Westover Trout Farms, Steeleville, MO

My wife is a competitive acapella (Barbershop) singer and her singing group is competing in St. Louis for the Sweet Adeline's International Choral International Competition. I'm going with her as her "stage husband" and morale support.

Since her group is doing day-long rehearsals on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning before the competition starts Thursday evening, I was trying to decide how to kill three days in Missouri.

In the course of my search, I discovered Westover Trout Farms in Steeleville, MO about 90 miles outside St. Louis located in the Mark Twain/Ozarks National Forest. The property was initially developed in 1854 when James Westover built a millhouse taking advantage of the property's many springs and streams The old millhouse became the focal point for the town of Westover which eventually faded away. The old millhouse finally burned to the ground in the early 1980's.

Thereafter the new owners restored existing streams on the 600 acre property and created new streams to complement the spring-fed waters. They also created a trout hatchery for commercial sales and stocking their own streams. Everything is catch-and-release unless you want to purchase your catch. No Missouri fishing license required. The accommodations appear very upscale but the rooms are only $125.00 a night. The reviews on Yelp are excellent. I had always wanted to try Tenkara fly fishing and these spring creeks look like a perfect opportunity to practice in a forgiving environment. Leaving my traditional fly gear at home to force me to learn Tenkara.

There really is nothing like this in California.....

After I come back from St. Louis on 10/21, I'll post a report.

http://westoverfarms.com

That place looks fantastic and the rates are not bad either. Good luck and post some photos.

There is a hatchery at the base of Table Rock Dam as well. The cold water coming from the dam supports a trout fishery for a mile or so into Lake Tanecomo. They had rainbows and browns at the hatchery. My sister has a place on Table Rock Lake and we took a daytrip to check out the hatchery. Of course, there are some signs that warn you to get out of the water when they turn on the power turbines, as the waterflow increases rapidly.

John

I've fished that stretch of water 20 to 30 times. They're not messing around when they blow the horn when they're getting ready to fire up the turbines. It's artificial baits and barbless single hooks.
The locals get in the river and shuffle their feet to send bugs from the gravel bottom down stream where the browns and rainbows gorge themselves.

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Originally Posted by NFCD I

I've fished that stretch of water 20 to 30 times. They're not messing around when they blow the horn when they're getting ready to fire up the turbines. It's artificial baits and barbless single hooks.
The locals get in the river and shuffle their feet to send bugs from the gravel bottom down stream where the browns and rainbows gorge themselves.

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That's a great idea!
I remember being in the Sierras and all you had to do was turn over a rock, grab a critter, put it on the hook and it was instant fish all day everyday.