2009 Missouri Trout Odyssey--Day 3

[Brian Wise]

Hey guys,

Report and photos from Day 3 of the "Odyssey" is up on the blog. Check it out here www.flyfishingtheozarks.com

And here is the video:

Let us know what you think.

Brian

[drew03cmc]

Some may object to your calling Hickory Creek a $#!t hole. I have never fished there, but if one of my home waters is called that, I am apt to defend it. I really like your videos.

[ColdWaterFshr]

If thats what it is, I appreciate the candor. Saves me the drive if my curiosity should ever decide to tempt me to investigate. Matt and Brian just saved me the trouble. My homewaters are Lake Springfield, and I have no problem at all with calling it a festering lagoon of a S#!t hole.

Nice video Matt and Brian. Really makes me want to hit Crane sometime.

Paul

[drew03cmc]

There are holdover fish in Hickory along with some lunkers that can wash in from the upstream park. You can catch fish, just put in the time. Don't expect to learn the secrets of a stream in an hour. It can take days, months or years to truly learn what makes the trout in a particular creek twitch.

People may think my homewater creeks are spitholes, but every sunfish I pull out of there is colored up more brightly than the last and it makes the fishing worthwhile.

[fishgypsy]

Bickering over whether or not stream X is or is not a sh*thole seems absolutely pointless to me. Everyone has their own idea of what constitutes good water. It's an opinion. A preference. Everyone has one. If yours doesn't jive with someone else's, so what. Get over it.

[drew03cmc]

Ok, well, that seemed to be awful harsh for a creek someone has spent an hour on. Oh well, just my opinion, and I am no expert...

[Buzz]

Hickory is not like was mentioned. You guys just happened to fish it during the worst year we've had for stocking. I love this little creek.

[Brian Wise]

I thought that might ruffle some feathers...

First, that wasn't "my" assessment but I would agree that it for sure isn't my cup of tea. Now having said that Matt and I both agreed it would be cool to have a trout stream (even a complete put and take stream) running through our town....trust me, neither of us would argue with that! I don't doubt for a second that there are holdover fish there year-round and I was really impressed with the water quality...NOT stream cleanliness mind you...but water quality, it was gin clear in the spots we fished both years, but awfully trashy which is obviously a side-effect from being "in" a town without a doubt.

We didn't have to catch a fish to thoroughly enjoy a stream, Mill Creek--can't wait to go back, even Barren Fork a stream that has little to no fish I can't wait to see again...Hickory just wasn't my cup of tea either. But Hickory Creek isn't the only stream like that....Stone Mill on Fort Leonardwood--NO WAY am I going to jump through the hoops involved to fish a stream that the stocking trucks run through a military base to get the fish to a stream and then they get fished out in no time--same concept I guess.

Seriously not trying to ruffle feathers, but I seriously think that most fisherman wouldn't travel any great distance to fish a couple of these streams.

Brian

[Buzz]

No harm, no foul Brian. It is a pity that the fish are removed as fast as they are put in sometimes. And you are right, to a degree, that it is a lot like an urban trout lake, with respect to the amount of pressure it recieves.

As a member of the Hickory Creek Stream Team, we have made a big difference over the last year, but we have a long way to go.

Overall though, I liked the video. It looked like a fun trip.

[fishinwrench]

Some may object to your calling Hickory Creek a $#!t hole. I have never fished there, but if one of my home waters is called that, I am apt to defend it.

Political correctness once again raises it's ugly head. Kudos to Gypsy and P-diddy for getting a quick bead on it.

Nice work Brian and Matt !