Report For Middle Meramec

[Blazerman]

I haven't seen much posted for the middle Meramec so i thought i would throw out my two cents worth.

This is a report is for the Meramec around Redhorse for the first half of the year. Basically it has been terrible. At least for me anyway. I really haven’t done a whole lot of fishing but what I have done has been horrible. I have gone the last two weekends and caught very few. By that I mean 3 or 4 smallmouth along with a few spotted bass in 3-4 hours of fishing. And nothing of any size at all.

Now granted I have not done any of the get up at the crack of dawn and fish all day excursions. My fishing is usually get on the river sometime after noon and fish for 3-4 hours and head in. But even the wife who is usually fishing with minnows has not done much better. And I know I am not near the fisherman that a lot of the posters on here are.

Actually you’re just as likely to find me sitting on a gravel beach having a cold one with friends a lot of times when I am supposed to be fishing.

But for comparison in years past fishing the same way and times we have always managed to catch a decent amount of fish and usually some nice ones. By that I mean smallmouth over 15”. This year we have very few fish period and none over 15”. I am not sure what is going on and wonder if anyone else is seeing the same thing.

One thing I have noticed is there seems to be more people on the river. More boats mostly and bigger boats. We have been seeing a lot of river pros and big shoal runners and other big loud v8s that are running up and down all day long. Maybe that has something to do with it.

[Smalliebigs]

Dang Blazer that doesn't sound good. I can honestly say I haven't done that well either but, as you my time on the Meramec has been limited compared to years past. I do know of a guide who fishes the middle Meramec and during the spawn he took a client out and they were staying away from beds but, saw several very nice fish guarding and holding near beds. then the next trip out which was not a guided trip a few days later all of the big fish were all gone on the beds he had witnessed the day prior......he was very discouraged and I trust this guys judgment immensely.....I'm hoping all the fry had moved off of the beds with the fish???? not the bad scenario.

I have found the middle Meramec to be a fickled biotch......I'm hoping your observations are only just that.....the river is fickled but, I'm starting to worry.

[Seth]

The Gasconade hasn't been any better for the past several weeks. Seems every time I have got on the water, it's when the water has started dropping hard. I took a buddy out this past Saturday during mid day and we fished several good areas and only had a few little spots and one nice largemouth to show for it. I'm about to just stick to fishing the Osage. That's the only decent trip I've had in a month.

[Hog Wally]

The water color has been sucky most of the year is all I can say. Was that you out yesterday? I was by my lonesome in my Riverpro i will agree the fishing has sucked compared to past years. The 82 degree murky water ain't helping

[Blazerman]

HW. I was not out yesterday and that may be part of the problem. All my fishing has been on weekends. Also the river has done a lot of going up and down this year with all the rain which has kept it dingy most of the time. I actually caught a few a week ago on Saturday then we had all the rain Saturday evening and i got up to go out and the water had come up and had more color than Saturday and i got zilch Sunday morning.

[Blazerman]

I forgot one thing that happened this weekend that I have never seen before. Wife was fishing with minnows and hooked a smallmouth. It was about a 13” and jumped right next to the boat. We could see the hook in the jaw and the minnow hanging out. When it came back down the wife is looking down and she says hey what the heck there is another fish there and he is chasing my fish. Then she says ah man he smacked my smallmouth and the hook came out. Then she says wait he just ate the minnow. Turned out she ended up catching the other fish which was about a 14’ spotted bass. Pretty wild. Smallmouth jumps next to boat and 20 seconds later she brings in a spotted bass. With I could of got it on video.

[Hog Wally]

I just got off river. Color is good. Top water is on above riffles in flats.

[Smalliebigs]

I just got off river. Color is good. Top water is on above riffles in flats.

nice....the river has been holding a little up here for days now....I'm about to put in my SeaArk at the Kirkwood ramp

[Hog Wally]

Speaking of sea ark-- water patrol got a brand new one last week with a merc inboard 200hp. Thing is very big and heavy Not sure how it's gonna work on skinny water. He said he wanted a Riverpro but While grilling steaks I just saw a nice bass chasing shiners all over the surface!

[Mitch f]

Not sure I would rather fish or just steal one of the steaks you're grilling!