Camping recommendations - Huzzah, Courtois, or Current

[Orey10m]

 I've camped at Lane Spring already. It does have pit toilets and water. 

I'm thinking I want to focus on smallmouth this trip. I can catch trout further into the winter right

I realized Al's suggestion is only 2.5 hours from me actually. I think it would be cool to camp somewhere in that area and do a canoe float from Alley Spring to eminence on the Jack's fork. Then we could see alley Spring..that area looks really pretty and I think my girlfriend would like it. 

Anyone know how that's fishing right now? 

[Gavin]

Paddy Creek CG is within sight of the Big Piney. Have caught some nice smallmouth in that area. It’s about a mile upstream of Slabtown Access, and Mason Bridge is about 7 miles upstream.

[Orey10m]

Just wanted to update this thread with what we ended up doing.

My girlfriend and I camped on the Niangua out of my super nifty truck tent (picture attached), and did a kayak float for smallies with Ryan the following day from OSA. 

Interestingly we came up short on the smallies. (Excuses to follow...)

It was a bluebird, high pressure, windy day, so I think they were just largely in lockjaw.

I was fishing strictly with a fly rod, and caught one rainbow trout early on. Had a few bumps (likely smallies) on various streamer patterns but couldn't connect.

Largely this was meant to be a 'learning' trip for me, and I told ryan that, so we focused alot on the how/why of certain things, so I could learn smallies a bit better.

Additionally, we didn't have much time for the float so I think we kinda rushed past alot of water and he tried to only focus me on the best/most productive water. Which was great because it helped me identify what the most productive water likely is, through his eyes as a guide, but stunk because the bite was so off that day I still didn't catch any haha.

We  saw  a few bald eagles!

Wish I could share some videos on here from the trip

 

Thanks for the advice and help everyone!

[fishinwrench]

That truck tent is pretty sweet.  I made one out of a poly tarp.... but it's not nearly as cool as that. 

What stretch of the river did you fish?

[snagged in outlet 3]

Ryan who?

Is there a bathroom in the tent?

 

[Orey10m]

On 11/4/2020 at 7:48 PM, fishinwrench said:

That truck tent is pretty sweet.  I made one out of a poly tarp.... but it's not nearly as cool as that. 

What stretch of the river did you fish?

Yeah it's cool! I had thought many times about making one but never ended up trying it. This thing is very convenient and snug and is just like a normal tent so you can keep the bugs out with netting, zippers etc. 

We fished the section that ends at Prosperine access

[Orey10m]

On 11/5/2020 at 7:53 AM, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Ryan who?

Is there a bathroom in the tent?

 

Ryan Walker. He's the founder of Ozark Smallmouth Alliance so I figure you guys may have heard of him. 

 

Bathroom only available on the deluxe model