone the Tri-lakes area. It's good enough as is, but any rule changes that might make it better are fine by me.

My point exactly. More than that, I am opposed to new dams as a general principle. I'm not one who believes that the dams on the White, and other nearby rivers should be torn down, but Missouri has enough reservoirs. The Ozarks don't have enough free flowing streams as is. But to pull water from a creek with a rare strain of trout, that already has extreme water flow and temperature problems is particularly egregious. I also think the idea of pulling some water from Bull Shoals or Table Rock could conceivably work, they could stand a little drop in the water level, whereas Crane Creek couldn't. But I'm not a hydrologist.

Great post, really informative.

Sorry about your fly box. And yes, mean people do suck .

I was on the river 7/10 too, although a different section. When I did Greer to Turner (7/8 I believe), I didn't catch nearly so many, so good job. I caught something like 15 rainbows in that stretch, so I'd say you did well.

If your looking to avoid the tailwaters, the North Fork of the White above the lake from Rainbow Springs to Dawt Mill and the Eleven Point from Greer Spring (A half mile or so above Highway 19) to Riverton are good options for trout fishing on the Missouri side. Of course the White below Bull Shoals, and the North Fork below the lake are always good for a few rainbows too. There are also countless smallie streams around here you could check out. At the North Fork above the lake, I've heard Blair Bridge and Patrick Bridge are pretty good walk in areas. At the Eleven Point, you can wade to some pretty good trout fishing in the shoal above the Highway 19 Bridge. There are too many accesses to name on the White, but Rim Shoals and White River State Park are a couple you might check out. Welcome to the forum.

Found this link... Might help you. http://www.missouri-vacations.com/missouri...ounds/index.htm

Welcome to the forum. If your planning a trip to the Ozarks to fish, you absolutely must float and fish the Eleven Point. Just got back. Excellent wilderness river, and the trout fishing is good too.

Just finished a blog entry on the trip.... http://fishingintheozarks.blogspot.com/

The closest area to Pulltite with really good trout fishing is around the mouth of Welch Spring, they stock pretty heavily there. Akers Ferry can be good too. Of course there is always the Blue Ribbon area, and Montauk. The key anywhere on the Current this time of year is to get there early in the morning, or late in the evening, aka before and after the aluminum hatch.

I've swam in about all the trout parks, but never on purpose :lol:

The video didn't work on my computer.... Basically, what was it about? Just curious.

Upstream from Pultite fishing isn't real good for trout or smallmouth, although you can find fair numbers of both. For best trout fishing, go a few miles upstream to the Akers Ferry area, and good smallmouth fishing can be found just downstream from Pulltite, although it gets even better below Round Spring.

Still, we have enough reservoirs in this country. I am absolutely opposed to building even one more anywhere. Leave nature as it is! And you said that water would be pumped from Crane Creek... For a creek that is already struggling with water flow problems, this could finally kill it.

We have to oppose this. There is no telling what a dam on Crane Creek could do to the wild trout fishery, plus the problems it could cause other streams. This is worth fighting for if you ask me. "We can't keep destroying the environment to make way for more people. We have already lost so much and I am not willing to give up anymore." Flysmallie, you said it best.

You'll like it. There are rivers around where more fish can be caught, but you won't find one more wild. I didn't see a single canoe today.

Well, here's the report I promised Day 1 Greer to gravel bar about a mile past Turner Mill Started off the day by paddling upstream from the put in upstream to the bridge, and drifting back downstream. I tied on a 1/32 ounce Panther Martin spinner, and put a tiny split shot a foot or so up the line. I caught two nice rainbows right off the bat, one of which was just legal sized, although he was released anyway unharmed. We then started our float downstream. It wasn't a fish at every pool, but the fishing was good, and the rainbows were thick. They liked the spinner, and I never changed my lure all day. Found a nice gravel bar about 4 PM. The slow, deep pools seemed to hold the most trout in this section. Day 2 gravel bar to Green Briar Float Camp Woke up early and waded into the run just below our camp. Fished it for about a half hour, and managed one nice rainbow on my spinner. Right after we started floating, I caught one rainbow, and then I brought nothing to the boat for the rest of the day besides minnows. We had planned to stay at White's Creek Float Camp, but we apparently missed it. Day 3 Greenbriar Float Camp to Riverton The fishing was a bit slow again today. I started off the trip with an approximately 15" largemouth (quite a shock given this is a coldwater stream). Later on I caught a nice rainbow while floating through a shoal, and then a 10 inch smallmouth bass. That was it, except for a few shiners. Used a 1/16 ounce Rooster tail to catch all three, also with a small split shot a foot above the lure. All in all, it was a great experience, one I definitely want to repeat soon. The trout fishing wasn't exactly epic for me (although it was pretty good, especially in the Blue Ribbon area), but the wildness of the river, and the excellent scenery more than made up for it. My favorite float stream in the Ozarks so far. The only downer was a few very inconsiderate jet boats, one of which almost swamped us. Also, Halls Bay rapid was pretty tough, and we got stuck. Had to get out and drag it, which was quite an experience given the deep, fast water, and the fact that the bottom was as slick as ice. Still a great experience, and I will be back.

Sounds like a good time. As far as trout goes, its pretty dead below the catch and release area this year, too warm. Good place for smallies though. If you get up by the dam though, there will still be quite a few trout.

and the oncoming storm after that last comment shall now begin.

Agreed. The sounds of marauding jet boats don't exactly help me have the "wilderness" experience I'm looking for.

Interesting... I like what I'm hearing.

I'll put it this way... If I'm wading, or in a canoe, and you come by in your jet boat, I don't want to leave just to get out of your way. I will move if I have to, but I won't be happy with you. If a river is narrow enough that you can't get by me on your jet boat without me moving, then that stream section might be too small for your boat. Don't have a problem with jet boaters in the least, just a problem with folks who take them on narrow stream sections.

Interesting... I hadn't thought of that. I do know that the MDC has had success with such things at Montauk, and that would make since with your explanation. It seems like it might have potential to work in places like Little Piney, because it has a considerable drainage upstream of where the trout water really begins (its usually pretty dry above the blue ribbon area, but it can flood pretty awesomely after a good rain)... I've always thought that might be a creek where the population of trout could be increased with a little bit of pocket water added in the riffles, this really makes me think so.....

I agree that dredging is bad for our streams, and is a practice that should be discontinued... Still, I do think that stream improvements such as boulders, and lunker structures would help, without damaging the "natural" look of the stream much if at all. Montauk state park has many such stream improvements, and I think most believe it is the most natural looking of our parks. I really think such stream improvements would really help our wild trout creeks more than the parks. I know of streams out west, not unlike our smaller trout streams, that had their trout populations skyrocket after a little help from man, paticularly placing large boulders in some of the deeper riffles, to create a "pocket water" effect, and lunker structures in the better pools. This adds quite a few places for trout to hide, and feed, and I think it could definitely help our wild trout streams. Just my opinion

So, I thought this might make a good topic. I actually started thinking about this after an interesting thread on the Bennett Spring forum.... So I was just wondering if folks could come up with some ideas to make trout fishing better in Missouri. I know that trout fishing is really pretty darn good in Missouri, but there is always room for improvement. I hope this can be a constructive conversation, without personal attacks, insults, etc. First off, I think that our smaller Blue Ribbon Areas (Crane Creek, Mill Creek, Little Piney Creek etc), should be made into "no kill" catch and release areas. I think that this would reduce a certain amount of "cheating" the length limit, as I believe this hurts our smaller streams quite a bit. Secondly, I agree that some form of catch and release area should be added at Bennett, as well as maybe a very short one in the faster water near the head of Maramec Spring park, where few bait/catch and keep fisherman fish anyway. I would also be very much in favor of dropping the daily limit to three trout in parks and white ribbon areas. I believe this would cause much less of a stress on our hatcheries, and ultimately better fishing. Also, while this would take some money and work, I think habitat improvement should not be overlooked as a method to improve our trout streams, both inside and outside of parks. I am thinking of things such as adding in-stream boulders and "lunker structures". These are just ideas, and I am sure that there are many more with merit, and I am curious to hear them.