A Couple Questions

[stlfisher]

I fished the Current River with a buddy last weekend and we tried the waters below Baptist for a bit. We did not have much luck even though the water looked pretty good to me. Any thoughts on the water below Baptist? It looks to be pretty good water, but we did much better above Tan Vat..

Secondly, we turned on the next county road after Baptist and tried to find Parker access, but ended up on a gravel road that seemed to have no end in site. We obviously missed it, but is there a sign or something that points out Parker?

Lastly, what is the water like around Parker? Is it wadeable and is it worth fishing?

[ozark trout fisher]

I fished the Current River with a buddy last weekend and we tried the waters below Baptist for a bit. We did not have much luck even though the water looked pretty good to me. Any thoughts on the water below Baptist? It looks to be pretty good water, but we did much better above Tan Vat..

Secondly, we turned on the next county road after Baptist and tried to find Parker access, but ended up on a gravel road that seemed to have no end in site. We obviously missed it, but is there a sign or something that points out Parker?

Lastly, what is the water like around Parker? Is it wadeable and is it worth fishing?

The area around Baptist is my favorite water on the river, but it can be tough. One day you'll go down there and catch two dozen trout without much problem and the next day, with pretty much identical conditions, you'll do all you can and get skunked. My best piece of advice is to get deep, especially in the fast runs and deep pools. Those big guys that lie at the bottom of the deep, fast moving water aren't going to move far for a fly-you've got to put it right in front of them. It's a great place to fish deep nymphs, although I have done well there on dries when there's a good hatch on. But those fish aren't easy to fool with a dry fly. The drift has to be darn good and the fly has to be pretty close to the naturals in size and color. It's easy to watch the surface just full of bugs and rise forms, and fish a close, but not close enough imitation throughout the whole thing and not get a single rise. Trust me. Of course fishing being what it is if the fish are in the right mood, sometimes you can catch the things on a #12 Royal Wulff during a midge hatch.

It's a better nymphing river than a dry fly river on the whole though. Try Hare's Ears, Pheasant Tails, Princes, and maybe even a big Stonefly with a good bit of split shot.

[jah]

I fished the Current River with a buddy last weekend and we tried the waters below Baptist for a bit. We did not have much luck even though the water looked pretty good to me. Any thoughts on the water below Baptist? It looks to be pretty good water, but we did much better above Tan Vat..

Secondly, we turned on the next county road after Baptist and tried to find Parker access, but ended up on a gravel road that seemed to have no end in site. We obviously missed it, but is there a sign or something that points out Parker?

Lastly, what is the water like around Parker? Is it wadeable and is it worth fishing?

I cannot answer your Parker question, but I can answer the Baptist water question. I love it there and have always caught fish in that stretch. Granted, when it's tough I tie on a globall, but I have yet to be skunked there. In fact, I have had days where I have caught upwards of 50-60 fish, and I am by no means an expert. Would I have caught 50-60 without a globall? No chance! But I have caught loads on nymphs, but you have to get deep. As deep as you can. Loads of split shot and a thingamabobber to hold the weight and float. I love that water, especially with how popular it seems Tan Vat is becoming. If you want to catch fish, tie on an orange egg under a prince, add a large piece of lead 6 inches above, a thingamabobber 9 ft above that, and hold on. If you're a purist and cannot stomach fishing an egg, then try princes and any nymph with lots of flash fished deep.

[3wt]

That's the stretch where I first started catching "non-park" trout. Always fish to be found. #10 olive weighted mohair, drifted under an indicator if it's too slow or you can't seem to let the thing stay in the right spot long enough with stripping, or stripped like a streamer for some real fun. If that doesn't work try san juan worms. Anything small you drift should be under a hopper this time of year. I get so excited just seeing the things in my backyard because it means that the fish should be starting to take them. And by the looks of it, this dry hot summer should make for good hopper fishing this year.

Don't let it get you down. The river is fickle there and I think I like that about it. If you don't have to work for it, it's not fly fishing. A 12" skinny trout there fights better than a 15" stocked trout, and is more rewarding to me.

As I type this I realize that I haven't fished there for over a year now. This is looking to be a banner bad year for me getting to go out and fish.

[ozark trout fisher]

Yeah, I forgot about hoppers! What was I thinking about?!? I don't think you could ask for better hopper fishing conditions than what is happening right now.

Also like Jah said, Orange and peach glo-bugs are a must have, although I prefer to use more natural flies when the water is low and clear as it is now. Glo-bugs really come into their own when there is some water in the river.

And when you're nymphing there, I just can't put enough emphasis on getting deep. It's important everywhere, but in those deep pools down below Baptist, you just aren't gonna catch many fish if your fly isn't down there where the fish are.

[Nortrad]

All good advice, get the fly or flies down. It is tougher water than upper Tan Vat. You should watch your drifts and try not to spook the fish also. Good luck1

[Ill Trout Bum]

There is no sign that points out the access to Parker's. It is the next county road past Baptist Camp access. The first time I drove down there, I thought for certain I was lost. Turns out I just hadn't gone far enough. When you pass the small church on the left side, keep on going. It sounds like you were on the right road, you just needed to go further. I love Parker's, very little fishing pressure and some dynamite holes!!

[fisheye]

Ill Trout Bum,

That little white church on the left is really a old one room school house. Stop in a take a look around, its open to the public. Many years ago I was fishing out at Busch Wildlife area in St. Louis and met a man that went to school there.

STLfisher, when you go past Baptist turn off the next right, is a small gravel road. right as you turn on the road there is an old barn

and most of the time a camping trailer. There is a pasture with some big draft horses there. Follow that gravel road and it gets narrower and narrower, one comes upon a very nice log cabin, on the left, that back in the day it was called Loves Cabin. This is private property, do not trespass. 30 yards down the gravel road you are in the Scenic Riverway land. If you would go straight you will still be in the Scenic Riverway land but I think there are some cabins there that have the lifetime lease/easement from the Park service, kind of like the cabins just below Montauk. Just after Loves Cabin I say by about fifty yards you can take a left down an old logging road/goat path. This is a very rough road, but it will take you down to the river right were the old logging road comes out from Parker Ford. If you do not have a truck/jeep that is set up to go off road DO NOT ATTEMPT!!! Many people cross the river at Parker and walk up the old logging road and fish their way down, I guess about 2 to 3 miles above Parker.

The second right from Baptist is the turn off to Parker. Its about a 15 minute drive down to the river. You follow an Ozark ridge for the first 10 minutes, then the last 5 minutes you drop down into the river valley. I have gone down this road in a ford escort, a corolla, all the way to a built 4X4. You should have no problems if you use your head. The road down to Parker does go through to Cedar Grove. If you have a standard cab 4X4 you can make it to Cedar Grove. I would not take any double cab from Parker to Cedar Grove.

I was down at Parker in late June when the temp was around 100 degrees. I have to say that the water was not chilled as I have remembered it. Fished for one hour with no hook ups.

Hopes this helps and remember, do not try the Loves Cabin road with a standard 4X4 pickup!!!

[stlfisher]

Everyone thanks for all the great info. The water certainly looks great and it seemd a little bigger and deeper which I lked. We were dragging bottom for the most part. Our drifts were ok I think. I didn't see anyone do that great, but we did so well in morning I was surprised we didn't find many fish at Baptist in the afternoon. It may have just been a tough afternoon bite in the heat. I am not above throwing eggs...whatever it takes to catch them IMO. I prefer to catch them all on dries and more natural looking flies, but will do what it takes to figure them out.

Fisheye and Ill Trout bum - I think we were on the right road after all and just didn't go far enough. I did come across the private propert which is about when we turned around. I will have to try again soon and I will be sure not to take love cabin road...may car is not built for it.

It is such a great stretch of water and I can't wait to get back again...this time with 3 days to explore.

Thanks again.

[Gavin]

Thats good water between Baptist & Parker...Fish counts are lower than the Park to Baptist stretch, but there are some very big fish down there...Not many rainbows down that way...and afternoon fishing for brown trout is usually pretty tough...hit it early or late for best results. Cheers.