Mineral Fork?

[Corb90]

Anyone ever fish the mineral fork? C&R fly fisher just looking for a decent place to strip some streamers. Maybe even hook into a few smallies close to home (STL). I've heard it's pretty dangerous down there in regards to leaving your car unattended. I've scouted the forum for threads on the fork but they're few and far between. I usually hit Meramec springs and BSC but the springs is quite a drive and BSC is too frustrating to go to every week. Looking to do a little exploring in the next couple weeks. Any info would be appreciated. P.s. Is it too cold to even consider the mineral fork this time of year?

[Corb90]

Also what about terre bleu creek??

[Al Agnew]

Probably the wrong time of year. As for leaving a car, probably no worse than anywhere else in the Ozarks. I've left vehicles at F Hwy. (decent parking), the 47 Hwy. bridge (road shoulder parking and a long walk to the water), and the MDC Kingston access (good parking but a long walk to the water there, too), and never had any problems, but you take your chances leaving a vehicle about anywhere along the rivers.

[Al Agnew]

Also what about terre bleu creek??

Access is limited on Terre Bleue. I've fished it all my life, and all the accesses on it are a little shaky...I've heard of people being run off, but I never have been.

The creek itself is not a typical Ozark stream. It comes out of sandstone country in the upper portions, and then enters geology that makes for a lot of flat, bedrock bottoms...and no chert. So it doesn't have gravel bars, it's either sand bottomed or flat rock bottomed. It's slow, too. It always had more largemouth than smallmouth, and now has a thriving population of dinky spotted bass.

Again...now's not the time to fish it if you really want to catch fish. They are mostly either somewhere else or have gone dormant.

[Gavin]

The MF starts late and ends early....Most of those fish are probably back down in the Big by now..

[Corb90]

Hey thanks for the responses bros. All the info will be put to use next year when the water heats up again. I'll keep making the drive to Meramec springs this winter, just wish there was somewhere closer in addition to BSC

[timinmo]

I may be a little late to this party but we floated from Kingston down to Mammoth on 10-27. The catching was a bit slow but we did manage a few fish. I tend to struggle in the fall so I'm not sure my results are a meaningful measure of anything. I have had good results in the spring but I guess it depends on what you judge as "early". In any case I have had no trouble at any of the accesses but I do know people that have had issues.

[Corb90]

Yeah with the weather getting cooler I don't see these smaller waters being very active. I really have an itch to do some smallie fishing though. Might head out to one of my favorite secret (Very French Sounding) streams sometime soon. Hardly any pressure so maybe the fish hide out there, doubtful but how sweet would that be?

[Brian Jones]

About 20 years ago, my vehicle was vandalized at F. Since then, we've just had someone drop us off when we have floated it. Have never had any trouble at 47 and have never used the Kingston Access.

[stlfisher]

I live 20 minutes from the MF in Hillsboro and fished it extensively that last several years.

It get's hit hard by poachers around 47 and Kingston. Almost every trip I saw people with stringers of short fish. The little camp up stream from hwy 47 did a massacre last spring (I reported it). This is one of several calls and I approached many (respectfully) others not following the regulations.

Hwy F is the sketchiest parking IMO...it is in the middle of nowhere I am almost got jumped two summers ago by some guys in what I could only describe as a mobile meth lab parked near the river. After bushwhacking my way back to my car I called the cops and they were tearing down F as I left...almost as though they new the guys. Never heard if they got them if our not, but the pregnant gal drinking beer was certainly classy. it is probably a fish with a buddy or get dropped off kind of spot.

That being said...there are some nice fish in the MF and it is a pretty stream. I think the water around Kingston is probably the best, but HWY 47 is the safest parking and I have had zero problems...you won't be alone though...fish are educated

I have to disagree with AL...the walk from the 47 bridge to the water is like 30 seconds...not far...but probably a bit of pain if you are dragging a Kayak or Canoe (which I am assuming is what he meant) down the hill.

It is a much longer walk from Kingston access to the river though. I have no problems at the access, but the road to it can be a bit sketchy...

The Minreral Fork's downfall is probably the area it is located in...populated enough, but sketchy enough to prevent it from being what It could.