Smallmouth Trip

[Al Agnew]

Most of the accesses above Maramec Spring on the Meramec are not places I'd feel real comfortable leaving a vehicle overnight. That would be the biggest problem with finding a place to wade and camp up there. You could always try up at Short Bend where the MDC access is, and wade, backpacking your camping gear, a half mile or so downstream from the access.

Red Bluff Campground on the Huzzah is a great possibility, as Gavin said. Decent water, wadeable, nice campground. Probably not very busy during the week.

I haven't been up there in a long time, so things might have changed, but the Brazil low water bridge on upper Courtois might be a possibility. It's far enough into the middle of nowhere that the night-time party animals might not feel like driving that far.

[jdmidwest]

There is some pretty good camping at the Hazel Creek Campground nearby. I have not fished the Courtois there, but we fished it below Berryman last summer and did alright. Floating is starting at Berryman now when the water is flowing.

[KCRIVERRAT]

Yeah. (I can't spell it either)

I would study that thing and hit the upper JF. Just letting you know... OO hwy. off of 60 hwy. Blue Spring. There's a forest road that heads back east before you get to Blue Spring. Camping spots down there and you can actually make your way down to Jam-Up cave down there.

[eric1978]

I would study that thing and hit the upper JF. Just letting you know... OO hwy. off of 60 hwy. Blue Spring. There's a forest road that heads back east before you get to Blue Spring. Camping spots down there and you can actually make your way down to Jam-Up cave down there.

But not without a canoe at the current river levels. It's 3 miles from Blue Spring to Jam-Up, and even at low summer levels I don't think you could easily wade all the way there...a few long, deep pools would be a real challenge, although probably not impossible.

But why put yourself through that misery? Bite the bullet, take the canoe, pay for the shuttle. It's just better to fish for smallies that way.

[Coldspring]

But not without a canoe at the current river levels. It's 3 miles from Blue Spring to Jam-Up, and even at low summer levels I don't think you could easily wade all the way there...a few long, deep pools would be a real challenge, although probably not impossible.

But why put yourself through that misery? Bite the bullet, take the canoe, pay for the shuttle. It's just better to fish for smallies that way.

Buck Hollow is down to 200 cfs flow now. It's not really that far (two bends) from the access downriver of Blue Spring to Jam Up, so I think you could cover some distance upstream and downstream from there.

I once waded and hiked gravel bars from Rhymers up to that access, in January, in river sandals and shorts, it was 80F and water wasn't high at the time. Not saying it was an easy task) Not sure how the smallmouth pop. is on the Jack's.

I've been wanting to check out the Big Piney, myself Any tips for the upstream stretches there?

[joeD]

The upper Meramec is always a quality option. Good fishing, close to home, more time spent fishing than driving. This fish was caught last week. Sorry about the phone pic.

[ozark trout fisher]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm pretty torn between the upper Meramec and the Jacks Fork.

Eric, I'd love to float, but $25 or $30 a day for a canoe rental is kind of a lot for a weekend of smallmouth fishing... I think I'll just wade. I enjoy the slower pace of wading anyway.

[KCRIVERRAT]

OTF... canoes are $40 on a weekend now!

[eric1978]

Buck Hollow is down to 200 cfs flow now. It's not really that far (two bends) from the access downriver of Blue Spring to Jam Up, so I think you could cover some distance upstream and downstream from there.

I once waded and hiked gravel bars from Rhymers up to that access, in January, in river sandals and shorts, it was 80F and water wasn't high at the time. Not saying it was an easy task) Not sure how the smallmouth pop. is on the Jack's.

40cfs and 200cfs makes for a totally different river...I'm not saying it'd be impossible, but you would end up busting a lot of brush. There are some unwadable spots at 200 that are ankle deep at 40.

[Gavin]

I agree with Eric...200cfs at Buck...I'd probably put in at Prongs or Buck and float to Rymers, Bay, or Alley Spring.