The Perfect Trout Bum Trip In Missouri And Arkansas...

[OKFlyFisher44]

Just as the topic says, if you guys were to plan a Trout Bum trip to fish all the "quality" water in Missouri and Arkansas...how would you guys do it? What rivers/streams would you fish?

I've got my vacation time set aside to use this fall and I'm considering just using it to take a week long trip to fish everything I can in Missouri/Arkansas. I'm based out of Mannford, Oklahoma (just west of Tulsa) so I've been staring at a map for a while now. Best I can figure it...I think I'd go at it like this:

Go up I-44 and start at the Current River, fish it for a day or so, possibly float it

Head southeast to fish Crane Creek part of a day and Roaring River part of a day

Cut back east to Taney, fish it a couple of days targeting big fish

Keep heading east...fish the NFOW for a day by floating in a canoe

Then head south to the White/Norfork area, spend a couple of days there

Keep heading south to finish up with a day or so at the Little Red

Then hit I-40west, come back home!

What do you guys think? I could also do this trip in reverse i think....starting in Arkansas and fishing North through Missouri. Just wanted to get some other opinions or even past experiences if anyone has attempted this before? I know there is some other waters that could be covered...like the Eleven Point and Niangua systems. I included Crane Creek to throw in something different...plus I've never fished it before! I also included Roaring River because thats where my trout-fishing obsession began when I was 7-8 years old....its always had a special place in my heart.

I think it would be a lot of fun. Obviously, price of fuel is really going to drive up the cost of the trip...but I figure I will eat cheap and camp to try to off-set the cost of fuel....

So...how would you guys do it?

[Terry Beeson]

Honestly, I think you've got a pretty good plan there... The only thing I would change is I would have to include the Spring River (AR) kind of akin to you including Roaring River. I met my lovely bride LOML there...

[zsmith62]

I can't think of a better plan. In fact, last sunday i completed the crane, roaring river, and taney section of that trip, spending a couple of hours at each. If you leave roaring river at the siren and head straight to taney, you can get in a good dose of night fishing.

[rps]

If they are no longer generating 24/7 to get the water level down by then, I might suggest cutting somewhere and spending three days on the White below Bull Shoals and the lower Norfolk. I don't know which of the other stops you would shorten, but I do know no finer fishery exists than those sections. You could realistically do the Norfolk in a day and divide the White into two days. Day one from the dam to Sportsmans? Day two Sportsmans to Ranchette?

[OKFlyFisher44]

I agree RPS...the White is too big of a river system to cover in 1 day. You can fish Norfork pretty thoroughly in 1 day, I did it a couple weeks ago on my 1st trip to Norfork. The White is a different story...I've never fished it before. Hopefully they will cut generation by fall...crossing my fingers for the White River system and Taney to stop generation.

Zach....how did Taney fish after dark? I'm making a trip to Taney with a couple of buddies sometime in October/November...was planning on doing some night fishing!

Thanks for the input guys....hopefully I got it planned out pretty well. Fuel is the only thing thats going to hurt....I drive a Dodge 2500 4x4 Diesel for my vacations but I'm highly considering driving my lil' Isuzu 4-cylinder/5-speed truck that I drive to work everyday that gets roughly 24-26MPG. My only worry is...."Snowball" has 183,000 miles on it...hehe, but it runs fine so who knows. That might just be part of the adventure....

[Fishhand]

Sounds like a fun trip. It may save you some miles if you hit RR, Taney and Crane Creek first (or last) and then head out East to the Current, NFOW and then drop down to the White and Norfork. Either way, good luck and have fun!

[OKFlyFisher44]

Yeah, thats the only issue with the trip...is the order to fish these places so I'm not wasting a lot of time on the road. The Current is really outta the way from the other waters so I'm halfway tempted to skip it but I really want to fish it...heard some good things about the place.

Not really sure how to go about it....

[laker67]

Yeah, thats the only issue with the trip...is the order to fish these places so I'm not wasting a lot of time on the road. The Current is really outta the way from the other waters so I'm halfway tempted to skip it but I really want to fish it...heard some good things about the place.

Not really sure how to go about it....

I would spend the week at Mountain Fork trying to catch a new state record!

Good fishing to you!

[Brian Sloss]

Starting with your plan to start at the Current, I'd fish the Current below the park and then head south on hwy 19 to the Eleven Point near Alton. After fishing the Eleven Point, I'd head south on 19 to Thayer and go south a couple of miles on 63 to the Spring river. September would be a good month for both the Spring and Eleven Point river because of the Hexes. Then head west to Mountain Home for the White and Northfork tailwaters. From there head a little north for the Northfork of the White near Dora. Head due west to Branson for Tanycomo followed by Crane creek or Roaring river and then back to OK. That will give a great taste of the Ozark trout experience.

[flyfishmaster]

Wow... I wish I could make a trip like this. You are one lucky dude.

As for a route, I like Jim's suggestion a lot.

Later,

FFM