I've Fly Fished for Wild Trout in 9 states in 2020 & these were the 2 hardest - Missouri Trout Slam

In part 3, of the Missouri Trout Slam series, I spend the next two days trying to catch a wild trout from two of the toughest streams ever! Both had their own challenges...low water and private land on one stream. The other suffered a catastrophic, 100 year flood in 2017, which completely devastated the fishery. To be honest, there were times, I wasn't sure I'd be able to finish. But I was fortunate to find a few wild trout and complete the Missouri Trout Slam, catching a trout (all wild) from each stream. It was definitely a challenge but such a cool trip. I hope the series relay's how cool the Blue Ribbon Areas are in Missouri. Definitely worth a go but be prepared, it won't be easy! The other parts in this series are below, along with links to help you complete the Missouri Trout Slam.
Huge THANK YOU to Brain at Sunburst Ranch for taking time from is vacation to arrange a shuttle for me...pretty sure I would not have completed the MO Trout Slam without their help:
www.sunburstranchcanoe.com/
Brian's IG / ozarkmountainflyfishing
Part 1 - Missouri Trout Slam - • Fly Fishing 9 WILD TRO...
Part 2 - Missouri Trout Slam - • Fly Fishing 9 Wild Tro...
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...
Find me here:
/ looknfishy
/ looknfishy
looknfishy.blogspot.com/
#flyfishing #motroutslam #troutfishing

[@karenisensee3987]

Congratulations on Your Accomplishment. I found all three video's on Missouri's Blue ribbon Trout Streams, I really enjoyed them. Keep up the Great Work.

[@bogdang5950]

Sir, u do an excelent job. Keep it going, its food for the soul

[@LooknFishy]

Thanks for the good vibes! Will do for sure!

[@jotajoselook]

Even when you don't catch many fish I still enjoy your videos. Beautiful views. Positive actitude even when things are not easy. You know how to enjoy your trips and get the best of your fishing trips. Way to go

[@LooknFishy]

Hard to complain when you're able to travel, fish and enjoy life! Not me anyway...I'll just be thankful!

[@saunderskohn8977]

Thanks for posting these videos...I have enjoyed many of them!

[@LooknFishy]

Appreciate it!

[@gregoryconnor9333]

Lovely stuff, beautiful scenery and good fishing. Great vid.

[@LooknFishy]

Thank you kindly, always great to hear!

[@robperry9065]

Wow, that was some tough fishing on some really good looking water. Great video as usual! Keep up the great work! Tight lines

[@LooknFishy]

The second stream was once killer, you couldn't look down and not see fish. Really hope it can recover!

[@flipside6400]

Good days slow days you keep after it with zest. Makes us all appreciate the hot bites and not mind the slow ones! Thanks for the great content

[@LooknFishy]

Very true, gotta have a few to keep the world right!

[@rtucker51]

Enjoyed the series. Keep them coming.

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u much...definitely my plan!

[@canadiangemstones7636]

Gorgeous water, pretty fish, THANKS for sharing!!

[@LooknFishy]

The Ozarks are super cool!

[@JP-dz7zu]

I have fished 7 states (PA, WV, NY, UT, ID, MT, WY) this year. Epic year of trout fishing and a true blessing side effect of covid... more time on the water! Glad to see you get some much time out as well.

[@LooknFishy]

I have heard that from many others. Good to hear people are enjoying the outdoors and getting a reset on some much needed recreation. Have heard the work-life balance was tipping to the wrong side for a few!

[@mbecker163]

Just FYI, the water ways are considered public here in Missouri, landowners cannot stop you from using it. You have. Access up to the high water mark.

[@LooknFishy]

Lots of confusion on if a stream is navigable or not navigable in regards to stream access and the high water mark in Missouri. I've never questioned the high water mark on float trips...but it gets sketchy on tiny creeks where no one is floating. I've searched the mdr site several times and can't find a clear explanation. They maps provided by the state have very clear private and public land areas and warn against tresspassing. Wish they'd clear it up!

[@nicholasmortallaro221]

Awesome job drew! Congrats!

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u much!

[@Killaknott27]

Missouri is such an underrated state

[@LooknFishy]

Truly is!

[@AnotherFishingAdventure]

Great video, awesome work! I enjoy the videos!

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u, definitely had fun on this trip!

[@leetreado3801]

Hope you found everything at home was well. Don't want a sour end to a great trip.

[@LooknFishy]

Haha, yes...technology trying to mess everything up. Guess the in and out of svc killed my texts...they actually came the day after I got home. Good thing my wife is use to be disappearing for weeks at a time! SO FORTUNATE!!

[@coyotearrowheadhunting3083]

Congratulations my friend because you finally caught that wild trout you wanted. Greetings your coyote friend.

[@LooknFishy]

Indeed! Gracias amigo!

[@showmemotion]

Out of the MO Blue ribbon creeks I fished so far....Barren Fork Creek was the hardest and I never caught trout...one day I'll get the gold patch! I didn't see any trout in barren fork.

[@RBoas]

PhD fishing, love the challenge but it can be frustrating. Nice work

[@LooknFishy]

Definitely can be! But even on the toughest days, I know I'm fortunate to do it!

[@darrenmackenzie1645]

This ones got a hilarious outro. Wife hasn’t replied to any of my texts , good sign I need to go home! LOL.

[@arteomz2756]

Best fly fisherman on KZbin!

[@LooknFishy]

Ha, u say the funniest things lol!

[@alexhendrick8288]

Sunburst is a fantastic place. I have not met the new owners yet but beautiful.

[@LooknFishy]

I haven't either, he was on vacation when I was there but he seems like a great dude. Very helpful!

[@RickMarshallMaps]

Congrats on the slam!

[@LooknFishy]

Was a good time!

[@jimpyle560]

That was challenging. And refreshing to see the work that goes into it. Nicely done.

[@LooknFishy]

It was way more challenging than I wanted but no complaints! A good time for sure!

[@michaelaldrich8994]

Wow. Tough fishing. Not a huge have of private land on navigable waters :( I grew up fishing in NH & CT in people's back yards.

[@LooknFishy]

The water access laws can be frustrating. Would like to see more high water mark states!

[@skipsamples2647]

Congratulations on your MO Slam. I hope the wife is good.

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u! No issues, just a technology thing...interruption of svc on my end. Even talking about getting away again before or after the holidays!

[@amusingfishing]

If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles. Thanks for sharing this fishing..

[@LooknFishy]

So very true...and there might have been some shortages this year bc of covid lol!

[@amusingfishing]

@@LooknFishy 👍👍🐟🐬🐬😃😃😃, it's true, enjoy your fishing

[@lanefaver8899]

Hey Drew! I’ve been following your channel for a while now and I was wondering what your favorite trip has been so far? Also keep up the great work!

[@LooknFishy]

Thank you. I absolutely loved Wyoming and can not wait to revisit it. So much more to see there!

[@Abandoned_Brane]

Our season in wisconsin ended October 15th. Mine ended earlier with a hernia. Ugh. You come to the drifless, do you do wisconsins part? northeast wisc. is a hotbed of natural brookie streams. Michigan's u.p. is an absolute must for every serious flyfisherman.

[@LooknFishy]

I had Michigan in the short list and planned for May this year. Covid ran that plan into the ditch. Will try again next year. I have stayed in the V area once to fish that area but usually camp just outside the area and fish Iowa and WI together (free camping is hard to beat...esp in WI...last time I went to Hayward they wanted 29/night and I had to pay for a shower lol! Also spent many nights at the GS in HV to fish MN and Iowa.

[@Abandoned_Brane]

@@LooknFishy Hayward is 100 miles north of me. The river above the city is ok for trout, not many but they're big. Some of the blue lines that connect are great for brookies. Still, that's northwest wisconsin. Out east is small streams and brookies. Where I live in the northern part of the driftless, we have great streams. Floods this summer did some damage. But driftless fish here rebound quickly. I know viroqua pretty good. Literally hundreds of miles of trout. The west is great, fish literally everywhere. But I loves me some small north woods brook trout.

[@LooknFishy]

@@Abandoned_Brane yea, hayward was a pike/muski trip, with smb thrown in. Will have to check out those small streams more. Honestly, no bad areas in WI...none that I've seen anyway.

[@SuperLooneyrooney]

Great video series. I'm not catching the names of the rivers you are on, just a number. Can you place a name w the number ? i have some property on little Niangua, near Fiery Fork conservation area. i haven;t been able to do much fishing it yet. Have you fished it or do you know if there is decent trout fishing there ? I also have some property on the Finley River near Fordland MO, 25 mi east of Springfield. I've had decent success there in certain spots. not very big fish of course, but usually can get some bites.

[@glbehnken]

plan a trip back east .....lots of wild Trout in Pennsylvania

[@LooknFishy]

Definitely got PA and some other out east stops on my list, hoping next spring before runoff!

[@glbehnken]

@@LooknFishy be glad to make some suggestions if needed

[@LooknFishy]

@@glbehnken I'm always appreciative of local help and never share others info. If you prefer not to leave this info on a comment (I wouldn't) welcome to email me [e-mail]

[@kingjaswes]

Drew what video has footage of Crane. I fish that stream probably 5-6 times a month. Just curious what you pulled out of there.

[@LooknFishy]

It's included in the series...but I consider it one of the more special streams I've ever fished...so I was careful to protect it. But for sure all 9 streams are included!

[@zonker892]

I had no idea that Missouri had trout water like that!

[@LooknFishy]

For sure, flies under the fly fishing communities radar!

[@troutslayer19]

@@LooknFishy we like to keep it that way!😁

[@LooknFishy]

@@troutslayer19 haha...that depends on who you talk to!

[@shawnbergman6558]

@@troutslayer19 I live in nw Montana and I definitely won't be invading Missouri waters. Nice scenery though.

[@blakepumphrey8782]

My wife doesn't return my texts and I'm with her all the time. Keep fishing.

[@LooknFishy]

Haha...perspective is everything!

[@gregoryconnor9333]

I had to smile when you said your wife wasn't returning your txts.

[@LooknFishy]

@@gregoryconnor9333 I'm glad someone did lol!

[@EE0971]

7 streams in this series of videos and 1 more in the drift boat. Is there a video where you fished the 9th stream in the slam?

[@LooknFishy]

Yes sir...linked in the description of each video are stream 1 and 2.

[@alexhendrick8288]

At 716 is the place where I lost a giant brown three years ago. Just behind where you are standing holding tight to the bank

[@LooknFishy]

Haha, I might have worked a streamer thru there before landing my kayak and walking up. Hear there are some good fish around still!

[@werties9098]

Thought that was my net when i saw the zip ties, would a drift raft fit down the last stream i saw that bridge would be to low

[@LooknFishy]

It would be tight now but the river was higher than normal. Under normal flow, we've floated a flycraft under it and know others that take driftboats but u can also portage if needed.

[@Chricke87]

Congrats on completing the slam! Will you get a diploma or something to remember the effort? :)

[@LooknFishy]

I think there's a coin or something, I need to look into it more.

[@hillbillysportsman5818]

Do you try to fish while in the kayak in moving water?

[@LooknFishy]

Absolutley..but not like serious flow...like 1 unit of flow...don't like to post links but this clip from my instagram shows it, rather than me saying so... instagram.com/p/B5tSTEOhIKX/?igshid=1qxub9fqgj260

[@tigersteamer]

Do you use waders? Wading pants? Or wading(waterproof) socks in smaller streams?

[@LooknFishy]

In small streams I just wet wade...pants, liners and hiking socks. I have waders for tailwaters, winter and wading for hours in cold water.

[@williamwojcieszek4320]

@@LooknFishy Drew, when I wet wade, I just have hiking socks, then neoprene socks and then my regular wading boots. What “liners” are you referring to? Also, if you are hiking 2-3 miles after fishing, are you just hiking back in your wading boots and wet socks? Thx

[@LooknFishy]

@@williamwojcieszek4320 just regular hiking liners...some type of thin synthetic sock to wear between my foot and hiking socks. Basically prevents blisters. I do all of my hiking and wet wading like this...not saying it's the recommended way but it's the way I've done it all of my life. Never had an issue with my feet. I wear flip flops around camp at the end of the day to dry my feet out.

[@williamwojcieszek4320]

@@LooknFishy ok, so thin polypropylene type sock on your feet, then hiking sock, then your Orvis ultralight wading boots. Are those wading boots too tight when you actually wear waders then? Thx

[@LooknFishy]

@@williamwojcieszek4320 you got it. I only wear them to hike and wet wade. Have dedicated wading boots, that are 2 sizes too big for winter wading season lol!

[@dragonbob2924]

They need to put some browns in that water! Rainbow trout do an awful job of maintaining a wild population, at least out east. By the way, what are your go-to flies for fishing new water like this?

[@LooknFishy]

Most of these streams do have browns, but they are mostly stocked. I just wanted to catch a wild fish from each area...seems more legit to catch a wild fish from the wild trout areas. But, that's not part of the mo trout slam!

[@LooknFishy]

Just saw the last question...depends on the type of water...tailwater, spring creek or freestone. Ex, tailwater...an attractor on top with a midge or baetis dropped. I'm planning on doing a video about this topic soon!

[@dragonbob2924]

@@LooknFishy Thank you for always replying

[@LooknFishy]

@@dragonbob2924 always will, seems disrespectful not to reply to honest comments!

[@shawnbergman6558]

Have you fished Wyoming or Montana yet?

[@LooknFishy]

Wyoming...got a series on it. Mt this year!

[@shawnbergman6558]

@@LooknFishy there is a great Creek called Pacific creek in Jackson Wyoming that produces some of the largest cutthroats I have ever seen. Cutthroat are the most top water prone of all the trout species so pack plenty of dry flies. Spotted bear river, south fork of the flathead hint hint.... Lol. I'm preparing to fly-fish Bowman lake in glacier national Park next weekend. I live in the flathead valley.

[@maxstevenson4546]

Have you ever fished or considered fishing in Utah?

[@LooknFishy]

Definitely and have started planning a trip there...maybe this summer if all goes well. The real issue is how to fish MT, ID WY and UT in one summer and not be gone all summer, which I'm cool with...my wife not so much lol!

[@brianmoeller6839]

I'd have been stripping a streamer in that high water

[@LooknFishy]

I definitely did!