drew03cmc

The new ones are indeed the exact same blank as the spin rods. That is why I am hesitant to get one of them. I would rather spend a little more money on an older one and get one designed for a #6 line. I am getting a Martin 62 early next week in the mail and will need a shorter lighter rod for it, and the older one might work great. I don't know though, but your view of the newer Featherlight is exactly right.

Congrats Leonard, we had my little fishing buddy last January and I must say, nothing is the same. I guarantee the first Taney trout she hooks on a fly will outweigh your biggest ever

Ill see what I can find for you Dan!

Numerous of us already are members, but thanks for mentioning it, as it is a great resource.

Rod is sold, thanks CC!

It's ok Don, we are all entitled!

Those rods are a steal for that price. They are absolutely a dream to cast, if a slower action rod suits you better!

I have a hard time going over $50 for a fly line. The last line I bought was a WF4F Cabela's line that was $19.95 with backing. That line and a 333 Cortland are darn near identical, so I had no complaints. I still fish that line, and it makes no noise through the guides and floats relatively well except for when I throw a #8 BH Bugger or a #6 Yuk Bug with it. Then the first foot or so becomes a strike indicator in the water...not bad though. Back to the Sharkskin line, I like SA lines, but I do not like that pricetag. Yager's here in Lawrence is going to have these lines Nov 1, so I might go check one out, but definitely will not be buying one.

I will be down there hopefully on Tuesday and have reorgenized my trout box ywice now. I am antsy to hook into momma trout!

Do you hook very many larger +16" fish on the ants Tim? I guess I will have to grab some ants and some zebras while I am at Yager's today.

Where in the stream would ants be a good choice? Against overgrown banks, or where? I am just asking because I do not get to trout fish as much as I would like.

Yes, it is built in...but can you go without that particular rod, if that is your only one, for weeks waiting for a rod to show up in the mail. Also, if they do not have that particular rod in stock at the time, they replace it with something "comparable" in Orvis' words. This is why I want my glass rod collections to grow so I can fish rods that will not crack if I drop them on a streamside rock or anything. I think the next rod I will have to buy is a glass st. croix rod.

I found this on Walt Fulps MO Trout Hunter blogspot page. This details the problems with the way the spring branch is set up. The dams cause fish to not be able to migrate up the branch to spawn or to live in cooler waters. This is an intriguing blog, and I found it fascinating last night. Proposals for management and/or regulation changes for the Maramec/Meramec Trout Fisheries Problem #1: The rock dam at the lowest boundary of Maramec Spring Park adversely affects fisherman success and satisfaction. Maramec Spring Park fishermen note that they catch almost no brown trout, while Meramec River fishermen note that rainbow trout populations are much lower in certain sections of the river than what can be found in other Red and Blue Ribbon waters around the state. As a comparison, the Current River starts in Montauk State Park, which receives daily stocking of rainbow trout. The park waters flow into the Blue Ribbon Area which receives seasonal stockings of brown trout. The Blue Ribbon Area then flows into the White Ribbon Area which is stocked with rainbow trout every 3-4 weeks. This management practice allows for free migration of both rainbow and brown trout between all three trout management areas, and it insures that fishermen who frequent any of the three trout management areas will have good opportunities at catching both rainbow trout and brown trout, including a large number of trophy-sized fish protected from harvest in the Blue Ribbon Area. The Meramec River and Maramec Spring Park do not enjoy this benefit. The rainbow trout found in the Meramec River Red Ribbon Area are all escapees from the park. In order for these fish to escape, the park waters need to flood, washing trout over the rock dam at the bottom of the park. At best, this happens only a few times each year, usually in the springtime. Proposed solutions to problem #1: (1) Enact a White Ribbon Trout Area at the lower reaches of the Meramec River near the Scott's Ford access. For example, MDC could provide six monthly stockings (i.e. March through May and October through December) of 500 rainbow trout using the Maramec Spring Park hatchery stock. This will encourage improved rainbow trout populations throughout the length of the trout management area, rather than the current situation where lower reaches are often devoid of trout during certain times of the year. It would also discourage poaching in the Red Ribbon area. This proposal would likely work best in conjunction with proposal #2, below. (2) Stock brown trout within the park boundaries. When the hatchery trucks from Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery come to the area to stock the Red Ribbon Area each spring, a portion of the brown trout they would normally stock in the River could be added to the Maramec Spring hatchery stock. The number of brown trout added to the park stock should be approximately the same number as the rainbows removed for stocking in the proposed white ribbon section at Scott's Ford. (3) Another option would be to remove the rock dam from the bottom of Maramec Spring Park to allow for the free migration of rainbow and brown trout into and out of the park. Problem #2 The series of rock dams within the park boundaries concentrates the fish and therefore concentrates the fishermen. The addition of 1/2-ton boulders in certain sections of the park has helped with offering additional habitat and spreads the fish population out somewhat. Even so, there are still just ten or so primary fishing spots. This frustrates visiting fishermen, as they generally must choose to fish in a crowd or fish in sections of the spring branch with very few fish. Proposed solution to problem #2 An unrealistic option is to revert the spring branch to a normal flow. This would entail removing the rock dams and the concrete walkways in order to allow a natural river to re-emerge, with riffles transitioning into pools, and then runs, and then back into riffles. This would likely be prohibitively expensive, and there is every liklihood, of course, that the James Foundation would not allow it. However, the idea has merit. By removing the artificial channelization and restructuring the rock dam materials to narrow the river's flow in certain areas, a hydrologist should be able to tailor the spring branch's flow to mimic a more wild trout stream with fish spread throughout the length of the park's waters. Even though this entire proposal will certainly not be enacted, any action in this direction would help the situation. A few boulders here and there have not changed the fishery in any substantial fashion, but we do see that there are pockets of fish now associated with those boulders. Continuing in this fashion to narrow the channel into notable riffles, for example, would continue to yield positive results. Likewise, altering the rock dam construction to incorporate chutes would allow for better trout migration between river sections would also help solve this problem. Problem #3 It is difficult for bait fishermen, lure fishermen and fly fishermen to fish the same waters without conflict. Socially, park fishermen are generally gracious to one another. However, the fact that these three styles of fishing are not compatible leads to a higher than normal amount of crossed lines, increased frustration, and decreased fisherman satisfaction. Proposed solutions for problem #3 (1) Institute zone fishing similar to the other three trout parks. Admittedly, this would be difficult due to the issue addressed in Problem #2, above. With such a limited number of fishing spots, you would likely receive more complaints from fishermen who are no longer allowed to use their preferred fishing method at the one primary spot they like to fish. (2) Institute a catch and release fly fishing area from the spring pool dam to the bridge. This area is home to a large population of trout stocked by the MDC for harvesting purposes, but these fish have migrated out of the fishing area and are now protected. The water in this area is the best looking fly fishing water available in the park, and most of it is only accessible by wading. This would eliminate potential conflict between the needs of the fishermen and the needs of pedestrians viewing the hatchery and spring pool. If this area were opened to catch and release fly fishing, a majority of fly fishermen would spend at least some of their time there, easing the pressure on the rest of the spring branch and decreasing conflict with bait and lure fishermen. This would also make it possible to set aside the rest of the park for a bait fishing zone and a lure fishing zone. To be clear, the spring pool area would continue to be off limits to fishing, since it would not be safe for fishermen to be casting from the sidewalk among pedestrians.

Ok, well then, I guess I will bring the waders for in the C&R area if I feel the urge to wade. I will stop by and get some flies from you when I get into town. What time do you open and when is the opening whistle at the park? Thanks for the help!

I have an old Wright & McGill Sweetheart 2A flyrod that is a glass rod with nickel silver uplocking reel seat and ferrule. It measures 8'6" long and fishes great with a WF7F or WF8F line...ideal for Taney during fall for bruiser browns. I am asking for $35+$10 shipping. Let me know through PMs or email: drew03cmc@yahoo.com Thanks guys!

Ok, I got clearance to make a trip down there to fish next Tuesday. I am wondering what I should bring as far as flies go. I am going to fish in the park as well as below the park on RR. I am guessing the brownies are moving upstream now for their spawning attempts that will fail. What would be a good method to hook into a big brown? Let me know please. Thanks guys!

I just feel that anything over $150 is a waste of money. I have caught more fish on my $55 St. Croix Premier 4wt than a lot of people have on their $500 rods just because I fish them. I fish them like most people would not fish their more expensive rods for fear of breaking them. I do not have that fear. It is a cheap rod, it will break, I will replace it. I would have to make payments on my rod for over a year to get a $500 rod.

There is at least one dam on the spring branch I believe that might be impeding their progress towards cooler waters. I do not doubt they are nocturnal, but I realize also they are stocked at a lower rate, also I heard they DO NOT stock browns in MSP...the only way they get there is from upstream migrations from the Meramec River.

What makes a brown a rare catch at MSP? I only ask because I know they are in the river below the park, and slightly above the park, but the only brown that I saw during my trip there was above the cable in the protected area where we can't fish. That was a VERY nice fish also...probably 22" long or so, but that is neither here nor there. Thanks for the answers.

I will need to know the date as far in advance as I can so I can get it off from work. I had a blast three days before christmas last year, almost had the stream to myself besides a few gear fishermen. I stayed in the hole that has the slough to the far side of it right by the first parking area. Pretty deep hole, would need to bring a few rods then...the heavier one (all glass mind you) for the streamers in deeper holes, and the smaller one (glass of course) for the dries and smaller nymphs. Anyone looking for numbers of fish, bring some #16-20 Griffiths Gnats, some #16-18 gray scuds as the spring branch has a HUGE gray scud population, and I had a few hits on a smaller black elk hair caddis...

Thanks for the heads up, but $285, affordable? For who? I find anything over about $150 to be out of their minds....but that's just me, I would love to know what others think.

Loving the fly fishing eh? Ot's the best!

Nice fish...that's a night to remember!

Depending on the day, and provided enough notice, I might be able to make a weekend of it. Let us know Ollie!

I am looking for a 7' Eagle Claw Featherlight fly rod. I love these rods, just cannot see paying $27 for the rod including shipping from troutlet.com, but I don't know, just let me know if you have one for sale. Also, looking for Pflueger Medalist 1494, 1495, Orvis Madison (Medalist trade reel) in sizes 4 and 5, South Bend Finalist 1144 and 1155. Those reels are all Medalists just under different names. Thank you guys!