Current below Montauk 1/12

[Justin92297]

Fished from the cable to about half way to Tan Vat and back on Friday. The fishing started off decent but slowed as the day went on. Caught lots of small rainbows and a few just over 15 inches or so. Only caught one brown but it was no bigger than  10 inches. The fish were stacked in all the bends, with the bigger trout in the slower water behind boulders. I feel like I threw every fly in my box at these fish but couldn’t get one to bite, even with very light tippet. Not sure what I was doing wrong. The fish I did catch were on small nymphs and stoneflies. I’ll be back soon to get revenge on those big ones.

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[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Sounds like you did everything right.   You caught fish.   Thanks for sharing.  

[2sheds]

Beautiful photos !

Are those stream-born rainbow ?  

I didn’t expect to see any stockers with parr marks; but also didn’t think the Current was cold enough to support natural spawning.

[Justin92297]

From my research there are streams born trout in the current. I think most of the small bows I have caught in that section have been wild ones

[Johnsfolly]

8 hours ago, 2sheds said:

Beautiful photos !

Are those stream-born rainbow ?  

I didn’t expect to see any stockers with parr marks; but also didn’t think the Current was cold enough to support natural spawning.

Could be both. The upper Current is a blue ribbon designation and by the MDC description is a river that have conditions that could support natural reproduction for the rainbows. I have seen browns on redds in the past but haven't seen rainbows going through the spawning cycle. However, I do believe that there may be some reproduction going on. I also thought that there might have been a release or two during the flooding events over the last couple of years.

[bkbying89]

11 hours ago, Johnsfolly said:

Could be both. The upper Current is a blue ribbon designation and by the MDC description is a river that have conditions that could support natural reproduction for the rainbows. I have seen browns on redds in the past but haven't seen rainbows going through the spawning cycle. However, I do believe that there may be some reproduction going on. I also thought that there might have been a release or two during the flooding events over the last couple of years.

If you want to see fish on reds fish the fly only area. the beds are everywhere. They do close the area of the stream in the park from the handicapped fishing area down to the cable to fishing in the C&R season. I assume to give some fish time to reproduce without being disturbed. I have caught trout with parr marks below the cable and some really small Browns that I have no idea where they came from.

Bill

[2sheds]

Thank you for the follow up.

Surprised that rainbow are reproducing in the upper Current and totally amazed that there might be browns reproducing as well.  Understand the beds and trying, but success goes against what I thought, but wonderful to contemplate.

wonder if the fry are escapees from last spring’s flood out ?  The rainbow in photo have nice part marks to indicate freshness.  But the report of brown fry goes against everything I have heard in my indoctrination.  Haven’t heard that Montauk is raising Browns.

 

 

 

 

[Gavin]

Good for you! That river fishes tough when it is this low. Think the rainbows have some limited reproduction, but have never seen any evidence of a successful brown trout spawn. The browns do the dance in October/November but I have not caught any par marked itty bitty brown trout.

 

[bkbying89]

Where do the Brown trout in our streams come from? I believe it was that the Browns in Taneycomo come from the federal hatchery. Are they the same as the browns in the Current? I know the Browns we chase in the Meramec River are a strain from Virginia, they come from the hatchery at the Springs. They are there to help manage the Copepods that attack the rainbows.  They look more silvery with fewer spots than the ones we catch in the Current.

Bill

 

[Gavin]

Think all Missouri brown trout come from Shepherd of the Hills on Taney. Sheep creek strain from the  Green R. drainage in Utah. From an old article, don't know what they are messing with now.