Baptist To Pulltite First Time Float

[ozark trout fisher]

Some around here say they catch mostly browns and a few rainbows. I catch probably 90+% rainbows down there.

Me too. That includes even the water down around Parker Hollow. I know that browns make up over 50% of the population down there but you'd never guess that based on the result of any given fishing trip.

[stlfisher]

The last I read from the MDC the split is 70% rainbows and 30% browns in the blue ribbon stretch. Most of the brown's are down around Parker and Ashley creek. The rainbows drop of dramatically as you work down below Baptist, but that first run is pretty nice.

I certainly catch vastly more rainbows than browns. Brown's are tougher and I think you need to decide if you want to catch a lot of fish or catch a few big fish. Lot's of fish...fish the wire to Baptist. Big Brown's...Baptist on down with big streamers or rapala's and expect a long time between bites and possible skunkage. However, the payoff can be huge when it happens.

[ozark trout fisher]

The last I read from the MDC the split is 70% rainbows and 30% browns in the blue ribbon stretch. Most of the brown's are down around Parker and Ashley creek. The rainbows drop of dramatically as you work down below Baptist, but that first run is pretty nice.

I know that's what the MDC says, and I'm sure they are right. But even around and below the mouth of Ashley Creek the vast majority of the trout I have caught have been rainbows. Even that far down you can easily have a twenty fish day and have none of them be browns. Doesn't seem to make much sense, I know, but those are the results I've had. When I first read that part in Missouri Fishing Prospects about the rainbow population dropping off dramatically below Baptist, I have to admit at first I wondered exactly how the MDC was sampling that stretch of river. I've never had a trip anywhere on the Current's Blue Ribbon stretch and caught mostly browns, and by the same token I've never been on any stretch of the blue ribbon area where I've had a hard time finding the rainbows. Probably because I am mostly throwing egg patterns...

[Gavin]

The whole blue ribbon has been full of rainbows since Montauk flooded in April. Its made for fast fishing, but its gotten allot harder to catch a brown trout. Enjoy it while it lasts.

[stlfisher]

I know that's what the MDC says, and I'm sure they are right. But even around and below the mouth of Ashley Creek the vast majority of the trout I have caught have been rainbows. Even that far down you can easily have a twenty fish day and have none of them be browns. Doesn't seem to make much sense, I know, but those are the results I've had. When I first read that part in Missouri Fishing Prospects about the rainbow population dropping off dramatically below Baptist, I have to admit at first I wondered exactly how the MDC was sampling that stretch of river. I've never had a trip anywhere on the Current's Blue Ribbon stretch and caught mostly browns, and by the same token I've never been on any stretch of the blue ribbon area where I've had a hard time finding the rainbows. Probably because I am mostly throwing egg patterns...

I don't think it meant that rainbow's were non existent and that brown's made up a higher number of actual fish in that stretch (could be, but I don't know). I took it to mean that of the 30% of fish that are brown trout the highest concentration of that 30% was in the Ashley creek area. That area could very well hold the highest concentration of brown trout percentage wise compared to brown trout percentages in other parts of the river, but the actual number of brown trout could still be well below the actual numbers of the rainbows. There are just a lot more of the rainbows to go around.

Browns are much more difficult to catch so even at a 50/50 populations split you will still catch many more rainbows than brown's.

[3wt]

Browns are much more difficult to catch so even at a 50/50 populations split you will still catch many more rainbows than brown's.

That's why when we fish down there and feel competitive with eachother, a brown counts as two...aka the 'brown trout multiplier.' There's also a dry fly multiplier in play, but that's a different story.

[Hookem trout]

Thanks again for all of the good tips. It sounds like everyone has had good luck and bad which can come and go when your fishing. I think that this trip is going to be great and the advise given is very helpful.

[stlfisher]

That's why when we fish down there and feel competitive with eachother, a brown counts as two...aka the 'brown trout multiplier.' There's also a dry fly multiplier in play, but that's a different story.

ha...I like the way you think!

[ozark trout fisher]

Thanks again for all of the good tips. It sounds like everyone has had good luck and bad which can come and go when your fishing. I think that this trip is going to be great and the advise given is very helpful.

You'll have a good time. If nothing else, the river and the scenery on the upper Current is nothing short of stunning. It's worth the trip even just for that.