Weekend report

[Haris122]

Me and a friend of mine drove down there saturday late in the morning. I think we started fishing just before 12 and stopped at the buzzer. I was optimistic that one of us at least, might do good down there but that didn't really pan out. When we got there the water was a bit higher than usual, and with just enough of an extra emerald hint that made me think they might be less wary than on usual days when it's a bit more clear. He wound up catching a nice 14" fish on a roostertail before I even got all my rigging done. That also made me feel optimistic about things but though he got a few more bites, he couldn't bring them to shore for the next hour or so, while I didn't even get any bites. Eventually like an hour into it, I caught my first fish, but not a trout. A decent sized Goggle eye/Rockbass on my roostertail. That gave me a renewed sense of confidence, only to have it wither away over the next 5 hours. I had the occasional bite on a roostertail, and something small eventually biting on a plastic trout worm but nothing more than that. I wound up trying various roostertails. Some rigged with a egg sinker above the swivel connecting the 18" leader with the roostertail, some with just the swivel, and leader. I tried a couple different of those flies with blades rigged up similarly as the roostertails, tried drifting 2 different colored marabout type jigs under a float, drifting and retrieving the trout worm under a float, then went back to the roostertails. Eventually between 5-6 I got a little 11" stocker on a roostertail, followed by some more bites that I couldn't connect on. I finished off the day trying to drift some powerbait under a float, having to resort to it, but in the short time I had to try it, nothing hit on that either. That was it for me. I had brought 2 pound line to use for the leader, but never ended up using it after I saw the water a bit murkier than usual. Figured I could get away with it. But nothing came of it. My friend got another rainbow maybe 2-3 hours into it that he released, and that was it. 2 fish caught by each. He had the biggest, I had most diversity. Guess it's back to the drawing board for Meramec Springs Fishing for me. As much trout fishing as I had been doing lately at the stocked lakes nearby, I would've thought for sure I'd do a little better at least. Was not to be. Several other people were doing pretty good in comparison. I got to figure out their approach to it.

[ALLSTAR1]

With the water the way you described, a bait not used as much at Meramac Sprngs, can be a real killer.. Minnows! You can free float with a small split shot like fishing a trout worm or under a float like for crappie. A deep back water below the riffles is a real good spot either way. Don't laugh... give it a try.. not so effective later in low and clear but early in the year can yield some really nice fish..

[Haris122]

Not that I wouldn't consider trying it at some point, but for the most part I'm not a minnow or other living bait angler myself. Especially for trout or other fish that should be able to fall for an assortment of lures as well.

[Seth]

Next time you go, stop in at DJ's or the gas station at the end of St. James and pick up a bag of brown 007 dough bait. Fish it below a float on a small jighead or a small treble hook. It doesn't float like powerbait so I actually prefer to use the treblehook for a better chance at a hook up when they bite. Drifting orange trout worms and brightly colored trout magnets below a float also work well for me when there some color in the water.

Dad and I may run down there later on today. If we do, I will be sure to post a detailed report on how things go.

[Haris122]

Hey Seth where is DJ's or which gas station are you talking about at the end of St. James? I don't know where St. James technically ends. I know a while back I stopped at one that was a gas station/general type store in one, that also had fishing combos and ammunition for sale, would that be the one?

[Seth]

We ended up not going so that is why I didn't post a report. DJ's is in town directly across the road from Country Mart. The gas station with tackle is on your right as you are heading towards the park from 44. The road bends left and then you go past the golf course on the right shortly after you pass the gas station. Spurgeons is a gas station and right next door to DJ!s but they don't have any fishing tackle.

[Haris122]

I might end up going down there relatively soon again. I went to Montauk recently and did decent Saturday in the Catch and Release Lake, but nowhere else. Then Sunday that continued with another poor showing park wide. I'm really overdue on limiting out. I can't wait for the opportunity of just getting there real early and roughing it out and adjusting in order to get a limit of decent fish. Especially if I can get them with lures.

One of these days I will reach that critical mass of effort and proper techniques. Hopefully the very next time I go.

[Haris122]

Seth, you were dead on with the trout magnets. I went today and caught 4 decent rainbow trout by my standards (12" or more). In principle finally catching enough to limit out (except that I released the first fish I caught, so not exactly). All but 1 of them was caught before noon, and the two best ones on white trout magnets under a float, like you were saying. The first one was caught on a white roostertail, and the last one on one of those red-brown Montauk flies with a blade. After 2 I was pretty much just going for a good last fish to put on the stringer, but ended up not catching any others. Some of the assortment of roostertails, and jigs I tried, got some bites, but the trout magnets were the ticket today. I almost brought a 5th one in towards the end with one of those again. I'm glad I finally caught 4 of them. I also got me some of that 007 bait you mentioned, but ended up sticking to lures of some sort, this time.

[Seth]

I am hlad to hear you had a successful trip! Trout fishing is just one of those trial and error things. The more you go, the more you can tinker and watch other anglers and put together some techniques that usually produce fish.