Fishing Trip In March

[bottombeater]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum here.

With the weather the way it is I have had some time to think and plan about the upcoming spring. I have a yellow lab that I run in field trials/hunt tests and will be running a Trial over by Kentucky Lake on March 25 (friday). Usually, if time permits, I try to hit a fishing spot on the way to or from one of these events. I should be done friday afternoon/evening and was planning on checking out the Meramec on the way back. I have fished/floated most of the rivers in Missouri, but have never been on the meramec. I would like to camp friday and saturday night with an all day fishing/float trip on Saturday. I am looking for recommendations on a campground to run out of or if there is public camping and a shuttle service that I can take advantage of? Also, what stretch of the river should I float? I know alot of this will depend on spring rains and stuff like that but I am just trying to get a general idea. Thanks in advance to anyone willing to help.

[Al Agnew]

There are plenty of canoe rentals on the Meramec, but at that time of year a lot of them may not be open yet. You'll need to look them up on the internet and do some phoning to find out who can shuttle you.

You can find good smallmouth fishing just about anywhere on the river above Meramec Caverns. With average late March weather, the river will probably be up, so you can even float well above Maramec Spring if you can find somebody to shuttle you up there.

[Outside Bend]

You may also want to look into some of the smaller tribs, like the Huzzah or Courtois, if the Meramec mainstem is blown out then. Late March can be a pretty sketchy time of year, weather-wise.

[Gavin]

It can still get pretty cold in late March...so the smallmouth might not be all that active...I'd probably float 8 to Scott's Ford so I'd have the option of catching trout & smallmouth. Adventure Outdoors is located at Scott's Ford or you might call Green's for that area. The better scenery is down further though...I like the Onandaga to Blue Spring stretch...two possible floats on that stretch...Onandaga to Campbell Bridge, or Cambell to Blue Spring. I'd call Ozark Outdoors or Blue Spring Ranch for floats in that area. There are some wild rainbow trout down in Blue Spring Creek as well. Cheers.

[bottombeater]

Thanks guys! That hwy 8 to Scott's Ford sounds like what I am looking for. I would like to have the option to catch both trout and smallmouth and ending my trip at the campgrounds is perfect. That way I can take the trip at my own pace and not worry about meeting someone somewhere at some time. I will keep my eyes peeled for some fishing reports as we get closer and will report on my trip when it is over.

[cwc87]

Thanks guys! That hwy 8 to Scott's Ford sounds like what I am looking for. I would like to have the option to catch both trout and smallmouth and ending my trip at the campgrounds is perfect. That way I can take the trip at my own pace and not worry about meeting someone somewhere at some time. I will keep my eyes peeled for some fishing reports as we get closer and will report on my trip when it is over.

Give me a call on my cell at 573 259 3124 if u want a river report or need to be shuttled or spot to camp I live in the area u want to fish. My name is corey