Smallmouth At Meramec Springs

[Haris122]

You were right Seth. No ice. I went today to catch anything, Trout, Bass, Sucker, whatever, but primarily targeting trout. Saw a good amount of them (as expected), got barely 2 light quick bite and let go type deals, and that was it as far as the trout go (as expected again) . Frustrating to cast out and watch the whole bunch of them just give me the proverbial middle finger as the lure went past them, or act like they would take it, only to turn away. Be it 4lb or 2lb leader, neither helped the situation any. Luckily I didn't leave empty handed. A small largemouth bass cooperated and bit, and that was it. I let him go, and kept on fishing without success till the horn blew. These trout, they really can be annoying.

[Seth]

What were you throwing? They were hitting a brown/orange marabou jig fished like Phil shows in his videos really well the other day. I was catching a lot more than the fly fishermen I was fishing around. I did best in the middle of the pond hole but caught trout pretty well everywhere. Were there a lot of other people down there?

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

I totally get what you all are having issues with. But, at the same time, isn't this what the forum is for? It has been suggested that people should use codes for fish. Some people do use codes. I appreciate any comments on here that help members, and readers find fish. At the same time, I realize that "trade secrets" are what can be the difference between having fish and not. It's a difficult balance.

[Haris122]

Mind pointing me to the video. I primarily threw different colored roostertails, with a small egg sinker above the swivel on the main line, to let me cast out further. I couldn't get it real quiet cause my reel kept hanging up when I tried to slow the line down with the finger, before it hit the water, but still not a single one went for it. That's actually what I got that little bass on. In-between I tried tossing a couple marabou jigs, one a yellow black one, the other a smaller white one, can't recall their sizes. I threw those with swivels to have a smaller line, but without weights, in hopes of the current taking it towards them in some areas where it was stronger. And no luck with that either.

[Seth]

Phil just uploaded this one recently. It's just a pop - let it sink on a semi slack line - pop - let it sink - and so on. I did use the typical "shake the rod tip and reel" retrieve to catch some in some shallow rifles. The trick was to fish it fast enough where they didn't get a good look and they would chase it down and hammer it. That retrieve didn't do anything for me in the slower pools and fished slower.

[Flysmallie]

I appreciate any comments on here that help members, and readers find fish.

I think if you look around at those that have an issue with this you will understand that they DO help out. It's not about not helping the members here, it's about not helping people that are just cruising the internet looking for the good spots. If you don't think it happens then you are nuts. It happens a lot more than what you realize.

I really don't care, I don't fish that area. But you have to realize what this does to the fishery. Those smallmouth are going to come from miles away to winter in that area. So it's not just the pressure on the fish in that hole, it's affecting a huge population. And to think that 100% of those fish make it back without harm is a beautiful dream, but it's not happening.

I have given detailed information to many on here. I've given up spots that most people would never find in a million years. But I did it through a PM that didn't put that information out there for everyone to find. It wouldn't be fair to the resource.

Like I said, I really don't care. I have never fished there and probably never will. But don't get all upset when someday somebody gives up one of your "secret" locations.

[Guest]

deleted

[Al Agnew]

I totally get what you all are having issues with. But, at the same time, isn't this what the forum is for? It has been suggested that people should use codes for fish. Some people do use codes. I appreciate any comments on here that help members, and readers find fish. At the same time, I realize that "trade secrets" are what can be the difference between having fish and not. It's a difficult balance.

I believe that over the years on here I've told most of the stuff I know about how to find fish and how I catch them. I've given a lot of info on different streams and stream sections. I hope I've helped some people catch more fish.

I think there's a big difference between giving basic info on stream sections when somebody asks, and shouting that they're catching them by the boatloads right now around X Access. Or in saying that the stretch from Y to Z is one of the best places to fish in the Ozarks. Had somebody come on here and asked about the fishing on the Meramec around Maramec Spring, I'd have been happy to give out info on public accesses, what species of fish you could expect to catch, how easy it was to wade, etc. Some of this would be info they could find elsewhere without too much trouble, some of it would be a little more difficult to find. But what I wouldn't do is say that I just caught a bunch of big ones there and it's really hot right now. And I wouldn't have said that just in case you didn't know, the spring branch itself had a bunch of smallmouth in it right now. The Maramec Spring trout fishery is not a fragile thing, but the Maramec Spring smallmouth fishery IS, in many ways.

[ozark trout fisher]

For what it's worth, this is far from the first time I've read about this particular fishery in that particular park, on this very site. I don't think it's a big secret.

Even long since knowing about it, when I go down there during the winter, I don't fish for smallmouth. Why? Because if I go to Maramec Spring, it is to go trout fishing, and that is the case for 99.9% of those who visit that park now.

My point: I seriously question how many people reading this thread are going to get up on Saturday morning and drive an hour and a half so they can catch a few smallmouth out of a manicured ditch. I wouldn't if it flowed through my backyard.

[shawncat]

....I think seth should be spanked and sent to corner!....not for give'n up a spot but exposing me as a old mangy stray cat!Just say'n!