Winter Catch & Release

[Adam Snodgrass]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I'm new to fly fishing but absolutely love it...so I have plenty of dumb questions! I'm planning on heading down to Montauk this Sunday and venturing further downstream, below the park to try my luck w/ the trout. I'm stocked-up on a variety of flies but I don't have any egg patterns so I may have to get some before the weekend.

Can't wait!

Adam

[ozark trout fisher]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I'm new to fly fishing but absolutely love it...so I have plenty of dumb questions! I'm planning on heading down to Montauk this Sunday and venturing further downstream, below the park to try my luck w/ the trout. I'm stocked-up on a variety of flies but I don't have any egg patterns so I may have to get some before the weekend.

Can't wait!

Adam

Make sure to get the smaller, beadhead eggs-a natural pale yellow (peach) might actually be good to have right now-the browns just got done spawning and early winter spawning rainbows will soon be getting ready. The fish should be on eggs.

If you do go below the park, you are in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, where hunting is allowed. In case you didn't know, next weekend is opening weekend for deer-don't go wearing anything tan,brown, or white if you're gonna fish down there. Hunter orange wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Good luck

[Idylwilde]

I was down in the Blue Ribbon area yesterday 11-10 and saw 13 anglers just below the park boundary at the Cooks cabin hole, and five autos at Tan Vat. This area takes a beating in the week after the park closes. Their was a Caddis hatch going on for about two hours fish rising all over the place and they was VERY shy. found that a 24 CDC Trico Spinner, & the Wilcox Micro pearl midge #24 was the only thing I could get them to sip. The Glo Ball (Egg Pattern) actually made the run and hide. Crackleback's would get only a rise and quick look but no takers.The Olive wooly worm in a 16 had one taker, (small bow.)I saw three good size brown trout that was in the 3lb range, but the acted like wild range cattle, see you and run as far as they could from you & hide under the cut bank of lay down. 6X was just to big for tippet so I went with 7X not much better but at-least had some takers. Good luck! Beautiful weather and water conditions.

[ozark trout fisher]

I was down in the Blue Ribbon area yesterday 11-10 and saw 13 anglers just below the park boundary at the Cooks cabin hole, and five autos at Tan Vat. This area takes a beating in the week after the park closes.better but at-least had some takers. Good luck! Beautiful weather and water conditions.

I've always wondered why everyone congregates in and just below the park-there is 8 miles of Blue Ribbon water and 7 miles of White Ribbon most of which wadeable and fishable. There is plenty of good trout water for everyone, but most people don't seem willing to make the extra effort to find the less pressured water. There are places on the upper Current after peak float season where you can have long stretches of water to yourself. No specific directions-but look further downstream.

Glad you had a good trip though.