Fishing/camping Between Memphis And St. Louis

[ekl-stl]

We are making a trip to Memphis in a couple of weeks and I am looking for a camping destination between Memphis and St. Louis preferably some trout fishing would be ideal.. any suggestions?

[FishinCricket]

First suggestion? Lilley's landing isn't too far out of the way on your trip from Memphis to St. Louis, it's ran by the same guy who owns this forum, and it's gotta be the best trout fishing in that area...

Otherwise...

Low cost option would be camping somewhere in the Emminence area (Jacks fork and Current rivers are wonderful areas to camp and fish)

Or a higher cost option... http://www.riveroflifefarm.com/index.html

I am sure there are many options between these three.....

[jdmidwest]

Memphis to St Louis is about a 3 hour trip, any trout would result in a side trip of 3 to 6 hours off I 55.

Alot of people from Memphis go to the Spring River south of Mammoth Springs Ark. for trout. Norfork and White River is about another hour away.

[Al Agnew]

Yeah, any trout fishing is pretty far off I-55, especially once you get a decent distance away from St. Louis. Maramec Spring and the Meramec River would be the closest, but if you're leaving St. Louis, that doesn't get you far on the way to Memphis. Montauk and the upper Current is 2-3 hours off I-55, so would mean at least 4 hours extra drive time. And anywhere else with trout fishing is much farther.

The problem with driving to Memphis is that once you get down I-55 to Cape Girardeau, your fishing and camping choices are rather limited. The rest of the trip is through the Bootheel of Missouri and the delta country of Arkansas--nothing for fishing but swamps, dead slow muddy rivers, and swampy lakes. Camping in some places is nice but not in the summer when the mosquitos are gonna be bad.

Maybe your best bet would be to go down I-55 to Hwy. 67 at Festus, down 67 to Hwy. 34, across 34 to Hwy. 60, west on 60 to Hwy. 19, down 19 to Greer Spring and the Eleven Point. Several good campgrounds in that area, and the Eleven Point is good trout fishing. Then, leaving the Eleven Point, go on south to Hwy. 62 in Arkansas and take 62 and 63 back over toward Memphis. That route also takes you right to Mammoth Spring and the Spring River, which would be an alternate place to trout fish.

[ekl-stl]

Thanks for the replies.. I have been looking around and there arent many options on this path.. The eleven point might be our only choice or I might just have to pass on planning to fish on this road trip.

I am going to check in to the Norfork and the Spring River..

[Gavin]

The Spring and 11pt would be your best bets because they are furthest east and close together.....Nfow is about another hour west of the 11pt.. Used to run back and forth from Memphis a bit, and its a quick half day trip...any travels to trout water are going to add at least a half day to your travel time.

Nothing wrong with taking the long way home.....Id probably go with the 11pt, rent a canoe from Brian at 11pt canoe, float Greer to Turner overnight and have him spot your car at the takeout. Its about 4.5hrs to STL from the 11pt not sure how long it takes to get there from 55. Cheers.