Chris Barclay

I recently read some interesting info on Spanish Lake Park in NOCO - sounds like it used to be good fishing for bass and bluegill. Anyone been there? Simpson Lake is also mentioned in there as well. Both were said to have had some decent sized bass as well as bluegill. Also, anyone fish off the Big River in some of the parks along it? Cedar Hill Park, Morse Mill Park, Brown's Ford, Rockford Beach? I heard that there's good smallie fishing there.

Curtis, PM sent. I just sold the reel/line, sorry we missed each other yet again. Chris

Curtis, I actually just sold the rod (sorry I haven't been able to post an update!). The reel is still available if anyone is interested. Tinner, Anything is possible! You ought to check out some of the Cabela's rods. I just got a 7'6" TQR 3 wt that I really like a lot for just over $100. Sweet rods. I'll update my post now. Chris

How'd it go, Thom?

Any news recently on where to catch some decent bream?

The reel is an Albright Topwater 5/6 with Cortland 333 WF5F fly line. I will include a Feather Craft 6' furled leader with the deal. Everything is in terrific condition and has never been abused, dropped or in any way mistreated. I have recently cleaned and dressed the line and everything is ready to go. Perfect for a beginner or a backup. I'm selling it for $20 + shipping. New it sells for $35 + another $45+ for the line, leader & backing I live in the Carondelet area of South City St. Louis and work in Creve Coeur near St. John's hospital. Email me at czarbarclay{at}prodigy{dot}net to meet up and take a look.

Cricket, you found a setup yet? I just posted my 5weight package on the buy and sell. Let me know if you are interested. Chris

I've decided not to sell this anymore, I'd regret it! I'm selling a very nice and affordable fly rod and reel outfit. $120 for rod and reel. -Temple Fork Outfitters Professional series 9' 5 weight rod in excellent condition. I've had it for 2 years and have really enjoyed it. The cork is a little bit dirty but not bad. With triangular TFO rod case. $100 without the reel (a new one without a case is about $150 from Feather Craft or any other reputable shop, with a case it's about $175). -Albright Topwater 5/6 reel loaded with WF5 floating line (I'm pretty sure it's Cortland 333 line). It shows a few light scuffs but is in excellent condition and works like new. $20 without the rod (you can get a new on from the Albright website for about $30 without line($30+)) I'm in the south city area of St. Louis and work in Creve Coeur. Contact me at my email address: czarbarclay[at]prodigy[dot]net to meet up or ask questions.

"Hit all my best spots yesterday evening and tried every trick I know, I caught plenty of 8 inchers (which are big enough to be fun) but didn't get so much as a sniff from the bigger ones(9 to 11 inchers)....and I know they are in there, somewhere. This is the way it goes for me every year (catch the big ones for several weeks...then they disappear until next spring). Anybody know the trick to staying on the bigger ones ?" I've found that they go deep to the bottom when i can't find them anywhere else. That's not to say tht I've found them recently though. "You ever notice that Gills always seem to get hooked in such a way that when unhooking them they ALWAYS have a chance to piss on your shirt " I took my 4 y/o daughter fishing last week for the first time in a while and one of the best parts of the evening was when the fish would pee on me. I remember doing the same when I was a kid.

Have you tried #12? It's a kids only lake that seems pretty decent.

Nope, I'm not one to be giving out the tips - I'm looking for tips! I went this week and had a great time but all I caught was little 'uns. All I've ever caught is little 'uns on a fly rod so my question is this: How do you catch big 'uns? I know that practice is a good way to get better but I'm looking for fly types, technique pointers, equipment pointers, etc..... I'm using a decent 5 weight TFO rod and an Albright reel. I have a bunch of flies that someone gave me a while back - naturals and imitators. Let the suggestions begin!

Thanks for the info and links, guys. I appreciate it! It's too bad they went under but it looks like there are many more options and information out there these days. It's quite addictive!

Thanks for the heads' up, Pat. Coincidentally, I just got back from there myself but I wasn't fishing. My wife's working tonight so I took the kids there for a picnic and some play time (all in the rain) so I could do a drive-by to check out the lake. It looks very fishy and your report only confirms that! I'll hopefully get out there in the next week to try it out. I'll let you know when I do. Thanks again. Chris

I was out there Saturday morning and fished 24 for a little while and caught nothing. I didn't see that snake either but I saw several others including a moc. I was fishing over. Glad you found a place to fish.

It was a great magazine with an uncommon sense of humor - and it seemed like it was doing pretty well. That's too bad it folded. Are there any other warm water publications around of a similar caliber? I have never fished for trout (I'm not opposed to it but I don't really like the way they taste and have never had the opportunity to fish for them) and the mags out there that I'm aware of spend most of their time on cold water species.

Thanks guys. I'll give Bee Tree a shot - Pat, I'll let you know when I go so maybe we can meet up. I've stopped by the park before just to drive through and look it over. You never know about those county park lakes - you can waste a lot of time on them so I didn't give it much thought. Redbird, it's been a little over 11 years and so far I guess she still likes having me around! Anyone ever fish the Carondelet Park lakes? I know they are stocked with catfish but never see anything around there.

When I lived in Texas and was learning to fly fish for bass & bluegill I subscribed to a magazine called Warm Water Fly Fishing. Since moving to MO in 2001 I have not really fly fished or thought much about that magazine until recently when I have been getting back into it. I have searched for any hints of it but cannot find anything. What happened to it? Anyone remember it? It was one of those really good informational magazines that was very unpretentious in how it conveyed the info. Anyone?

Thanks for the welcome, Pat! I'm at Bates and I-55 near Carondelet Park. I have briefly fished at the 2 lakes at Carondelet park with no success but I might as well try them again. I am mainly after big 'gills to put on the table. I've got a deal with my wife that if I go fishing, it needs to be for both sport AND food in order to make the time I spend worth it. I also would like a place that would be enjoyable to my 4 year old daughter to come with me occasionally so she can have a proper introduction to fishing. CC- sorry I didn't see your post earlier. I imagine you are already out somewhere by now? Let us know if you find something and how you do. Chris

Hello everyone, I'm new to this fine forum and am getting the itch to catch some bream (I wouldn't be upset if I caught a crappie or bass as well). I'm in the St. Louis city area and am looking for a decent place to go that's close by. I'm aware of Busch CA but would like to find a place that's a bit closer. And I'd like to be able to keep some of my catch and take my 4 year old daughter sometimes. Another closely related question: How do you find a place to fish? BTW, I fly & regular fish. Thanks!

Thanks for the tips! You are right that it's a tremendous resource! I decided to go this morning and checking things out. I went to several lakes to scout them out and ended up spending most of my time on #36 and #11 and #9. I caught a pretty nice crappie on 36 (which surprised me as it's not labelled as a crappie lake per se) and about a 2lb bass on 11 as well as many little 'uns. I'll probably hit those again but I'd also like to go to 27 & 28 as well as it's looks promising. Next time, I'm taking my 4 year old daughter to #12 to get her 'hooked' - she was jealous I didn't take her this morning. Any more tips? Chris

Hello everyone, I will be starting to frequent Busch CA to help supplement my family's diet and would like to se if any of you have suggestions for which lakes are best for decent sized bream and crappie? What methods work best? Thanks!