Taking a trip to montauk...

[SEMOSmallies]

I've never fished outside of the park at montauk and wanted to give it a try. I'm camping down there for the 3rd time this summer on saturday and haven't tried outside the park because I have been catching too many trout inside. Anyways I was wondering how far below the chord across the stream that ends the park to the closest access where I can get into smallmouth. I've never fished the Current River and have heard some good things so I'd love to give it a try. Catch and release no doubt! ANy info via personal message would be much appreciated

[2sheds]

My experience is limited to summer weekdays using rooster tail spinners and crawdad lures. That being said, I've caught a few smallmouth as far upstream as Welch Spring, but IMHO its best in the warmer water around Two Rivers (Jacks Fork junction). PS - The smallmouth generally like a slower retrieve than the trout with more erratic drops (dead falls) into the pockets.

[3wt]

Pretty far before you get to smallmouth water...at least you won't be wading into any good smallmouth water from Montauk.

I HEAR that Ashley creek can hold smallies, but that's a couple miles down from baptist camp access, without any easy access as far as I know.

It's a short(ish) drive to the akers ferry area. Then you may have better luck fishing from a canoe.

I'd stick with the trout directly outside of the park (around the Tan Vat and Baptist Camp accesses - very wadeable, no bait, not soft plastic, basically the rules of the fly only water at Montauk, only you can keep just 1 fish 18"+.

[SEMOSmallies]

the only things i can throw down there that I fish with are maribou jigs and glow balls. Are there any better choices for an ultralight with 2 lb. test?

[3wt]

Hmmm...I've never seen anybody have a whole lot of luck down there. The If you use mini jigs (usually white) and glo-balls with a biggish indicator you should have a chance. Try the maribous though, could work well, also rooster tails - just might have some trouble finding good spots. Don't let it discourage you, I think that with glow-balls and mini-jigs you'll stand a good chance. I hear the peach/pink/yellow glo-balls with the jig head are good down there (probably find some at the lodge).

[jdmidwest]

Akers Ferry and below for smallies. There are a few above in the trout area, but the smallies start below Akers. It is not that far of a drive below Montauk.

[Al Agnew]

Actually, the couple of times I've fished it specifically for smallmouth, I've done okay--not great--between Cedargrove and Akers, at least until you get down to Welch Spring. Personally, I think there are more smallies between Cedargrove and Welch Spring than there are downstream until you get below Round Spring, where the smallie fishing gets good. The water warms up a bit by the time you get to Cedargrove, and is warm enough for some smallies until it gets another big shot of cold water from Welch.

[3wt]

Al,

I had an interesting conversation about Southeast MO smallmouth yesterday. I was asking a coworker from Cape area (outlying) about good streams, he was mentioning some and then said, "you really need to know my father in law, he has all the secret spots...'turn down the third gravel road after the mailbox...go six miles...'" Then he went on to say that this is because "my father in law is good friends with a well known fisherman named Al Agnew...ever heard of him?"

Small world...