October Fishing On The Current

[stldr]

Dear All - I'm new to this site. I am planning a trip to the Current in a few weeks (mid-to-late October) and have several questions.

1. I have enjoyed fishing Baetis hatches out west and am hoping to get info on the activity with these bugs on the Current. My experience out west has been that on a cool (50's) cloudy day, the hatch is long and steady from about 1-4PM. I am assuming that the pattern holds here too. Is that right?

If so, I would plan on fishing a dry/emerger system probably, or else just a dry or two at the peak of the hatch. Any comments or suggestions for favorite fly patterns would be appreciated.

Also, what is a good nymph option for the morning before the flies start coming up?

2. I have not spent much time on the Current (I live in St. Louis) and have only fished from Baptist up to Tan Vat. What is the water like farther downstream? Are there nice calm areas for fishing dries?

3. What hatches might I encounter later in the afternoon and evening in October? I know that the Current is a great caddis river in general. Is that a likely ticket this time of year? If so, any suggestions for patterns and sizes?

4. I gather from reading about the Current that I might hit a midge hatch. What time of day might that be, and what patterns do people recommend (I have had particular success with Griffith's Gnats in the past in other places).

Thanks in advance for your suggestions. I promise I will write a report of my trip, including letting you know what I thought worked or not.

Derek

[Gavin]

Dry fly fishing gets fickle in October...big bush attractors and terrestrials work, teeny weeny trico's and bwo's work sometimes, caddis work sometimes but your mainly be nymph or streamer fishing...Sculpins, Stonerollers, Shiners are the primary forage for the brown trout and they usually feed early or late even in the winter...Sometimes youll get a winter caddis hatch, but you need a warm night or two to get a decent hatch. Great water all the way down to Akers Ferry. Have fun.

[Nortrad]

Check the Current River part of the forum. Fishing downstream from Parker's has some good holding water, then it thins out, with fairly obvious stretches. But, the fish should be moving to different locations. My fishing bud always goes upstream from Tan Vat and does well. I've never fished from Cedar upstream. Any help Gavin?

[Gavin]

Park to Tan Vat is good water...Tan Vat down about 3/4 of the way to Baptist is good too....Easy wading, but a bit crowded for my taste most times. Parker to Cedar.... I hardly ever float that.....But I remember a fairly long stretch of skinny frog water between the spring hole and the top of the Campground, a nice run around the top of the CG, then more frog water till you hit the bridge. The downstream side of the bridge hole usually gives up a rainbow or two. Cheers.