Niangua Report (pics Added)

[podum]

Me and 5 others make a yearly trip to the Niangua and stay at NRO's cabins fish Thurs through Sat. This was our 4th year and we've dodged the weather every year. We stay at NRO because it's before the silly season (the place is still tame) the accomodations are decent, and the river access from there is pretty good - considering we have some older guys so we don't float. We solely bank and wade fish. Had a sick feeling on the way down Thursday. It rained the whole way from KC. We stopped at Truman dam and fished in the rain for about an hour. No water running = a few runt crappie. Forecast sucks - rain every day, all weekend. Checked the water level on the USGS site the nite before and things looked ok, but the rain made us think we were hosed. We set off for the river expecting to see a muddy mess.

Pleasant surprise when we arrived just after 1. Only a drizzle. We check in, unload and then head down to the river at the NRO camp site by 2. The river was in really good shape and the rainbows cooperated. Crawfish crankbaits were the key. A few on the flyrod came on an egg pattern. All of the fish were really healthy and fat. A couple topped 15 inches. Weather made us quit around 5. We were glad to getenough fish for our Sat. night fish bake as we thought the storms could blow the river out overnight and turn our outing into a card playing event.

Friday morning was as ok,but slower than Thurs afternoon. Interrupted by rain around lunch, but the river held up well. 6 rainbows among us. Two of the larger ones had tons of eggs and bright spawning colors. After lunch when the rain slowed I headed down to Barclay by myself. It was simply murder. Every other cast (small crawfish crankbait). Mix of browns (12 inchers) and rainbows (one went 16). I could only keep 3 to fill my limit and then started releasing. I didn't bring a phone so I couldn't call the nappers up at NRO. I debated staying and slaying them alone or driving back to get the rest. I decided to get them. 5 of us came down and fishing was really good the rest of the afternoon.

Weather held on Friday night and we thought we were home free. Headed to Barclay on Sat. morning expecting more of what happened the evening before. Shocked to see a river that rose more than 2 feet and was a muddy mess. We tried, but couldn't fish the riffle at Barclay. Thought about heading back to the cabin but one of our guys said "let's spend some time at the lagoon by the parking lot where the canoes put in." Good call. The browns were in there and down by the boat ramp in the slack water. We caught at least 15 of them (caught a couple rainbows and bass as well). None were stocker size. Most were 13 inches and fat. Two keepers - a 15 1/2 and 16 1/2. Both looked like footballs. I wanted to post pictures but the file size is too large to download.

Fabulous trip. Good Lord looking out for us.

[DoveTail]

Nice the weather worked out, sounds like despite the river conditions you were able to find some great spots to still hook up some fish.

If you right click on your file, the option should come up to open with different programs on your computer (not your default program)...your default picture viewing program or others on your computer should have options to resize the images.

[podum]

Thanks for the tip Dove Tail.

[FishinCricket]

Glad to see you guys made the most of it.. I was reading where you went back to find barclay a muddy mess and considered leaving ad I was thinking "Wonder if they tried the put-in hole, the fish always stack up in there during high water..". Glad to see you guys hit it, don't suppose there's any crappie left in there?

Great report, glad to see you guys dodged the weather bullet, I was concerned the river was gonna be blown out..

[podum]

Hooked only one crappie - came off. They are all still there. So are the two browns in the pics.

[XP 590]

Thanks for the report, I was on an annual outing at Bennett Saturday, but I'd much rather be out in the Niangua. I saw the same bubbling muddy mess you were talking about on Saturday morning. I drove into the access below Bennett to have a close look and the water patrol was there keeping boats and canoes off the water. I never thought about fishing that little lagoon area at Barclay, I'll have to try that some time.

[flyfishmaster]

Great report Podum! One of these days I will be able to make it down that direction and fishing.

Later,

FFM