ozark trout fisher

Sounds like fun... I've never gotten into a real pig of a trout like that before, and frankly I'm not sure what I would do if I did.

I was out this weekend fishing a bit... Egg patterns have been good, as others have said.

The Meramec was going around 7000 CFS yesterday... I'm surprised you found fishable water. Glad you managed some fish regardless of the tough conditions.

17" is the biggest I've put a tape to. 24" is a great trout... I bet that was a good fight.

I have relatives in the area, so I've spent some time fishing the Kansas Ozarks. The bass fishing really isn't bad at all, and its a unique area. You do have to look pretty hard for access, but it can be found at bridges and such. My favorite for that part of the state is the Elk River.

Great fish. Bummer about the gig wounded fish though.

With tomorrow's forecast, everything in the area is probably going to be blown out this weekend. Disappointing stuff. As to what Coldwater and Joe D said, I would have to disagree. The Meramec is probably not as good of a trout stream as the Current just because it has fewer miles of really productive trout water, but I've always found a few fish. I don't like it much during the summer though, when the floaters are out in droves. I love it this time of year even if the fishing is a bit slow. When you can catch while there aren't many fisherman, it is a beautiful river. I just get the since the fish are more difficult than on the Current, at least I know I don't catch as many. It has almost exactly the same number of trout per mile, according the the last shocking survey. Before my first trip to the red ribbon area a couple years back, I'd heard so many bad things about it I almost didn't even go. I was very pleasantly surprised. Based on my trips there I'm convinced it's bad reputation is undeserved.

Thanks The Meramec is definitely blown out (2200 CFS) so I'm gonna to a smaller stream somewhere this weekend. Bummer Luckily Little Piney looks like its in good shape.

Really? I don't know what personal beef is with me, considering I don't even know you. This is totally uncalled for. I was only trying to be helpful to the guy that asked the question.

If someone asks a question, and I want to answer it, I'll do it however I want to. If you would like to know where it was, I'll P.M you too. (Its south and west by a fair bit from Lake Sherwood) I was gonna head back down there again this weekend, but I don't like the look of the USGS water graph. I think I'll head to the LP or Blue Spring instead.

PM sent

I have always only owned neoprene for a long time, and they're just fine. When it gets hot enough for them to be a problem, it's time to be wet wading anyway. But if money isn't an issue, breathables probably are better. Otherwise, neoprene is fine.

I think neoprene is fine, especially if you can't spend a bundle. They're not perfect, but I like 'em just fine.

I'd get stocking foot waders, preferably neoprene. They're way more comfortable than boot waders in my opinion. I've done both, and boot waders are unpleasant in the extreme. I have a pair of Hodgman waders bought at Walmart, for $35. Cheap, yes, but they work great, and they're pretty comfortable. Chest waders are really a necessity outside of the parks... You can get by with hip boots in the shallower streams, but you'll be really limited in larger streams.

That'd be pretty funny to watch

The stagnant water below the junction hole looks stagnant, but the fish are there, trust me. Look into the water when the light is right with polarized glasses, and you'll see what I mean. The hang around fallen trees for the most part, and there are plenty of those. 80 fish is crazy. Good job.

I agree with you on that. Even if it's a blatant violation, that's the kind of situation where it's best to tell them the rules, as opposed to reporting them. If the kid sees his dad getting confronted by the law, it could sour him on fishing for a good long time, and I wouldn't want want to be responsible for that.

One more point of interest that I forgot to mention in the report... While I was walking down the spring branch to get to the river, there was a dad and his kid that appeared to be fishing Powerbait under a bobber. Now why didn't I report him? I just wasn't 100% sure that it wasn't actually a glo-bug under the bobber, and I didn't want to take the risk of reporting someone who wasn't doing anything wrong.

I didn't get to talk to an agent... I ended up down at the river anyway where droppers are for sure legal. I'll try to figure it out next time I go. I've always wondered about this, but I've always been unsure enough that I've just stuck to one fly.

I caught all three above the piles area, (right above where Dry Fork comes in), which is about 1/2 mile below the park. I thought about the cold water issue myself, and I agree that might have had something to do with the slow fishing. The fishing may have been better up in the spring branch, but it was kinda crowded today, so I headed straight for the river. It was awesome just to get outside and fish all day, even if the trout were being kinda difficult.

Decided to fish the Red Ribbon area today... The fishing was slow. I caught 2 rainbows and a small brown on a copper john about 5 feet under an indicator, and that was it. I tried every nymph, scud, and egg pattern in my box, but the only thing that drew any action whatsoever was the copper. There were some nice pockets of fish in the deeper slower pools, but they weren't hitting particularly well. The fish topped out at about 14 inches. I had good time anyway. Today was sure a nice day to be out.

Thanks. I'll see if I can find someone to ask... Otherwise I'll just stick to one fly. I have a feeling the fishing might be kinda slow today, but we'll see.

Are dropper flies legal during the catch and release season at Maramec? Thanks

I know Pomme de Terre has an good population, but that's about all I know.

There's not necessarily a chronological order in which these things must be done, but to a certain degree it's only possible to do one thing at a time, and do it well. That's all I was saying. I respect your stream-team work in your part of the state. But I simply don't have enough time to do that. I know that sounds like an excuse, and maybe it is. But its also true. And I never admitted to having fished very little. I just said that as things are right now, I don't get to fish as much as I used to, or at least that's what I meant to convey. And also, a fair bit of the info that I'm going on comes from folks that do do know the streams a lot better than I do. Also, I read what the MDC itself says. By all accounts, they believe that the existing SMAs are producing more and better smallmouth bass. I just happen to think that would extend nicely into a variety of other streams across Missouri. Anyway, just about every time I make a point on this, you in some way or another say that I don't know enough about the issue to be worth listening to. I don't appreciate it.