River Round to Chouteau Claim

[Ken1949]

Last Wednesday, myself and two buddies put our kayaks in at the River Round access on the Meramec. We have floated this section many times before, but not since before the flood of Dec. 2015. Fishing was a little slow. We only caught a few smallies and largemouth. The river had not changed very much until we reached just upstream from the railroad bridge located above the Chouteau Claim access. At that point, the channel changed drastically. The river has cut a new course, bypassing a major loop in the channel. The result is the river is about one mile shorter than it used to be at that point. We were amazed how the flood waters had cut through a wooded bend in the river and cut off the one mile loop. We had a difficult time getting through the new channel because of downed trees. I am not sure if jetboats can navigate through the log jam. The bottom line is beware of the new channel and be very careful if you float there. 

[Haris122]

Are you able to get into that old river channel area to fish there, or is it somehow completely cut off from the river now?

[Ken1949]

The old channel is cut off. No way to float it. Not much water is left there.