Tell Me Everything You Know...

[SilverMallard]

I want to know about the fishing, camping, lodging, meal choices, etc. in January/February please.

[jdmidwest]

Montauk Lodge and State Park are open on the weekends for sure, maybe thru the week. They have rooms and cabins, a store, and food. Reed's Cabins outside the park. Licking has motels and food about 20 miles away and is where I usually stay on winter trips. Salem has the same. Fishing is great in the river below the park as always. The river is running good this year due to all of the rains so wading/crossing may be difficult in places. Google any of the above for more info and phone numbers to call. Mountauk has camping w/o shower houses till the last week of Feb.

[Gavin]

Camping & RV Hookups are available in the park or at Eagle's Park. Free primitive camping is available at the public access at Tan Vat, Parker Hollow, and Cedar Grove, or on any gravel bar. As for food your best bet is to cook your own followed by the Lodge at Montauk, Reed's, or restaurants in Salem or Licking.

The park is what it is, but the main attraction is the river below the park. The fishing and scenery are fantastic. Cheers.

[3wt]

Fishing should be good in and out of the park. I would expect a lot of success with mohair leeches, wooly buggers, san juan worms, nymphs etc. Fishing at Montauk is Thursay-Sunday and will be during daytime hours (wait for the buzzers), fly fishing only, and from the spring to the campground bridge. The upper current is under the same reg's as usual.

Some caddis hatches, maybe small bwo's. I'm not sure that there will be much hatching though.

If you're into camping, have a camper (or if you're brave), I would camp in the park (my opinion, but I like cold weather camping). It will be all but abandoned during winter, and is nice besides the lack of running water. You will only have the outhouse near loops 3&4, or use the lodge restroom when it's open.

I think they are open for lunch at the lodge, but only limited diner food. Reeds may be open for food...not much else close.

Oh, and I stand by my previous statements that the fly-only stretch at Montauk is one of the coolest places in Missouri to fish when there aren't hundreds of people crowding it...it's worthwhile during the winter season

[SilverMallard]

Thanks, gang! This is the kind of info I was hoping for. Planning a trip down there next month with a friend. I also like cold-weather camping. But we may opt for a cabin or something.

So there's no fishing in the park M-W this time of year, huh? I'd imagine that means everything else is closed then too, right? What about the campgrounds? We were thinking weekdays to really have the place to ourselves.

[Thom]

If you go to Montauk don't overlook the two stretches just below the park regulations. You must have a trout stamp but are not limited with the week end regs of the park.

You can drive to the first access past the park on the Current. Instead of turning out of the park just go strait and there is a great hole there and the the next access is just down the road (If I remember right it is called baptist camp) a couple of miles. The current river there can be waded down past the first rapids a ways if the water is not up to high. The last time I fished the rapids just next to the parking lot I landed and released an 18 inch brown on my second cast. Hopefully he is still there for you to enjoy.

[snagged in outlet 3]

Hey there Silvermallard.

SM said "SO there's no fishing in the park M-W"

Just to clarify, you can only fish in the park on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Below the park is the Current River were you can fish anytime. Don't know about the cabins but you can call. All the previous 411 on the fishing is spot on. Hope this helps.

SIO3.

[SilverMallard]

Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it. I'll make some calls about lodging options and so forth for sure. But I figured there would be some good knowledge around these here parts as well.

[SilverMallard]

In case anyone wants to know, here's what I learned from the woman who owns the concessions at Montauk SP this week:

1. Park is only open Fri-Mon during C&R season for fishing, restaurant, stores, etc.

2. Lodging and camping are open 365 days/year.

3. Water in campground is on/off depending on weather during the winter months.

4. If you call for reservations/info during the week, you probably will have to leave a message and wait until Friday for a return call...which is too late to make plans. And then you get this story about how she lives 40 miles from the park and it's really inconveniencing her to operate this MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR STATE CONCESSION 4 days/week from her home 40 miles away. Poor baby! My heart bleeds for her. And I am so sorry to have inconvenienced her by trying to give her my money.

[jdmidwest]

Well, If you don't like the way they run things around there, the contract is open for bids every so many years. They are private business owners that bid on the contract. If the park were open to fishing all week, it may become worthwile to keep it open all week. Otherwise, I think they do a fine job at the lodge.