Paddling To Bluff Holes

[Kayser]

I'm looking for a deep bluff hole on the Meramec that I can paddle my kayak up to, or back up, from an access point relatively close to St. Louis (45min or less). I think two river miles might be my max if there are strong riffles involved. I want to get out fishing this winter, but I don't feel like wasting my time on stretches of water that won't hold any fish this time of year. I would consider doing a float if anyone could suggest a shuttle service.

[Mitch f]

Google earth could help you find one fairly easily

[Al Agnew]

Mitch is right. There are deep bluff holes near a lot of the public accesses, though not all of them. Keep in mind, though, that if they are close to the access, they will be gigged like crazy by the people who are afraid to run their jetboats very far after dark, so the fishing may not be as good as it would be on holes farther from the accesses. On the other hand, that doesn't keep me from fishing them.

Don't overlook some of the accesses close to St. Louis when you're looking at Google Earth.

[Gavin]

It does not have to be a bluff hole...any slack water area with structure and depth can hold some fish...kinda the opposite of what you would want to fish in the summer time. Might be a "bluff hole" but the fish might be in the slack water eddy on the off bank...just gotta find them.

[Mitch f]

My buddy went fishing near suicide yesterday and couldn't believe all the dead suckers laying at the bottom of the hole. Also one dead smallmouth and one dead trout.

[Kayser]

I can understand all of that. I live 1 min from the Meramec in Kirkwood, but haven't done well in that stretch during winter. I've tried fishing the slack water from 4-12', edges to middle, chunk rock and trees. Plastics, Jigs, Jerks, and even big minnows- no fish.

I've seen a lot of gar, big ones, and caught a couple drum and whites last April. But that's been it. Kinda wanting a change in scenery.

I was thinking maybe Allenton this next time out- get away from that industrial area I've been fishing and find a little more natural channel.

[Hog Wally]

The giggers I've talked to saying the bass are all in dead water like sloughs, or back water that's dead. Not necessarily deep though. My buddy told me of a possible 9 lb largemouth he seen. Probably dead by now though. I love the river down there by you Kayser I guess the grass is always greener

[Al Agnew]

I fished the lower Meramec yesterday, going even farther down than I had before, looking for stained water. It's still air clear above the mouth of Big River, just slightly stained below. Big River was coming in with about 4 feet of visibility, the Meramec above it had ten feet of visibility, maybe 7 feet below. Now would be the time to go exploring looking for water to fish, because you sure don't need a depth finder to find deep water, rocks, logs, etc.

Fishing was tough, except for drum. I caught three big drum. Caught exactly one smallmouth, not very big, a few decent spotted bass, and one nice largemouth about 17 inches.

Just FYI...from the Route 66 State Park access up to Big River is one long pool, wide, deep in places, shallow in others. You could spend a day fishing it thoroughly...but I don't know whether you'd catch much. I fished it a short time and didn't get anything.

[mjk86]

Ever catch or target walleye in the winter time?

[Mitch f]

I fished the lower Meramec yesterday, going even farther down than I had before, looking for stained water. It's still air clear above the mouth of Big River, just slightly stained below. Big River was coming in with about 4 feet of visibility, the Meramec above it had ten feet of visibility, maybe 7 feet below. Now would be the time to go exploring looking for water to fish, because you sure don't need a depth finder to find deep water, rocks, logs, etc.

Fishing was tough, except for drum. I caught three big drum. Caught exactly one smallmouth, not very big, a few decent spotted bass, and one nice largemouth about 17 inches.

Just FYI...from the Route 66 State Park access up to Big River is one long pool, wide, deep in places, shallow in others. You could spend a day fishing it thoroughly...but I don't know whether you'd catch much. I fished it a short time and didn't get anything.

Watch out for the park ranger at Route 66 park who is half Dudley Doo Right and half Barney Fife. 5 years ago had my wife and 7 year old daughter with me and was going to take them for a boat ride. My wife was 8 months pregnant at the time with our lttile girl. I had just gotten license plate stolen off my jet boat the week before and this ranger pulls me over and when they pulled my record found out I had a warrant for an unpaid ticket from years earlier. He hand cuffed me and hauls my butt to jail, leaving my pregnant wife to drive home my truck pulling a boat. Let's just say she was not too happy.