Winter Fishing In St. Louis Area

[JONBOY]

I tried looking up places to fish in IL, but the forum was empty. So I figured I would put something on here. I am looking for a place to fish and camp in the STL area in the next couple of weeks. I plan on spending a weekend to get away form life for a while and want to relax and do some fishing. I know most of the fishing is dead because of the cold weather, but there has to be something that is still moving around. I don't really care what kind of fish I go after, but I will probably use the fly rod. If the place is close enough then I won't worry about camping or if it is 5 degrees out. I will drive about 1.5-2 hrs from North STL.

I am thinking about Maramac, but there is no place to camp down there and it is a long day drive. I would like to go to Montauk, but that is a long drive, and I don't even know if the campground is open. Thanks guys and have a happy christmakwanzakah!! (Don't want to offend anybody) ... but Merry Christmas.

[Gavin]

Montauk Campground is open ....but the showerhouses & toilets are closed for the winter.

[Gatorjet]

http://www.jeffcomo.org/ParksFishing.aspx?nodeID=Parks

This may help some. A lot of good fishing along the Big River. Don't know about fly fishing though. I do know that there at times some nice Walleyes caught below the old mill dams in some of these parks.

Ther is always the winter Trout stockings at August A. Busch Wildlife in St. Charles County. There are plenty of posts about it on this forum. Also the urban Trout programs at St.Louis County Park lakes and some St. Louis City lakes.

http://mdc.mo.gov/fish/

[Gavin]

The trout lakes are iced up at the moment. You will need to go elsewhere.

[eric1978]

Gavin's right about the ice. Unless you want to auger a hole, Busch is out. The closest trout to St. Louis is Maramec Springs, a little farther to Montauk and a little farther yet to Bennett. If you want to try for some smallmouth, the Bourbeuse or Big River is the closest, but it'll be a slow bite. They're in there to catch though, for sure, and I bet if you found the right hole and played around with some little jigs you could pull a few out with the fly rod. If I was in your shoes, I'd probably head to a trout park, or go to Washington State Park at the Big River and float a stretch for smallies, or drive a little further to the Meramec where you could chase either species. There are campgrounds open, you just have to find them.

I'll be checking Busch periodically, and if we get a stretch of warmer days before you go, bring this thread up again and I'll let you know if it's thawed...or just call Busch.

Just a warning, though: I wouldn't call Busch a "destination" type of place. If you're just wanting to get your fix catching some fish without driving too far, Busch has that, but if you're looking for a scenic and quiet place to relax and soak in some peace, I wouldn't recommend it.

[Gavin]

http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/18088.pdf

Another option...Camp on Mill Creek...theres a spot that folks camp at just across the low water brigde near Wilkins Spring...Its on Forest Service Land, and there are no facilities but I dont think anyone would object...Little Piney and Spring Creek are a short drive away...Folks camp on the FS land on the Little Piney to...look for the fire ring & parking area off of 7400 on the way to Mill Dam Hollow. The locals trash the area near the parking lot. Lots of beer bottles, etc.....but you could hike down the path and camp in the woods or a gravel bar. Cheers.

[Gatorjet]

The trout lakes are iced up at the moment. You will need to go elsewhere.

I don't know about Busch, but I have seen some innovative creations to break a hole through the ice to fish at Suson. Concrete filled coffee cans with an eyebolt imbedded in it, 4 or5 feet of chain for a "saw", and a long rope. Throw it out until the weight breaks through the ice, then "saw" a bigger hole. Cast past the hole with power bait & small weight on a float about 4' up the line, then reel it back until the bait drops into the hole.When you get a fish, just reel it up through the hole and slide it over the ice to shore.

I can only imagine what the fly fishing purists on this forum think of it!

I've never done it, nobody ever saw me, you can't prove it. I'm innocent!!!

[eric1978]

I don't know about Busch, but I have seen some innovative creations to break a hole through the ice to fish at Suson. Concrete filled coffee cans with an eyebolt imbedded in it, 4 or5 feet of chain for a "saw", and a long rope. Throw it out until the weight breaks through the ice, then "saw" a bigger hole. Cast past the hole with power bait & small weight on a float about 4' up the line, then reel it back until the bait drops into the hole.When you get a fish, just reel it up through the hole and slide it over the ice to shore.

I can only imagine what the fly fishing purists on this forum think of it!

I've never done it, nobody ever saw me, you can't prove it. I'm innocent!!!

If I got desperate enough it wouldn't be beyond consideration. Just don't use the powerbait on the C&R lakes at Busch, because it's illegal right now.

[Thom]

I tried looking up places to fish in IL, but the forum was empty. So I figured I would put something on here. I am looking for a place to fish and camp in the STL area in the next couple of weeks. I plan on spending a weekend to get away form life for a while and want to relax Thanks guys and have a happy christmakwanzakah!! (Don't want to offend anybody) ... but Merry Christmas.

Two places to check out in Illinois: Balwin Lake and Coffeen Lake offers warm water (power Plant) fishing in the winter time and also You can fish below the dam at Carlyle in the winter time and catch white bass, catfish, crappie, and a few others. You can fish up againt the dam or down at the low water dam and catch fish in the winter time. I am not sure about the camping there but because of the hunting seasaons I would bet that there are some places open.

tight lines.

Thom

[ozark trout fisher]

http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/18088.pdf

Another option...Camp on Mill Creek...theres a spot that folks camp at just across the low water brigde near Wilkins Spring...Its on Forest Service Land, and there are no facilities but I dont think anyone would object...Little Piney and Spring Creek are a short drive away...Folks camp on the FS land on the Little Piney to...look for the fire ring & parking area off of 7400 on the way to Mill Dam Hollow. The locals trash the area near the parking lot. Lots of beer bottles, etc.....but you could hike down the path and camp in the woods or a gravel bar. Cheers.

Gavin's right, that's a good place to camp and fish if you like wild trout. I prefer Little Piney, but Mill's okay too. The White Ribbon area on Piney around 7400 (at the campsite recomended in the above post) should be fishing pretty well too if you like stockers. Good luck.

I know I'll be fishing below Montauk this weekend, that area is really nice for winter fishing.

I'll admit that I'm not above breaking through the ice to catch trout in those ponds... There's one right by my house, and when it gets frozen up I just go out on the dock, break through the ice with a hatchet, rest the water for a few minutes after the commotion and get fishing. Those times can produce the easiest fishing of the year, but it's not really sporting or too enjoyable. I don't think there are docks at Busch anyway, so that's probably out.