Missouri

[Salmo]

I will be traveling to Missouri this summer and am looking for some info on some interesting places to fish. I go there every few years and have had some good and bad experiences. I've Fished the North fork of the White river and had a great time, caught some really nice browns. I have also fished Bennet Springs and was quite dissatisfied with the experiance although maybe it was just me.
I will be staying in Columbia and I probably wont want to travel more than 100 miles or so from there.
I would be mostly interested in fishing streams for trout and smallmouth, But perhaps some really good largemouth fishing would be fun.
Any advice would be helpfull.

[Fred]

I think Bennet Springs is the closest you will get to any trout fishing in the Show-Me-State around Columbia. Small mouth shouldn't be a problem and I would consult the locals for specifics.

Either way, you should be prepared to get Jiggy-with-it. It's not the fly fishing Mecca of the world.

[mike b]

send my partner the same email you sent this site. i told
him about your request and he was ok with you contacting
him he used to guide in missouri and arkansas.

email rockytrout@msn.com

[shazerblaze]

Hey Salmo, I'm your man -- at least one of your men, from the looks of it. I have spent the last two years in Missouri for school. I don't get to as much of the trout waters as I would like, but I know most of them, well enough. There are a some trout parks closer than Bennet Springs. I also know some good smallmouth waters. Shoot me an email, and I can let you know some of the best waters for both trout and smallmouths. As for Largemouths and panfish, you can put in almost anywhere and do well. Email me, and I'll hook you up with whatever you want -- even the local flyshop. Be good and welcome to Missouri.

[Cor]

I heard...emphasis on heard...that the tail water coming out of Truman Lake is becoming quite the trout tailwater...don't even know the name of the river. Check with the locals to verify.

[shazerblaze]

Hey Cor
As for Truman Reservoir, I don't know, because you are the first I have ever heard tell such a thing about Truman. I will have to check that out. As for tailwaters, we have some great tailwaters below the Bull Shoals Dam and Table Rock Dam. These waters are all part of the White River system. It is a great place to fish, but gets a little crowded during the "main" season. I have had over 30 fish days there. It's a wonderful place. The other parts of the White River system are in Arkansas, and are arguably better than the parts in Missouri. I have yet to fish the Arkansas portion. I believe Dave Whitlock fishes that area (the trout and smallmouth rivers of the Ozarks). One last note -- the tailwaters out of the Norfork (the Norfork River then enters the White) is the only place to catch in the Midwest that one can catch brook, cutthroat (although I have heard they are more of a cutbow), rainbow, AND brown trout. Interesting! Be good.

[Cor]

Shazer: Yep, I've heard the same about all those areas though I haven't had the op to fish them yet. I just mentioned the Truman because I heard it was getting good and it's closer to Columbia and KC area. I could be wrong on that, but it would be great if it was. It's only about 25 miles from my dads farm in Urich MO.
The arkansas areas are supposed to be hot...though Bennet Springs is more like a tourist trap...nearly a trout fishing pond (ya'll know what I'm talking about), than a true river. I know when I was there you could sit on the river and see all of these HUGE trout just laying on the bottom and seriously hundreds of people throwing flies at them...they didn't budge. But, that's bennet....try the Ark. tailwaters. they are supposed to be great.

[shazerblaze]

Hey Cor
I will definitely check out Truman.
As for Bennett, it is a lot like all of the trout parks in Missouri. I have never seen such a fiasco. My brother came down from Chicago, and we hit Montauk State Park. Fishing starts at 6:00 am at the sound of a horn. It is seriously crazy out of the gates. Anyway, in the fly-only waters, people were casting spinners with flies on the hook end and dragging around their fish on their stringers. It is crazy. So, we went to the catch and release area. If you ever fish at any of the state parks, fish the catch and release area. There are some huge fish -- nice fish. For that, fish Montauk or Roaring River (which is down by Arkansas, very far southwest) in the C&R areas.
Hopefully I will be able to get down to Arkansas before I leave Missouri.