Ozark Smallmouth Outing

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the Capes family made the trek out to Wentzville, MO to visit our good friends Mark and Jen Seidman. Mark and Jen are native New Jersey folks and Mark cut his fly fishing teeth on the South Branch and our other New Jersey trout waters.

The day after Thanksgiving Mark and I headed two hours to the south, into Mark Twain National Forest. We targeted the Silver Mines area of the St. Francis River. Beautiful freestone stream and some of the the nicest smallmouth habitat I have ever seen. (It would be perfect trout habit if it wasn't for warm summer water temps.)



I was striking out with various Clousers (save a few follows), but Mark found effectiveness in flys of the curly tail variety.