While the Meramec River's largemouth population isn't as dense as it once was, the river is home to good numbers of 16- to 20-inchers -- good bass anywhere in the state. Spotted bass run smaller, but "abundant" is an inadequate description of their numbers. In fact, spotted bass have proven that there really can be such a thing as too many bass.

In an attempt to bring the numbers of the three black bass species back into balance, a unique special regulation is in force throughout the Meramec River basin. Under this regulation, there is no minimum size restriction on spotted bass and the daily creel limit is 12. In other words, a bass angler can spend a day in the Meramec basin happily catching and releasing largemouths and smallmouths and then head home with 12 tasty spots for the table. Note: statewide regulations apply to largemouths and smallmouths in the part of river covered by this article, but be aware of additional restrictions farther upstream.

It is -- or could be -- a win-win situation for fishermen and the fishery. Unfortunately, too few anglers are taking advantage of the opportunity to harvest spotted bass, presumably because they've locked themselves into a catch and release mindset. Overall, catch and release has been the salvation of black bass fishing. However, there is and always will be a valid place for catch and keep in bass management.

As Kevin Meneau was telling me all the things about the Meramec River I've just related to you, I admit I was thinking that fishing pressure on the river must be horrendous. Meneau allayed my fears when he reported that fishing pressure was light to moderate on the lower Meramec and added that pressure was less downstream than it was farther up the river.

For more information, call (636) 300-1953.

THE BIG RIVER
The Jefferson County stretch of the Big River offers the best largemouth bass fishing. This is becoming increasingly true because low water levels and subsequent low currents seven out of the past ten years have favored largemouths and spots at the expense of smallmouths. In addition, severe storms have littered the river with the type of cover largemouths prefer.

Although it's a relatively slow-moving stream, the Big River is characterized by pools and riffles. Jet boats and canoes are the only truly practical choices most of the year. That's not to say that some determined souls don't use prop boats and charge off having to push their craft across riffles as part of the price of fishing a fine stream.

There are boat ramps at Mammoth Access (west of De Soto on Route HH then south on Mammoth Road), at Merrill Horse Access (west of De Soto on Route H), and at Brown's Ford Access (southwest of Cedar Hill on Highway 30 then south on Route Y then west on Brown's Ford Road. Several old mill dams downstream from Brown's Ford can provide access to the river for small boats, and the water backed up behind them is excellent largemouth habitat.

According to Meneau, the largemouth bass fishing "may be" even better in the Big River than in the Meramec. If you go, don't forget that the no minimum size and 12-fish daily creel limit on spotted bass applies on the Big River. Statewide regulations apply to largemouths and smallmouths in the part of river covered by this article, but there are additional restrictions on smallmouths farther upstream.