St Louis early trout fishing

[grizzlynitemare]

What's the report for this early in the year?

I know St Louis is being stocked from now until the end of April with trout. I forget which pond they stock. But I'm wondering if anyone has, or is going to fish there soon and how to fish it for trout in the next couple weeks.

Besides trout, anything else being pulled out of there right now?

I come from fishing the cascade lakes and Eugene area streams and rivers, I am still learning to fish St. Louis. So any other tips for the rest of the year would be appreciated.

 

[o clarki]

Fished it Friday before they opened the gate for the season. I was expecting relatively uncrowded conditions. It was absolutely packed with people. Cars lined both sides of the road from the locked gate almost to the entrance.

Fishing was solid, with decent numbers of small fish and a few really nice fish in the mix, but it was just too crowded for me. The pond they had stocked, number 6, was basically ringed with people. Fishing was steady for 8-10 inch rainbows and I also landed a chunky 18 incher. I hooked another like that but didn't land it. Now that the gate is open I can't imagine the crowds are any better. There are probably still a few fish around though. I think they planted over 2000.

 

[grizzlynitemare]

Fished it Friday before they opened the gate for the season. I was expecting relatively uncrowded conditions. It was absolutely packed with people. Cars lined both sides of the road from the locked gate almost to the entrance.

Fishing was solid, with decent numbers of small fish and a few really nice fish in the mix, but it was just too crowded for me. The pond they had stocked, number 6, was basically ringed with people. Fishing was steady for 8-10 inch rainbows and I also landed a chunky 18 incher. I hooked another like that but didn't land it. Now that the gate is open I can't imagine the crowds are any better. There are probably still a few fish around though. I think they planted over 2000.

The stocking schedule said it was stocked on the 24th, so that explains the packed house. There are supposed to be 500+ stocked again on the 10th, and I was planning on going a couple days after.


Its awesome to hear that the fishing was good, I've had fishing fever last few weeks and just want to feel something on the end of my line!


May I ask what you were using, or what seemed to be the popular choice of bait or technique?

 

[Knot Fishing Sober]

In ponds like that power bait will work. A lot of guys like the brown color and shape it like hatchery food pellet. I personally prefer the colors white and nymph grape. Another thing to try is power eggs. I use them in white on a #18 treble hook. I put the egg on one of the hook points and put half a night crawler on the other two points. Then inflate the night crawler to make sure the rig floats. I have caught some huge trout on this exact setup. Its my go to. I might go check out those ponds Thursday if the weather sucks for steelheading.

 

[o clarki]

The stocking schedule said it was stocked on the 24th, so that explains the packed house. There are supposed to be 500+ stocked again on the 10th, and I was planning on going a couple days after.


Its awesome to hear that the fishing was good, I've had fishing fever last few weeks and just want to feel something on the end of my line!


May I ask what you were using, or what seemed to be the popular choice of bait or technique?

Those stocking dates are for the week of stocking, not necessarily the day. In this case I believe it was actually stocked on Wednesday the 26th.

I was using salmon eggs under a bobber, and where I could find room, a small black wooly bugger with a prince nymph behind it stripped in short jerks. The flies were responsible for the big fish I landed and the one that came unbuttoned.

It seemed like it was about 50/50 between people who were fishing something under a bobber and those who were fishing floating bait off the bottom. I'm not sure either method was really outperforming the other, and almost everyone seemed to be getting into fish relatively steadily.

Good luck if you head out there.

 

[grizzlynitemare]

Thank you both. Like I said, still learning to fish these ponds. Looks like I'll have to pick up some worms and eggs before I head out there.

 

[Big3d]

I've seen everything from wickiup sandwich, to plain corn, spinners (be careful with those in the ponds), pretty much anything works for the stockers. Powerbait is obviously a standard winner. My best luck was with white power eggs or red dough, remember to throw your own spin on whatever bait you use after they settle on you'll have to stand out to catch those fish.

 

[grampa ron]

You can make it a lot simpler with a fly rod.:thumb:

 

[michael_g]

mon 02/24/14 St Louis ponds

mon 02/24/14 St Louis ponds

02/24/14 gate closed. One 17 inch fish.yellow eggs.

 

[grizzlynitemare]

Well. Went out to St. Louis yesterday. Caught 5 bluegill(was not expecting to catch them this early in the year), 1 trout about 9-10 inches. Missed or lost about 7-8 more, and scared something big out from a log I snagged. Haha. I didn't see any other fish hooked in the few hours I was out there, though.

All my fish were caught in pond 6, using fireball salmon eggs.

I'd say it was a pretty good day out there.