[Flyfisher for men]

I've got a couple of related questions, but first some background information.

I've got easy access to several miles worth of Missouri river shoreline between St. Joseph, Missouri and Kansas City. The Missouri around here is a very muddy river with churning clouds of silt and very strong current. I'm guessing that one could compare flyfishing on it to doing so on the Ohio or Mississippi. In any case, people here associate it with catfish and rough fish.

OK, now for my questions:

1.) Am I overlooking any species worth fishing for? It's hard to get a good grasp of what's in this stretch of the river besides catfish, carp, buffalo, drum, etc. I'm wondering if there's anything else.

2.) Do I fish the main channel or do I look for backwaters, eddies, sloughs, etc.? I realize that can depend on the species, but i'm wondering if I should spend the most time on the main river or a deep, murky, slow-moving creek that flows into it. BTW, where the creek comes in creates a junction of fast and slow moving water with a lot of eddies and currents going different directions. There's also a visible difference in the clarity of the two bodies of water where they meet.

3.) How and where do you target carp and drum in a big river like this? Those are the two species that I know are in the river that most interest me.

[Yoffione]

Flyfisher, I am not from and have not fished the area you are asking about. As for species available, I would have to think there are more than just the rough fish. Contact your local wildlfe and fisheries dept and I am sure they could help you out.

When fishing large rivers, whether it be the beautiful cold water here in ID or the chocalate milk colored rivers I used to fish growing up in OK, I break them down into smaller sections. I concentrate on the exact type of locations you mentioned in #2. I love where the smaller creeks meet with the large river. Especially if there is a color or temp difference. The fish will hide on the darker side of the seam and watch the food go by. Same with the eddies. They will expend as little energy as possible and dart out into the current to grab a quick bite and then go right back.

As for the carp, springtime (don't know exact time for you, it is in late april through may for me) is a great time to locate them. They will be spawning and will be easy to spot, tailing, rolling and jumping. For them I would start in the backwaters and sloughs that you mentioned. My best carp fly is just a plain ole unweighted black wolly bugger.

The only drum I have ever caught have been totally random, so I don't have any advise for them other than, you can't catch them sitting at home. Good luck and show us some pictures.