Missouri Spring Creeks
- This topic has 12 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated May 20, 2007 at 4:52 pm by
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Does anyone have any experience on Blue Ribbon areas in Missouri. On a recent trip to Crane Creek, which bosts the pure McCloud river strain, I had a difficult time. The water is low, clear, and the fish can see you from a mile away.
If anyone has any advice or has fished this amazing little creek before I would love any tips.
ThanksIf your looking for wild rainbow in Missouri one really fun place to fish is the North Fork of the White River in/around Dora, MO. You can get some more info here: http://www.riveroflifefarm.com/.
Going was a really great experience that was filled with solitude and very shy fish. I had a great day despite my abilities at the time and I caught one of my most favorite browns to date.
Grant
Jake:
I still remember my first trip to Crane, and it too was difficult. Take cheer, however, and don’t be afraid to take your time learning it. It will teach you important lessons.
Crane can be tough at low water like any other creek. The upper conservation area is harder to fish at low water. You might actually try the park area in town. I have not fished it in the park, but have heard from a number of folks that it can fish well at times. The lower conservation area has a lot more habitat and better flows. It’s also where I’ve seen more snakes.
Pick your times. It fishes better after rains and especially if there is a little stain to the water. I rarely fish it in the summer months because of snakes and pests. November through March is about ideal and the brush has died back then.
The fish are not picky on patterns. They see a lot of different bugs and are not generally selective. I do well on standard nymphs like PTs and Princes, EHC and parachutes, and also some streamers. But the fish are wild, and you get one crack at them on the take. You will not fool them a second time that day. Move on. The fish hold in the classic places like undercut banks, log jams and deeper pools. I rarely see them in shallow areas unless it is a very fast run with good overhead cover. The stream calls for short rods, short leaders and as heavy a tippet as you can get away with, otherwise you will loose a lot of fish and flies in the snags and overhangs. I rarely fish 6x there. 4x is better but may keep you from getting deep enough. Tungsten beadheads actually help on this stream.
Roaring River catch and release area is a good place to hone your spring creek skills. Talk to Tim Homesley at his Orvis shop at the top of HWY 112 going out of the park towards Cassville. Tim has fished the area more than anyone and knows all its secrets :-).
Be sure to check out the other streams as you have opportunity. The North Fork as Grant has mentioned is one of the best. Definitely check with Matt as Zach has suggested. Missouri has some fine spring creeks.
Happy fishing.
If you guys want any tag alongs for your wild weekend I would try to come up from OK in a heartbeat.
I realize that Crane is a tough creek. However, even though I did not catch much of anyting my first trip there love the atmosphere. I intend on fishing that creek as much as possible and figuring it out. It is also the closest blue ribbon area to my home in Wichita Kansas, still a 5hr drive though. I fish the catch and release area in Roaring River often as well but it is not the same. We do not have trout in Kansas so a place like Crane is a nice break from our murky waters and warm water fish.
P.S. We have fantastic fishing for Bass, Carp, Wipers, etc here in Kansas, I would love to trade out some fishing here for some in Mo or Arkansas.
The LMF can get crowded at times, but it is a great fishery and has lots of varied fishing challanges. I try and get down there every chance I get. There are even rumors of a nother rainbow spawn this year. So there are your wild fish to keep in the spirit of the thread.
Grant
Hmm…152miles. It is more like 398 miles, from Wichita Kansas to Broken Bowm OK. I wish I was 152 miles from good trout fishing, however at the moment the closest is the Lower Illinois river outside of Tulsa. I have yet to venture that way.
My folks have a place right by the Lower Illinois and I have fished it a fair amount. It is great that it is a year round fishery, but during the spring and summer the traffic is quite high and you also have to contend with a lot of generation.
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