Fly Fishing 9 WILD TROUT STREAMS you've never heard of-Missouri Trout Slam (7streams in 4 days) Pt1

I have 4 days to Fly Fish 7 streams and hopefully catch a wild trout from all 9 Blue Ribbon Streams to complete The Missouri Trout Slam....IT WAS WAY TOUGHER THAN EXPECTED! After my last trip to Missouri, I learned that the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and Trout Unlimited (TU) had recently started a Blue Ribbon Trout Slam. To qualify, you need to catch any size trout from one of 9 Blue Ribbon streams in 2020. These streams are designated wild trout waters and have very specific restrictions (see link below). I had already caught wild trout in two streams for 2020 (video's below) so I figured it would be a fun challenge to see if I could finish the remaining 7 streams over 4 days. Let me say, it was a real CHALLENGE! Varying water levels, distances between streams, obtaining a shuttle and finding access proved to be way harder than expected....not to mention chasing wild trout in small streams has its own difficulties. But it was also super fun and rewarding!
The achievement levels begin at 5 (bronze), 7 (Sliver) and all 9 streams (Gold). If I'm successful, I'll achieve the Gold Level...one wild trout from all 9 Blue Ribbon Streams.
These two Blue Ribbon Streams were fished prior to this trip:
Stream 1: Fly Fishing for Wild Rainbows - • Fly Fishing for Wild R...
Stream 2: Floating/Camping in the Ozarks - https: // • Fly Fishing the Cooles...
More information on the Missouri Trout Slam below:
huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing/t...
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/ looknfishy
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#flyfishing #missouri #troutfishing

[@RickMarshallMaps]

Thanks for posting the Missouri Trout Slam Videos. I live 2-3 hours from most of them and will start the slam in 2021. I appreciate your diligence in posting so frequently

[@LooknFishy]

No problem. Try to share every trip I take!

[@glbehnken]

I grew up in Missouri and spent most of my summers on Ozark streams fishing for Smallmouth Bass. I've had many 75+ fish days on those beautiful Ozark streams. The blue ribbon trout fishing was just getting started when i was a teenager, but I've returned many times over the years and find it to be quite challenging. I live in Pennsylvania now and fly fish year round and tell people the Ozarks is one of the best kept secrets.

[@LooknFishy]

Definitely off the beaten path but super fun fishery. I've spent more time on the AR side chasing smb and trout so it's always fun to venture into new areas.

[@stevestringham1095]

they're always secret until some showoff hotspots your spot.

[@LooknFishy]

@@stevestringham1095 why I don't name streams!

[@TheKarp26]

Just happened to stumble across your video. I like your class. Making time to speak to a family and not getting upset about them interfering with your goal, not naming stream and creek names to keep them preserved, and safe c&r…I’ll continue to follow your videos! Keep up the great work friend!

[@LooknFishy]

Thank you. Yea, it's just fishing and I thought it was cool to see a father taking his daughter to the creek!

[@JKonstanzer]

Good clip Drew. Appreciate your candor and how you seek out the spots that fit you.

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u, too old to do it any other way lol!

[@barryyantis9195]

That was fun. Beautiful water. Such clear water. I am very proud of my home state MDC. Well done!

[@LooknFishy]

Yea, they have done great work on the area fisheries. Very cool streams!

[@canadiangemstones7636]

Pretty water, thanks for sharing!

[@LooknFishy]

My pleasure!

[@jimgollach6202]

Hey drew I love fly fishing for trout. Great videos I enjoy watching. Hope to see more. Look out for the bears.

[@LooknFishy]

Definitely got more trout trips lined up, especially spring thru fall, but should get some winter friendly tailwater trips here soon...just waiting on an inviting generation schedule. Playing in the salt till then!

[@jasondietrich3664]

Man what a blast from the past. I went to school in Rolla and spent many a summer weekend relaxing on that exact gravel bar and swimming in the hole below the bridge. It can be a very busy spot lol. I recently subbed after coming across your videos in the rockies (I live in Utah now) but I didn't expect to see a spot I recognized in Missouri on your channel. Thanks for the great content, and if you ever come to Utah I could recommend you a few good spots off the beaten path.

[@LooknFishy]

Will do, definitely coming to Utah one day! Very cool, yea I only fish the ozarks in the off seasons b/c of the crowds.

[@adaml9491]

Drew, you should totally explore more streamer fishing! Fall can be a phenomenal time for it.

[@LooknFishy]

Trust me I have and still do...just not a tactic I suggest if you're trying to catch trout fast and hit lots of streams in a short time!

[@RLBadKarma]

Awesome video Drew!! I live smack dab in the middle of these streams. Have almost all my life. I've fished for warm water fish, but never really acquired a desire for trout. Now I'm 60 and disabled (kidney failure) and am thinking of trying out the Slam. Also MDC started the Smallmouth Slam now! Maybe hit both of them.

[@AnotherFishingAdventure]

Awesome video, loved it. Great fishing, great video, super cool.

[@LooknFishy]

Right on dudes, thank u!

[@voorheeslaz70voorhees12]

Nice lil trouts👌🏻👏🏻from Denver Colorado

[@lenzflyfishing]

Cool, didn't know about Mizzou's blue ribbon streams... great job, looked like fun.

[@LooknFishy]

I only had an interest in a few before I learned about the slam. Was a cool challenge that opened my eyes to some of the others. Was a great time!

[@fishduckdog]

Thanks for the adventure!

[@LooknFishy]

It was a good time for sure!

[@rtucker51]

Always enjoy the videos. I had no idea about the trout waters in Missouri.

[@LooknFishy]

Yea, not something that many have heard of...those along with some others probably get lost in the shadow of some of the areas larger, more famous tailwaters.

[@rtucker51]

@KansasScout I'll check that out.

[@heppisaxm8316]

Splendid!

[@LooknFishy]

Was a good time for sure!

[@andronomisneltron3231]

You are patient. As soon as people approach or start talking to me I get aggrivated and drive miles away

[@LooknFishy]

Haha, I still had it in my head I was camping there. Wasn't until another group came down that I was like...new plan!

[@carlgaebe8699]

Meeting people has been my favorite experience fly fishing. I've learned so much that way and caught many more trout had I not! Certain colors and hatches, etc.

[@YukionChannel]

Nice rainbow 😀👍

[@LooknFishy]

Good to find a few!

[@robertsullivan656]

Drew, Love your videos always anticipating the next post. Question, Have you tried tight-line nymphing vs indicator? After I switched a while back, I seem to catch more/larger fish. I assume because I can adjust the depth to follow the stream bed.

[@LooknFishy]

Gotta be the number one question I get lol! I have not, mostly because of the distance I travel to fish. Definitely would if these streams were closer. However, trying to learn a new technique 7hrs away from home isn't really appealing to me. I will someday, can't argue its effectiveness on certain types of water.

[@robertsullivan656]

@@LooknFishy worth the try, check out Devin's website Tactical Flyfisher. Plus he shows some great Utah streams you need to visit "Tiger Trout"!

[@LooknFishy]

I'm familiar with his stuff and it looks interesting!

[@Chompchompyerded]

I used to fish those rivers when I was in college at Washington University in St. Louis. Unlike what he stated, there are no wild trout on the Current River. They are all stocked, but the waters are stocked regularly with browns and rainbows. They dump in anything from fry to a few pretty good sized fish. My "go to" creek in Missouri was a little creek in southeast Missouri called Lower Rock Creek. It's a pretty good hike in; about two miles over a ridge and down into a valley where not many people go. The trout there are wild, and I'm not entirely sure how they got there. Lower Rock Creek dumps into the St. Francis River near Highway E, But the St. Francis is not known as a trout river. In the summer it gets just a bit too warm. Lower Rock Creek is however, a spring fed creek, and is cold all year 'round. The most productive stretch is from a glen where the creek turns sharply to the south, then on east to a waterfall further up. There are no trout above the waterfall. The trout aren't huge, but there are quite a few decent ones running around 12 inches, though the majority are smaller fry closer to 6 to 8 inches. There are, of course, the ever present chub to try to fish around. The chub tend not to go after dries, and the trout do. The most productive flies seem to be a mosquito tied on a size 18 or smaller hook, midges tied on a 22 or smaller, and black ants.

[@aaronumen3344]

hmm. curious what you consider wild. i know for a fact the stockers in the current breed, and I've caught tiny ones with par marks that surely weren't stocked. while it def should be said there's no pure mccloud bows in the current, it's a blue ribbon stream bc it has the habitat for them to breed -- just my two cents, as im sure you can tell, i love the current lol

[@Chompchompyerded]

@@aaronumen3344 Usually with fish, when I'm saying "wild" I mean fish which have hatched out in the wild and have never lived in a fish hatchery or an any other way been supported by humans. I was told by a man working at the hatchery that there were no naturally reproducing trout in the Current River, and that all the trout which were in the current were put there by their hatchery. They also assured me that no hatchery in Missouri had put any trout in Lower Rock Creek. He was very skeptical that there were any there at all until I sent him a photo of me catching one, and the subsequent close up photo of the fish itself. The fish there rarely get very big, but there are many both with and without par marks, and some running up to around 12 inches in length. As I'm writing, realize that my fishing in Missouri took place while I was a student at Washington University in St. Louis, and that was over 50 years ago. To me it almost seems like yesterday and for that reason, I'm writing as if it was, which I should not di. A lot of things can change in 50 years, including what people know about fish populations in rivers. It could be that at the time, the hatchery people didn't know that there were fish breeding and spending their entire lives from hatchling to reproducing adult in the river. As I think about it, that hatchery man might not even be alive anymore. I also don't know what the current situation is on Lower Rock Creek. For all I know they may have put a shopping mall or a strip mine in there. My mind's eye sees it as if it was yesterday, and now that I take a moment to think about it, I know it clearly is not. To be honest, I don't remember for certain if any part of the Current was a blue ribbon river in 1971 or 1972. I was just overjoyed to find that there were trout east of my native rocky mountains. I had gone from a ranch in the Rockies to a college in a big city (culture shock), and after two semesters there was amazed to find that there was any water within a few hours of the university that you could actually clearly see the bottom of, not to mention that had water which was cool to the skin and had trout in it. Now I'm on a nostalgia tour in my mind, and I probably shouldn't bother you with it. All that I knew is irrelevant to today. It's hard to believe that suddenly I'm old. It all went by so fast, and in a whirlwind. I'm glad that you love the current. Those places that we love never get old, even though they are ageless byond human years.

[@aaronumen3344]

@@Chompchompyerded I will go fish it in the next few weeks and find out…if you are interested in what happens feel free to PM me!

[@Chompchompyerded]

@@aaronumen3344 I'll be very interested to hear how it goes! I haven't been in there since I graduated from college back in the 1978. Trying to walk the creek from where it crosses highway E is a tough job due to the amount of fallen trees and the rocks. The way I used to go in was to take Hwy E to Madison 511. Go north on 511 until you see a try wash. There should be a place just north of that where you cn pull off, and where there is a trailhead. You'll want to walk east at first along the trail, but then as the trail turns toward the northeast, leave the trail and continue in an easterly direction. You'll eventually drop down into the "canyon" where the creek runs. The waterfall that I spoke about in my previous message will be unmistakable. There are lots of small places where the creek tumbles over rocks, but the waterfall is much taller than a human. Tall enough that you'd be seriously hurt if you fell off the top of it. The trout will hold at the front of the smaller pools where the water is churned up. I have never seen them hanging out in the still water, though I have seen them dart under rocks from time to time. They seem to prefer shaded areas over areas which are in direct sun. One word of warning; keep your eyes wide open for copperheads. The place is loaded with them, and the only times I have not seen them was when I went in there during the winter months. From springtime on they are everywhere. You definitely don't want to step on or close to one and end up getting bit. Oddly, I've never seen a rattlesnake or a cotton mouth in there. The environment is right for rattlers, but I've never encountered one. Other than winter, I have seen copperheads every single time in, so they are thick in there. I really hope you enjoy your time in there. There are no trophy sized trout in there, but there are plenty of little ones, and if nothing else, it's a really pretty walk through there full of all sorts of wildlife. Personally, I think it should be RARE II protected. It's a well kept secret, that's for sure.

[@charliechild9361]

Have you made your way to Crane Creek? It’s definitely out of the way and you may want to fish Arkansas, rather than MO, if you intend to fish Crane but it has the McCloud River rainbow trout strain and these fish are unreal. 14-16 inch Bows that look like they ate a grapefruit. Just an awesome strain of trout.

[@LooknFishy]

I've fished all the blue ribbon streams! Some more than others!

[@gordiejones2039]

Great stuff! Is there a history or story with your landing net?

[@LooknFishy]

Yea, get some digs on ig b/c it's held together with zip ties...all in good fun!

[@Joey_Joey_Joey]

Great video. What streams are these (besides the current river?)

[@LooknFishy]

9 in total, all listed in the MDC link in the description!

[@Joey_Joey_Joey]

Thanks!

[@kejdr36]

I'm a newbie to trout fishing but enjoy it. What were you fishing under that cork?

[@LooknFishy]

No name bh fly!

[@Callaweginflyfishing]

Drew, If I guess correctly, you were too far down stream on the Little Piney. The best blue ribbon access is at Lane Springs.

[@EE0971]

I fished the second stream in this video this past Saturday and had one of the best days I’ve had in a long time. Lots of 8”-10” fish plus a 14” and 17” near the end of the day. Couldn’t believe it!

[@LooknFishy]

Yea, that stream definitely held some fish. I had a couple good ones that didn't make it on camera bc the batteries kept dying...the first day was kind of a struggle like that lol! Oh well, I will visit it again!

[@EE0971]

By the way, you are sorta famous in southern Missouri. I ran into one other fisherman that day and he was there cause he saw your videos. Both of us are subscribers.

[@LooknFishy]

Haha, that's too funny...I hope!

[@brand0nmiller21]

What order did you fish them in? I didn't catch which stream you were on after the Current

[@flyfishingmaniac6802]

Fantastic content, as usual! If possible, would you mind doing some informational videos in the future? I would be very interested to see what you carry in your bag and what your favorite rods and flies are. Thanks!

[@LooknFishy]

Definitely will add more of the non fishing stuff...probably more during the winter while I wait for spring and summer to get here! Fly tying, reviews, more tips, my backpacking list etc are all on my list right now.

[@jonathanyazdi6540]

Hi Drew, love this video. I’m a St. Louis native and planning on hitting some of these streams coming up here. Can I message you somewhere to talk a little more about them? I’lol be headed down that way with little information.

[@jred5153]

So do you haul firewood in or is all "found" wood?

[@LooknFishy]

Most is found. Really no room for much wood with a kayak and I sleep on a cot in the bed of the truck.

[@jacoblandon]

How many times a year do you visit the driftless?

[@LooknFishy]

Have gone a few times in the past but now, just once each year. Gonna start stopping for a day or two in MO on my way from now on!

[@ryanjourneymanwireman4937]

Question for you sir..... Do you have exact locations of all the spots please? I noticed it was somewhat casual.

[@lynella6073]

Hi Drew, are you fishing barbless here, nymphs?

[@LooknFishy]

Yep, always barbless. Tandem nymph rig, 1 Bh and 1 unweighted fly under a dorsey yarn indicator.

[@spencerbass7142]

Do you think there are any 18” plus fish in those streams?

[@LooknFishy]

Absolutley, the first stop is known for big trout...it's pretty popular! But I've seen or caught a +18 in 3 other streams!

[@trinawhitener7753]

I caught a 20 inch rainbow out of the north fork of the white river.

[@bradr8717]

Yes, patience, diligence, lots of work (presentation and fly selection) and luck will get a bigger fish in the net.

[@greghoffman3146]

One more...one more...one more. I'm the same

[@LooknFishy]

Funny what fishing and drinking beer have in common lol!

[@supabakezoid5643]

Damn, does the fly line ever touch the water. Even on longer casts you manage to hold it above the water line and just fish the tippet.

[@LooknFishy]

Haha, I definitely try to keep it off as best I can!

[@bobweird655]

is that a Stealie on the truck? (~);}

[@LooknFishy]

I'll have to look closer, nothing that is from a trip but got some friends who send me pics lol!

[@UnsolicitedCryptoTips]

Which stream is which?

[@davidgray3321]

Beautiful sunny day there Drew, will they take a dry fly at that time of year,? Perhaps even if there isn’t a hatch? But I suppose there maybe even in winter but just less fly than in summer? Remember everyone in the USA , keep the Trout and Salmon farms out, safeguard your fishing heritage, they ruin streams for good.

[@LooknFishy]

IMO, small stream trout are more opportunistic and won't pass up an easy meal. But they are definitely more eager in the warmer months when more bugs are out...but maybe our odds go up when there aren't as many choices lol!

[@Samsonebug]

Curious what your go to fly is for these streams?

[@samuelbaldwin496]

I was confused when I read the title, at first I thought, "how the f are there cutthroats in missouri?" Then I read the description

[@LooknFishy]

Haha, never considered that...someone else asked about cutts too.

[@gatosnegros100]

What part of Missouri is this?

[@LooknFishy]

In the Ozarks!

[@gatosnegros100]

@@LooknFishy thank you

[@domtcba]

#2 and #3 streams? Names?

[@LooknFishy]

The links I added in the description can help. But I avoid naming streams to protect them from being burned!

[@gerzonmonzon1111]

Is it me or this man looks like Beowulf from the movie on Netflix

[@LooknFishy]

HAHA...scared to check that out!

[@gerzonmonzon1111]

@@LooknFishy there’s a resemblance at some angels. Check it out you wouldn’t be disappointed lol.

[@flyman451]

Why don't you at least wear hip boots?

[@dalongchina1]

it's TROUT, NOT TOUT!

[@LooknFishy]

My editor sucks. Thank you!!

[@rickbrown7067]

Quit false casting, do a water born roll cast. You won’t spook as many fish. Nice job!

[@LooknFishy]

Done lol!

[@johnd5643]

What is it about fishing that makes people think they can come bother you? It’s so rude. You’d never bother someone in the middle of doing any other hobby.

[@LooknFishy]

Not just fishing, people stop me while running all the time lol. In all honesty, I get it more now with fly fishing b/c people are mystified by it....it's more art...and they love to watch. I don't mind and if I wasn't pressing would have been more friendly. Even now I regret not being more polite. But I was concerned for the little girl too...definitely didn't know they had walked right behind me!

[@johnd5643]

@@LooknFishy yes I definitely agree about the little kid being there. But other than that, I frankly have a hard time being polite to people in those situations. One time I was fishing a river and some guy comes up behind and above me on the bank where I can’t see him and yells “having any luck?” at the top of his voice. Scared me to death and made me so angry I decided just to not turn around because I was afraid of what I would say. Maybe ten seconds passed and ... “I SAID HAVING ANY LUCK???” I couldn’t believe it. I just turned and said “no” and turned back (in reality I was having a pretty good day of it).

[@LooknFishy]

Haha, yea I'd have been a little less polite in that situation too. In my case, it was a father hanging out with his little girl on the stream bank on a Friday night. I respect that a ton and wish I had turned around and talked with them more!

[@josephdavis8555]

you never explained your set up or what you were using for flies. Just watching this guy is boring. Didn't learn a thing.

[@LooknFishy]

Got plenty of tutorials in my tips playlist if you're looking to learn something. Fishing 9 new streams in such a short time didn't leave much time for anything else. Set up was 10ft 4wt which I talk about in my how to use an indicator effectively video.

[@asymptoticsingularity9281]

Be careful camping out there. I have had scary encounters with partying college girls out whooping it up.