Delightful Lane Springs Camping

[2sheds]

My first fall trip to Lane (week ago) was very relaxing.  Great camping weather, although a bit chilly for my wet wading.  Fortunately there was plenty of sun to warm me up, only light breeze, and no rain to speak of.

Also, the fishing was pretty good.  Dry flies worked throughout the morning.  Wooly buggers swung through riffles were productive in the afternoon.  Low water allowed getting into some of the spots that I have to miss on most of my June + July trips.

[2sheds]

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[jdmidwest]

I always like the area, used to go there often.  Never caught a lunker there, but always had fun.

Did you hike up to the spring?

[ColdWaterFshr]

Love that place.  Great photos.  Little Piney is WAY underrated, and one of the best trout streams in MO in my opinion.  I caught a 3 lber the afternoon Freese hit his famous dinger a few years ago, just below Lane

[2sheds]

Hey JD - My PB on the Little Piney is around 14", and didn't catch any that large this time.  But have certainly seen some lunker-quality trout there.  

CW - 3# is a beast on these creeks.  These wild trout fight so much better than stockers.  Lane is also a favorite of mine to balance camping, solitude, and (of course) trout fishing.  Wish I could shield the H63 bridge noise, but the late evening does that on its own.

[Gavin]

Nice spot, have camped there often. Think they have 8 electric sites...pretty quiet spot.

 

[jdmidwest]

I have not fished it in years, it was still stocked a few times a year back then.  I did catch a few nice rainbows around 13 to 16 in the campground.  Back then, it was primitive camping only and walkin access below the campground down a service road.

Then the trash started hanging out there and it was pretty rough.  I went thru there last year and noticed the campground improvements.  Need to go back and try it again.

We used to hike up to the spring and above.  Back in the day, there was a gravel pit above the 63 bridge and not much to see.

[fishinwrench]

A buddy and I checked out LP many years ago during the dead of Winter with 5" of fresh snow, the access was sketchy (we felt like we were trespassing) and there weren't any signs or anything, other than the old brown slat MDC sign at Lane Spring.   We fished our way down only about a 1/2 mile or less, caught a few tiny little rainbows apiece, then packed up and headed for the Current.  Rather unimpressed. 

I'd like to check it out again, and will someday, but if I'm driving that far in that direction then I'm more likely to head straight for Tan Vat or Parker on the current.