Family-Outdoors

The Current River of Missouri has been one of our favorite places in Missouri to go. The Current is certainly renowned for its party atmosphere on summer weekends, and deservedly so. If that's what you are after, then head on down any weekend from May thru September and enjoy. We won't see you. The Current is something different for us. I guess it seems to serve a vast array of desires. For us, that desire is some peace, solitude, and usually fly fishing. Depending on what you like, the Current has fishing opportunities for everyone. I guess if you are after big catfish, there are better Missouri streams. But if you enjoy fishing for smallies or browns and rainbows, it's hard to beat this jewel of a stream. The various stretches are pretty diverse, and too numerous to detail here. Briefly, there is Montauk State Park, and from there downstream, a progression from blue ribbon trout water to incredible smallmouth water. The river is beautiful throughout. For a thorough ru...

Trout Fishing in the Ozark Mountains By Davidson Manning One thing is for sure. There is no shortage of trout streams in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri and Arkansas . Some are spring-fed rivers and creeks. These provide everything from daily stocked put and take fishing for gullible trout, to the pursuit of wild rainbows in a pretty spring creek. There are also trophy brown trout streams that can and do produce stream grown trout in the ten pound range. In all, there are eighteen spring-fed streams in the Ozarks that are managed for year-round trout fishing, seventeen of which are in Missouri. All have public access. Of these, the freestone section of the North Fork of the White is often considered to be the best, with trout populations in the thousands per mile, with the upper section holding lots of w Image via Wikipedia ild rainbows and some browns, and the lower section holding a lot of browns and some rainbows. Other streams that are well worth fishing are the Eleven Point, Li...

Fishing the Current River of Missouri 's Ozarks By Davidson Manning There is no doubt that the Current River is the most diverse stream in Missouri. It begins as a spring creek style trout river, and slowly transforms into one of the best smallmouth bass streams in the nation. Besides these species, there are also populations of Rock Bass , Walleye, and of course Bluegill. Image via Wikipedia The first twenty miles of the river make up the classic trout water. The river begins where Montauk Spring rises in the streambed of Pigeon Creek. For three miles below this point, the stream is stocked once a day with rainbow trout from March 1 through October 31. The upper part of this stretch which flows through Montauk State Park is managed for flies only. Artificial lures such as marabou jigs and single hooked rooster tail spinners fished on a spinning rod are perfectly legal, along with traditional fly gear. The rest of the river in the park allows all lures and baits. Montauk Spri...