shortfish

I spent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday fishing in the park. The stream was in great shape. Weather was ok. Had a few brief showers then it heated right back up. I got there late Sunday and I wasn't going to fish but it was hot so I bought a tag and did some wet wading down through loop 1 through 3. I was using rooster tails in the deep holes and glow balls in the rapids. Didn't catch anything, just a couple of light hits. Went up to the spring on Monday after the rain and caught a bunch of stocker size. I did keep two for dinner. I cooked these right over the fire on my hotdog fork. I ate the skin and all. Man that was good. Sunday I fished near the campground and caught a few to take home. Same recipe, rooster tails and jigs and balls. The park is in the best shape I have seen in a couple of years. Going back down in September.

I agree about the 40/61 project. A lot of work and money for not much gain. I am noticing the new westbound stretch of Hwy 100 in franklin county from 44 to Washington has that same bumpy feeling.

Thanks for the info. I thought it was my truck, but a buddy who went to table rock noticed the same thing.

Decided to go one time this year to Meramec. Paid my five bucks to get in and some more for a tag. Water was clear. Park was clean. Leaves were falling pretty heavy making casting difficult. Caught a couple right at the whistle on a spinner. Walked up and down fishing here and there. Looked like most people caught fish of pretty decent size. Fishing didn't just taper off about 9:00. It just stopped. I know this is normal for Meramec. It's not a bad place just so small you can't get away from people.

I wanted to bring this up on my last trip. The westbound stretch of Hwy 44 from right before Cuba and for about ten miles after seems really rough. The road looks good, but my truck just bounces light I have no shocks. I thought that was somewhat new.. say 5 or 6 years old. Modot needs to address this

Thanks for the info fellows. It sounds and looks exactly like like described it. It would be good to see the numbers for the differnet areas. My buddy also mentioned the fishing was pretty lousy even a few hours after they left.

A friend of mine just got back from a few days at Montauk. He was in Loop 4 and one day noticed some boats being put in down by the cable. He got curious and went down and watched them. Two jon boats and a canoe. They were attracting they fish somehow and scooping them up in nets and measuring them. He went over to them and they said they were trout management and they were taking data for something or another. They say they do this a couple of times a year from the park down to Baptist or Parker. He was more interested in how they were attracting the fish. He said they used some type of rod and possibly shocked them. Anybody see this or know what they are doing?

I am not that good of a fly fisherman. mostly glowballs and woolies. Most of them go in the trees behind me. I think October 2 is the Rose Holland

Got down to the park about 2pm sunday got a nice site in loop 1. Setup camp and headed down out of the park. Started down across from the cabin and fished down past the bend. Caught a few small ones and a large rainbow (2 lbs) at the rootball. I then noticed I forgot my leader line. Went back and then started again at the wire. I lost a few and a few fly's along the way. Water seemed normal considering the rain. Water was clear. Maybe up just a little. On Monday I fished up at the top of the park and all the way down to the big rock. There were a lot of fish in spots and a lot of people. Didn't do well. Found my waders have a leak. I fished from the bank the rest of the day with worms and power bait. Caught two keepers. On tuesday. I slept in late, hurried and got out of my tent and right in the water (wet wade). Caught another two pretty quick on rooster tails. Came back and broke camp. On my way out I stopped at the bridge and walked down river. I slipped and fell in. Oh well a good trip. Glad it was warm. Note. I ate at the lodge on Monday night. Had country fried dinner. It was pretty good.

I agree with Ozark and Trout Bum about bad weather fishing. I slayed them earlier this year at Bennett in an ice storm. Forecast shows rain for this weekend.....see you down there.

I was planning on coming down. After 10pointer mentioned the derby I am having second thoughts. In my opinion fishing with a derby going on gets quite frantic (nothing personal 10pointer, just my expeirence). If you go Cocry, just go with the flow and try to imagine fishing with about half of the number of fisherman that will be there. I will say you can learn alot from some guys just by watching them and 10pointer sounds like one of them. If you have a trout stamp go down river outside the park and practice some flyfishing. It is a little tougher but good expeirence to get a feel for the terrian. TanVat or Baptist Camp too. In my opinion Montauk is the best of the 4 state park fisheries.

Tracker Stern light. Black. 54" long. 2-pin standard pole. I thought it would work with my boat but the pins are different. Tried to test it. Bulb may be bad. $20.00

Thanks for the info. Happypappy name doesn't quite fit the area. I will still call it Cahill's. That's great about the cell service. A pay call call from down there costed a fortune.

What's up with the campground going in above Cahills? I haven't been down since late June. They should be all done by now.

Went Sunday thru Wed. Stayed at the campground. Fished Sunday below the cable to just past the first bend. Lots of fish. nothing big or brown. Fished in the park on Monday. It was kinda busy. Must have been stayovers from Fathers day weekend. Fished up top and from the second bridge down. Caught a lot of small ones. The lunker board had four postings for Monday. On Tuesday I fished mostly with powerbait and trout worms under the second bridge. It was just too hot to do anything but sit in the river. A friend an me went below the cable again at about 5 or so and did ok. I took the fly rod and a woolie bugger and glowball. A lot of little ones. Lunkerboard showed only one name. Wednesday I fished the morning From 2nd bridge down with spinners and power bait. Did well. Overall a very hot time with no A/C. Did notice the springs area and a little below are filling in. The stream is very narrow and almost unfishable.