Haris122

Anyone been to Unger Park Lake recently? And if so, had any luck? I'm starting to feel like there might not be anything left in there besides the occasional filter feeder (primarily asian carp), and maybe (big maybe) a very rare drum or two. Feels like over the past few years it's just been going downhill. I'm wondering if this harsh winter may have been the final blow to an already poor situation. I know personally I caught more turtles out of there than actual fish. And the one and only fish I did get was from about 2 years ago. Don't see it improving until there's a good flood bringing in some more fish, but I'd gladly find out that it's just me and not the actual lake.

Anyone been there recently? And if so, had any luck on the actual lake? Trying to figure out if the harsh winter killed off what little else there may have been in there besides the occasional filter feeder. I fished it for a few hours this evening. With a crankbait on one rod, and first some prepared corn carp bait, and later on nightcrawlers on another. Aside from the nightcrawlers I didn't get any bites, and the bites I did get on the nightcrawler, I'm suspecting to be from turtles. I know it's really early to say for certain but I got a feeling that that place will need some serious flooding and accompanying influx of fish into it, before it turns out to be any good again. And I really like the solitude and general feel of the place otherwise.

I stopped by yesterday at those lakes to look them over, before making my way to Bush, and I saw one guy fishing fire lake, and a couple on Prairie Lake. All were kind of far from me so I didn't bother asking them if they had any luck. Both lakes look like they got some potential. And for a lake of it's size Fire lake seems to have some seriously nice structure in it. Anyone know if the MDC stocks these as frequently as the Bush lakes?

I went to lake 35 yesterday, after walking around Prairie, Fire, and one other lake on Weldon Springs CA, to see what those are like. Caught a couple small Bass on a spoon and a small minnow type crankbait, all near the same cluster of brush/pallet piles. Don't think a single one was even 10" but it was fun catching something nonetheless.Had another 2 rods that I put catfish stinkbait, some carp dough bait, and eventually even worms on, and those didn't come through for me. As far as the Weldon Springs lakes, Prairie and Fire lake look promising. Especially fire lake, with all the stumps and other cover. I wonder if they stock them as much as the Bush CA lakes.

Yep size-wise sounds like the one I saw. About 4 feet with the paddle. I saw it on the shore between the little penninsula just before where the boat ramp used to be (I think that's the same part, cause I know that's where it floods first), and the regular shoreline a little closer towards the parking lot closest to the lake. Sucks, but it happens. I seriously had thought it had died from the lake being ice covered for a long time, cause I saw a bunch of other plankton feeders belly up around the lake too. I'm pretty sure a good chunk of those died from the harsh winter. I bet that was quite a struggle when you snagged that bad boy. What strength line did you have to bring it in with?

Funny, I hadn't noticed any signs of hooks in there when I saw it, then again I wasn't really looking for those signs either. About how long was the one you got with the paddle included? And what part of the shore did this happen at? I thought this one had died from the rough winter, as I saw a bunch of asian carp and some shad and stuff all dead along different sections of the shoreline. Figured the same counted for it too.

Yeah, I get the impression that most of them at Meramec Springs think they got easier ways get food than to really bother with chasing running type lures. Add to that the clear water, and it becomes a serious chore.

Looking good.

I think that's the one on highway 94 pretty close to where you turn on highway D towards the Bush CA main entrance. Shortly before it if you're coming from highway 40. That Paddlefish at Unger, how long ago was that? I saw a dead one a few weeks ago when they had those 2-3 days of warm weather and the ice finally melted. I didn't think there would be another one of those in there, as rare as they seem to be. And, as far as the Weldon Lakes go, are they really closed until late April, or can you go fish them these days? Thought I read something about one more season of some type of waterfowl hunting going on until then, and that fishing was prohibited in the meantime.

It's not like I feel ashamed, I just would've felt like I accomplished more had I got at least one of the trout to take a lure instead. Most of the few times I went before I at least got bites on the lures. Not many but bites nonetheless. Few days prior to the trip I had been out at Suson Park. Both times I only caught one, but I was content since others didn't have much luck either, and both of those I caught on lures. I expected more of a mixup on what would work cause of that at Meramec Springs, but it didn't happen.

I was down there yesterday from slightly before noon to the time the siren went off. Actually didn't do too bad number-wise for a change. Caught 3 trout, 2 of them I think 9" or so, and one that was probably not even 6", ended up releasing them thinking I'd catch at least 1 bigger one to keep, which didn't happen. Hooked another 2 that got off, including one that kept jumping like mad until the hook came out. Also got a pair of Bluegill, a Smallie, and a Rockbass. Now for the bad part, all the trout with exception of the tiny one, were caught on that powerbait type stuff, so I don't feel all that accomplished. The sole one I did get on something else was on half of a pink troutworms. I would've felt more accomplished had I got it on a jig, spoon, or roostertail instead of soft plastic. But that troutworm also did the trick with most of the other fish I caught. Probably the two biggest fish were one of those trout I caught and that smallie. Hands down that little trout that got off the hook with the crazy jumps was the best fight though. The Smallie surprisingly didn't put up as much of a struggle as I would've suspected. Weather was awesome.

That was the only predatory fish I saw, and even at that I would guess a Drum's diet is more broad and let's it survive in more marginal areas for longer than a Bass or something of the kind. I don't know if the Asians are causing the plankton feeders to starve out, or what's going on. Every winter at that lake quite a few of them end up belly up, so I thought so too before. But at the same time, I don't think that Paddlefish got in there anytime recently from the main river. Seems difficult for a fish that size to make it there without significant flooding. I think it got there while small, and then grew to that size while in the lake. So in that case, if the carp were starving plankton feeders out, I figure it would've died before this winter just cause it's a bigger fish, and every winter some of the carp die themselves. Last summer I think I saw a school of shad at the surface, while I was kayaking there. So in other seasons of the year, there seems to be enough plankton to feed plenty of carp with some shad to spare. As far as how it connects to the main river, I think mostly through flooding, though it takes some high water to connect the lake directly to the Meramec. There is also something like a drainage pipe that connects the two, when the levels of the lake and river aren't too low. Starts where the boat ramp used to be, and goes underneath the road and emerges at the river again. I don't know how likely a fish would travel through a underground pipe like that though. This was at Unger Lake, near where 44 and 270 meet, in Fenton.

Saw about 20 fish at a lake here in the St. Louis area I frequent, a week or two back when that warm spell hit, and the ice melted. ~5 of which were Gizzard Shad, 1 Drum, 1 Paddlefish of all things, which kind of sucks cause I wouldn't be surprised if it was the only one of those in there, and about 12-14 Bighead or Silver Carp. Drum aside I didn't see a single "predatory" fish, which I don't know if it's a good thing, or a bad thing. Cause I rarely catch anything there, and if the fish that are dead are representative of what's actually in the lake, I might as well get into snagging instead, cause it's pretty much all Plankton eaters. Do you guys think those type of fish just die more easily during harsh winters compared to Bass or whatnot?

Nice. That's a good assortment of species right there too. What little luck I generally have there, tends to be nearby. By that long pool just past (I think just past) the bathroom.

I'll see what I can do about going down there Wednesday or Thursday when I'm off. Hopefully catching or at least getting to fight a limit's worth of fish wouldn't be a problem like it has in prior trips down there. In the past the trout would just see right through my little ruse.

I checked out one of my regular lakes (Unger Lake) like a week or so back after the ice had melted and I counted at least 20 dead fish. Like 5-6 gizzard shad, 2 of which were pretty big shad, at 10". One mid size and one small. Saw one 2 foot Drum that looked like it would've been pretty good fighter, somewhere in the vicinity of 10-12 sliver or bighead carp, most a good 2 feet if not more, and of all things a Paddlefish, about 4 feet long with paddle. All dead. Didn't believe it before when I heard those might be even there. It was probably the only one though. Shame it died. Didn't see a single truly predatory fish dead. Wonder if that's cause there is none there left, or cause this ice is even more so rough on the plankton feeders. Either way, I'm starting to worry what all that ice did to the fish population at that place. Hope it didn't have a serious impact, cause I don't know how frequently the Meramec floods over enough for fish to repopulate that place sufficiently to make for decent fishing.

Man. I was thinking of driving down there for opening day. To experience it for once. But I went late to bed, and didn't feel like getting up that early just to have access to water. How packed did it get? Was there any reasonable space between people, so the lines don't get caught up constantly?

Nice. Looks like I better get a rod holder and anchor for my kayak then. Get it ready for some fishing. Thanks guys.

Cool,thanks. I'm hoping I can check that place out soon. From the map and satellite images it looks like a pretty nice lake. How's the action been for you? I don't particularly care about size or types of fish, as long as there's action, so would be nice if it's worth an hour drive.

Was thinking of new fishing spots to go see once spring really gets going. I've got a few places in mind already, but Port Hudson Lake seems like another nice potential spot, so anyone had any experience with it? Is it conducive any to fishing from the bank? Or from a kayak?

Yeah they certainly were bigger than what I expected. I thought a medium sized Bluegill was all I stood a chance of getting interested. I don't know if I want them to thaw out now, seeing how next week is supposed to get down into highs of barely above freezing. Cause if they do, I'm guessing only thing that will come of it is that the lake will become covered by too thin a layer of ice to ice-fish, but still too icy to fish much if any of it as open water. What's a good safe depth? I thought I remembered reading like 10 feet and deeper over 10% of the lake. I can say for certain lake 37 isn't lacking in depth. Certain holes I jigged seemed to be in water twice that. But then on the flip side there's lakes like 26 or 22 that would seem barely 5-6 feet even. 26 just in general is tiny.

Btw, that's a nice assortment of fish there. I can't exactly tell the size of that pike or how much of a fight they give, but it looks about the same length as that Bass. Did it give as good of an account of itself as the Bass?

Jason, I got the first one on a plain roostertail, and the 2nd one on one of Kasmaster-like spoons with a worm on it (normally don't like to resort to that, but I figured with ice fishing I needed the aid of live bait which the roostertail disproved). Neither was that big, but I'm happy with them.

I had a catfish like a year or two back that was my first fish that I kept to eat. I tried putting it out its misery first by smacking its head against the concrete steps of our house, and that poor thing just didn't want to die. I had to smack it a good 5-6 times, and even then I could see it try to breathe still. Not going to lie. It kind of bummed me out. But the filet turned out good. Only other time till now that I kept fish was some trout some guys gave me and a buddy at Bush, and they kind of bit the dust on their own, while still on the stringer, so that simplified it. Since then I tried going with the ice technique, but have yet to actually catch a fish while I have ice at hand.

Let me see about the pics now. https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1/1622786_10202123439022063_653679424_n.jpg?dl=1 https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1/1618612_10202123439102065_757974470_n.jpg?dl=1