Current River Fishing Guides and Conditions, Missouri

About the Current River

The Current River rises at Montauk Spring in Dent County and runs southeast through the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, gathering Welch, Cave, Pulltite, Round, Blue, and Big Springs along the way. That spring flow is what makes it fishable almost every day of the year: even in late summer the upper river holds steady, cold, and clear, and it rarely blows out for more than a day or two after a storm.

The character changes as you go downstream. From Montauk State Park down through Cedargrove, Akers Ferry, and Pulltite the river is a trout stream, narrow enough to cover from a canoe or a small drift boat, with stocked rainbows near the park and wild browns holding under the root wads and bluff pools farther down. Below Round Spring the water warms and widens and smallmouth bass, goggle-eye, and the occasional walleye take over. Most guided trips run one of the classic day floats: Baptist Camp to Cedargrove, Cedargrove to Akers, Akers to Pulltite, or Pulltite to Round Spring.

Flow matters here more than on most Ozark rivers because the trout water is small. Guides watch the Akers gauge. Under about 200 cfs the upper river is low, slow, and technical, which favors wade anglers and dry flies. From 250 to 500 cfs is the sweet spot for floating with a rod in hand. Above 800 cfs the river is pushy, the color turns, and most guides move clients to the springs or reschedule. The lower river near Van Buren and Big Spring runs several times higher and fishes fine at flows that would be too much up top.

Expect company on summer weekends between Akers and Round Spring. Weekday trips, shoulder-season trips, and early launches get you the river to yourself.

Access

Baptist Camp Access (Dent County): gravel bar launch at the top of the trout water, 7.6 miles above Cedargrove.
Cedargrove Access: concrete ramp and parking, the most common takeout for the upper trout float.
Akers Ferry: NPS access with a ramp, campground, and outfitters; 8 miles below Cedargrove.
Pulltite: NPS access and campground, 10 miles below Akers.
Round Spring: NPS access, 9 miles below Pulltite, where the trout water gives way to smallmouth.
Two Rivers (Jacks Fork confluence), Powder Mill, Log Yard, Van Buren, and Big Spring serve the lower river.
Drift boats launch at Cedargrove, Akers, and Pulltite; canoes and kayaks anywhere.

Seasons

March through May: highest, coolest flows and the best brown trout fishing of the year on the upper river.
June through August: stable spring flow, heavy canoe traffic below Akers, best trips launch early or go midweek.
September and October: low clear water, wade fishing, hopper and terrestrial season, fall colors on the bluffs.
November through February: catch-and-release winter trout season near Montauk, empty river, dress for it.