Wormser

Welcome from Saint Louis, Mo.

I am focusing on pumpkins and cucumbers. I also have one watermelon plant that is starting to fruit and some carrots and gordes. The melon plant is too immature so I am going to pull the fruit now. The wife is doing tomatoes,strawberries and beans up in pots on the deck. The pumpkins and melon are the only thing with any size in the plant yet. They are vining at around 4" a day so they should really start getting big soon. I am doing a couple of types from last years seeds, a a first for me with the Dills Atlantic Giant pumpkin which holds the world record over 1,700 punds. If I get 100# in my little garden I will be happy. I'll keep updates if anyone is interested.

Nice, keep the updates coming. I grow pumpkins, cucs, squash and tomatoes myself.

Can I change my name from Wormser? Please message me if possible. Thanks

Nice report and pics

Try the Strike King Bitsy Tube which is a little bigger than your typical Crappie tube. Really any soft plastic bounced along the bottom should work. I have had 6 inch Rockies hit 4 inch Smallie plastics this time of the year. Most of my Gasconade fishing is around Vienna. Good Luck

No, not at all. The levels in the branch and river were both pretty low. I really don't fish Trout too much anymore, I guess I just like being in the river more than anything. A couple of nice Smallies don't hurt either.

April is prime time for the lower section and to avoid the crowds. Most floaters won't really be out there till after Memorial Day so take advantage of it while you can. I'd suggest anywhere from Sullivan to Steelville (Bourbon, Leasburg etc..). I'll have an outfitter drive me and my kayak up river, and float back down fishing the whole way in these areas which are pretty hard to enjoy in the deep summer months. Good luck

I did not make it opening day, but we camped in the Park on Saturday 03/06. We didn't even attempt the spring and fished the river for Smallmouth. Suprisingly, the river section was not to bad with Trout anglers, and the few I did see looked to be releasing or maybe they weren't big enough. Bucktail hair jigs were working well for the Smallies, but didn't get any Rockies which is a first.

I have not been down there yet this year after season, but did multiple times last year in December. Nobody is working the park and you simply drive in. It's all catch and release now in the park. Or if you want to fish the river, you can just follow the spring branch down to the confluence. http://www.maramecspringpark.com/maramec/fishing/index.html

Thanks again for the help both of you and great pics. From what I read, I should drive there instead of wading down from the springs? I ask because we will be camping at the springs campground.

That does help, thank you very much.

I have heard about both these areas, but wasn't sure what they are or why so speacial. Are they just some locations on the river below the springs or are they designated fishing areas? I am heading out to the springs in a few weeknds with my son and was wondering if I can wade down to these areas or if it will be too far? Any input would be highly appreciated. Thanks

How do you catch a spoonbill anyway? I thought yo can only snag em?

Was out on the upper Meramec this past Saturday with a buddy. I had great luck the weekend before with topwater night fishing, so we figured we'd fish in the evening and get the Jitterbugs and Spooks out at night. Well, the flow was up about 3 feet from usual, and the clear creek was more of a muddy river. We got shout out that night on topwater, but here is my biggest ones of the day along the bottom. All were photographed and released since I don't eat Smallies. And one at night:

Hmmmm.. I'd like to see a picture or 2. I have caugh a 19 and 20 incher as my 2 biggest on the Mac, and they were in the 2.5 lb range (guessing).

I know exactly what you mean about a good MDC job. It's hard. After I finished up school, I worked out at CERC (Columbia Environmental Research Center) for a couple years as a tech mostly radio tracking Silver and Bighead Carp on the Missouri River with the USGS and briefly with the USFWS. It was a dream job for a river rat like me, but had to keep deferring my student loans and was on a 3 month contract basis with little job security. A couple of my buddy's were working on there master's and had problems getting jobs too. One day out of the blue, I decided to go back and get an MBA in finance (with many pre-requisites) and now work in Saint Louis. I miss those days, but am paying off the loans now. Again, thanks for the other info on the park zone

Good to know. For the Catfish, we were just gonna use stink bait. But, for smallies, I had been using 3.5 inch soft tubes and had no clue they were illegal. I also used small soft crawdads for Goggleye. Guess I better change my game plan. Were you Fisheries and Wildlife at MU? I graduated F and W from there in 2002. We used to electroshock a small lake in Ashland.

Were you on the spring branch or river section? I have had no luck with the spinnners since spring as well. I know what you mean about the frustration. I always fish the river section so I can target Smallies as well. I have been there days where my jig moves slowly through the gauntlet of 100+ fish and nothing. Still fun though.

I have never fished for Smallies at night. Night fishin is just fun all around, I'll give it a shot too with some topwaters. Thanks

Thanks Al, I figured they'd mostly be small. We just want to be out on the water as much as possible. Trout and Smallie by day, and the cats by night.

Going Smallie and Trout fishing at Meramac Springs next weekend during the day. We had talked about doing some night fishing and were wondering if any catfish are that far up river (above the spring) in some of the bigger holes? Thanks

Me and a few buddies are camping at the park in a couple weekends. We'll be Smallie and Trout fishing the river during the day and evening (maybe the spring for trout). My question is we were wondering about night fishing down on the river. Do any small catfish live in the deep holes on that part of the upper Meramec? I know they do farther down, but wasn't sure about there.

Great shots. Meramec Springs is one of my favorite spots in early spring and late fall. I joined the "campers club" there so me and the lady are up there all the time. Too many floaters now, but give it 2 months.

Thanks for the report, that's a good number of smallies. I am going out there this weekend by Richland and I think it is the management area too. How are craw colored tube baits working? I have only been doing the Meramec lately and have had no luck with top water and been catchin the bass on 1/8 oz jigs with a soft crawdad along the bottom. How about inline spinners like a Mepps or Roostertail... any luck? Sorry for all the questions, but I have not been out on the Gasconade in years (since I was a kid) and don't want to get shut out.