Wading Access On The Big River

[Jeremi414]

Wanting to try fishing the Big for the first time. Where is a good access for a wade fisherman?

[Gavin]

Not much water to cover on foot on that river...maybe a couple hundred yards from an access unless you fish way up around MDC's Bootleg access...a canoe or kayak is the way to go on that river...lots of long dead deep pools...even in the upper reaches.

[Jeremi414]

Ok Thanks. Maybe I'll just go to the Meremac just above Meramac Spring

[Al Agnew]

You can wade okay in the mine waste area in the upper river...at least it's shallow enough to wade up there. However, it's not always easy wading because the fine gravel in that section can be soft and loose, and you sometimes sink 6 inches deep or more in it with every step. If you want to try it, downstream from the Leadwood MDC access is wadeable for about a half mile, and then there is a pool that's almost too deep to wade, but if you get past it then you have another half mile of decent wading.

You can also wade downstream from the county park access (hard to find) just west of Desloge, as long as you can get past the deep pool right at the access. Both those accesses are old low water bridges that back up long, deep pools upstream.

And you can do quite a bit of wading in St. Francois State Park, both within the park and downstream from the lower picnic ground all the way to the Hwy. 67 bridge. There are a few deep spots, but you can usually get around them.

Just about anywhere else, the wading is quite limited, unless as Gavin said you go far upstream.

[joeD]

When the water is low, or normal these days, you can wade downstream from Washington State Park. There is pretty decent water below there. Don't bother if it is really murky. The park office is hit and miss regarding water conditions, usually miss.