Annual Prospects Report
With camping, trout fishing, and canoeing, the 19 miles of Current River from Montauk State Park to Akers Ferry in Dent and Shannon counties has it all. There are two designated trout management areas below Montauk Trout Park that offer opportunities to experience some of Missouri's most productive trout waters.
The 9-mile stretch between the lower boundary of Montauk State Park and Cedargrove Access is managed for large brown trout. On this reach, only one trout may be kept per day, and it must be at least 18 inches long. Angling is restricted to hard plastic artificial lures and flies only. Check "A Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations" for definitions of these types of tackle. These special regulations provide for some excellent catch-and-release fishing and the real possibility of harvesting a trophy. Brown trout are stocked annually, but an average stocking size of 14” in 2023 provides a robust number of large brown trout still available for angling in 2025 that was evident with over 2/3 of the fish captured in the 2024 sample >15” and 22% being over the legal limit of 18”! A new strain of brown trout was stocked in this area of the Current late in 2024. Survival and size of these fish will be tracked as they grow through time. The brown trout population remains high with an estimate of 350 brown trout between Tan Vat and Baptist accesses. Anglers focusing on rainbow trout in this area will have the greatest success just below Montauk State Park as densities decrease dramatically below Baptist Access. Rainbow trout are not purposefully stocked within this 9-mile section; however, they do move downstream out of the trout park. While most rainbow trout fall within the 11-15-inch size range, some may approach trophy lengths in the reaches just below Montauk. Many rainbows escaped the park and were washed downstream during the November 2024 flood and anglers may see increased numbers of small rainbows as a result in 2025.
The White Ribbon Trout Area (WRTA) stretches 7.7 miles from the Cedargrove Bridge to Akers Ferry Access and is stocked with rainbow trout on a put-and-take basis. This section has no minimum length limit, a four fish per day creel limit and no bait restrictions. Rainbows (10-12 inches) are stocked approximately once a month all year. During the months of July and August, and when river levels are low, trout stocking is limited to the cooler section with greater flow between Welch Spring and Akers Ferry. Fishing in the WRTA is less crowded than in the trout park and the stream can be waded or floated in a kayak or canoe.
