Spring and Mill creek?

[bkbying89]

Stuck at home. The creek looks really good. I may get out this week but I won't know till later on.The are beauties. Nice report. Thanks.

 

[Sharps4590]

Given the recent rains in our area Mill should be good.  I haven't fished it hard in a couple years but my best luck was with a dry/dropper rig.  Dry depending on the season and my dropper is nearly always an amalgamated creature a young fella from South Africa and I came up with several years ago.  As others have mentioned I don't know that the particular fly makes so much difference, except for the dry, as does presentation and to reiterate what others have also said, stealth.  You don't so much fish for them as hunt them.

[Kayser]

The creek hasn't been the same since 2011- the famed cicada hatch. Towards the beginning, the fishing was great. As the summer went on, not so much for size, but still numbers. I haven't fished it much the last two years, though.

The problem was people figured it out, and the creek got hammered. A lot of fish went home- perfectly legal. But also, the 1 fish/day 18", might not have been followed by all. Live cicadas on spinning gear accounted for a lot of fish being taken from the creek. Same thing for the LP. I saw several people taking fish home that summer (I lived in Rolla at the time, and fished a lot).

Small dries get plenty of action from small fish. Focus on deeper water with current and cover. Skip the unproductive water. Nymphing gets more consistent action. Act like you're stalking deer and you'll do even better than that.

I remember lots of brush in Spring Creek. Smallest of the 3. Access on the lower end towards the Big Piney.

A colorized MTNF map can be purchased at their office in Rolla for $7, and is worth every penny even for one trip to the Ozarks. Good luck, and I hope you have as much fun as I did figuring out those spooky fish.

[bkbying89]

Kayser,

   What is the MTNF? I have a map I downloaded and copied from the MO conservation site it is colored. Are they the same? 

Still, Haven't made it to Mill or Spring creeks but made it to the Meramac with friends.

 

 

[awhuber]

32 minutes ago, bkbying89 said:

Kayser,

   What is the MTNF? I have a map I downloaded and copied from the MO conservation site it is colored. Are they the same? 

Still, Haven't made it to Mill or Spring creeks but made it to the Meramac with friends.

 

 

Mark Twain National Forest

[Kayser]

Thanks to awhuber- Mark Twain National Forest is name of the largest federally owned public land system in Missouri, with several different units, and a patchwork of small and large areas of forest, totaling over 1 million acres in the state. The area you want is the Houston/Rolla Ranger District.

Here is a link that will serve you well. Forest Supervisor's office in Rolla is listed, but it's only open weekdays, during banking hours. But since we're not bankers, order online. Navigate around, download the order form, and order a Forest Visitor map for the Houston/Rolla District for $9 (inflation...) plus $3.50 shipping on your entire order (go wild- buy them all!). Regular mail with a check- it's all explained on the order form.

Read up on all the rules, regulations, and access laws while you're there. Just remember- not all roads listed on that map are passable by car, or even by truck. Some wash out annually, and mostly get put back in annually. And show respect for the gem in our backyard- keep it nice, and it will stay nice forever.