2/11/23 Last Saturday of the C&R

[Ham]

I conned Dave into joining me at BSSP today. I’m still pushing the Easy Button whenever possible to maximize the number of species on fly. Dave and I fished last year and I had a nice trip with Marty and John before John moved to the east coast years ago. It’s kinda becoming a little bit of a tradition. I hope I never make the mistake of being there during the Catch and Keep season, but the C&R season is manageable. It’s better if you get there on Friday and if the weather is awful. Thins the crowds and the trout are extra dopey on Fridays.

Full Disclosure: while I am not there for the trout, I still want to catch the dopey things. I live on the White River and I can trout fish whenever I want. (Within reason right).

I go for the multi species aspect of it AND   To restock on 1/100 oz micro jigs for micro fishing. 
So, for me, today’s goals were to 1) Hang with Dave, 2) restock my micro jigs 3) get an Ozark Sculpin on fly 4) get a Northern Rock Bass on fly 5) catch 31 or more fish

Day started off pretty chilly, but it turned out to be a beautiful day with lots of radiant heat from the Sun and minimal wind. 
First item of business was hitting the park store. I was able to get my micro jigs and a few other items.

We probably got started about 9 AM and Dave quickly started catching fish. I was getting looks, but struggled to actually catch an Ozark Sculpin for like 10 minutes. The shorter TGO Bug Launcher makes the roll cast for Sculpin easier and you can manipulate the fly better. It’s all sight fishing. So, I thought I would be able to pound numbers of Ozark Sculpin, but I couldn’t. Dave was thumping them. I rolled a beadhead fly out there and two big Boi sculpin were fighting over it. One was much more Brown and less blotchy. I got hopeful that it might be a Banded Sculpin. Banded Sculpin are widespread, but not high in numbers anywhere; don’t catch a Banded Sculpin every year even. I for sure had never even had a shot with fly before. I actually did not screw this up. I Carefully worked him and snatched him when he finally engulfed the fly. and just like that a Flyfer was caught. I was fired up. 
people were rolling in and the trout were being even more weird than usual. I wasn’t catching that many fish.

we worked our way down river catching one every now and then, but not big numbers by any means.

water level and flowed seemed higher than usual and wading in non felt boots sucks. I gingerly worked my way around below the Whistle Bridge. I started picking up a few fish. I got a Smallie and then a Striped Shiner and then another Smallie. I was still looking for that Northern Rock Bass. Well, I found one. My Day was made. All I needed was a few more fish, but I was satisfied already and could have left right then and been ok. 
I picked up a few more fish. I got some trout in heavy current and I got a few on a Stimulator fly. That was fun.

I hit my self imposed deadline of 3 PM and shut her down with on 29 fish brought to hand. So, I said my Goodbyes and started the run home. A very enjoyable day. 

[Johnsfolly]

@Ham and @FishnDave sounds like a great time. I do miss the C&R season in the parks. Usual pretty empty of people and full of fish. Congrats on that banded! As you mentioned they are common but not abundant.

Dave Don't remember if you have caught brown trout in MO yet. You were pretty close to some opportunity for browns in the Niangua. I used to catch a few there pretty regularly.

[Foghorn]

Glad you lads got to go and for the pictures and fishing report. Susie and I didn't make it to Bennett or Maramec Springs for the winter season. 8 grandkids keep us busy from time to time. 

[T.J. Clarke]

Was there Friday, did not do well, blah.  Going today so hoping light crowds due to the football game,   Hate to see C&R end.....off to the rivers for me. 

[FishnDave]

As always, it was great to see @Ham, and witness true fishing wizardry.  Skill, sure...but it always seems like MUCH more than that!  I keep forgetting to have him autograph my waders. 🌞

Last year we went during the week.  So, more people there this time.  Some spots were really crowded, others oddly weren't.  Also last year, the temps never got above freezing.  This year...I think it actually hit in the low 50's!  Very nice!

I caught Ozark Sculpins, Rainbow Trout, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and Green Sunfish.  Biggest trout was a nice, aggressive, 16-incher.  I had hoped to get a Striped Shiner, but didn't manage to get one this time.

 

[Johnsfolly]

49 minutes ago, FishnDave said:

As always, it was great to see @Ham, and witness true fishing wizardry.  Skill, sure...but it always seems like MUCH more than that!  I keep forgetting to have him autograph my waders. 🌞

Last year we went during the week.  So, more people there this time.  Some spots were really crowded, others oddly weren't.  Also last year, the temps never got above freezing.  This year...I think it actually hit in the low 50's!  Very nice!

I caught Ozark Sculpins, Rainbow Trout, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and Green Sunfish.  Biggest trout was a nice, aggressive, 16-incher.  I had hoped to get a Striped Shiner, but didn't manage to get one this time.

 

For folks that only fish for trout in the parks, I bet they would be surprised at the variety of fish in the parks. Surprised that you didn't get a striped shiner. Still looked like a great time!

[tjm]

45 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

I bet they would be surprised at the variety of fish in the parks.

True of all the Parks?

I have fished RRSP a few hundred times and never have seen or caught a sunfish, rock bass or bass. I have caught sculpin and have seen suckers, and I've wondered at the absence of the sunfish, now you have me wondering if I just didn't look close enough?

[Johnsfolly]

1 hour ago, tjm said:

True of all the Parks?

I have fished RRSP a few hundred times and never have seen or caught a sunfish, rock bass or bass.

Probably not all the parks. Doesn't RRSP have a dam/spillway at the end of the park? I have fished the roaring river below the park and the variety of species is not a great as the Niangua, which Bennett's freely flows into below the whistle bridge.

[tjm]

An old broken dam within the park, but I fished the river a few miles, down to the county, road a good number of times back when we were younger and only encountered the same three species.

[Ham]

10 hours ago, FishnDave said:

As always, it was great to see @Ham, and witness true fishing wizardry.  Skill, sure...but it always seems like MUCH more than that!  I keep forgetting to have him autograph my waders. 🌞

 

It’s weird getting complimented and hated on at the same time. What the heck?

Dave sand bags really hard. Every time I looked up he was catching or releasing a fish. Somehow, he insists that he caught less fish than I did. And he of course worked his Green Sunfish magic again. I think he caught more fish than me, but he can’t count or keep up with how many he has caught.

I was really distracted by high numbers of suckers swimming around. I tried for them , but got no love at all. 
 

it’s a fun enough place to go once a year during C&R.