Members Scott25.stl Posted March 30, 2012 Members Posted March 30, 2012 Whats up, guys?! I'm heading out for my first ever smallmouth trip on Missouri rivers this Sunday. I'm doing a six mile float around Bird's Nest. I'm pretty pumped. Any tips or suggestions on what to throw or what to look for as far as good spots on the river? I'm used to big water fishing of the northwest, so anything will be appreciated.
Mitch f Posted March 30, 2012 Posted March 30, 2012 From what we experienced yesterday, the fish are turned off because of the spawn. Try a topwater that doesnt move too much like a Pop-R. Avoid fish if they are on the nest. Good Luck! "Honor is a man's gift to himself" Rob Roy McGregor
Greasy B Posted March 31, 2012 Posted March 31, 2012 Mitch, Did you see beds? So if the fish are spawning early I wonder if they will go into their summer pattern early. Heck I might need to go trout fishing the next few weeks. His father touches the Claw in spite of Kevin's warnings and breaks two legs just as a thunderstorm tears the house apart. Kevin runs away with the Claw. He becomes captain of the Greasy Bastard, a small ship carrying rubber goods between England and Burma. Michael Palin, Terry Jones, 1974
Mitch f Posted March 31, 2012 Posted March 31, 2012 Mitch, Did you see beds? So if the fish are spawning early I wonder if they will go into their summer pattern early. Heck I might need to go trout fishing the next few weeks. Greasy- Did not see any beds, but the they were turned off for sure. I'm sure they are real close! I know they are on the beds at LOZ "Honor is a man's gift to himself" Rob Roy McGregor
joeD Posted March 31, 2012 Posted March 31, 2012 Scott- I would bring everything and throw everything. I think the fishing is definitely in flux, where every day is different. I am not convinced that the smallies in streams are spawning. Maybe they are. Maybe they're not. Prepare to be flexible in your approach. Good luck.
hank franklin Posted March 31, 2012 Posted March 31, 2012 There's a creek entry just below Bird's Nest with a small scour hole under a log at the entry. Throw something there.
Mitch f Posted March 31, 2012 Posted March 31, 2012 Scott- I would bring everything and throw everything. I think the fishing is definitely in flux, where every day is different. I am not convinced that the smallies in streams are spawning. Maybe they are. Maybe they're not. Prepare to be flexible in your approach. Good luck. Good advice, the fish are messed up for sure. "Honor is a man's gift to himself" Rob Roy McGregor
405z06 Posted March 31, 2012 Posted March 31, 2012 I floated out of Ozark Outdoors today, 9 mle float from "the bluffs". The 1st 1/4 mile area right there where they put you in is usually a good indicator of what your day will be like, fishing-wise. Didn't get anything. Then it started to really pick up, several smallies + several lookers. I was getting encouraged. It was beautifull. Perfect. Then I get to the area that has the sign for "Garrison's Scenic take-out" and there is a jet boat being launched by a truck on that gravel bar up ahead. Never seen that before. No biggie, jets are part of the deal on the river. But just as the river turns there past Garrison's take out, now in addtion to that boat there are 3 more jets all getting ready to take off right as I am coming through. The biggest fish I ever caught on this river was right were these boats are. What the hell? That's not even a public boat ramp, is it? I asked if there was a tournament? No, just fishing they said. It literally ruined the rest of the day. There was so much jet traffic that the water from there on down to Onondaga was muddy as hell and the smallie bight died. Really pissed me off. After that I caught a couple of largemouth and a bucnh of spots, for whatever reason. I usually don't catch a lot of spots up there. I don't think I caught another smallie after the 4 boats took off. I'd only be half joking if I said I would support a ban on all gas engines on the Meramec. The way the traffic was today and what it did for the water clarity disgusted me. That's not the way it should be, IMO. Might as well put the plans back in place for the dam if that's what this river is gonna look like from the jets. I'll get over it I'll hit the Big Piney next time. /end rant
Mitch f Posted March 31, 2012 Posted March 31, 2012 Welcome to the Meramec on a Saturday in the summer, now you know why I stop fishing about now. To avoid jet boat traffic, go out at 6 am in the morning on Saturday or go out during the week. Ban all gas engines on the Meramec? "Honor is a man's gift to himself" Rob Roy McGregor
Al Agnew Posted April 1, 2012 Posted April 1, 2012 I would have gone for a ban on all gas engines on the Meramec in a heartbeat back in the 1980s when jets first came into popularity. Now, unfortunately, the genie is out of the bottle. Way too many people who own jetboats, including me. It's just a symptom of the fact that we are using these rivers to death, whether it be jetboats or rental canoes, kayaks, and rafts. But I still wish that somebody would have been proactive back when the first jetboats were appearing on these streams and done something THEN to control their use. It could have been done then, before many people owned them. And the rivers would have been a lot better for it. You CAN still get into good fishing without being bothered by jetboats if you go during the week in mid-summer, when the stretch above Onondaga is getting low enough that running a jet requires a lot of experience. You might, if you're lucky, be able to get in a float between Onondaga and Meramec State Park during the middle of the week without encountering many jetboats.
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