Upper Meramec Water Levels

[moguy1973]

So to me, if it's just a question about whether a river is too high to be good fishing, I usually go for it. Worst case scenario you get skunked fishing a muddy river, no harm done. Where the advice does come in handy is when you're talking about river levels that could actually be dangerous. And that's where this site, and others comes in handy. Though I will say, as much as I trust what most people say on here, I'm never making that final determination based on what someone told me on a fishing forum. I'm taking a look for myself. Usually it's pretty obvious when a river isn't safe to float.

And that's really why I asked. Up here in St Louis, the Meramec was blown out of it's banks and the gauges all reflected that up this way. Way to dangerous to float much less fish. A canoe full of not so smart guys even had to be rescued around Hwy 21 because they were trying to float it for some reason in the flood conditions. I was just making sure the middle and upper parts were safe to float and worth my time to even drive down that way to try it. Glad we floated the Huzzah though, it was a great float...

[ozark trout fisher]

And that's really why I asked. Up here in St Louis, the Meramec was blown out of it's banks and the gauges all reflected that up this way. Way to dangerous to float much less fish. A canoe full of not so smart guys even had to be rescued around Hwy 21 because they were trying to float it for some reason in the flood conditions. I was just making sure the middle and upper parts were safe to float and worth my time to even drive down that way to try it. Glad we floated the Huzzah though, it was a great float...

Yep, I hear you when it comes to the Meramec. It's a weird river. At normal levels in might be the most friendly, easy going stream in existence-but at high water it can be legitimately spooky. That's true for all rivers, but it's a lot more pronounced on the Meramec. I've never encountered trouble of any sort, but I've heard enough horror stories to keep me off when it's really rolling after a rain.

[Al Agnew]

Sometimes you can have the best fishing for big fish when a normally very clear stream like the Huzzah gets high and murky. If I find a stream like that has 18 inches to 30 inches of visibility I'm licking my chops. On the other hand, when a normally murky river like the Meramec or the Bourbeuse gets high and murkier, with 18 inches or less visibility, often the fishing goes downhill.

The larger Ozark streams like the Meramec are actually pretty easy to float when they are a couple of feet higher than normal, because channels widen, riffles flatten out, and you can mostly stay in the middle and go. But the margin for error becomes a LOT thinner, and a mistake becomes a LOT more dangerous.

[ozark trout fisher]

That's kind of why high rivers around here tend to freak me out. All of the water tends to look smooth and rather innocuous, but the strainers are what worry me. I've seen (and felt) the power with which a river can pin a 14 foot canoe against one of those. It's enough to give you a healthy respect.

[Hog Wally]

She looking real good around red horse access for all types of boating floating or whatever. Looking to start fishing for walleye this week. I will update. I'm hoping to see lots of new walleye and white bass that have swam up during all the high water. I think they come up from the Mississippi. What's the opinions or thoughts on that? Lets hear it. You won't hurt my feelings.