Smallmouth Fishing On Meramec By Steelville This Sunday

[Mitch f]

I think this is a great topic for a new thread! Ok Al, you first

[Smalliebigs]

ban all jet boats????? I haven't bought my new one yet.........WTF!!!!!!

[ColdWaterFshr]

I'd be in favor of a ban on jetboats on the following sections including all tributaries:

Meramec and tributaries above Onandaga or at least above Hwy 19

Big River above Mammoth Bridge

Current River above Akers

Eleven Point above Turners

North Fork above Patrick bridge

Jacks Fork above Eminence

Big Piney above I-44

Gasconade above I-44

James River - above I don't care

Some hammerhead was running his jet up well up into Courtois last weekend. And I've seen jetboats as far up as Baptist on the Current. Eleven Point they can be a real nuisance. I hate the dambed things.

[Mitch f]

There are three types of jet boat owners IMO. The first is the fisherman who fishes the lower stretches of the rivers and is reluctant to push the boat to the limits in fear of hurting his beautiful boat. The second is the guy who has a beater boat ( like mine) and pushes it to the limit in skinny water to get to the best fishing spots.

The third is the guy with the 250hp boat who loves to race up and down the river all day with his best girlie up on the deck.

The first type never causes a problem with anyone. The second and especially the third type is the kind of guy who we all hate when we are in a canoe. Many of the Second and third types aren't very respectful of floaters. They wont slow down and usually buzz full tilt within a few feet of floaters and also muddy up the sides of the river possibly messing up fish on spawning beds.

BUT.....

I've also seen canoers and fisherman who won't get out of the way when they know the only way to get a boat thru a riffle is where they are standing.

As in all situations, a little courtesy goes a long way.

I usually avoid the upper stretches of a river in the summer when the floaters are out. However, during a flood, I've taken my boat past HWY 8 above Meramec Springs.

[405z06]

I've never had a problem with jet owners being rude. They usually see me and slow down, ask me if I am catching anything. It has nothing to do with the owners of the boats. They are usually good people. It's what problems the actual boats create.

I have an idea, let's have a boat which will allow a high degree of efeciency in regards to gigging, so much so that a tiny, tiny fraction of poachers could possibly decimate an entire "trophy" population of smallmouth. Then, when the surviving adult smallmouth are guided by instinct to spawn, these same boats create turbulence and turbidity that possibly alter the beds and the spawn?

So many people worked so hard to protect this river 35 years ago for this? Like I said, might as well put the plans for a dam back on the table if the river is going to be full of jets with 200HP motors.

[Mitch f]

I've never had a problem with jet owners being rude. They usually see me and slow down, ask me if I am catching anything. It has nothing to do with the owners of the boats. They are usually good people. It's what problems the actual boats create.

I have an idea, let's have a boat which will allow a high degree of efeciency in regards to gigging, so much so that a tiny, tiny fraction of poachers could possibly decimate an entire "trophy" population of smallmouth. Then, when the surviving adult smallmouth are guided by instinct to spawn, these same boats create turbulence and turbidity that possibly alter the beds and the spawn?

So many people worked so hard to protect this river 35 years ago for this? Like I said, might as well put the plans for a dam back on the table if the river is going to be full of jets with 200HP motors.

Let me get this right....you go out on Saturday to the closest recreational river to St. Louis and see 3 jet boats at Garrisons and you want to ban all jet boats???

Now you say we might as well had a dam to the Meramec because of 250 HP jet boats? Which rock have you been hiding under the last 15 years? Jet boats didn't just appear overnight! Your just in lala land to expect to be the only guy on the river on a Saturday. Go float the upper stretch of any stream if you want to be by yourself.

[Chief Grey Bear]

You guy's are a mess. So glad I am out west.

[405z06]

Your just in lala land to expect to be the only guy on the river on a Saturday.

Your just a selfish jet owner who doesn't care that boats like yours are hurting the smallmouth in our rivers. Now, let's all sit back and wonder why it's so darn hard to catch an 18-inch smallmouth on the Meramec.

Let me get this right....you go out on Saturday to the closest recreational river to St. Louis and see 3 jet boats at Garrisons and you want to ban all jet boats???

Yeah, that sums up my posts/thoughts perfectly. I saw 3 boats and want to ban them because I deserve to be alone on the river. This was my first float trip ever. If I ever do another float and I ever see another person, whether it be in a canoe, kayak, or raft, I reserve the right to want those banned, too.

Go float the upper stretch of any stream if you want to be by yourself

Or maybe you could take your jet to Lake of the Ozarks, Truman, or Twain.

[eric1978]

I'd rather see three jetboats in a day than a thousand drunk and screaming idiots. If you hit the Meramec any time other than an off-season weekday, you have to expect anywhere from moderate to ridiculous numbers of other people on the river, and you lose the right to complain about it since you know they're gonna be there. Try a Tuesday in November...there's your peace and quiet. Or try another river if you want peace and quiet. The Meramec is a lost cause in the summer, unfortunately, and so is most of the floatable sections of the Huzzah and Courtois. It's too bad for me, because they're a few of the closest rivers, but it's just reality and I deal with it by driving an extra hour or more past them almost every time I go on a trip. It's like going to Lake O on Labor Day and complaining there's too much boat traffic. Duh. Don't go.

[Smalliebigs]

"Your just a selfish jet owner who doesn't care that boats like yours are hurting the smallmouth in our rivers. Now, let's all sit back and wonder why it's so darn hard to catch an 18-inch smallmouth on the Meramec."

Wow dude you don't know Mitch very well and I'm not sure why you find it so hard to catch an 18 inch plus on the Meramec????? until the other day I would at the very least get a shot at fish that big every time out on the Meramec......I don't understand you're struggles there..........Mitch is very conservation minded and he would not partake in anything that harmed Smallies or their chances to reproduce.Your opinion of the water beeing destroyed by the boats, well I have been there done that and I know one thing it sucks to be a weekend warrior, there are thousands out there on the weekends it's brutal.My wife and I owned a nice little place on the Meramec below Blue Springs Creek and on the weekends we would sit on our small sand bar and have happy hour.Around 6:45 to 7:00 pm the "poo poo parade" as my wife called it, would begin. The water would become mysteriously dirty all of the sudden like a flash flood was coming in from upstream but, this was no flash flood.The water would not only be quite silted but, it would contain bikini tops and bottoms,condoms,trash, ect....all from the days floaters getting out at Blue Springs camp ground....it waz stupid.So if you want to ban jets you need to ban floaters they are just as bad as you claim for the river......it is what it is. Fish during the week and never fish with an outfitter and expect to see anything but a bunch of clowns and drunks.If you want to see what true trophy fishing on the Meramec is go fishing with Mitch and you will see how jets, if operated correctly in a safe manner are something that you have dreamed about.Total access to the river, for me as a passenger in a jet the opportunity to see that much terrain and geological formations is crazy good. I am a big non motor river fishing guy too several yaks and canoe/trailers.....I just hope jets are not out lawed because I have been looking for the right used one now for about a year and half now....the right used 16/50 or 52 with a tiller 60/40 I'm snatching it up. I will still float and fish from a jet as well in the future....I love them both.....please don't ban them

Oh, and have fun finding serenity on the Big Piney on weekends