30 Trout Day on Meramec River

A Trio of Trout Fishing Factors for the Meramec Bill Cooper for MWO April 2017

The Meramec River flows practically out my back door. I can be there in a matter of minutes. Coupled with the fabulous weather lately and the fact that the Missouri Department of Conservation has been making monthly stockings of brown trout, my close proximity to the river has prompted frequent fishing trips. A cloudy, blustery, misty day may not be the ticket for fair weather fishermen, but brown trout anglers recognize such days as perfect for pursuing this first dpecies of trout described in the 1758 edition of Systema Naturae by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaues. Brown trout have been introduced to many regions of the world and were first introduced into the United States in 1883 when Fred Mather, a New York pisciculturist and angler acquired brown trout eggs from a Baron Lucius von Behr, president of the German Fishing Society. Subsequent introductions came from Scotland and England. Specimens form all three locations were intermingled to create the American generic brown trout and a single species of the North European brown trout. History lessons aside, my intent for my most recent trout fishing excursion included getting to the river for a day to avoid the telephone and my computer. My choice of days paid off handsomely and quickly. I arrived at Maramec Spring Park around 10 a.m. My vehicle looked splendid as it sat alone on the parking lot. Perhaps I would enjoy the river alone on this dreary day. I scurried down the Maramec Spring branch towards the Meramec River. I carried my rod broken down because winter fishing had ended in the park. I made quick time with my waders and wading shoes bundled up and slung over my shoulder with a strap. My method also kept me from overheating and getting sweaty as I quick stepped it in my tennis shoes. Fifteen minutes later I slipped on my waders after putting several hundred yards between myself and the park boundaries. I tied a 4 1/2-inch trout colored stick bait onto my line. Brown trout are voracious meat eaters and feed heavily under dark conditions. I felt I had picked the perfect day. My speculations proved dead on. On my second cast into a deep, swift pool, my spinning rod thumped in my hand. I set the hook and the first battle of the day with a brown trout ensued. The combined power of the current and strength of the lunging fish made it feel much larger than it was. Regardless, a pleasurable smile covered my face as I brought the wriggling fish to hand. Minutes later a surprising revelation came my way. I hooked a brown in less than 18-inches of water. I had discovered, by accident, that fish were actively feeding in shallow riffles due to the dim light. I knew immediately that I was in for special day of fishing on the Meramec River. I began scanning the shallow riffles below deeper pools and soon began picking out the dark shapes of feeding brown trout. Stealth became the order of the day, as I quietly and slowly approached actively feeding fish. As soon as the fishing slowed in one riffle, I moved on to the next and repeated the process. It worked like a charm. The incredible fishing sure beat answering the phone and pounding the keys of my computer. Too, I felt a bit smug for having picked the perfect day to catch fish and avoid people. I continued to catch brown after brown, until the temptation to cast into a deep, swift pool, which was choked with logs, overtook me. I snagged my prized stick bait. I yanked and pulled, thrashing the water with my line. As my lure broke free, the water erupted. A big rainbow trout, of three pounds plus crashed my lure. It tail walked across the surface and gained its freedom. I stood spellbound at what had just happened. Such moments engrain themselves into the minds of fishermen. Heavy wingbeats behind me caught my attention. A dozen or so wild turkeys soared across the river, creating another magical moment on the river. Another log jam with swift water appeared up ahead. Perhas I could hook another big fish there. Wrong. My first cast into the fray cost me my highly successful rainbow colored stick bait. Disheartened with the lure loss, I figured my good fishing for the day had ended. Ten feet downstream, I found a 3-inch gold and black Rapala partially buried in the sand. I’ve caught many trout on them over the years. I tied the Rapala to my line and a dozen casts later had my first Rapala brown of the day. I continued downstream, having traveled much farther than I intended But, the fishing proved phenomenal and I wasn’t about to quit. I found another long riffle. To my surprise, it held both bowns and rainbows. Two or three fish chased my Rapala with each cast. Fifteen minutes later the action slowed. I had caught a half dozen fish. I moved on down stream. A long pool, dropped into a shallow run. Just for a change, I tied on a rainbow colored Rooster Tail and caught a rainbow trout on my first cast. Several more bows fell to the flashy Rooster Tail. Weary but happy I began the three mile hike back to the truck. I revisited several spots on the way back and picked up another half dozen brown trout. Near the park boundary, I encountered two older gentlemen, older than me that is. We exchanged greetings and asked the usual how did you do questions. I nodded, “I did OK.” If they only had known about the powerful combination of living close to the river, fishing a gloomy day and knowing that lots of brown trout finned the shallows far downstream, they would have been OK, too.