ozark trout fisher

Low water makes fishing tough as everyone has mentioned, but such prolonged low water isn't particularly good for the trout either. It leaves them considerably more vulnerable to predators, among other things. Fall low water on the Current is usually some of the most difficult fishing of the year when the sun is out, because the water is low and they can see you from a mile away. But on cloudy/rainy days it can be very good, the olives can get going and the fish will lose some of their caution. Higher water is better though, as that'll get the egg pattern and streamer bite going again, which usually makes for some pretty easy fishing.

I trust the MDC in most all matters, but I certainly would not take what they tell you about stream access laws as gospel. They clearly state in their fishing regulation handbook that you shouldn't fish any stretch of stream that flows through private land without permission, even though everyone does that because it is legal in many, many cases. If Little Piney is navigable (and who is really going to argue that it isn't? People float the thing all the time and it is listed in the Missouri Department of Conservation's float book) then you were legal. Doesn't mean that you won't get arrested. Doesn't even for sure mean that you wouldn't get convicted of trespassing. Landowners hold a whole lot of power in rural Missouri, and law enforcement and the prosecuting attorney are often unwilling to upset them. All it means that you are legally, and ethically in the right. And I'm afraid in some parts of the state that just doesn't matter much. Local poachers, and deer doggers can get away with whatever they feel like doing, because the prosecuting attorney or the sheriff is usually their cousin or their buddy. But for goodness sakes, if you are a catch and release fisherman from out of town, and have the audacity to park at a public easement and wade fish through private land on a navigable stream, watch out!

Another place you might consider is Paddy Creek Wilderness. The trail through there takes you through some of the most beautiful country in the Ozarks, with amazing views as the trail leads along high ridges for a good part of the way. 17 miles of trail and the Big Piney is right there. It is a bit off trail but not at all difficult to get to cross country. The smallmouth fishing on that stretch of the river is quite good. Last fall, about this time of year with the fall colors at their peak, I hiked, fished, and camped that area, and it was a wonderful time.

Sounds like a good trip, and congrats on your first smallie on the fly. Keep at it. I am also still in the process of learning how to consistently catch smallies on the fly and it isn't always easy. Sure is worth it though. I was over there wade fishing this weekend as well, although I fished the Huzzah just a very short ways down the road. Next time you head that way you might try that. I think you'll find the wading to a little easier there, though it ain't a breeze by any stretch of the imagination and requires some bushwhacking to cover a lot of water. I was also tossing mostly olive woollies. The sub-12 inch smallies and the goggle-eye were on but nothing much bigger. Oh well, no complaints. It sure is beautiful down there this time of year, isn't it?

It's a little late in the year for night fishing, though you might have a few more good nights for it with these above average temps. During the summer I love to run Black Jitterbugs at night. Old school and it works.

I decided I needed to try some place a little different today, somewhere that I hadn't fished before...I ended up deciding on Huzzah Creek. After pouring over my DeLorme atlas for a little while, I found a good access and headed that direction. When I got there I was struck by how pretty a little stream this was. I know that it gets mercilessly pounded by floaters during the summer, but when I got there today, the access was all but empty, the hillsides were painted yellow and red, and the stream was gin clear and a little green-colored in the deep holes, just like an Ozark creek ought to be in October. I rigged up with a #10 BH Olive Woolly, started wading upstream. It wasn't long until I had my first smallie. It very soon became apparent that this was going to be one of those days when the action is fast, but the fish are small. When you are fishing relatively small flies, it is unreasonable to expect to catch large fish anyway. A considerably majority of the fish brought to hand were <12 inch smallmouth, with the largest fish being a 14 inch spotted bass that I was more than a little surprised to see on this stream. The smallies were still solidly in summer holds, the lower ends of the riffles and the rocky pools with fast current. The dead slow water wasn't producing much. I love getting out this time of year when the leaves are turning and the streams are so exceptionally clear and beautiful. There is not much else to say. In all just another perfect day on another perfect Ozark stream. Pics tomorrow.

Good luck. I am afraid the weekend on the Current just ain't happening for me this time...But at least it looks like I'll be getting to the Meramec tomorrow.

Just peacock herl, a bright yellow marabou tail, and a bead. I wouldn't use such a thing for trout fishing, I just don't think it would work, but bluegill love it for some reason; I've yet to find a fly that consistently works better.

I've never fished the thing, it being pretty far from home for me, but according to my copy of the Fly Fisher's Guide to Missouri and Arkansas, it does have a good smallmouth population.

I do greatly appreciate the advice, it is most helpful. I'm planning on just going to the park and wading up the river from there, that way I also have the option of taking a few casts in the water below the spring branch.

Thanks, and I will give it a try. I think this time I'm just going to be wade fishing.

It's been a little since I've been on the Red Ribbon section of the Meramec. The original plan was to fish the Current the whole weekend, but that fell out and I've only got Sunday free...So I'm going to the Meramec instead. Originally I was going to fish the red ribbon area for trout, but do you suppose the smallies would still be active in the water upstream from the spring branch? I thought this warm weather might help with that. Honestly I'm a little unexcited at the prospect of fishing for trout in the Red Ribbon area and if it would still be a viable option I'd much prefer to go after smallies.

Awesome! I'm looking forward to the pictures.

That fly looks very good. Should work for more than just bluegill. I've "invented' a couple different little bluegill patterns. I'm not sure if any of them are actually original, but I just know that I didn't intentionally copy other patterns. My favorite is a very simple and ugly little thing with a peacock herl body and a bright yellow marabou tail, tied on a #14 or #16 beaded hook. Bluegill go nuts over the things, and they are exceedingly easy to tie. But then bluegill go nuts over just about anything they can fit in their mouths.

Well, all I can say is that the most exciting fight a 15 inch fish of any species has ever given me was a Colorado River Cutthroat this summer on Trapper's Lake. I thought for sure that I was into a 20" plus fish, I have caught much larger stocked bows and browns here in Missouri that didn't fight so hard. Cutties do not jump much but they tend to go deep when they are hooked if they have a chance, and it can be a real battle to get the bigger ones back up again. It's a different kind of fight but they can be scrappy little devils all the same.

I very much enjoyed the pictures and report. I'm planning to be down there this weekend and you can bet that seeing those fish got me excited! Beautiful colors on those fish, especially the rainbow. It's a sad thing about the fellow who kept the sub-legal fish, but you did the right thing calling it in, and maybe something will come of it. If more folks would make the call when they saw someone so abusing the resource, the Current would be a better trout stream.

Nortrad, I understand why you would want them here in MO after catching your first few. They are wonderful fish, are they not? I know they have a reputation for being lackluster fighters, but I have always found them to be pretty scrappy, I can't tell any difference between them and a brown or rainbow of the same size. They do tend to be smaller, but if you hook into a 17 or 18 inch Trappers Lake cuttie, you'll see that they have not earned that reputation.

Cutthroat are not very piscivorous, so I don't think they would have much effect on juvenile rainbows. I suspect the reason we don't have cutthroat in Missouri is all about the money that would be involved in raising another species of fish, and the possibility that it would be difficult to raise them in our hatcheries. I don't think there is much doubt that the habitat is there on some stretches of stream, the Spring River in Arkansas is very much like our spring-fed rivers and cutthroat do fine there. I'd love to have the chance to catch cutts here in MO, but I'm not sure we need yet another non-native species. I love cutthroat trout, but I'm okay with having to go find them in their native territory, beautiful high elevation streams throughout the Rocky Mountain west. There they are a symbol of the west, of the wildness that was, and still is in a few areas. Out here they'd be a fun novelty, a chance for a "grand slam" and not much more. Not really worth it in my opinion. And that's a beautiful picture by the way.

I'm definitely hoping there will be something hatching so I can get them on top. Last time I was down there the dry fly fishing was pretty good, hopefully that will the case again this time.

I plan to be down there Friday night through Sunday afternoon. Mostly likely I'll fish parker hollow, maybe a little up at Baptist too. Should be a tough weekend for fishing with the low water and the forecast for bright sunny skies but I'm really looking forward to it all the same.

I don't know anything about walleye fishing, but I read your article, and I think it is very good. It is informative, thorough, understandable, essentially the whole package. In my unprofessional opinion your article seems to be completely publishable, except it would probably be necessary to edit it for length.

Well fair enough. I do respect your opinion, even if maybe we disagree a little on this.

Justin, if you read my posts on here, you would know that I am bitching about those things and other issues of that nature, and since that in itself doesn't matter in the least, I'm also writing letters to congressmen, the MDC, Trout Unlimited, whoever might listen and might be able to do something. But that doesn't mean I don't also have the right to bitch about drunk, stupid floaters. And I do not intend to just sit back and complain on OAF either. I will be doing everything I can to advance the cause that I am speaking of, to make these riverways a better place than they are now.

Justin, I'm not so much saying that these rivers are suffering any great, long term ecological effect. The sheer number of people can raise the bacteria levels in these rivers, we've seen that. But I'm more talking about how these people ruin the experience for those who want a wholesome experience on the river, relatively free of nudity, drunken stupidity, boom boxes, and rebel yells. I know the economic impact canoe rentals have. But economic concerns need to be balanced with the good of these rivers, and the good of those who want to enjoy these rivers for the wonderful natural environments that they are.

Yes, this seems that it would be the ideal solution. As I stated earlier, I'm only worried that such steps would simply seem to be too repulsive to the canoe rentals, which do wield so much power in the area. And it is worth noting that any permit system would almost certainly not restrict wade fishing or other non-boating uses of the river. At least that is how it works on just about every other river where a permit system is in place. Awhuber, I know that the canoe counts on these rivers are restricted. But the current restrictions just are not enough to keep these rivers from taking more abuse than they can handle.