Meramec Overnight Round 2 6/8 - 6/9

[Levi Michael McQueary]

Just got finished with my second overnight of the year. I hit the Meramec again. I really didn't want to. I don't like to put pressure on a river two trips in a row, but it was the only river close to normal conditions. The trip was epic. It was the best night I've ever had and the whole trip is in my top 5. Started off with some rain when I first put in. The river looked great. Clear with moving water and starts to get little color in the eddies. I caught 25+ bass. I eventually stopped counting at 20 but caught more after that. Had 5 get off that I could confirm were bass. Most of the smallies in the 8-10" range but 8 over 12". At one point I have 3 legal smallies in 3 cast. Most of the bass were smallies. 5 Largemouth and one Spot. Plenty of Gills - since I'm usually using panfish lures. 1 Drum I caught on a live crawdad. The Goggle-Eye have finally shown their faces. Caught 7. Most in the 6" range and 2 over 8". And 6 catfish. 4 Channels and 2 Flatheads. The start of the day they were hitting a 1/8oz White Rooster tail. Then a few on a yellow crickhopper. I really started to get into them when I switched to a 1/8oz Yellow Rooster Tail. I don't know what it is about smallies and the color yellow, but they seem to love it. I had to switch to a 1/8oz Chartreuse Rooster Tail because I lost the yellow one, but it kept producing. I got to my camping spot. Trapped some minnows then started using those. Simple rig, just a #6 hook a sinker and a peg float to keep it off the bottom. Cast into the current and keep the line tight, trying my best to make sure I don't hook any deep. The smallies were eating them up. And that's also how I got my first cat. The more I and more I have been studying cats I have learned at least in the ozark streams. If a smallie is there, so is a channel. Lately I've been fishing for them during they day casting cut bait in the places I usually try getting smallies. I don't always bring a cat in, but I'm almost always getting bites within 15 minutes. Anyway at dusk I slip sinker rigged a live perch. And Santee Rigged some cut shad. The rest of the cats were caught on the Santee rig. Even the Flatheads. The next day was tougher not as many fish but still pulled in 2 bass over 12". One was over 15". I used a White Rooster tail, Yellow Crickhopper, And the winner for the day was a Red Tinny Wee Deep Diving Crawdad Plug. Here's the pics. I didn't start taking pics until the afternoon of the first day. After my 3 legals in 3 cast convinced me to keep the camera handy.

[trouty mouth]

Awesome trip

[Hog Wally]

I'm shocked you didn't catch whites or walleye. Was u way up ? Nonetheless awesome trip. Jealous.

[Greasy B]

Thanks for the report. Whenever I try cat fishing all I catch are turtles.

[Terrierman]

Nice trip and nice report. Thanks for posting.

[405z06]

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[Smalliebigs]

Sweet report.....I know you will think this is critical but, there's no need to fish with minnows on the Meramec for smallies. They are easy enough to catch on lures but, your not the only bait fisherman out there.

You should have cut up the Skipjack for the cats, it's like crack for them.

[Levi Michael McQueary]

Sweet report.....I know you will think this is critical but, there's no need to fish with minnows on the Meramec for smallies. They are easy enough to catch on lures but, your not the only bait fisherman out there.

You should have cut up the Skipjack for the cats, it's like crack for them.

I do use lures most of the time. Meaning 90% of the time. What I used was in the report. Just every now and then I will use live bait. But I do need to pick up some small circle hooks. I really didn't like using that #6 hook. I did use the Skipjack for the cats. I caught the skipjack while trying to get some small perch.

[Levi Michael McQueary]

I'm shocked you didn't catch whites or walleye. Was u way up ? Nonetheless awesome trip. Jealous

I have never caught a walleye. It's hard to believe. Just by percentages I should have hooked one by now. The first trip I took I had a walleye slowly following my lure. I've only caught a few whites. They are there, and so are the crappie I just never find a group of them. I was where the upper meramec becomes the mid meramec.

[Levi Michael McQueary]

Thanks for the report. Whenever I try cat fishing all I catch are turtles.

Caught one big Common Snapper, and one Spiny Softshell.