Kansas City Urban Trout Fishing Report

A few weeks back I posted about the Urban Trout Stocking Program that the Missouri Department of Conservation is responsible for every year around the state.  I was lucky enough to do a little fishing recently and thought I might share my experiences in an effort to help you have some success and avoid a few mistakes that I made.

On this particular day last week, I got to fish at Plover Lake and James A. Reed in Lee's Summit, Missouri, Lake Chaumiere in Kansas City, Missouri, and Fountain Bluff Sports Complex in Liberty, Missouri.  I started off around sunrise at Plover Lake.  I started off throwing a small jig under a float and a Super Duper on a spinning rod around the handicap access point near the parking lot and along the dam.  I worked my way along the north shore all the way around to the culvert in the northeast corner.  Over the years, this is where I have had the most luck.  I pick up the occasional fish off the dam and around the handicap access but the vast majority of the fish I catch come around that culvert.  You can't see it unless you are standing on top of it and you know you are getting close if you can see a small slough behind you.  I landed two trout around there and both came on a john deere under a float.  I saw some fish as well around the largest point on the southwest shore but couldn't hook them.

With the hopes that the fishing might be better elsewhere, I headed off to Lake Chaumiere around 10:00.  I should have stayed at Plover.  I didn't catch a single trout at Chaumiere but I did manage to land two hybrid bluegill and a bluegill that all pushed 4-5 inches.  I did get to watch two guys catch three trout between them after chumming an area with a can of corn.  I also watch a Russian guy catch a 1-2 pound channel cat.  I can honestly say, I have never seen anyone catch a channel cat in a small body of water like that...in December.  Thanks global warming!  You're the best!

Since I there weren't any prospects and I had a hall pass from my wife to fish until dark, I headed up to Fountain Bluff in a last ditch effort to put a few more fish on the board.  I can honestly say that this was some of the most fun I have ever had without landing a single fish.  When I arrived, I saw that the water looked like glass and fish were rising fairly consistently.  I couldn't tell what they were feeding on so I put on a Griffith's gnat and tried to cast to where they seemed to be rising the most.  I hooked one fish after about 15 casts and missed another about 10 casts later.  I thought I was really onto something but that quickly fizzled.  I didn't get another sniff on the gnat so I switched to a crackleback.  I like these flies because I can easily see them, but the fish did not share my appreciation.  I cast to a lot of fish until the sun went down and never got another bite.  I don't know if they had been pressured, if they could see me, if I had to heavy of tippet, a fly that was too large, or if my casting sucked.  Regardless, I would have liked to land a few more but it was nice to spend some time on the water and be outdoors.

With that being said, on the drive home, I could not help but think about what I could have done different that might have put some more or bigger fish on the board.  I thought I would include those thoughts at this point for you to mull over in case you decide to give these transplanted and persnickety little fellas a shot.  Good luck and I hope these overthought ramblings help your efforts and help me by getting it off my chest. 

1. I wish I would have maybe thrown some crayfish imitations.  Maybe fish were sitting lazily on the bottom and wanted something large and slow as a meal.

2. I wish I would have fished a streamer deeper in the water column.  I spent most of the day fishing the upper third of the water and should have given some different depths a chance.

3. I should have tried some nymphs a shot.  I stuck to jigs under a float and two dry flies too much because they have worked in the past.

4. I wish I would have thrown everything but the kitchen sink at these dudes.  I have a bad habit of not straying too far from what has worked in the past and I wish I would have been more versatile.