ozark trout fisher

I'm just curious. I don't know all that much about Missouri trout fishing. I know the regs for each designation, but that's it, and I'd like to see what people's favorite's are. I'm guessing either Blue Ribbon or Taneycomo, but I might be way off.

Thanks! This helps a lot

I know this is way after the fact, but great writing.

Thanks for the insight.

Thanks for the help. I read in the Arkansas trout fishing manual they stock 30,000 per year in the lower lake each March. Don't know how long they make it after stocking though.

Thanks sooo much. Exactly the info I was hoping to hear.

I understand it is very hard for the MDC to create new fisheries. I guess I didn't think through all the hard work the MDC already goes to in order to have trout fishing in Missouri at all. I feel kinda bad now for questioning their approach. I truly respect the Missouri Department of Conservation, and just about everything they do.

It turns out there is a possibly I will be heading down to Taneycomo a couple days after Christmas. I have absolutely no idea how to fish it. I will be bank bound. I have some limited experience in the White River below Bull Shoals during the summer, but besides that, I know very little about the tailwaters. 1. Is the trout fishing any good this time of year? 2.What lures or baits should I consider using? 3. Will an ultralight with 4 pound mono do the trick? 4. Should I fish the trophy area, or the lake below? If the lake below, is there any public access? 5. Any chance of wading? Thanks a lot for any help I can get. Any knowledge about Taneycomo is more than I already know.

Interesting. I guess they do listen to the people.

Yeah, I guess that's true. I probably shouldn't have questioned the MDC management approach, I guess I just sorta selfishly wanted another place for trout fishing here.

If that is indeed the case, the MDC is making the right decision probably. The water is so beautful from Akers to Pulltite that it is a bit disappointing that there aren't many trout or smallmouth. I've never floated it, but have driven over explored the area quite a bit. Maybe it would be nice to have some spring and fall stockings, like on some of the warmer white ribbon streams.

Thanks really appreciate it. Wasn't even expecting a reply at all, so it's a nice surprise.

We are staying a resort several miles up from Bull Shoals Dam. We are going to rent a boat with a ten horse motor, no fish finder. Is there any way, with this somewhat primitive boat, and no fish finder, that you can catch the trout stocked in Bull Shoals this far down. We'll be going in Mid-June. I know I've read there are some in this part of the lake.

I know that most people traveling to New York to catch trout head to the Catskills, but there is another option. The Adirondack trout streams are absolutely beautiful, and extremely fun to fish. The first stream we spent some time on was the West Branch of the Ausable, a world famous trout stream, featured in TU's 100 best streams book. It sure is tough to fish. The main problem for me, is that I spent my time spin fishing. I spent almost all of my time fishing below a small hydro dam. I should be noted that this section is essentially put and take. We fished in August, and it hadn't been stocked since May. The first day there, I walked from one bankside boulder to another until I found some appealing pocket water. This section was right in town, so I didn't expect any trout to still be around. That notion was quickly thrown down when I caught (and released) a stocking size 8" brown trout on my first cast with a 00 Mepps spinner, my personal favorite trout lure. I few boulders and a few casts later, I hooked about a 20' rainbow, but he quickly ran downstream into some whitewater and got loose. I had to leave for the day a little later on, but I had about two more weeks to fish, and was happy the stream still had some big trout in it, despite the best efforts of many catch and keep fisherman. The next trip I caught another stocker brown in the same spot I hooked the 20" bow, but couldn't buy another bite for several hours. At this point, we decided to head to nearby Black Brook, a public tributary stream, that was said to be stocked with several hundred brownies each year. Four pound brown trout were said to be present, along with native brook trout. Fishing the whole evening shift, I only managed one small, yet colorful brook trout, and a smallmouth in this beautiful stream. No browns. A few days later I headed to the West Branch of the Ausable again. After checking twice to make sure it was indeed legal, I bought two containers of nightcrawlers, some size six hooks, and split shot. I began fishing the plunge pool (it reminds me of the pool just below the dam at Montauk) just below the dam, and this immediately produced. I caught and released five pretty brown trout between 8" and 10". All were released unharmed. After this, we headed back to Black Brook. I put my 00 Mepps back on, and in several hours of fishing caught one 7" brown trout, as well as several Yellow Perch in the stagnant pools. Apparently August isn't the time to fish in this stream, due to the fact that regulations are so non-restrictive, and water temperatures probably creep up pretty high. The next stream we headed to was the near the headwaters of the North Boquet River. I found mostly waterfalls and other non-fishable areas until we made it a ways upstream Then I saw, without question, the prettiest pool I have ever seen on a trout stream. I tied on my Panther Martin, and it took me less than two minutes to catch and release two brookies before I gave the pole to my brother, who caught an 11" jewel on his first cast. On my way back through I caught another of these pretty trout. All were released. The pool was about seven feet deep, and completely out of place in this creek like section of the Boquet. Even compared to the streams I've fished in Colorado and Montana, this is the most beautiful little stream I have ever fished. There were plenty of wild Brookies to cap it off. The Adirondacks are a great place to fish, and have some of the most beautiful streams in the world.

Thanks a lot. I'll definitely keep all that in mind, and hopefully I might catch a couple. Cheers.

It seems a bit wasteful to have the beautiful stretch of stream from Akers to Pulltite unstocked with trout. From what I hear, there aren't a lot of Smallmouth there, mostly just suckers and bluegill. I would really liked to see that changed, but from what I've read so far, it seems pretty unlikely.

I definitely like catching the Cutts and Brookies better myself. I'm from Colorado, and that is watch you catch mostly, except for some rainbow or brown in the lowland waters. I wouldn't mind having some in Missouri, if it wouldn't hurt any of the native species such as smallmouth or rock bass. I suppose they have to come first.

Thanks a lot for the camping/ canoe outfitter info. I'll definitely write that down and keep those places in mind for this coming spring. Cheers

Thanks a lot. Very helpful. I'm kinda new to the whole Missouri trout fishing thing, spent most of my time trout fishing in the streams of Colorado where I used to live.

Those reasons probably do account for it. I completely respect the MDC, and believe that they have created the best nonnative trout program of any state I know of, except maybe Arkansas. I was just curious, I don't even know if introducing them would be the right thing to do.

Sorry, I think I spoke a little too strongly in my last post. It didn't offend me. However, I don't think it is as simple as capitalism of socialism. I think that it partially the duty of outdoorsmen to do our part to help manage the fish and wildlife of our state. I would be willing to concede that I understand where the land owners are coming from, and where you are coming from. Maybe a compromise, like half-priced tags if you have more than 5 acres, and maybe move the cutoff to 40 instead of 80. Just ideas.

I used to leave in the town of Craig Colorado, and spent a good deal of time trout fishing in the Yampa that where it runs through town. Back then it was good, but I heard that smallmouth and especially pike have taken a big toll, as well as high water temps. Does anyone know anything about the how it's doing. sorry kinda a random question.

I have to admit that a take offense to what you say bigredbirdfan. I hunt solely on public land, and I really have no other place to hunt, even if I wanted to. And without the MDC's careful management, there would be few deer in Missouri at all. After all, the MDC had to reintroduce them, and now they have to manage them. They are working a complex scientific formula, and I trust they know what is the right direction to go. If it costs me ten more dollars a year, I'll take it.

I was just curious if anyone knew why there is no stocking of cutthroat or brook trout anywhere in Missouri. I know that they are stocked with decent success in several rivers in Arkansas, including the tailwaters as well as the Spring River. It seems that several places in Missouri could probably support them, such as the C&R areas of the trout parks, Taneycomo down to Fall Creek, and possibly the coldest sections of the North Fork of the White and the Eleven Point. If I had to guess, I would say it is due to a lack of extra hatchery space, but I could be wrong. I know due to the fact that the bottom substrate isn't suitable, and the water temperature isn't cold enough to spawn, they would likely have to be maintained by stocking. Missouri has done a lot of great things with its trout program already, I was just a little curious why they don't stock these species.

I generally only keep spotted bass, due to the fact that they reduce the number of smallies a stream can carry. I may keep a largemouth occasionally, but not often. I feel that largemouth are distributed wide enough that keeping one here and there hurts anything too much. But smallmouths population tend to be a bit more fragile, so I'll rarely if ever keep one. Plus they just fight too hard to only be caught once.