Advice on trip to Missouri

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Srock
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Joined: 02/03/19 13:57

Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#21

Post by Srock »

I live near STL and have fished all of t he Trout parks. The closest to STL is Maremac Springs state park it is about one hour and 40 minutes one way. It is an OK park and can be crowded. A better option in my opinion would be Montauk, which you could reach is about two hours and 15 minutes. That would be my suggestion. Roaring River is very nice but a 4 hour drive, one way.

9.3x75r
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Joined: 03/18/18 13:26
Location: Near Rolla, Missouri

Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#22

Post by 9.3x75r »

The trout parks are ok but the fish taste like floating dog food and they don't act anything like wild trout. I refuse to fish them. However, they are all beautiful and well maintained....and very civilized. Though I won't fish them, they are a joy to visit.

Do some digging on Missouri Conservation web site for White, Red and Blue ribbon areas. Blue is best, most challenging but, they're wild trout, born and raised in those waters. None of the Blue Ribbon areas I'm familiar with have been stocked in decades. You can't call the fish native but they are wild and act like trout. Check the regs. as they're restrictive and, justifiably so.

Red Ribbon areas are stocked a couple times a year, I believe and eventually the fish figure out they aren't going to get fed floating dog food and sorta "go native." White Ribbon areas are basically a put and take fishery where about anything goes. Watch the regs in the Blue and Red areas.

Depending on where you are in the St. Louis area, you can be within 2-2 1/2 hours of a "Ribbon" area.

As has been mentioned, smallmouth are easy to find.
I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6

AlexP
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Joined: 08/29/19 14:18
Location: South Minneapolis

Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#23

Post by AlexP »

Thank you both for the suggestions. I am going to abandon the idea of day trips. The team is organizing a few activities after games that sound good:

- The Gateway Arch
- Dinner at Blueberry Hill
- Tour at Fitz Root Beer
- Anhueser-Busch Tour
- Cardinals' game on Wednesday night

I am switching my attention to driving to Branson on Saturday afternoon (assuming the team does not advance to the playoffs) and fish all day Sunday the Taneycomo section of the White River.

I am going to call River Run Outfitters, but not knowing with certainty that we fish makes it challenging. Anybody has any experience with this shop? Any other suggestions? I would really like to do a float. It would be fun for my 15 year old and the chances of him catching something would be a lot higher than with me walking and wading. He will be more perceptive to instructions from a professional than me. He does not listen to anything I say :)

Thanks again for any ideas or suggestions.

Tight Lines

GMflyf1sh
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Joined: 06/10/19 09:28

Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#24

Post by GMflyf1sh »

Get a copy of Combat Fishing on Lake Taneycomo. Great Maps and great advice. Be sure to take a tour of the hatchery. Fishing early morning before they run power and late evening when they quit. I am planning a nostalgia tour this fall. I lived and fished in Missouri for 20 years and formed a TU chapter in St. Louis and help with the Columbia Missouri Mid Missouri Chapter. Micro Jigs, sows, and scuds. Take the rods., Get a copy or Fishing for Trout in Missouri by Chuck and Sharon Tyron. Great maps to some other creeks in t the area.

Gregg

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Brian K. Shaffer
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Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#25

Post by Brian K. Shaffer »

Lake Taneycomo is not a lake - its a 15,000 cubic feet per second fast moving river below the dam.
Montana this is not - so try not to take it so seriously here.
Have fun with this. Get creative.

1 year below Table Rock Dam - viewtopic.php?t=126622

Also - go look at the bass in these creeks.
Saw many yesterday over 4lbs! Many over 8... a few over 10lbs - glaring me right in the eyeballs.
My jaw stays dropped open.

And the bluegills, who all seem sleepy on the their beds... let's just leave them be.

* One special creek arm of Lake Taneycomo is Roark Creek. Go to Scotty's and rent a kayak for some quick fly rod bassin.
:eek Behind the Branson Landing Shops - plenty of cuts to peek in at the biggest fish you might ever see in real life.
" There's no such thing as a fly fisherman wholly satisfied with his casting performance. " ~ Jim Green (1971)
" Just once I wish a trout would wink at me. " ~ Brian Shaffer

Use the SEARCH for justification and reasoning.

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oldschoolcane
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Joined: 04/26/06 18:00
Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#26

Post by oldschoolcane »

Lots of potential opportunities, pick a fairly close one and go. Trout parks aren't perfect but their okay, this isn't Montana. Expect many vacationing people almost everywhere.

AlexP
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Joined: 08/29/19 14:18
Location: South Minneapolis

Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#27

Post by AlexP »

Thanks for all the advice. I have booked a guide for Taneycomo on Sunday afternoon. Called a couple of places, it looks like it is busy, which is good for the shops. It is Father's Day too...

I would like to fish early Sunday AM, will check any fly shops on Saturday when we arrive to see if wading the first couple of miles by the dam is, if at all, possible.

Thanks again

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Brian K. Shaffer
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Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#28

Post by Brian K. Shaffer »

Anyone wanting to experience Lake Taneycomo should do so before it gets fixed.

Currently one unit (of the 4) is running - stuck open and cannot be closed without new parts.
Parts that are being made or are being shipped - will not be here until next year.

That one unit is keeping what would be flows of 40cfs to near 1200cfs daily = until the call for increased power.
The river is fishing better than ever.
Early AM but even in full sun.
Don't tell anyone.

17MW of power production is the lowest it can go
https://www.energy.gov/swpa/generation-schedules
click on day - Table Rock is # 12
Look at 24 hour schedule
Click back to forum.
" There's no such thing as a fly fisherman wholly satisfied with his casting performance. " ~ Jim Green (1971)
" Just once I wish a trout would wink at me. " ~ Brian Shaffer

Use the SEARCH for justification and reasoning.

ozarkwater
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Location: Missouri Ozarks

Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#29

Post by ozarkwater »

Interesting situation in Branson area. Pictures Brian? :)

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Brian K. Shaffer
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Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#30

Post by Brian K. Shaffer »

Image
" There's no such thing as a fly fisherman wholly satisfied with his casting performance. " ~ Jim Green (1971)
" Just once I wish a trout would wink at me. " ~ Brian Shaffer

Use the SEARCH for justification and reasoning.

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Brian K. Shaffer
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Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#31

Post by Brian K. Shaffer »

Low flows in the early AM -

Image

Later in the day - looking upstream towards dam.

Image
" There's no such thing as a fly fisherman wholly satisfied with his casting performance. " ~ Jim Green (1971)
" Just once I wish a trout would wink at me. " ~ Brian Shaffer

Use the SEARCH for justification and reasoning.

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Brian K. Shaffer
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Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#32

Post by Brian K. Shaffer »

Whatever was causing the DAM to be stuck at 17 mega watts was fixed.

The river is back to 0 mega watts of power being generated when the river is low.
" There's no such thing as a fly fisherman wholly satisfied with his casting performance. " ~ Jim Green (1971)
" Just once I wish a trout would wink at me. " ~ Brian Shaffer

Use the SEARCH for justification and reasoning.

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Brian K. Shaffer
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Re: Advice on trip to Missouri

#33

Post by Brian K. Shaffer »

Whatever was causing the DAM to be stuck at 17 mega watts was fixed.

The river is back to 0 mega watts of power being generated when the river is low.

20 cubic feet per second of flow / instead of 1250.

Image
" There's no such thing as a fly fisherman wholly satisfied with his casting performance. " ~ Jim Green (1971)
" Just once I wish a trout would wink at me. " ~ Brian Shaffer

Use the SEARCH for justification and reasoning.

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