Fly Shops And Flyfishing Oppurtunities In The St. Louis, Mo Area?

[Wrath]

I recently moved to Fairview Heights, Illinois near St. Louis, Missouri. Besides Bass Pro and Cabelas, what Fly Shops and flyfishing oppurtunities are there in the St. Louis, MO area? I'm also looking for fishing partners. Primarily trout, steelhead, crappie, bluegills and sunfish, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, pike and musky. I'm also looking for deer and turkey hunting partners. Being new to the area, I don't have anyone to hunt and fish with yet.

Thanks.

[Trout Stalker]

On the Missouri side, I know of 2 shops. T.Hargroves Fly Fishing Inc. and Feather Craft. Both are on Manchester about a mile apart. IMO. T. Hargroves is the best out of the 2 and there are a few Trout Bums that hang out there all the time. Just take I64 west to Brentwood Blvd. Go south on Brentwood to Manchester. Turn right for T. Hargroves and he will be on your left about a 1/4 of a mile. He usaully has a pontoon boat hanging outside. If you turn left on Manchester and go about 3/4 of a mile on your irght is Feather Craft. Both have websites.

[snagged in outlet 3]

64 is closed from Kingshighway to 170 due to construction. You can google the shops and see where they are located.

SIO3

[ozark trout fisher]

64 is closed from Kingshighway to 170 due to construction. You can google the shops and see where they are located.

SIO3

I am not familiar with the fly shops, I usually stock up at the park store when I arrive at the trout parks/

During the wintertime, I would suggest hitting Busch wildlife in the selected lakes for rainbow and brown trout. You may still be able to get a few there now, but it will be mostly fished out. During the summer, Busch Wildlife lakes fish well for bass, crappie, catfish, panfish, and you might be able to coax a musky into biting in lake 35, as the MDC stocks them every few years. For summer trout fishing, you'll have to drive down at least as far as the Meramec River system, which will probably be a couple hours. There are three year-round trout streams in the Meramec system. The first is Blue Springs Creek. Easily accessible, good wild trout numbers, but small spooky fish in an extremely small creek. The Meramec at its mouth is a great smallmouth stream. The next trout stream in the system is Meramec Spring branch. It's stocked every day with rainbow trout from March 1-October 31, and the fishing is both extremely crowded, and extremely productive. The Meramec River (both Maramec Spring Branch, and the trout holding water of the Meramec River are near St. James, MO, right off Interstate 44) for eight miles below the spring branch fishes well for rainbows and browns all year, with the spring and fall being the highlight. It is easily floated, or easily waded at normal flows. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are found as well. While it is managed for eight miles, the most consistant trout fishing is for the first two to three miles below the spring branch. The Current River is a half hour further, and there is about 2.5 miles of daily stocked rainbow trout water, 8 miles of year round trophy trout water, 8 miles of water that is stocked about once a month.

As far pike, steelies, and yellow perch goes, you are completely out of luck here I am afraid to say. For steelies, your nearest opportunity would be probably Ohio. For Yellow Perch, there are a few in Bull Shoals Lake in Southwestern Missouri, but I wouldn't really bother making a trip for them. The Current, Jacks Fork River, and Eleven Point River in South Central Missouri provide good pickeral fishing, which are somewhat like small pike. There are of course countless opportunities around for largemouth and smallmouth bass, as well as rock bass, crappie, suckers, and bluegill.

[TroutFearMe]

I would have to second the opinion on T. Hargroves, everyone there is so friendly and helpful Tom is the owner and Craig I think is biz partner and they have a new guy there by the name of Chris they have always been helpful and your always greeted with a smile and a cup of coffee. I personaly would just pass Feather Crafters up unless your ready to spend a few hundred dollers they really aren't so eager about helping out its a shame Ed Story passed away ever since his son Bob took over the whole attitude in the store has changed. As for the fishing I try to avoid Meremec Spring park unless your looking to fill your freezer, I tend to fish a spot called Cardiac Hill wich is about an hour and a half drive from STL, but the fishing at Montauk is great if you want to fish in a park. The Current river is really nice in the spring and fall for trout fishing, as for all the other fish you enjoy chasing I don't have a clue except Busch Wildlife.

[drew03cmc]

Hit any of the public ponds and lakes in St. Louis for a shot at carp, bass, panfish, catfish and anything else stocked. Otherwise, there are some tailwaters there in Illinois that are often reported on here and can offer some great fishing depending upon conditions. Definitely do not overlook warmwater fly fishing.

[ozark trout fisher]

Hit any of the public ponds and lakes in St. Louis for a shot at carp, bass, panfish, catfish and anything else stocked. Otherwise, there are some tailwaters there in Illinois that are often reported on here and can offer some great fishing depending upon conditions. Definitely do not overlook warmwater fly fishing.

Also, I would suggest the lower Meramec in the Pacific Area, if you are willing to travel an hour or so. It's not the best fishing on the river, but it's pretty close, usually clear enough for fly fishing, and a good producer for spotted bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, panfish, and freshwater drum. If you have never caught a freshwater drum before, they are a lot of fun, they fight really hard (they are usually between 9" and two pounds) , and will hit streamers or nymphs. The river around Pacific MO is practically rotten with the things. You can also could find some walleyes if you fish big streamers on a sinking line. It is one of the better stream walleye fisheries in Missouri in that stretch, although that's not saying much.

[drew03cmc]

Drum are a blast. I caught a 25" drum last fall on a #8 woolly. He hit hard, and bulldogged like a redfish (his cousin). I wish I had a river crawling with them...oh, yeah, I do, the Wakarusa east of Clinton Lake in Lawrence.

[ozark trout fisher]

Drum are a blast. I caught a 25" drum last fall on a #8 woolly. He hit hard, and bulldogged like a redfish (his cousin). I wish I had a river crawling with them...oh, yeah, I do, the Wakarusa east of Clinton Lake in Lawrence.

Wow! A 25" drum is a monster. The biggest I've ever caught was an 18 incher in Robertsville State Park on the Meramec. Fried him up streamside, he sure was good eating. Caught him on a Bomber Crankbait that I had been catching bass on all day. I've found they really like woolly buggers too, like you said.

[drew03cmc]

Drum like holding in slack water near deeper water just off the channel of the river. I caught mine casting cross channel onto a rock flat. Here is a picture of him.

and another one of the same fish. The fly in his mouth is a 2" woolly.