Tradition, Rain, Snow, and Trout...in May!

Tradition is found everywhere in today's world. It can take the form of many different things. Be it a sporting event, family trip, deer camp, and, in our case, a fishing trip. For the past 4 years, we have been making the pilgrimage east to the Current River in Missouri to chase the rainbow and brown trout found in the river. With this being the 5th year for the trip, high expectations were made for the trip. Sadly though, over the course of 5 years, the real world had figured out a way to become a major pain in the ass for us. The trip had to be rescheduled a couple of times and we still weren't able to get the whole crew together for the trip. Luckily, 2 of the OGs from the first trip, were able to make it work and go along for the trip.

We had a couple of other factors working against on the trip that we didn't see coming. First off, we had been staying at a place called Eagle's Park Campground for the past 4 years. It was located right across the road from 1 of the major access points on the blue ribbon section of the Current. Well, the owners had decided to close the campground this year which put us in a bind to find a place to camp. The other campground in the area just down the road had also closed down due to the owner having a stroke. It looked like we were gonna have to stay in the state park with the masses which isn't what we wanted to do at all. Luckily, we found another campground a little further down the road but it was close to the other 2 access points on the river for us. The problem was that we couldn't ever reach anyone to find out if they were even open for the season! We decided to just take a chance that they were actually open and then just resort to the state park if they weren't.

The 2nd problem was the weather forecast for the weekend. Rain, snow, and temps in the 30s was what we kept seeing for the area. It was freaking May for goodness sakes! Where's the sunshine and warm temps?? Anyways, we packed some warmer clothes and our cold weather sleeping bags just in case the weather decided to be somewhat silly. We also decided to bring the drift boat just in case the Current River decided to blow out from the rain, we could call an audible and head for another river if we had to. We prepared for the worst....

With the chips stacked slightly against us, Cole, Crik, and I loaded up the truck with camping gear and hooked onto the drift boat on Friday afternoon for our trip east. The temps had begun to drop over the course of the day and the rain had settled in by the time we had left. It never let up the entire 5 hour drive to the river. Thank god for dry bags. We arrived late that night around 11pm to Pinecrest Campground with the rain still coming down HARD. We were not looking forward to setting up camp in the downpour BUT, we had a plan! I had brought my EZ-UP Canopy and several tarps which we were gonna construct some sort of shelter to set up tents and hopefully stay dry. As we pulled through the campground, there wasn't a sign of life anywhere and everything was locked up including the showerhouse. Not a good sign. As we made the circle around the campground, we came upon a huge pavilion that had several picnic tables, a tractor, a chuck wagon, and an old Toyota pickup parked underneath it. We pulled up to it and surveyed the situation. There was plenty of room for us to move the picnic tables and set up camp underneath the pavilion. We weighed our options. This process took about 5 seconds before we said screw it and decided to setup camp under the pavilion where we would be high and dry for the night! We pitched our tents and crawled into our sleeping bags for the night with hopes of better weather in the morning....

We awoke the next morning to the sound of steady rain hitting the roof of the pavilion and the temps in the mid 30s. Motivation to climb out of sleeping bags were very low so we all just laid up for most of the morning till The Professor arrived to camp. He came with stories of white out snow conditions to the west from Carthage to Springfield and it was moving this way. Great. We climbed out of our tents as Cole and I finished unloading gear while Crik got some breakfast and camp coffee going. With our friend Derek Matz (original Current River trip member) absent for the trip, Crik is our backup camp cook and he typically does a fair job. Hot coffee and breakfast burritos really hit the spot as we continued to watch it rain, then turn to sleet, and then it actually snowed for a while. Well crap. What to do, what to do? We decided to pile into the truck, go check out the river levels, and make a pit stop at the local fly shop to kill some time. The plan was to hopefully wait the rain out and then do some fishing for the remainder of the day...

After checking out the river and making a pit stop at the fly shop for a few odds and ends, we made our way back to camp and decided to gear up. I mean, we are here, might as well make the best of it and do some fishing! We decided to check out the Parker access first and scope out some new water that we hadn't fished. It didn't take long after we arrived to notice the river was still rising slowly and was making the wade fishing pretty sketchy to say the least. Crik managed 1 small brown before we left. We bypassed the Baptist access and headed for old faithful, the Tan Vat blue ribbon access. This is probably the heaviest fished section of the whole river minus the state park area but it always produces fish for us, every time! We split up with Crik and the Professor going upstream while Cole and I headed downstream. It was raining on us once again so we decided to stick with the streamer game and began swinging some meat through the 1st few runs below Tan Vat. I must say, the fish were definitely in the mood to chase the big bug and it was a lot of fun. We missed a ton of fish right at our feet or just as we were picking up to recast. We each stuck some fat rainbows, a couple of stocker browns, and each of us moved a "bigger" fish that chased till we had just the tippet and fly in the water. Like I said, it was raining so I didn't bring a camera minus my phone and I wasn't gonna risk soaking it so I apologize for the lack of fishy photos. You can believe us or not, I really don't care....

We hiked back upstream to see if The Professor and Crik were having any luck. Crik was pushing a bobber and catching some feesh on a green soft hackle while The Professor was chucking the streamer bug and having some good luck as well. They each stuck some chubby rainbows and then The Professor caught a nice brown just below the Rock Garden on a clouser of all things! That dude is just fishy, we hate him. I missed a nice brown that swiped at my circus peanut right at the end of the swing. I was angry. I said a few choice words. I gave the fish the finger. In response, I put in a nice hog leg (BeechNut chewing tobacco) and proceeded downriver with my cast, mend, swing, and strip routine. Things were good in the world again...

 We decided to pack it in around 5pm as we were all cold, wet, and very hungry. We decided to go ahead to stay the night even though the river was still rising and was closing in on 400cfs. We would get up in the morning, check the flows and river conditions, and then make our decision to stay or go with Plan B. Whatever Plan B is. We each set about our camp duties for the evening. Cole and I went to gather firewood and pick up a few essentials from the store up the road while The Professor got a fire ring setup and Crik went to work on making some grub. The menu for the night was to be venison fajitas, refried beans, and some adult beverages. With full bellies, we settled in around a warm campfire for the evening and some serious BSin' commenced...

The next morning, we filled our bellies with more breakfast burritos and camp coffee before driving down to Tan Vat to check out the river. According to the USGS gauge, it was flowing just a touch under 400cfs, which is big for this river. The river had some color to it but it wasn't too bad. The guys talked about it and asked me what I thought we should do? I told them it was a no-brainer for me, lets pack up and head to the NFOW. We stood there for a few minutes, staring at the river, before someone said "Screw it, lets roll..."

The audible was called. Game on...

We headed back to break camp down and head south for the NFOW. It didn't take us long and we were on the road for Sunburst Ranch. We arrived at Sunburst around 2pm and quickly set up camp under the Pavilion next to the Camp Store, just in case we got some more rain. After camp was set up, we decided to drag the boats down to Patrick Bridge and drop in for a quick evening float on the lower NFOW. Streamer rods only for this float. We chucked the big bug the entire float and stuck some stocker browns along with missing tons of fish and a bonus smallmouth to boot! The browns were very aggressive and would chase all the way to the boat. People talk about dry flies and seeing big fish eat bugs off the surfaces as being the pinnacle of fly fishing. I hate to argue that but seeing a big fish go into predator mode and chase down a big streamer, right at the boat, is totally bad ass. We finished the float out and headed back to camp for some more grub from Crik's Camp Kitchen...

We ate good once again that night. Crik made his almost famous Hash Dinner. What's hash? Well, what do you have? Ours had venison, potatoes, peppers, onions, and whatever else we had left over in the cooler. It was delicious. We made ourselves totally miserable. After dinner, a hot shower, and some time around a campfire, we all found our way to our tents pretty early to get some rest. For tomorrow, we would float the lower NFOW again, twice, while being joined by a local legend in his own right. We would be fishing with....Matt Tucker...

The next morning, we got up early to meet Tucker and sidekick Dan Ritter at Patrick Bridge. The plan was simple. Float the lower section twice that morning, throw streamers for big nasty brown trout, and have a damn good time while we were doing it. After we dumped the boats in the river, we ran a quick rally style shuttle down to the Landing to drop off the rigs and then headed back to get things fired off. Crik jumped in with Tucker and Dan in the cruise ship that Tucker calls his Hyde drift boat. Cole and I jumped into The Professors Hyde LP for the mornings floats. Lets do this!

The browns were on the chase once again for the 1st float as they were pouncing on our streamers in all the right spots. Both boats put some decent fish in the boat along with the normal stockers. A few times during the float, you would hear someone start to yell choice words at the river and you knew what had happened. Missed a big fish. Gotta love it! Man we love this river...

For the 2nd float, the sun had decided to come out on us so a few of us gave in and dug out the bobber rigs and the pats rubber legs to see what we could dredge up from the depths. The browns didn't disappoint us at all. They really dig the rubberlegs on the NFOW. Some days it can be almost too easy even though this river is known for being a tough fishery. A few of the other guys kept with the streamers, caught a few fish, and turned a couple of nice fish. It was a damn good day to say the least. After the 2nd float, we all said our good-byes as Tucker and Ritter headed east while we headed back to Sunburst to break camp and head west.

 

What a weekend! Even with all factors against us with the camping complications, weather, etc...it was epic. It saddens me that we had to ultimately leave the Current River early on the trip. That trip, that 3 of us took 5 years ago, laid the groundwork for what "Chasing the Dream" has become today. That place is where the sport of fly fishing really took hold with the other guys in the group who just started fly fishing in the past few years. We have met a ton of awesome people along the way and picked up a ton of new fishing buddies. We have come a long ways in 5 years I think. Its been an awesome ride. Can't wait to see what the next 5 years brings us...

Until next time, keep chasing the dream...