Highest Concentration Of Catfish On The Mec

[esox niger]

Hi, I live in stl. right between the mec and the missouri and ive been fishing both along with some creeks for catfish with my fly rod. all in all ive had a good season. really my first season targeting catfish and other rough fish. ive landed two 28 inch channels with a couple 20-24 and a bunch of 18-20 and less. fishing has been in spurts with one late spring day bringing 27+ cats (on a fly) to my kayak . darn it, that was a good day. hooked a couple bruisers that busted me off or fly pulled out of. those lost fish keep going back like a crakhead looking for a rock. anyhow, Ive been dedicating some time to the meramec.. i got a couple cats over about 2-3 weeks, admittedly they were basicly accidents, though i had gone looking for them i pretty much gave up. I fish downstream of the 44 bridge. the other morning i hooked into three, one escaped as i tried to get him up so i could see him, never did. next day out nothing. this spot holds massive gar is quite deep...around 16ft so i think its a good area generally, deep to hide and shallows to hunt. but ive been wondering if late in the summer with near record low river level if the cats arent migrated somewhere either up or downstream. im guessing up stream. anyone know what section of the river holds the most catfish? or any good night spots to fish.

[ozark trout fisher]

Hi, I live in stl. right between the mec and the missouri and ive been fishing both along with some creeks for catfish with my fly rod. all in all ive had a good season. really my first season targeting catfish and other rough fish. ive landed two 28 inch channels with a couple 20-24 and a bunch of 18-20 and less. fishing has been in spurts with one late spring day bringing 27+ cats (on a fly) to my kayak . darn it, that was a good day. hooked a couple bruisers that busted me off or fly pulled out of. those lost fish keep going back like a crakhead looking for a rock. anyhow, Ive been dedicating some time to the meramec.. i got a couple cats over about 2-3 weeks, admittedly they were basicly accidents, though i had gone looking for them i pretty much gave up. I fish downstream of the 44 bridge. the other morning i hooked into three, one escaped as i tried to get him up so i could see him, never did. next day out nothing. this spot holds massive gar is quite deep...around 16ft so i think its a good area generally, deep to hide and shallows to hunt. but ive been wondering if late in the summer with near record low river level if the cats arent migrated somewhere either up or downstream. im guessing up stream. anyone know what section of the river holds the most catfish? or any good night spots to fish.

Catfish on a fly. Now that sounds like fun.

I've caught a lot of catfish (admittedly not on a flyrod) around Robertsville State Park, and Pacific Palisades. I also have some private access to the river 1/4 mile before it meets the Mississippi (near Arnold), and the fishing is great there for all species of cats and rough fish, as well as the occasional big largemouth. I believe there are a couple bridge crossing down there where you could gain access.

That's area near the mouth is the best catfishing I've had on the Meramec. But it is usually backed up by the Mississippi, so its very muddy. Fly fishing would be a challenge.

[Al Agnew]

I don't think catfish migrate much. Chances are that low water would not make them move much at all. They should still be there, but with really low water they are probably much more active at night. On most Ozark streams, the farther downstream you go the more catfish there are, but the Meramec has been good catfish water anywhere from about Steelville on down. I'd still concentrate my efforts from the mouth of the Bourbeuse on down, though. Trying to catch them on flies is a challenge, and I suspect that the farther upstream you go the clearer the water gets and the more likely that they will be active only at night.

[fishinwrench]

Schools of 1 1/2 to 3 lb. Channel cat make what seems to be a migratory run up the creeks in the early Fall every year. Matter of fact it is going on right now. Every September they move up and cruise the deep clear water pools in tight schools and you can sight-fish to them if you stay out of the water and out of sight. I don't know how you'd flyfish for them up in this clear water though because they are real-real spooky.

I use Bowker's original or Sonny's on a 3" red dipbait worm. Toss it out on the gravel flats where you can see the bottom near a hole and stand back away from the bank and wait for them to cruise by. You'll see one or two break away from the group to inspect the bait. When you see one "stand on his head", Set the hook.