Smallmouth At Meramec Springs

[Mitch f]

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.

This is because you're a trout fisherman, I know many smallmouth fisherman that would love to drive for 1.5 hours on a Saturday if they knew they could catch fish.

[Gavin]

There has been an X on that spot for a long time. Not worth a Winter Hall pass IMO.

[Seth]

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.

Same thing I was thinking as well and the reason why I posted anything about it. The only reason I bother going there is because it's only about 35-40 minutes away and I don't have to screw with hauling the boat. If the smallmouth aren't biting, I will just target trout. It's fun being able to throw a jig all day and catch both mixed together.

I'm hoping to make it back down there this weekend. I sure hope I can squeeze in somewhere since the words out. Might be good practice for March 1st.

[SpoonDog]

I may be wrong on this, but can't you harvest smallmouth out of the red ribbon section? And isn't stream smallmouth season open until the end of February?

[Gavin]

Yes Spoon Dog. You can keep until the end of February. Saw a young fellow string up a 21" out of a winter wade spot while fishing with the VP of Stupidity & Evil and Tim the Enchanter on leap day years ago. 2006 I'm guessing? He had 3 more 12-14" on his string. People take plenty of smallmouth in the winter.

[Haris122]

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.

I did try something like that a few times, when the jig was sinking too fast for my liking, just to keep it within their field of vision, but it really didn't matter much to them the way I did it. Even when I tossed the jig in some of the "chutes" and left the current to take it right past them quickly, they still didn't commit. I had a few chase the jig, and even more the roostertail, when I did that, but they would always chase it for a bit, and then just turn away. I didn't exactly go all ninja on them and sneak up to them and crouch or hide, but nonetheless, it shouldn't have mattered in each and every case. I know not all of them saw me. I don't know what it is about me and trout but they just really don't seem to buy into my methods. Though of the few others that were there, I didn't see any others get anything either that day.

[ozark trout fisher]

I know many smallmouth fisherman that would love to drive for 1.5 hours on a Saturday if they knew they could catch fish.

I love smallies, but why would you waste a day fishing a single wintering hole in a theme park atmosphere? I guess a few people might but it's just hard to picture. It's not like there are no other good spring holes on Ozark streams to fish and you are going to have a lot more fun fishing any of them.

[Smalliebigs]

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.

I've done her many times in the past and I'll do her in the future. I would go there and catch smallies, with the way the populations are going you ight want to catch what you can now. The lure of a shot at a 20 + is what makes me go.

[Hog Wally]

I have to personally thank Seth for his info that he gave last year that led to a awesome trip for me But I didn't go back over and over and hammer the spot nor did I tell details about the spot to anyone. I made the mistake of showing a guy a 25" walleye on the meramec a couple years ago and it sent him into a frenzy of questions. I quickly hid my poles with lures dangling from them. I have put way to much info on the inter web myself It sure feels good to help other people out It is equally cool to get help in far off places before u drive hours to fish Surely a bunch of knuckleheads won't make a mass exodus to meramec springs

[Seth]

Yes Spoon Dog. You can keep until the end of February. Saw a young fellow string up a 21" out of a winter wade spot while fishing with the VP of Stupidity & Evil and Tim the Enchanter on leap day years ago. 2006 I'm guessing? He had 3 more 12-14" on his string. People take plenty of smallmouth in the winter.

I caught all of my fish above the red ribbon area and I don't believe you can keep anything during the winter months there. The regulations say you can't possess any fish in that area so I assume it goes for everything, not just trout. If I wanted/could have kept fish last weekend, I may of had two keeps all day long. It was pretty well a 10" dink fest. The one gentleman ran in to me later on and showed me a picture of one nice one that he had caught and put back but that was it. He only caught a couple while I was fishing the same area as him and I was having much better luck on numbers of fish.

I wish everybody was on board with putting big fish back, regardless of the species. Keep some dinks for the fryer and let the bigguns go!

I love smallies, but why would you waste a day fishing a single wintering hole in a theme park atmosphere? I guess a few people might but it's just hard to picture. It's not like there are no other good spring holes on Ozark streams to fish and you are going to have a lot more fun fishing any of them.

The size definitely ain't nearly as good as other area's I fish. Maybe I'm just unlucky at getting the big ones to bite. I'm not sure I'd be able to land one much bigger than the 15 incher I caught last weekend anyways. It was all I could do to land it on 4# test. It kept trying to bury up under a log!

I've done her many times in the past and I'll do her in the future. I would go there and catch smallies, with the way the populations are going you ight want to catch what you can now. The lure of a shot at a 20 + is what makes me go.

I know there are some nice fish in that area, but I sure ain't ever caught one. That's why I used the ultralight. A bunch of 10" dinks ain't nearly as fun on regular bass gear.

I have to personally thank Seth for his info that he gave last year that led to a awesome trip for me But I didn't go back over and over and hammer the spot nor did I tell details about the spot to anyone. I made the mistake of showing a guy a 25" walleye on the meramec a couple years ago and it sent him into a frenzy of questions. I quickly hid my poles with lures dangling from them. I have put way to much info on the inter web myself It sure feels good to help other people out It is equally cool to get help in far off places before u drive hours to fish Surely a bunch of knuckleheads won't make a mass exodus to meramec springs

I'm glad it worked out for you guys. It seems most of the time when I tell people how I caught some fish, they go try it and don't do worth a darn and call me a liar. LOL!