There is something about trout fishing that gets into your blood. For weeks before a trip I am already preparing. Tying flies, cleaning lines, organizing fly boxes, etc. I have plenty of flies, my lines are already clean and fly boxes are already organized but I can't stop thinking about the trip.
This past week I was able to go trout fishing for the first time in 7 months. I didn't expect much from this trip as I usually have little success in the heat of the summer. If anything I was hoping for a relaxing trip and hopefully a few fish caught. Turns out that I would have one of the best fly fishing trips to this river.
Day 1
I make the 4 hour drive to one of my favorite trout streams in Missouri. I take the long way over to get a glimpse of some future smallmouth streams that I will fish someday. Missouri never ceases to amaze me at the natural beauty it contains, but it also disgusts me when I see shacks with piles of trash being thrown into ravines and poor land use. For a place with such great natural features, you would think the locals would take advantage rather then spend the weekends drinking down at the swimming hole.
Anyways, I started floating in the dark the next morning. The first few holes that normally produce were fishless this trip. I quickly started hooking into smaller sized rainbow trout and a few smallmouth bass on rapalas while I floating through slower water. I normally can catch a few big brown trout on them on this creek, but not this trip-only a couple small browns, rainbow trout and smallmouth bass. I string up my 8 wt and start playing around with some streamers. I immediately lose my first one to a rootwad. I tie on my go to streamer and quickly hook into a nice rainbow in the hole above the cabin.
