shawncat

Seth Where you been crossing the river?My son got smacked in the head with a fishing rod by some old lady for crossing the riffle below the steps. More and more people seem to be fishing the shallow riffles below the steps and bathroom holes.I'm glad he just smiled and kept going he took enough "ribbin".It would have been bad if I would have to fish him out after she thru him in!!!Some of those little old ladys can be pretty tough you know.

My son keeps seeing BIG GRASS CARP in our local lake he can't handle it.He's got to catch one of those HOGS!Maybe 10-20LPS.Anyone know how?Bait or snag he don't care.I told him he better beef up they'd probably pull him and his wimpy 2LPS. test trout setup in!!!

Fished the Meremac below Maramec Springs Friday late P.M.tough...tough...tough is my report.Rivers high lots of debris to snag on.I was using a dark Rapala minnow crankbait.My boys were using a jig and a rooster tail.We fished down past the cabin no fish one follow small 'bow'.I was targeting smallies usually good on a river rise.There's more trout in there the waters over the falls in the springs.

Four leg way.They ought to work at Montauk too.They like dark jigs there too.I have'nt tried them.Maybe Seth will tell us how he works "em".Good luck !

Seen some guys catching G eyes at Maramec Springs on minnows and a cork.They were fishing between the last rapids and the bridge.Theres a long slow stretch with lots of moss.They had maybe 10/15 eight inchers.Looked like they were fishing about 4ft. right in the moss.

Exactly!!!

Did you happen to see the braggen board?I wonder about all those BIG fish I was reading about all winter.

Yea, I agree with you guys but don't give up on it theres some big fish in there.I think Maramec's fish been running a little bigger on average then the other parks for the last couple of years.Don't know why.Seems like Bennett used to have alittle bigger fish than Maramec but that may have changed.Talked to some guys that just fish Bennett and they said Maramec had nicer fish.I usually get my fly-rod out during the week or in the P.M.Another good time is over the Memorial week,4th of July.For some reason pressure is light.Maybe everyones at the lake.

Suicide is just down the road from cardiac.It's about 1/4 to 1/2 mile by road.It's a steep bluff and if you take small kids go first.The parking lot is on a scenic bluff over looking the river but don't take the trail strait down because it stops at tree line.Go down the road 50 yards and theres another trail that you can climb down.Pack light and be careful it's not called suicide for nothing!After you figure out where it is you can go back to cardiac wade down the river and come up suicide[about 1 mile down river] or vice - versa. The whole circle is about 2 miles I guess.

You crack me up!!!I seen a guy in shorts and a trappers hat on today[at Maramec Springs]and it was in the 40s but this guy is whacked!!!

Well heres what I know about opening week.Good fishing opening day with many 3-5LPS. fish caught but I did'nt see any real big ones strung.Sat. and Sun. much of the same with Sun. less crowded.I recomend 4LPS.test at the buzzer due to the fact you are going to be snagged by other anglers in the bigger holes and your line takes a beating stretched,nicked you know what I mean.2LPS.test is better after the initial frenzy and a few anglers limit out.Power bait,dough bait,plastic worms,jigs ,rooster tails seem to work the best for spin-fisherman.Fly -rodders do'nt seem to have much room at Maramec at the big holes at the buzzer.If I were to break out the long pole it would probly be in the PM.Seems the bigger fish come from the usual holes.I'll call them long hole,bathroom hole,2nd set of rapids ,suspension bridge for a lack of better names.I've had my best luck on 1/32nd wht.jig,orange and wht.plastic worm,wht. or yellow power bait and dark rooster tails.I caught a nice 2LPS. and seen another nice one caught with a new jig stuck in there mouths grn. with two rubber legs.It may not be new but I hav'nt seen it.Both fish were better than average so it may be good.Someone said they sell them at the lodge.The trout seem to be nice size and really you do'nt have to be to picky because I seen the neighbor kid catch a half a dozen fish with a bare chrome jig head no lie I would'nt believed it if I would'nt seen it.No snagging all were hooked in mouth and he walked away with a stringer full of 2LPS.plus fish Go figure???

Seth Was that you this A.M. at the 'step hole'pond hole with your girlfriend?I seen a guy with a jig.com vest but I did'nt see your previous post till P.M.You said I'll be wearing my vest???If it was I was the guy that liked your big net.Whoever that was caught a nice trout.Left there caught a few by the 'bathroom' and commenced to hammering down below the suspension bridge.Their stacked in there!!!Same pattern white and plastics but caught afew NICE ones on a small crankbait 'tadpolly'.Post if that was you. Cat

yes those rainbows I've caught rainbows all the way down below Scotts Ford bridge [6-8 miles].I fished Meremac Springs this A.M. down by the bridge and as I released afew the current flushed them over the falls into the river .Cardiac is about 2 miles down river and I have did good on peach glo-balls and green micros.Most of my best fishing is with rooster tails,crackback rapalas and rebel crawdads.I talked with a fisherman today at the springs that says he fishes the river accessing at the trout park and caught and released a six pounder just above Dry Fork Creek [about a mile down stream] on a homemade jig.He gave my son one.Looked like 1/16 head had some white, grey and peacock.Strange looking jig but he had a NICE stringer of 2 pounders when he left.I'll have to take a closer look at it after my nap.He called it a minnow jig.Another good spot is below suicide hill wade downriver about 1/2 to 1 mile till you run into bluff on your right you'll know when to stop DEEP water.Lots of springs.Big trout.Big carp too If you do good post.Yawn,later.

Lunkers are caught all over Bennett.Alot are caught above the waterfall [zone one].You have to be bold to stand facing upriver.One step forward DEEP WATER!!! One step back DOWN THE SLIDE!!!Under the bridge,bluff hole [zone two].Some BIG browns are caught all along zone three coming up out of the river.All three zones have certain areas that can be only fished from one side and are clearly marked.They do give out lunker patches.Bring a rod you can cast a good long ways may help.Good luck.

I wish there was a map with names of the holes like I see on Bennett and Montauk.I usually call the first hole the handicap hole because of the bench and there used to be yellow paint saying handicap.Down from there I heard people refer to the long slow mossy stretch as the pond hole.Down from there are some cut stones that resemble steps that you walk down to cross the river upstream of the tree that spans the river.Downstream of the tree is some rapids as you look downstream to your left is the shallow fast water stretch that flows from the spring by the bridge and cable that says no fishing above cable.I've always called the bathroom hole "murderers row" because the trout are stacked in there.Bathroom hole suits me fine though.Maybe we can get some more names for the holes so we can figure out which hole were talking about.Let me know how you did today if you fished.Im probly headed down Sat. or Sun. or both.

Tony Salmon is a veteran angler who has many line class world records.I met him at Meramac Springs years ago.After seeing him catch three 5 lps. plus fish one derby day down river 50 or so yards from where you were today where the two rivers meet.He showed me some baseball type cards with him holding BIG trout line class world records.He taught me some good lessons like when you see white set the hook the trout has opened his mouth to take your jig before you feel the hit and spits it out. He told me his parents owned a resort down on the White when he was younger and now fishes for BIG browns at night in a boat.He is a guide and knows the river well which is a good thing because it can be dangerous!If you fish this hole on derby day,opening day you may run in to him.You can't miss him he talks alot and backs it up with catching big trout.Today he was spotting fish but did'nt see any while I was there.I told the nieghbor kid to listen up we may learn something.If you fish the steps much we probly been tangled up a few times already .

It depends what your looking for I guess.I can try to help with some spin fishing.Bennett you can usually do good with white rooster tails around the waterfall down to the bridge[zone two].Down above Whistle Bridge small micro jigs under a float[green,black/yellow]zone two.Anything white later in A.M. due to fish feeding on guts from people cleaning fish in river [zone one].Montauk you may have more room.Black/yellow micros no float and orange/white plastic worms.Hope this helps good luck.

After opening day and a little RAIN the trophy trout area will soon get a stocking of rainbows.Rainbows will jump/swim over the falls from the springs into the river with the help of some higher water soon.Browns are stocked and along with some escapees from the trout park and private streams upriver the rainbows will add some fresh action.In the next few weeks there should be alot more trout in the river.When I've had my fill of the trout park I'll wade down river and check it out.If I do any good I'll post.

I too hit the springs for the opener.What good weather!!!I did'nt catch as many as you but did alright about 15 maybe.Started with a orange and white plastic worm at the steps caught 3 and they turned off it {not usual that quick}.Went to a white jig 1/16 oz.Seen a 31/2 pounder caught but thats about it.Ran into Tony Salmon down below where the tree goes across the river.What a legend!He told me he still holds many line class world records.He has caught browns over 30 and rainbows over 15 in Arkansas of course not at Meramac.I have seen him catch many lunkers at the Meramac Springs though.That guy always has a lot of good stories and you can learn alot from him too.I went for coffee and donuts and seen a guy weigh a 51/2 pounder he said the fish was slamming orange bobbers so he switched to orange puff ball and wham.I went back to steps and caught 4 keepers on white.Good luck tommorow with your fly rod.

Have you been down by the trophy area lately?I see you havent posted lately but I thought I give it a chance.

JJtroutbum I think you have a good idea trying to carpool.I already have plans to go to Meramac.I too live in Jefferson Co.so maybe some other time.With a handle like troutbum im sure you will be going again soon.

No change

Well Played !!!

Does anyone know where I can buy a sew-on patch from Norfork River and/or Lake Taneycomo?Heard I could make one but would rather buy one already made.

Just got back from Norfork.Things are changing.They were taking the dock down where the old worlds record was once caught.38lbs. it was back in 1988.I'll bet there were alot more big ones caught there.McClellons dock that is.The owners said they don't know if they would rebuild it or not.I know I got a story or two about that dock.Sure going to miss it.I also noticed that their putting a new sub-division over the dam area.Hope the runnoff does'nt hurt the river.I guess the older we get the more we like things to stay the same.Sorry about the bad news but the good news is the fishing was GREAT!I caught a 6lbs. brown that measured 24".Most of the rainbows were running small due to a fresh stocking .The browns were about in that 13-15" range with a few 16 " plus.We were there 4 days with many twenty plus catch days.Does anyone know were I can get a sew -on patch from Norfork River.Not a lunker patch just a patch that say's Norfork River on it.I have been searching for years for one.I have many from places like Bennett, Montauk,and White River but can't find one from the Norfork {Taneycomo either}.Any locals out there know a store that sells them?I have checked all the fly shops {Two Rivers,Blue Ribbon}and places like Genes and the Y store.Any help would be greatly appreciated.