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

[JestersHK]

10 hours ago, Johnsfolly said:

I've caught most of my MO browns in the Current river (I should probably put together a post or two😉), but as mentioned have caught some in the Niangua not far from where you guys fished in the park. Closer to you, the red ribbon section of the Meramec river used to have decent brown trout. However, I've heard that fishery has been in decline over the last decade. I haven't fished it since about 2008, but even then several of the good holes had filled up. Taneycomo is much farther away but has great brown trout fishing. Maybe @JestersHK can give you a lift on one of his turn and burn trips. He does guarantee one fish😁!

Haven't done a turn and burn in a while,  but it's warming up so some night time sea monster chasing is likely in order. 

Been too tied up night hunting right now to be fishin...

One fish guarantee is still on the table but I learned early not to guarantee a brownie.  Sometimes we'd catch a bunch, other times not a single one. 

 

[Foghorn]

In 2011, Susie and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary with a trip out West. After 10 days, it was time to head back home but Susie wanted to stop at RRSP. We fished it from top to bottom that day covering a lot of water and catching good numbers of fish. We arrived in Zone 3 in the afternoon only to find a group of teenagers  swimming in the big hole below the low water bridge. They eventually left and we figured letting the water settle down and see if the fish would feed. From the riffle downstream came 3 big browns.  I 've caught my share of big browns but these fish looked to range in size from 8-9# being the smallest to the high teens on the biggest. It was late afternoon now and I had these three lined up in the riffle below the bridge. Right off the bat I missed the biggest fish on a black rabbit leech and he scooted around but didn't leave and take the rest with him. I did hook the middle size fish only to have him smoke me down along the rocks. I called Laker 67 that evening and told him what I'd found and that I was leaving to get back home in the morning. He met Susie and I the next morning and showed him where they had been patrolling. He later called and had the same results after hooking the smaller brown. He had asked what I thought the biggest fish weighed and I said 18# . He asked if I got a good look at it in good light which I hadn't. He estimated the fish at 20# and he was really good at guessing big fish with as many as he caught.  We never heard of any one catching the 2 biggest fish. It's tough getting down there now as the flood from several years ago tore up a bunch of the better walking areas. 

[tjm]

the low water bridge?

There used to be some big browns in  the hole just below the broken dam, said  to have weighed 11-16# depending on who was guessing. I heard that they were old brood stock and also that they had been stocked for a kids contest or something of that sort, memory is getting fuzzy. They were there suddenly and stayed about three years that I was aware of.

[Foghorn]

Downstream from the old dam there was a bridge-guess it's not exactly a low water bridge unless the river is up. One of the guys in our group caught a 9#2oz. brown in that big hole below the old dam.  Last time we went to walk the high bank below the dam, it was posted with "keep out" signs due to bank erosion from the big flood a couple years ago. There were lots of downed trees and debris which made walking tougher down past the bridge. The brown the buddy caught was on an opening day trip. We used to find good browns in what is now the C&R section at RRSP. 

[Johnsfolly]

The brown that I posted was 17 inches and about 1.5 lbs. I had seen one well below the CA access that was probably 22 to 24 inches and maybe 3 lbs. That fish spooked at everything even a bait that drifted from well upstream of it.

[oneshot 1]

Live by Bennett Springs ɓut only have fished there couple times. 

I fish the river but still catch a few Trout. 

oneshot