North Fork of the White River
This incredible river is nationally known as one of the finest wildly reproducing rainbow trout rivers in the U.S. It's a big Western-style freestone river like you'd expect to find in the Rockies or the mountains of Northern California. The river is also rich with a variety of aquatic insects, including two notable species of large stoneflies, making it a fantastic place for "old school" Western fly fishermen.
There are really only a couple of downers about this river. First, you'll be competing for water space with canoes through much of the summer. That's not so bad, though, when you consider that the fish are fairly desensitized to people due to the consistent presence of boats floating by. That actually makes the approach to the fish easier and the cast shorter than it might be otherwise. Second, some of the best fishing water will require a boat to reach. But, of course, this is why these areas are so productive, so no whining allowed.
The North Fork is also a very nice dry fly river, with a variety of notable hatches occurring throughout the season. Here's the breakdown. Darker colored caddis imitations work best in the Spring and Fall, with lighter colors working best in the Summer. Starting in late Spring and stretching through much of the summer, you'll see tan mayflies (#12-#14 is about the right size) and a big black stoneflies (#6 works well) will be in the air. And, finally, you'll see some good Trico hatches in late summer and into the fall. That's not so difficult, is it? If you're a nymph fisherman, it is much simpler: focus on the larger patterns in sizes 6 through 12 and you'll do fine. Black Wooleys and Rubber Legs are popular for imitating stoneflies, but an actual fly tied to imitate will really knock em' dead at times. But when the fish aren't grabbing the whopper flies, the standard back-ups will certainly produce -- hare's ears, pheasant tails, various midge patterns, scuds, and the like. And then there are the BIG FISH hunters, who love aggressively stripping ginormous streamers.
To give you a final qualifying argument about the quality of this fishery, it's the only trout stream in the state that has both a Blue Ribbon area AND a Red Ribbon area.
Red Ribbon Area
Only flies and artificial lures are permitted, soft plastics specifically excluded. Daily limit is 2 trout at least 15 inches long.
Stocked with brown trout and managed to provide the opportunity to catch a trophy, this area starts at Patrick Bridge and stretches about 6 miles downstream to Norfork Lake. There is easy access at Patrick Bridge and Blair Bridge, both with access areas owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Now, while fish are routinely caught all the way down to the lake, the best trout water extends from Patrick Bridge just a short distance past Althea Spring, a grand total of about 3 miles. In fact, one might be so bold as to say you can skip the rest of the river during the warmer months of the year, unless you are already planning to float it. The area just below Dawt Mill has also been known to produce some decent fishing, migrating fish are relatively trapped below the dam. So, you might want to put forth a little effort in that area, if you find yourself there.
The most productive baits used in this area include larger nymphs, streamers, in-line spinners, little crankbaits, and little spoons. When there is a good hatch going on, dry flies can also work well, but trophy hunters have long suspected that you won't catch a great big brownie on a little bug. They tend to focus their efforts on catching larger fish on larger baits.
Blue Ribbon Area
Only flies and artificial lures are permitted, soft plastics specifically excluded. Daily limit is 1 trout at least 18 inches long
This section of river has drawn fishermen from across the country, due to its notoriety as one of the best wildly reproducing rainbow trout waters in the country. The area begins at the upper outlet of Rainbow Springs (AKA Double Spring), although decent trout fishing can be had further upstream at North Fork Spring, as well. Rainbow Springs is a very large spring, with an average discharge of almost 140 million gallons of water per day. The Blue Ribbon Area extends downstream for approximately 7 miles to Patrick Bridge.
There are several access points to this portion of the river. You can reach North Fork Spring via dirt roads, and you can reach Rainbow Springs via County Road 372/374. Be forewarned, however, that the spring branch is privately owned, and I hear it's jealously guarded. There is also access at Kelly Ford via County Road 368 upstream of McKee Bridge (the bridge is private property). Beyond this point, you can find a few spots here and there via dirt roads, but the next easily accessible point is Blair Bridge at Highway KK. This 4-1/2 mile stretch between Kelly Ford and Blair Bridge is great water, and it's a highly recommended float for those looking to get into some trout.
A favorite fishing stop is the stretch of water below "The Falls". The word "Falls" is a bit grandiose. Those of you who have floated some serious waters will consider it a simple chute and not at all hazardous -- unless of course you try to shoot it sideways or simply miss it all together. If you've never done it before and don't have anyone to lead you through, you might want to beach your boat and scout before attempting it, as it can be difficult to see from the upstream end. At any rate, this stretch of water has a lot of character and produces a lot of trout.
The North Fork is located to the west of West Plains.
There are really only a couple of downers about this river. First, you'll be competing for water space with canoes through much of the summer. That's not so bad, though, when you consider that the fish are fairly desensitized to people due to the consistent presence of boats floating by. That actually makes the approach to the fish easier and the cast shorter than it might be otherwise. Second, some of the best fishing water will require a boat to reach. But, of course, this is why these areas are so productive, so no whining allowed.
The North Fork is also a very nice dry fly river, with a variety of notable hatches occurring throughout the season. Here's the breakdown. Darker colored caddis imitations work best in the Spring and Fall, with lighter colors working best in the Summer. Starting in late Spring and stretching through much of the summer, you'll see tan mayflies (#12-#14 is about the right size) and a big black stoneflies (#6 works well) will be in the air. And, finally, you'll see some good Trico hatches in late summer and into the fall. That's not so difficult, is it? If you're a nymph fisherman, it is much simpler: focus on the larger patterns in sizes 6 through 12 and you'll do fine. Black Wooleys and Rubber Legs are popular for imitating stoneflies, but an actual fly tied to imitate will really knock em' dead at times. But when the fish aren't grabbing the whopper flies, the standard back-ups will certainly produce -- hare's ears, pheasant tails, various midge patterns, scuds, and the like. And then there are the BIG FISH hunters, who love aggressively stripping ginormous streamers.
To give you a final qualifying argument about the quality of this fishery, it's the only trout stream in the state that has both a Blue Ribbon area AND a Red Ribbon area.
Red Ribbon Area
Only flies and artificial lures are permitted, soft plastics specifically excluded. Daily limit is 2 trout at least 15 inches long.
Stocked with brown trout and managed to provide the opportunity to catch a trophy, this area starts at Patrick Bridge and stretches about 6 miles downstream to Norfork Lake. There is easy access at Patrick Bridge and Blair Bridge, both with access areas owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Now, while fish are routinely caught all the way down to the lake, the best trout water extends from Patrick Bridge just a short distance past Althea Spring, a grand total of about 3 miles. In fact, one might be so bold as to say you can skip the rest of the river during the warmer months of the year, unless you are already planning to float it. The area just below Dawt Mill has also been known to produce some decent fishing, migrating fish are relatively trapped below the dam. So, you might want to put forth a little effort in that area, if you find yourself there.
The most productive baits used in this area include larger nymphs, streamers, in-line spinners, little crankbaits, and little spoons. When there is a good hatch going on, dry flies can also work well, but trophy hunters have long suspected that you won't catch a great big brownie on a little bug. They tend to focus their efforts on catching larger fish on larger baits.
Blue Ribbon Area
Only flies and artificial lures are permitted, soft plastics specifically excluded. Daily limit is 1 trout at least 18 inches long
This section of river has drawn fishermen from across the country, due to its notoriety as one of the best wildly reproducing rainbow trout waters in the country. The area begins at the upper outlet of Rainbow Springs (AKA Double Spring), although decent trout fishing can be had further upstream at North Fork Spring, as well. Rainbow Springs is a very large spring, with an average discharge of almost 140 million gallons of water per day. The Blue Ribbon Area extends downstream for approximately 7 miles to Patrick Bridge.
There are several access points to this portion of the river. You can reach North Fork Spring via dirt roads, and you can reach Rainbow Springs via County Road 372/374. Be forewarned, however, that the spring branch is privately owned, and I hear it's jealously guarded. There is also access at Kelly Ford via County Road 368 upstream of McKee Bridge (the bridge is private property). Beyond this point, you can find a few spots here and there via dirt roads, but the next easily accessible point is Blair Bridge at Highway KK. This 4-1/2 mile stretch between Kelly Ford and Blair Bridge is great water, and it's a highly recommended float for those looking to get into some trout.
A favorite fishing stop is the stretch of water below "The Falls". The word "Falls" is a bit grandiose. Those of you who have floated some serious waters will consider it a simple chute and not at all hazardous -- unless of course you try to shoot it sideways or simply miss it all together. If you've never done it before and don't have anyone to lead you through, you might want to beach your boat and scout before attempting it, as it can be difficult to see from the upstream end. At any rate, this stretch of water has a lot of character and produces a lot of trout.
The North Fork is located to the west of West Plains.
| north_fork_map.pdf |