cwc87

Boys loose lips sinks ships. I have always been very sketchie on giving details.

Thanks for the comments. Al have a good trip on the new river wish I could go. Next week I'm gonna just follow my way back down river on the meramec and try to find some more bigones. By the way, Yesterday morning just upstream of Campbell bridge I seen a huge amount of bluff that fell into the river a definte check it out kinda spot. Simply awesome amount of rock fell off a ginormous bluff.

I have wednesdays off for fishing so the last two the stars have aligned and the fishing had been great. Two weeks ago the meramec reminded me of fishing the current river with its strong flow from all the recent rains. The rains have been well up stream so the normally murkiness of the meramec was nonexistent. Fishing clear water elevates my confidence anyhow. Normal stuff the topwater bite and senko/ jig bite was on. Now, since two wednesdays ago it was great fishing I decided to go again this week. Well to make a report short I caught a huge 22 inch smallie and two 19's and two 17's. Two out of these were on topwater and the rest on jigs.(don't ask for any more details). This last trip I started at 8:00 a.m. and took out at 3:00 plus I jumped in the water 3 times to cool off my body temp. I have only cell pic's and unable to post but tried to send pic to Al. Also, this last trip the river was what I would call perfect level and color. I did see another local with a huge 19 inch or so smallies hanging off the side of his canoe (along with minnow bucket). I am a catch and release fanatic and glad I fished ahead of the minnow drowner to sore mouth a few of the big ones before he got a chance to eat them. Two summers ago I caught a giant 21 inch smallie in the same spot I caught this 22 incher and who knows if it was the same fish but it sure seems fitting that the stars align and the man upstairs let me catch such a speciman. I am truly blessed with such a great day of fishing!! Cheers!!

Just a little insight on this thread. I live where dry creek enters the Huzzah all of the property is private. For a fee of $8 good up until 9:oo p.m. is what I charge for a day pass. Just register at the red barn that has Huzzah Valley on it. Now, Years ago trout fishing was awesome when the old fishermans dude ranch let trout escape out of their hatchery when it flooded. Now the dude ranch is called Westover farms has done major renovations to the hatchery and it is very rare that they loose trout out into the dry creek stream. Sure back in the day this was some of the best trout fishing going but things have changed sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

I get the question (where can I go with kids and catch fish away from the foul lanquage idiots) My best advice is definitley go during the week, and go before 9:00 a.m. so you can get ahead of the crowds. Now catching up with other people putting in down from your starting point is the next issue. Be familiar with what outfitters are on that stretch of river and what access points they use. Another tip is just stay away from rafts (they move slow and usually have a party crowd in them) plus they are hard to get by them. I think that question you asked is one that every fisherman, parent, and outfitter should be asked before you get on the water. As a outfitter myself, it is very hard to determine those who turn into foul lanquage idiots when they sign up for a float trip. And how to keep em from becoming one on our waterways. It's kinda like when I go to a cards game and a group behind me are foul lanquage idiots and drunk and I like to $#@$$#%^ them but i can't. Maybe if we had those gadgets you blow into to determine if your legal to drive if you have been drinking and try that to those before they embark on a float trip. (probably wouldn't matter).

I love fishing this river and haven't been on it since Feb. What is the fishing like now? And The east Gate access on the fort do they still check you out for everything?

I asked some fisheries guy's at MDC what can be done and he had a possible idea of having an attractant that the Asian carp likes and they were gonna try to decimated that way. I believe alot of experimenting and trial and error stuff is going on right now to get a handle on them. Seems like if somebody can come up with a plan and not be harmful to the other fish it could be a lucartive business (Asian Carp Killer for Hire) HE HE hE!

Last summer I had one jump in my boat below hwy 30 on the meramec and seen some in that area. Told a MDC fisheries about it and it seemed the air just defalated out of his lungs from is facial expression. The last 3 years the Osage from Bagnell Dam to the Missouri river has been an explosive population of them. Couple weeks ago I caught word of some Ole boys shotgunning down and making a dent in the population on the osage river.

Zipsticks fish looks to be 19.5 plus and the other two pic's I have to say pic one is 16.5 and the other is 18incher. and smalliebigs what part of the area did ya catchem just general area not to specific?

This rivermont campground is a real memory. You never know who or what you could expect at the now closed area. Last time I went I chained and locked my canoe to a tee post while i rode up river to retrieve my truck. Kinda nice that it is fenced off and the rough crowd has left. Also, the water mocassins mentioned in OZ Hawskley river guide book kept folks away. Awesome! That Kingston School road that gravel for 10 miles is a experience also.

Yep forsure a spotted bass. They swim up the maries which runs into the osage river. When Bagnell dam gates are open and for sure when the flood gates are open a fresh supply of all species is released. Kinda a never ending supply of bass that goes straight into all kinds of rivers and streams..

Ok, I have caught some huge smallies from this spot also. But nothing over the 5.5 range. Only way I will ever see or catch a 7lb plus smallie from a river in Missouri these things need to change: Water retention, too much water runs off after each rain and no structure in the rivers to slow it up Stabilized banks, boulders, logs. More of this stuff will narrow the stream beds down, scour out holes, create better structure for fish to hide in so it is harder for the fisherman to catch them. And, regulations 3 fish 15 inches statewide may work. I have witnessed on the John Day in oregon(the river AL mentioned) that their were so many 1-2 inch smallmouth from excellent habitat(boulders) that smallmouth were in fact eating one another. I.E. they were burping them up as I was unhooking them. Laslty, along the banks I could see hundreds of fingerling smallmouth (a image that was the most impressing memory of the entire week fishing trip). Been busy at work and been away for awhile It is the best time of year to fish.

With all the rain and all the gravel in the Huzzah and Courtois these two creeks still remain clear with a strong flow. So that's where I'll be fishing this week. Plus the spawn is saved so far.

I really like fishing the Meramec, Gasconade, Piney, and Osage rivers, However their water color and flow is ugly right now. So I put in at the Hwy E bridge on the Huzzah and fished the mile or so to the Meramec confluence and satisfied my fishing withdrawls I've been having. Of course dodging the rain all week to fish was a chore. Luckily the Huzzah is gem clear with the recent rains and the water level was easy navigating. The spawn is on big time and the males are attacking anything (crankbaits) that are ran close to nesting areas. Note: I don't sight fish just cast and crank. Catch and release before the current sweeps me away from where I catchem. Normally I dont reveal my whereabouts on these forums but many of you guys are probably going through the same fishing fever I have. Just thought I would share some good news. And without any major flooding on the Huzzah so far this spring our hatch should be a good one.

Al, I remember you taking me on that stretch and what a day it was. Of course, you out fished me out of the back of the boat all day, and that pull up that bank out of the river was a chore but, well worth it. Thanks for sharing your trip you write it so well it felt like I was on that log with ya fishing for a lost fishing pole.

Just kinda wondering if anyone has any fishing experiences above the prongs? If you don't wanna post just send me a message. I may never get above the prongs but just kinda curious.

Sure am glad I didn't get on the meramec all week even though my boat was hooked up to go. From the smallies I've seen and caught on the Huzzah this week they are breaking up out of winter schools and some are traveling and some are hanging out under spawning logs. Individual fish can be caught out of a current ambush break. Now that rain is in the forecast off and on the next few days it's the river level gauge watching time. Or, doing little head water floats is in order?

Was at Wesco and Kline ford yesterday and caught smallies on plastics drug on the bottom rigged with a 3/16 oz slider head. No big ones . Wednesday would have been the day to float the upper stretch levels and color was perfect. Now with this rain it is on the rise and gonna get muddy. If you are dead set on going Saturday the very upper reaches would be doable but all I would throw out of a canoe would be a double bladed spinner bait. Or if you got into a hot spot try dragging a chomper on 1/4 oz stand up head. Or do what I did and drive to the county road crossings and catch some fish. Kinda comfortable and fun.

I think the best way to enjoy a day of fishing would be show up at 10a.m. catch what you want then try different areas around the crawford county area go to county road bridges and try for some goggle eye or smallmouth. There are many campgrounds that offer a day permit that let's you access to there wade fishing or bank fishing opportunities. Just giving you a different option to your day off for fishing fun. Opening day is on Monday and it maynot be as crazy.

The fishing is always great for me but I always concentrate my efforts in certain areas. For example, the holes just up stream of wintering holes the best fishing starts about 3miles below birdsnest to the blue hole which is 3 miles below garrisons take out. Then more great fishing picks up around the confluence of the Huzzah. The bests scenery is from onondaga to meramec state park no doubt about that but growing up with the scernery I take it for granted so all I concentrate on is the challenge of fishing. I will be on this stretch of the river every chance I can get the next few months. I think I have revealed enough info and by the way if this part of the river gets blown out with high water go from wesco to cedar ford. Give me a pm and I may be able to shuttle you.

Try birdsnest to onondaga about 19 miles and only access in between are private. Just a stretch I perfer year round.

Just a couple gigging stories to back up the 300 fish kill in and hour and a half. Back in 80 or 81 my father and the boys from troutt and sons had the only gigging jet boat in steelville. On a particlular Huzzah trip we launched in the hole to be gigged and there were so many suckers when the gigging boat pulled in to the beach suckers were literally swimming them selfs out on to the beach and some were laying with there backs out of the water. Of course as a little kid I grabbed them up as instructed for the fish fry that night. Another trip was around 98 or 99 Three of us gigged 60 fish in about 20 minutes. We put in the hole we intended to gig and one trip up and down then back up and we had our limit of 20 fish per person. The hole was on meramec above hwy 8 and about 400 yards long with the deepest spot about 7 foot. The reason I know the numbers so well is that one of the giggers was aspiring to be and eventually became a conservation agent. For some of us gigging is a way of social night out and a great table fair. Hence, I never freeze fish and may keep fish on ice no longer than 48 hrs. Frying suckers the same night you gig them is like no other fish fry bar none. The clear ozark streams purifies the meat in the suckers and brings a mouth watering taste as I type this. Anyhow some insight. And for the record I've not gigged this year but have been to 3 fish frys. No bass or trout were mistaken. All suckers.

Just thinking out loud again. "Man the population of catfish and o yes the hellbender going into extinction could be that giggers play a role" I agree with Al and most others on this forum and I know that this is being read by conservation agents and some of the fisheries personnel and even some water patrolman too. But, here we are come on rain and muddy the rivers and streams up till the end of gigging season. Have a great week everyone.