jgentile

Hello, I would appreciate any insight on fishing the Bourbeuse from Tea access. I will be with my fly rod and will be happy to get into Google Eye, Long Ear's and of course a few smallies! Strictly C&R for me. Is this stretch wadeable for a good portion or should I head upstream further? Feel free to send me a pm if you do not wish to respond publicly on this forum. Thanks in advance for your help. Joe

Interesting tid bit I found on another forum. I apologize if posting this link is in violation of any Ozarkanglers forum rules. http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/index.php?news=3419 Joe

Read this today. Just a little heads up. http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/company-epa-lapses-lead-to-hazards-on-the-eleven-point/article_f9fbcaf6-b469-5706-bd8d-ceade791be08.html

I never measured, good guess I was figuring 16-18 I wish it were a Peerless, unfortunately the reel is a Chinese knock off. The rod however is one sweet piece of fiberglass. (three pieces actually, lol) Haven't made the jump to boo yet. Easy to tie, nice profile on the water. I never nymphed it, but sometimes I tie them with a shorter wing and no floatant as a cripple/emerger.

3wt and a size 16 X-Caddis. Fish were rising all day.

I like to keep it simple with my emergers: Z Wing Emerger - Green & Tan X Caddis - Tan & Black Barr's Emerger - BWO's Sparkle Pupa Simple Soft Hackles - 18/20 with a Starling collar in a variety of colors. Thread or biot bodies

http://www.riverbum.com/Loon-Stanleys-Ice-Off-Paste/ I got mine at Feather-Craft.

Hello, I'll be down there too either Wed or Thu. The first thing you want this time of year is some "ice-off" in your bag/vest. The air temps are looking to hold above freezing late this week, but ice in guides is a real pain in the butt. If it gets sunny and noticeably warmer you may get an insect hatch. I believe you may see Baetis "bwo" and midges. With the extended cold we have had I would not expect to see too much surface activity. I will still pack a number of emerger patterns with me as well as the venerable Griffiths gnat. This time of year I like to drift a small midge behind a heavy point fly. I usually tie an un-weighted midge off of my point fly and let it dangle 18-24" behind. Slow and deep is my mantra. Layer up well as you can always take it off, but can't put it on if you don't have it with you. I do not wear the traditional vest/bag in the winter months. I like to wear a small back pack with a few articles of dry clothing (base layers) in zip lock bags, fire starter and a thermos of hot tea. I also keep the amount of extra fishing gear I usually carry down so I have room to stash the jacket, etc. if needed. Fly boxes, tippet, nippers, etc... all get stuffed into wader pockets or pinned/clipped to my outer most layer for ease of access.

Hello Ben, Welcome aboard. I live out in far west county myself. I too am addicted to trout on the fly.

Thanks Mic! I'll have her check with the AFRC for me.

Not sure if any of our members can help me out but here goes. I am off to Spangdahlem AFB in a couple of weeks to visit my daughter and son-in-law. They are both active USAAF and just got back from Kandahar. While the majority of our trip will be seeing the sights in the Rheinland-Pfalz section of Germany I might just find some time to wet a line. We are going to be there for a significant chunk of time and I can't spend all my time eating weiner-wurst and drinking beer. There is not too much information on the internet but from what I read is that the Suhr (sp) is close and full of Grayling, which I believe are still in season. If anyone has any first hand information on fishing this region I'm all ears or eyes. Thanks in advance. Joe

Great post. I always enjoy your blog. I know that first body of water well. I also enjoyed the read on your adventure in TX with the salt water excursion.

I have no scientific evidence to support my opinion here but with that said... I am of the opinion that the late July flooding moved the gauge or somehow messed it up. (superb scientific term). While the river is a little low in spots there is plenty of water to be had. The river certainly does not "look" to be running at 39 cfs and there is certainly more water than the past two years when we had real drought conditions. I have been fishing the river the last five weeks between the wire and Ashley Creek. The biggest thing I have noticed is the drastic changes the flooding has done to the profile of the upper Current. The weather took a drastic dip in temperature and the fishing was at its' toughest for me this week. Still, there is plenty of insect activity and fish rising. Nymphing worked, streamers worked, dries and emergers as well.

Hello, It is pretty well thought out. Here are a few thoughts from my initial reading. Omissions, corrections, and inclusions. Hope this helps. Joe

I have fished the upper Current the past two week. I have seen plenty of anglers and no one from the NPS. Zero... I would hate to run into one as they are the last people I or anyone else would think to be "essential" personnel. And I too am with Muddler4. I have never seen an enforcement officer around to deal with the G#*&^!!$!!! poachers. It would be ironic to see one this week.

Thanks for the report. I was on the river last year fishing up stream from Baptist when the survey was taking place. Didn't get as close to the action as you however. I believe the survey takes place from Tan Vat to Baptist then Baptist down to Ashley Creek and if memory serves each stretch is surveyed twice. One stretch you could have fished was from the wire down to Tan Vat. It doesn't help you now, but keep it in mind if you find yourself on the upper Current the last week in September next year and hear that generator coming. Joe

A big thank you to everyone who responded on this post as well as the pm's. We had a very good outing despite the hour or so of consistent heavy rain, which ironically really triggered the bite. This is a perfect stretch of stream for UL fly fishing. The scenery is outstanding. I pretty much left my camera in a water proof compartment, but Chris if you read this would you mind posting a few pics? This stretch of the Huzzah has inspired me to tie up a new "old school" minnow pattern. I will probably hit it again next week. Joe

Red Bluff it is. Thanks Colin and everyone else for the information. Any idea as to what number to look for on the river gauge to determine if I can fish up at Red Bluff?

Hello, Looking for a bit of help here. I would like to know if there are any public access points for either creek. I am looking to do some wade fishing this coming Thursday "if the good Lord's willing and the creek stays down!" (man I have been waiting for an appropriate time to use that quote). I would like to hit the water early and the canoe outfitters don't open until 0800 so if wading is a viable option I'm in. I am a respectful C&R angler, fly fish only and will be using barbless hooks so in other words no worries of poaching here. PM's welcome. Thank you. Joe

Not too recent I would assume with the Simms cold weather gloves and the sweater?

2sheds, Sounded like on hell of an adventure up, down and around highway 44. Wish you had some pics to share. I fished Mill in late June and Little Piney last week. Both places are still fishing well. Add in BSC and one realizes that there is indeed some very nice wild trout streams relatively close to the STL metro area.

nice report.... i had fun fishing the trico hatch/spinner fall this past tuesday. those bvk's are stiff and i believe perform better when overlining them. this said, SA mastery and rio gold are 1/2 size heavier than marked. since u live in ballwin, may i suggest heading out to lake chesterfield to practice your roll casting. you can do double duty here. practice casting while catching a mess of blue gills and bass. also, you don't need a heavier rig unless u start to throw larger flies on a regular basis. i had my 2 wt with me, but then again i was only presenting size 26 spinners all morning.

Not entirely true. I fished up from Parker Wednesday. The bite was consistent from 0630-1600. One just has to adjust their tactics as the day moves on. Those darn pesky stocker browns were bunched up and hitting about anything. I must say they are happy after a bland diet at Sheppard of the Hills hatchery. All those little browns were fat from gorging on larva, scuds, minnows, etc... no more trout chow for them!

You might want to talk to Darrell from Reeds Fly Shop just outside Montauk Park. I don't have his number offhand, but they have a web site and he has a Facebook page under Reeds Fly Shop. He has been keeping tabs on the river and can give you a first hand impression.

Did not know that Westover dumps into the Huzzah, makes sense. I kinda liked the idea of the brave little rainbow making a right turn at the Meramec and swimming upstream. I might pay to fish Westover one day. They do it out west all the time and it is a lot closer to STL than my other options.