My First Trip To Meramec Sprng Park..

[FishinCricket]

What a beautiful place to take your family! It was tremendously well kept down there, and man the fishing must be great!

My wife and I had to take a trip to Steelville to bid a Truck for work, so we decided to head down there and check it out. I am afraid that by the time I got there the fish weren't willing to bite, but I saw some doozies! We went up and fed the lunkers in the spring (their hatchery is set up really neat, isn't it?) and walked all the trails just to check the place out.. I got one lunker teased into biting, but he spit the hook.. He was probably a good four pounds though!

I definitely plan on taking a trip back but want to make it the best trip possible, so here's some questions for you locals..

I saw alot of people using stirke indicators and powerbait or doughbait, is that the best to use there? anybody got any secret baits that work well? I just used my Kastmaster, but didn't realy have much luck, as I mentioned before.

How often do they stock the fishing area? And how is the fishing at the spillway (where the waters comes out of the springs into the river)?

What, in your opinion, is the best day to go? And the best time?

Any tips you guys can give me will be appreciated....

[shawncat]

I saw alot of people using stirke indicators and powerbait or doughbait, is that the best to use there? anybody got any secret baits that work well? I just used my Kastmaster, but didn't realy have much luck, as I mentioned before.

How often do they stock the fishing area? And how is the fishing at the spillway (where the waters comes out of the springs into the river)?

What, in your opinion, is the best day to go? And the best time?

Any tips you guys can give me will be appreciated....

No I would'nt use a strike indicator with powerbait it floats too.

Geen rubber leg jig and white micro jigs,but it's no secret

They stock every evening after the buzzer.

Good to excellent,if you know how and when to fish it

Now!Im leaving in a few minutes[i'll have a fly-rod and yellow G-Lommis hat]

The best time to go fishing.................Anytime

[flyfishmaster]

Cardilla,

Well you can use just about anything to catch fish in that park. Back in the days when I used a spinning rod, I used a lot of Trout worms. My best color was lime green. Thread a size 14/16 hook in the middle and give it a few twithes, then left it rest a few second, then repeat. The thing about using worms is that you never set the hook right a way, give it a second or so.

Here is also a little story. Back in the late 70s my father took us down every 3rd weekend. I though I was hot stuff catching 30+ fish per day but that was nothing compared to what my father would catch. He would easily have 50 to 80 fish days. He used a Zebco 33 with 4 lb test and a 2 lb leader. He used one split shot and a bronze sz 16 (long shank) hook. His bait.......... CRICKETS. He caught fish all day long

To this date, I still have not seen another person fish for trout using a cricket.

later,

FFM

[Bman]

C C , I see you are from Lebanon.I would much rather go to Bennett, but since you asked about the Maramec Spring Park... they generally stock more fish on the weekends, they do stock every day after the closing horn blows...(HINT)...follow the stocking truck up the path and watch where they stock, and how many net fulls.If you are staying overnite, you know where to fish the next day! Otherwise I never bother to get there in the early morning, wait till the early birds get their limit & leave.

I don't know if you fly fish or spin fish, either way can be very effective. Spin fishing best bait? Well I get in trouble around here if I mention the best by name...but try throwing the dough bait on a jig hook under a float.Form the dough to resemble a grub body on the jig hook, USE LIGHT LINE!!! consider nothing over 2lb test. Try 1 lb or 7x-8x tippet. Use Fluorocarbon!

Fly fishing try scuds, midges,san juan worms,or eggs(fly).

CAUTION! If you go down to the river past the signs, you are in a trophy trout special regulation area! Select artificials,and flies only,only two rainbows over 15" may be kept. Be aware of the law! They could be(hopefully watching) You must have a trout stamp as well. Thats not the tag you bought at the park office.

Hope this helps, Good Luck!

Tight Lines

[flyfishmaster]

Come one BMan.... tell us the name of the "best bait to use". I have been sitting back here waiting for it a few days now.

Later,

FFM

[Bman]