Dardenne Creek?

[FishnDave]

Has anyone ever fished the creek that runs along the north side of the Busch Conservation Area...north of Lake 33?  Just wondering if there might be some Longear Sunfish there.... or anything else worth trying for.

[Ham]

If you’ll drive a little bit further south, it could not be any easier to catch Longear Sunfish. I’m desperate to catch a lot of fish that are much the same. Easy to catch once you fish where they actually exist in any thing close to actual numbers of them.

i don't know anything about that creek, but it probably is worth checking out. Just have a second and third location nearby in case it sucks.

[Johnsfolly]

I have crossed it hundreds of times but never fished it.. I know that @MJREDDY fishes that creek and hopefully can get you some answers. Very likely to have green sunfish, bass, creek clubs, common shiners, etc. Maybe a surprise fish or two.

If you're willing to get closer to central MO I can put you on longear sunfish spots.

[FishnDave]

I've certainly been catching plenty of Green Sunfish.  😬 

@Ham and @Johnsfolly The advice I received to fish accesses along the Meramec or Big River is good.  Both look like a lot of water and probably too deep to wade in most places, so it'd be tough to be very mobile when looking for these.  I envision it would be easier to track these down in smaller, shallower, or clearer water.  I don't usually get to fish a full day, so spending a few hours driving really cuts into the fishing time.  Are there any smaller creeks with public access within an hour of STL? 90 minutes?  I've been doing research, and will continue to do so... I see streams that really don't have much good access at all. 

[Ryan Miloshewski]

I used to hunt by it a lot when drawn for Busch. Directly NE of the Lake 33 dam there are some deep pools. Never fished it but may be worth exploring. It'd be a walk I think. Last time I was there the road to go park by the marsh ponds was gated off because of "nefarious activity." 

[Ham]

I have ZERO information about fishing around the STL

[snagged in outlet 3]

10 hours ago, FishnDave said:

Has anyone ever fished the creek that runs along the north side of the Busch Conservation Area...north of Lake 33?  Just wondering if there might be some Longear Sunfish there.... or anything else worth trying for.

Lots of people fish it.  For years.  I see cars along the north service road of 40/61 all the time too.  Sneaking in north of the hwy.  not sure the ramifications though.  The  fish kill a while back was from the sewer plant on hwy k.  

[Johnsfolly]

2 hours ago, FishnDave said:

I've certainly been catching plenty of Green Sunfish.  😬 

@Ham and @Johnsfolly The advice I received to fish accesses along the Meramec or Big River is good.  Both look like a lot of water and probably too deep to wade in most places, so it'd be tough to be very mobile when looking for these.  I envision it would be easier to track these down in smaller, shallower, or clearer water.  I don't usually get to fish a full day, so spending a few hours driving really cuts into the fishing time.  Are there any smaller creeks with public access within an hour of STL? 90 minutes?  I've been doing research, and will continue to do so... I see streams that really don't have much good access at all. 

Sent PM on possible locations.

[Gavin]

Dear hunted Busch by Dardenne Creek...It's mostly high mudbanks, sand or silt bottom, with allot of woody debris. Probably some catfish in it.

[top_dollar]

On 7/28/2020 at 8:14 AM, FishnDave said:

I've certainly been catching plenty of Green Sunfish.  😬 

@Ham and @Johnsfolly The advice I received to fish accesses along the Meramec or Big River is good.  Both look like a lot of water and probably too deep to wade in most places, so it'd be tough to be very mobile when looking for these.  I envision it would be easier to track these down in smaller, shallower, or clearer water.  I don't usually get to fish a full day, so spending a few hours driving really cuts into the fishing time.  Are there any smaller creeks with public access within an hour of STL? 90 minutes?  I've been doing research, and will continue to do so... I see streams that really don't have much good access at all. 

The upper big river around leadwood has a bunch of them.  It seems to be to most common sunfish species in that stretch.  Mounds access, leadwood access or anything around there.