Trout anglers flock to Spring River

Nevada Daily Mail

The Spring River at Mammoth Springs, Ark., attracts trout anglers from all around the country. Last weekend, in just a few hours, there were visitors to the Mammoth Springs State Park Visitor Center had visitors from 10 different states.

Jack Gilbert, Des Moines, Iowa, said, "I had heard about the good trout fishing in the Spring River and decided to give it a try. My friend Fred Atkins, said he was here last year and caught a limit of trout every day. He had several big ones and said the scenery was as good as the fishing."

Submitted photo/ The start of the Spring River at Mammoth Springs State Park.

Maurine Berry and three of her friends from Memphis, Tenn., have made the trip each summer for several years to camp and trout fish at the Spring River near Mammoth State park. Berry said, "We always catch fish and have a great time. This year the water was a little off color, but we still caught lots of rainbow trout. We fish from the bank, but have seen guys in their waders in the river pulling out fish. It's a good place to fish with the excellent possibility of catching trout."

Tom Oliver, Little Rock, Ark., said starting this month through October is the best time for him to fish the Spring River. Oliver said, " All the many canoes and kayaks on the popular river clog the stream, but the fishing remains good. Since school has started, and I am retired, I can hit the river on weekdays and have it to myself unlike the summer months. In October, there have been many days when I had my limit in a few hours, the fish seem to be larger than in the summer. Not only is the rainbow trout fishing good, but in the lower part of the river, you might catch some big walleye and bass. I have caught both rainbow and brown trout in Missouri's Lake Taneycomo, but its much farther for me to go so I mostly fish the Spring River where I know I can catch fish most of the time. On a trip last year, my fishing buddy, Harry Thompson and I got into some hot fishing. We started keeping score as to how many fish we caught and released. In less than an hour, we lost count the action was so fast."

The Spring River is rated as one of the best float streams in Arkansas as well as the most popular trout streams. There are many white-water shoals and rushing falls that challenge canoes and kayaks. The constant water flow from the spring makes it a good float stream year-round.

The spring cannot be seen at Mammoth Spring because it emerges more than 80 feet below the water level of the spring pool. Part of the underground "river" system can be seen in Missouri's Grand Gulf State Park which is only 9 miles northwest of Mammoth Spring. A collapsed cave has left a spectacular, steep-walled, 130 foot chasm. The surviving cavern roof forms a natural bridge 250 feet long. During wet weather, a creek flows down that chasm and through the cave. Dye tests have proven that the water drains into the underground river and emerges at Mammoth Spring.

Adjacent to Mammoth Springs State Park is the Federal Fish hatchery and Aquatic Conservation and Education Center where visitors may see an aquarium that contains many different species of fish.

The park is located on the eastern edge of the town of Mammoth Springs off highway 63, two miles south of Thayer, Mo.

Carl Hanson, Kansas City, is a trout angler who recently visited the start of the Spring River. Hanson said, " I came down to test the trout fishing, I caught fish, but just to see all the beautiful scenery was worth the trip.