| Mid-Missouri Trout Unlimited
Report, May 1999 The suburban rocked gently as we approached
the Cross Roads general store, turned east to the North Fork of White River and our
lodging at River of Life Farm. Each year Mid-Missouri chapter of Trout Unlimited reserves
a cabin for a spring weekend of trout fishing and socializing; and 12 members from
Columbia, St. Louis, and Jefferson City were converging on the North Fork.
"I'm driving home." John Cleek commented as he gripped tightly the roof handle
as we bounced down the hill to the river valley. "The closer we got, the faster you
drove."
He was right. After 30 years and hundreds of trips, the North Fork still pulled at me for
the next fix. That first visit in spring of 1969, a float from Hammond's Camp to Blair,
produced only a couple of small rainbows, all less than 10 inches and no browns; however,
it foraged a love affair that still burns hotly even through I approach elder-statesmen
age...Not old just better. And, trout fishing is much better now...special trout
regulations have worked their magic on the trout population and a whole industry has built
up around trout fishing on the North Fork of the White. The river has become nationally
renowned for its trout fishing and ranked by Trout Unlimited in the top 100 trout streams
in the nation.
After a quick unloading of our "stuff," we joined Mike Kruse, Tom Zeigler, and
Tammy Atkins, early T.U. arrivals, and headed upstream to Kelly. We launched my canoe and
a 14-foot John boat for a short float back to The Falls and River of Life Farm, and a
couple of hours of fishing before dark. The North Fork was spring normal...flush but
falling, with a little color. Each riffle had standing waves and wading, because of the
flow and slick bottom, was tricky.
I could lie and tell you we caught the heck out of trout. We didn't; everyone caught a
trout or two, mostly small wild rainbows. The upper float from Kelly to The Falls, can be
fickle, but the Rock (pushed into the river about 27 years ago) and the McKee Bridge
riffle always produces trout and it did for us. It was dark-thirty by the time we fished
through Rainbow Alley and landed at River of Life Farm.
Day two dawned clear and way to early. Early risers sounded like a herd of buffalo...or
excited trout anglers...as restless trout anglers piled out of the sack at 5:15 am, stoked
up with a quick breakfast, coffee and pulled on waders and boots before heading for the
river. We headquartered at River of Life Farm because the river was right outside the
front door.
I rolled over for another hour of sleep...bad idea; a pillow bounced off my head. No
respect. The excitement was infectious and I joined the herd. Most anglers headed to
Rainbow Alley, The Falls, and Jack's Run, all easy walking distance from the a cabin. This
mile-long section, not only produces tons of trout each year...MDC surveys show it
supports 600 to 800 trout per mile...but also holds lots of large brown and rainbow trout,
many over 20 inches. And, most days you can also fish dry flies or soft hackles to rising
trout...surface feeding usually begins about an hour before the sun hits the water in the
morning. What more could a trout angler want?
Our plans, however, were to float from The Falls to Blair Access, about 3.5 miles. I like
to float and fish. A canoe or John boat allows access to more water, and floating allows
me to prove, contrary to popular opinion, I don't turnover every time I get in a canoe. It
also allows me to renew my love affair with the river.
Love affairs need to be nourished. I nourish mine by fishing through the many pockets and
runs, remembering times past and fish caught...and spills taken. It is safe to say, I have
swam through every pool from Kelly to Blair at one time or another. And, not to be outdone
this year, I slipped and took a dunking in the "Cabin" riffle, which would not
have been so bad had I been alone; however, photographs were duly taken to be displayed at
some later date...the legend continues.
The highlight of the day came in a thunderstorm, mid-afternoon. As we stood around at the
split riffle, rain running off our backs and noses, hoping someone would make a decision
to press on to Blair Bridge and takeout, a thoracic surgeon from our group, water
streaming off his face from the rain, flailed the water unsuccessfully for 15 minutes as
we waited...not a strike. After watching, Mike Kruse, a fishing professional in our group,
grabbed his rod and caught three rainbows on three casts just downstream from the surgeon.
"He'd better not have a heart attack tonight," suggested someone from our party
as we watched Kruse's performance. "Help might be a long time in coming."
After drying out, several members finished catching the evening hatch in front of the
cabin...which for the most part didn't materialize. (This hatch is relatively predictable
with May flies, caddis flies, stone flies, working the surface, and trout setting up
feeding stations to feed on the smorgasbord of insects.)
Day three wasn't quite so early...something about socializing until after midnight, slowed
the early risers down. They waited until almost 6:00 am to wake everyone. We spread out
from the McKee Bridge riffle to Jack's Run. The water was dingier than Saturday and I
found a small pod of rainbows and browns working the surface, taking emerging insects in
the film, downstream from The Falls. I caught a couple of small wild bows using soft
hackles (grouse and orange). The last trout came on a prince nymph, fished as a trailer
behind a Kruse mole-hair leach.
As we climbed out of the valley heading home, it was quiet in the suburban; a pleasant
tiredness settled over us as we remembered those wonderful days spent on the North Fork of
the White River at River of Life Farm. Plans for the next trip are already in the making.
Fishing Tips:
Equipment: 4- or 5-wt fly rod; or ultra-light spinning rod; waders with felt soles (chains
work also); wading staff; and landing net.
Suggested flies: Prince nymph; scuds; zug bug; black stone nymph; pheasant tail nymph;
stimulator; renegade; elk-hair caddis; royal Wulff; soft hackles (grouse and orange most
consistent producer); Kruse mole-hair leach; peacock woolly worm; peacock woolly bugger;
muddler; and sculpin.
Lures: 1/64, 1/80-ounce jigs; small spinners; small crankbaits.
Spencer E. Turner
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This is copyrighted material. Republishing in any form is prohibited under penalty
of law without written permission of the author.
Quail Ridge Publishing and Consulting
5701 E. Mexico Gravel Rd.
Columbia, MO 65202
573 474-6477/ sturne01@mail.coin.missouri.edu |
