Missouri has over 377 miles of suitable trout water offering anglers a little bit of everything in terms of the types of water one is able to fish. From clear cool spring fed ozark streams, to the state's four trout parks, to tailwater fishing, there is something for everyone.

From big fish to little fish, there is something for you in our waters. The trophy fish hunters will be glad to hear that the State Record Rainbow Trout weighed in excess of 18lbs and the State Record Brown Trout weighed in at over 20lbs; and many of the local fisherman from Lake Taneycomo believe that the next world record could come thier home waters. If you are an angler that has a species list, Missouri is one of the few places in the world where you can catch a genetically pure McCloud Strain Rainbow trout as well as offers some streams that have not been stocked since the late 1800's and have self-sustaining wild trout swimming in its waters.

Trout Parks
The trout parks are managed with the objective of providing consistently high success and catch rates in an easy accessible fishing area with park like amenities. The parks provide a diversity of fishing expereince with some stream segments managed for fly-fishing-only, bait-fishing-only, catch & release fishing, or areas open to all types of fishing. Catchagle size rainbow trout (10 to 14") are stocked nightly at each trout park from March through October at a rate of approximately 2 trout per anticipated angler (based upon last year's angler number). From November until February, the trout parks are open to catch and release fishing only (using flies only).

• Bennett Springs State Park
• Maramec Springs
• Montauk State Park
• Roaring River State Park

Blue Ribbon Streams
Blue-ribbon areas include parts of large, cold rivers with the state's best trout habitat and smaller streams capable of supporting naturally reproducing rainbow trout populations. In these areas, the Conservation Department restricts length and creel limits to allow the maximum number of brown or rainbow trout to grow to trophy size.

Fishing in these areas is also limited to artificial lures and flies. This is intended to minimize the number of fish that die after being caught and released. Finally, the Department prohibits gigging of nongame fish in blue-ribbon areas to prevent accidental harvest of trout. In these waters, fish will have to measure 18 inches to be legal, and the limit will be one daily.

• Barren Fork Creek
• Blue Springs Creek
• Crabe Creek
• Current River
• Eleven Point
• Little Piney Creek
• Mill Creek
• North Fork of the White River
• Spring Creek

Red Ribbon Streams
Red-ribbon areas also have high-quality trout habitat. However, some factor, such as limited cover or seasonal temperature increases, limits trout growth or survival. In such areas, the Conservation Department uses slightly less strict harvest regulations. Stocked fish will be mostly brown trout with some rainbows. The idea is to provide catch-and-release fishing with a chance of catching large trout. Gigging of nongame fish will be allowed. Natural bait will be permitted in some of these areas.

Red-ribbon areas include the Maramec River and Roubidoux Creek, where only artificial lures will be allowed, and parts of the North Fork River, where natural bait will be allowed. Anglers will be able to keep up to two trout that measure 15 inches or longer per day.

• Meramec River
• North Fork of the White River
• Roubidoux Creek

White Ribbon Streams
White-ribbon waters are coldwater streams capable of supporting trout populations year-round. These will be stocked mostly with rainbow trout under the new plan. The stocking will include some brown trout and a limited number of large- to trophy-sized trout not needed for brood stock at hatcheries.

There will be no length limit on rainbow trout in white-ribbon streams, and the daily limit will be four trout. This will appeal to anglers who want to take home what they catch. A 15-inch minimum length limit will apply to brown trout in areas where they are stocked. Any type of bait will be legal, and gigging of nongame fish will be allowed.

• Capps Creek
• Current River
• Eleven Point River
• LIttle Piney Creek
• Niangua River
• Roaring River
• Roubidoux Creek
• Stone Mill Spring

Private Trout Waters
In addition to all of the state's managed waters, there are several commercially operated waters to fish per day for a rod fee.

• Dougwood Canyon
• Rainbow Run Trout Park
• Rockbridge Trout Ranch
• SpringRise @ Westover
• Spring Valley Trout Ranch
• Windrush Farms

Acknowledgements
Thanks to Matt Tucker, who runs Matt Tucker's Ozark Chronicles, for permission to reproduce this article on TotalFlyFishing.com. This article cannot be reproduced anywhere else without his consent.

Matt Tucker's website Matt Tucker's Ozark Chronicles is one of the most comprehensive sources of information for fly-fishing in Missouri. The Missouri Trout Fishing section explains that "Missouri has over 377 miles of suitable trout water offering anglers a little bit of everything in terms of the types of water one is able to fish. From clear cool spring fed ozark streams, to the state's four trout parks, to tailwater fishing, there is something for everyone."

Matt Tucker's Ozark Chronicles also includes a gallery, a forum, fly pattern information and a descriptions of important rivers and streams.

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