Relocating From Oregon

[WOZ]

I'm relocating back to St. Louis (my home town) from Oregon and wanted to introduce myself.

Wanted to ask if I would even need my 9 WT 2-handed spey rod or I am assuming it's major overkill for what you folks have in Missouri.

May be seeing you folks in late July!

[rps]

Keep the 9 Wt. Put it in the corner and admire it as a relic of days gone by. On the other hand, brown trout over 10 and smallmouth over 5, in flowing rivers, might merit something more than a fairy wand.

[WOZ]

I have a pontoon and a float tube that I'll be bringing.

Hping to find some nice lakes with big trout out there in the St. Louis area or will I have to go much further out?

Smallmouth at 5! Now that sounds like fun but I love the trout!

[kjackson]

As a former PNW inhabitant, welcome. It's a nice change from the Left Coast.

I can't answer your questions about trout as the only ones I've seen have been in Roaring River and a few in the White below Beaver. I have fished the Norfork on a couple of occasions, and there are some honking big trout there.

As for the spey rod-- if you've got a short or Skagit head, it should be fine, but I'd be thinking stripers in the rivers or maybe a trip to the Gulf Coast or the tailrace sections below dams. Single-handers should be perfect for the bass and white bass everywhere else. I don't know much--actually nothing--about the fishing around St. Louis, so take this with a grain of sea salt.

[WOZ]

Appreciate the response!

[Wayne SW/MO]

I spent 13 years in central OR, outside Prineville, great fishing in the Deschutes for redbands and world class smallie fish in the John Day.

[WOZ]

I spent 13 years in central OR, outside Prineville, great fishing in the Deschutes for redbands and world class smallie fish in the John Day.

Never did a run to JD but those have gone say they catch so many during the prime 1-2 month window that they get tired and I have seen the photos!

I'm planning on a trip to the Big 'D' before I relocate with my fellow forum buds on the Oregon Fishing Forum.

Prineville is a great spot to be in since it gives you a starting point for so many bodies of water like the D, Crooked, Craine Prairie, etc.

Must of been hard for you to leave!

[Wayne SW/MO]

Actually left 12 years ago. Got homesick I've spent most of my life in this general area. I liked OR, but didn't like the cold.

I fished the Deschutes quite a bit from the reservation to the mouth. The salmon fly hatch at Maupin is awesome if you catch it right. The John Day is special.

[ozark trout fisher]

Welcome. Won't need the 9 weight here, but I'd keep it because it's silly to throw away a fly rod, and you might want to go back to Oregon one day. But unless you plan to fly fish for blue catfish.....

[Nighthawk]

I use a 7/8 weight spey on sections of the North Fork of the White River near Dora, Mo. do you need a rod like that around here?, maybe not, but a hell of a lot of fun to fish. you could also throw that rod on some of the big tailwaters in Mo. and Ark. to strip streamers.