were is a good place to go in the midwest etc.
besides lake fontaine in the smokies
White River Arkansas…
Much of Missouri, Many tailwaters of reservoirs… Many places in Minnesota, Ohio, Iowa, etc…
Where exactly in the Midwest?
YotF
Ozark trout fishing
In the Ozarks, as Yakon said, there are a number of trout streams. They are all either tailwaters or stretches below big springs, and trout were not native to the Ozarks, so most of it is fishing for stocked fish, but a lot of the fish have been in the water long enough to be pretty wild and good fighters.
A list of Ozark waters would include:
A short stretch of more or less free-flowing water below the dam of Beaver Reservoir. It’s either the White River or the upper end of Table Rock Lake.
Taneycomo Lake on the White River below Table Rock.
The White below Bull Shoals Lake, all the way down past Calico Rock. Big water and big fish.
A short stretch of the North Fork River below Norfork Lake until it runs into the White.
The Little Red River below Greers Ferry Lake.
The Illinois River in Oklahoma below Tenkiller Ferry Lake.
All those are tailwaters. The stretches fed by big springs are all but one in Missouri. The only Arkansas stream is the Spring River below Mammoth Spring. The Missouri ones include:
Meramec River below Maramec Spring
Current River below Montauk Springs
Eleven Point River below Greer Spring
North Fork River below Rainbow/Double Springs
Niangua River below Bennett Spring
There are also a number of smaller creeks fed by good sized springs. I won’t name them all. Some of them have self-sustaining populations.
And there are the “trout parks”, which are the spring branches themselves. These are strictly put and take fisheries, and very popular, crowded, and civilized:
Roaring River State Park
Bennett Spring State Park
Montauk State Park
Maramec Spring Park
And there are a number of private spring branches that are fee fishing.
flyfishing for trout
The white river,Northfork and the “lil” Red are all outstanding trout streams. I flyfish all three.
They are only a few hours from my home.They all have reproducing brown trout that get to monster size.The “lil” red at Heber Springs Arkansas holds the world record for German Brown Trout(40LBS 4OZ)
My personal best is 15LBS 10OZ on a 4Lb tippit which is the current line class world record for that size tippit.
All our trout waters have catch and release only areas that hold large trout of all species and plenty of keep what you catch areas for a fish fry.
Go to www.agfc.com for rules and regs. and www.arkansas.com for a free book called Arkansas Fishing.
Tight lines