Barren Fork
Blue Ribbon Trout Area Fishing Reports This page was updated 1/9/07
This report was submitted by Stuart _______ of Defiance on 12/28/06
Date of Trip: 12/28/06 Times fished: 10:00am - 2:00pm Air Temperature: Comfy Weather: Sunny Water Level: Average Water quality: Slightly Clouded What worked: Mostly nymphs & otter scud
Seemed to be plenty of fish in the stream. Weren't biting on top and had no
luck with wooleys. Any small nymphs seemed to work. Caught most of my fish on
Otter Scuds. Great day!
Thanks for the report, Stuart. We've been hearing that Barren Fork's
trout population is actually growing, which is in sharp contrast to
the other little Missouri wild trout streams. Glad to hear it appears
to be true.
This report was submitted by Leroy Johnson of St. Louis on 7/22/06
Date of Trip: 7/18/06 Times fished: Morning Air Temperature: Balmy Weather: Sunny Water Level: Below Average Water quality: Gin clear What worked: White Rooster Tail
My dad and I headed off to Barren Fork at about 6:00 from Eminence, where we were staying on vacation. Parked at the crossing
off of county road A-D and headed downstream to where the spring comes into the creek. I started off fishing pheasant tail all the way
down the the end of public use sign, the only thing the pheastant tail produced was the knowledge that the bleeding shiner population is
alive and well in this creek. Per my dad's advice, I fished a rooster tail on the way up, caught one tiny 3" rainbow half way up and then
caught a better 8" rainbow in a nice little spot with a log in a riffle.
Thanks again for the help, Leroy. Next time, try switching your tactics to the reverse
of what you did here. Drift nymphs while heading upstream and use streamers or spinners while heading
downstream. That simple change will help you to cast to more trout that don't know you're there, and
you should see your catch rate triple. To be honest, though, fantastic job catching two trout on your
first trip there. Barren Fork offers the type of challenge that most trout fishermen shy away from.
Those that enjoy solitude and wish to catch truly wild fish on the fish's terms should definitely give Barren
Fork a try. If they're truly dedicated to the art of trout fishing, they may even go back a second time!
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