"Going fishing" is a euphemism for laconic days, quiet contemplation and bonding through periodic monosyllabic exchanges and canned beer. But fishing can be something else: badass athleticism. While the Meramec River in the summer is usually the province of lazy float trips — and more of the aforementioned canned beer — it's also home to a small sect of spearfishermen, who practice the art of fishing as it has existed for millennia. Rather than rely upon the sluggish, domesticated fish typically stocked in area lakes, spearfishing relies on a skillful eye and the bounty of the waters. Sure, you can catch bass and trout with the traditional rod and reel here, but how much more exciting to get in touch with your inner hunter on the Huzzah Creek? Far enough from society's trappings to make you feel like you've stepped back to an earlier time, this isolated Meramec tributary provides an idyllic setting for an exercise in self-preservation.