Red Ribbon Report

[ozark trout fisher]

Decided to fish the Red Ribbon area today... The fishing was slow. I caught 2 rainbows and a small brown on a copper john about 5 feet under an indicator, and that was it. I tried every nymph, scud, and egg pattern in my box, but the only thing that drew any action whatsoever was the copper. There were some nice pockets of fish in the deeper slower pools, but they weren't hitting particularly well. The fish topped out at about 14 inches. I had good time anyway. Today was sure a nice day to be out.

[Randall]

How far down from the park? I wonder if the water wasn't just too cold for them to feed actively from snowmelt or something. If nothing else I imagine it was a nice break from not being able to fish.

[ozark trout fisher]

How far down from the park? I wonder if the water wasn't just too cold for them to feed actively from snowmelt or something. If nothing else I imagine it was a nice break from not being able to fish.

I caught all three above the piles area, (right above where Dry Fork comes in), which is about 1/2 mile below the park. I thought about the cold water issue myself, and I agree that might have had something to do with the slow fishing. The fishing may have been better up in the spring branch, but it was kinda crowded today, so I headed straight for the river.

It was awesome just to get outside and fish all day, even if the trout were being kinda difficult.

[ozark trout fisher]

One more point of interest that I forgot to mention in the report... While I was walking down the spring branch to get to the river, there was a dad and his kid that appeared to be fishing Powerbait under a bobber. Now why didn't I report him? I just wasn't 100% sure that it wasn't actually a glo-bug under the bobber, and I didn't want to take the risk of reporting someone who wasn't doing anything wrong.

[Randall]

I'd say that's about where the colder water from the river is really mixing with the warmer park water, not to mention the snowmelt. Either way, I'm jealous.

I know I understand that. I'd also have a hard time calling the law on a father-son outing barring a pretty egregious offense. Kind of a tough one; maybe if I was completely sure, I'd advise them of the rules. I say you probably did the right thing.

[bikehikefish]

We fished just below the park yesterday and did pretty well. They hit cracklebacks, #14 nymphs, and chamois flys. Morning was better than afternoon, but in the PM there were som BWO coming off and a few fish would take dries.

It seems like during the winter the fishing is tough further down river from the park, and I don't know why. Some say it is because of the cold water, but I'm not sure that is the reason. I fished the river just upstream from where the spring comes in to the river, and the water was ice cold because there was no spring water to warm it. It was so cold that I couldn't wade in thigh-deep for more than 10 minutes at a time. But the fish were hitting like crazy for part of the day. So I don't think water temperature is the reason fishing is so tough downstream, where the water is warmer than where I was catching fish.

If anyone has other ideas on why the Cardiac area is slow in the winter, I'd like to hear them.

[jah]

I fished the park both Friday and Saturday. I probably brought about 80 fish to hand in those two days. Then, when I went to the river, I got skunked. I went downstream about a quarter of a mile and didn't even see a fish. I did see a huge mayfly hatch but never saw a fish rise. I find the river just below the park to be incredibly mossy, but the water just below that seems stagnant. Either way, I should have never left the riffles at the park!

[Gavin]

Dry fork creek dumps in between the Spring, and Cardiac Hill...it must cool the water considerably, because its always been tough fishing below Dry Fork in the winter time. Locals do a fair amount of gigging down there as well.

[bikehikefish]

Dry fork creek dumps in between the Spring, and Cardiac Hill...it must cool the water considerably, because its always been tough fishing below Dry Fork in the winter time. Locals do a fair amount of gigging down there as well.

Gavin,

I enjoy reading your posts, as you provide a wealth of good information, but I have to question the statement that cold water is responsible for the slow fishing (I won't disagree with the gigging part). I was fishing in the Meramec just upstream from where the spring dumps in, so the water was as cold as it gets, probably colder than below the dry fork, since the water there is mixed with the warmer spring water. The fish were active and took my flies all morning - they weren't a bit lethargic. Also ,every year I fish the high lakes in Colorado, where the water temperature isn't too far above freezing, and the trout don't seem to mind it.

I don't have a good explanation why the fishing below the Springs is usually so slow in the winter. It seems like the trout disappear.

[ozark trout fisher]

I know I understand that. I'd also have a hard time calling the law on a father-son outing barring a pretty egregious offense. Kind of a tough one; maybe if I was completely sure, I'd advise them of the rules. I say you probably did the right thing.

I agree with you on that. Even if it's a blatant violation, that's the kind of situation where it's best to tell them the rules, as opposed to reporting them. If the kid sees his dad getting confronted by the law, it could sour him on fishing for a good long time, and I wouldn't want want to be responsible for that.