Made my annual trip to my favorite ozark trout stream a few days ago. Water was as low as I have seen it on this creek, but still floatable. Crowds were light, and most were close to the access points. It was an odd trip, plenty of warm water fish in areas that are primarily dominated by trout. It didn't seem to displace the trout though, I caught them the length of the float. Fishing was pretty good....I fished streamers and rapalas quite a bit, and nymphed every good riffle or deep run. I had two great browns take but not hook up and had another good one on for a short while. (note to self, tie more tandem hook streamers) They were chasing like crazy but the big fish would often bluff the fly. Smaller fish would usually eat on the second cast. Rainbow trout were easy to catch most mornings. Sporadic trico hatches had fish in the riffles. There were little brown trout in almost every riffle.
I spent the night on the river, so I had the opportunity to spend an evening and morning on one of my favorite stretches of the creek. Burn bans in effect, so no campfire. Oh well, it certain makes it easy to keep camp organized. Can't wait to get back here in the fall.
Rainbow trout fishing was great at times, and average size was pretty good.
This was the big brown of the trip. I missed the opportunity to hook two others this size, and had another one slightly smaller than this hooked for a short while. Nothing better than watching those big browns inhale a streamer.
This is what a campfire looks like during a burn ban. It is also a bug collector, and helps to ID the evening hatch.
Streambred.
