Planning First Trip To Montauk And The Current River

[Gavin]

I think the back way is about 15-20 minutes faster....I take I-44 to Hwy 8 in St. James, South on Hwy 8 , right on Hwy 68 to Salem, take right on 19 south through Salem, a couple miles out of town you make a right on K (look for the Tie dye shop), follow K for 8-9miles and go right at the Y onto E (just past the store BBQ shack), go a couple hundred yards on E and make a left on YY (by the cows standing in the pasture;>)) and follow all the way to the park. Black top turns to gravel by the road to Baptist Camp Access, but follow the gravel past Tan Vat Access (across from Eagles Park CG) to the park.

63 is easy to navigate, but I find the drive boring, plus they write a lot of tickets on 63 near Edgar Springs.

The local shops in St. Louis should be able to set you up with some appropriate caddis patterns. Good luck.

[tinner]

I took highway 68 home this Fall when I went fishing at Loggers Lake. So I at least know part of the road down there. I will probaly go that route it looks like you end up right at Baptist and Tan Vat access. If it shaves off 15-20 minutes it means more time to flog the water.

[Gene K]

Going 68>19>K>E>YY shaves off at least 20 minutes. However, there's always a slight possibility of slow moving traffic on 68. Slow traffic that could be too many cars long to pass.

[hfdhoosier]

I am going to Eagles Park on the 23rd. Do you think it would be OK to pull a pop-up the back way from I-44 through Salem?

[jdmidwest]

You should be just fine. The only way I have is backroads, 72>21>72>B>K>E>119 to the park, it takes 3 hours from Jackson. It winds thru Fredricktown, Arcadia, Glover, Lesterville, Centerville, Bunker, then to the park. The scenic route. The other route 72>21>32>F>E>119 has steeper hills pulling a camper.

[ladykiller]

Ive pulled my pup down there about every way you can go, and I've never had any problems. The Salem route is quicker. Hwy 63 is almost a straight shot from Rolla to Licking. Good thing about going the 63 route is the Little Piney.

[Gene K]

I am going to Eagles Park on the 23rd. Do you think it would be OK to pull a pop-up the back way from I-44 through Salem?

If you mean going 68>19>K>E>YY, yes - no problem. If at night, watch for critters on YY. Once YY turns to gravel (near Baptist) there is s bit of wash boarding as you start down the hill. After Tan Vat there are always some pot holes (but it's usually graded about this time of year), but everything can easily be avoided.

[hfdhoosier]

Thanks all. If I get down there during daylight, I might try the new route from St. James to Eagles Park. Ive drove to Baptist so I know what you mean by pot holes and washboard. At times of the year they are bad.

[brianbarker]

If everything goes as planned I'm planning on taking my first trip down to fish the Current and Montauk an 3/22. I have never fished either and was wondering how you would compare Montauk to Bennett Springs. Is Montauk as crowded as Bennett. I have been looking at past posts and other articles on both and somewhere it said that Montauk was the more rustic of the trout parks. I hope to fish the Current in the morning and hit the park for awhile on the way home. Hopefully you can get some elbow room at Montauk. I was looking at Weavers fishing report on their site and they had a picture of a place I was fishing this past C&R season and there were 9 guys lined up fishing that little area where I was. Nothing wrong with that but just not my idea of fun. Any input would help and if anyone is down there on 3/22, will have to say hi and put some faces to some of the names on here. I met RCGuy down at Bennett this winter and he sure was a good guy. Even though we froze to death that day.

I catch alot more fish and fight alot less crowd at Baptist Camp over Tan Vat. If you decide to try Baptist Camp, either passing up or leaving TanVat, head up the hill and continue on the gravel road that takes you to Tan Vat and you will run into paved road about 1/2 mile past the TanVat turn off. When the pavment starts there is a road that turns off directly to your right and it only goes to the river and the parking lot circles back around taking you back out the same way. It a breath-taking place, you'll want a camera I'm sure. One of my favorite places to fish. The whole stretch to the first shoal is great, I've caught a few keepers there (18 inches with a limit of 1) but I've waded all the way down to Cedar Grove. It takes about 4 hours to wade it and you better leave a vehicle at the other end unless you want to walk back. Its completely natural and peaceful. The most people I ever ran into were probably 5 other waders in 2 miles of river and caught literally hundereds of trout over 10 inches on spinning tackle over the last 3-4 years. It really is a amazing place. You wont regret it. Good luck and watch for the guy in the ripped-up yellow Chevy hat with a green vest. I might make it down if I go home that weekend.

[Gene K]

...I've waded all the way down to Cedar Grove. It takes about 4 hours to wade it...

You might need a new watch there Brian! 7.9 miles, and for a human walking average speed (on firm and level ground) it would take just short of three hours. Now, toss in a stream to wade ... oh, and a tad bit of fishing along the way. And if you get into all those 10 inchers, you're going to be a bit late getting to Cedar Grove.