Jump to content

Missouri Trout Fishing Association


Watcher

Recommended Posts

  • Members

<_< This is something that I hate to do, but I hate to see and origination take advantage of people who believe they are helping the group help the thing they love, that being trout fishing. :angry:

Over the past 10 years I have watched and been a supporter of the Missouri Trout Fishing Association (St. Louis Chapter.) The past four years the leadership of the group has changed. In the beginning the group tried to be a asset to the Missouri Trout Parks and the Conservation Department. Now it is far from being anything but a user of both.

They only had one tournament each year to raise funds, now they have two. That is what it cost to keep six of the officers and friends. in Beer, Liquor, Steak, Room rent, Gas Money. They collect money from anglers at the park and give a cheap BBQ of hot dogs and chips, and prizes that other unsuspecting business have donated to them. Then in December the good old boy's that run the association come to the park for 4 day's of Hot Tubing, drinking, Eating T-Bone Steak, and playing cards. All paid by you the members that have gave your hard earned money thinking it was going to help the sport you love. :ph34r:

I checked with the park and they said the Missouri Trout Fishing Association has not donated a dime to them. No volunteer work, nothing. :o I had some campers and other Use to be members tell me that when the head guy's camp in the campground there is always trouble with loud partying. Nobody can be found to check in the taged fish when caught, They said that when the Heart Association have the Rose Holland Derby it is handled very professional and they see the good in return.

I'm not saying to not be a member of the group. Just ask the people who they say they are helping, and if they are not doing what they say ask why. If you are a member do the same, ask the people who deal with them. and if things turn out to not be the way they seem, elect new board members.

The way it is now anyone of us could start a club and Call it The Trout Catchers Association, and set up a booth and collect money from the public, have fish tagged and stocked for us, then give a few cheap prizes the anglers who enter. Then take the bulk of the money and have a PARTY on our so called members. Don't join a group that you don't know what they actually do. You pay your money and fish for two day's, go home and don't see or think about the group until the next year.

Check it out. WAKE UP AMERICA. :rolleyes:

NOTE: This is only the St.Louis Chapter I don't know about the Kansas City Chapter

float1_copy.JPG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Root Admin

I'm not sure if I've ever heard of this group which would be unusual... but so is my memory- unusual.

You mentioned KC... is this association part of a larger group, national? Like TU? If so, they should be governed by a regional board- but it doesn't sound like they are. I searched google and found nothing close to any association anyplace in the states.

Not sure what the law could do. If they have bylaws and a charter and they aren't following them, they could be held responsible for mismanaging funds- not sure. As for their conduct- the park shouldn't let them back in and they should be blackballed by other lodges/parks. That's what we do basically.

But bottom line, the members should take care of their organization if they care at all. It puts a bad light on the good fishing groups trying to do good and being responsible for their funds.

If anyone has info on the web on this group, share it. I'm very curious.

Lilleys Landing logo 150.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't know a thing about the St.Louis chapter, but the K.C. bunch are a great bunch of guys, I have delt with them for years, when I worked at Roaring River and still here at my shop on the hill. Good bunch of guys and they all seem to be enjoying the chapter and it outdoor activitys.

Tim Homesley

23387 st. hwy 112

Cassville, Mo 65625

Roaring River State park

Tim's Fly Shop

www.missouritrout.com/timsflyshop

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Link to information

You will notice that the St. Louis chapter does not even have tine to keep their web page up.

You will notice that the Springfield & KC Chapters have events listed to help the anglers through the year, the St Louis chapter has nothing. They do hold two events to gather up membership dues. The lodge at Montauk and the Park caters to them because of what they are supposed to stand for and traditions. They were asked to move their trout check in location from a private lodging place near Montauk. The owners were left to check in tag fish and no one from the association was there to give out information, and other gust were complaining about the loud partying. The Park Management has stopped having the annual meeting with the group about three years ago.

The anglers who join seem to be only interested in the prizes and not the polices of the group. Pay, Fish, Go home and not worry about where or what happens to the money. The big event that the group holds is not during the open trout season, it's in December when they hold the Feast, and only about 6 or up to 10 people know about it. The Lodge gets the money in payment for boozes and lodging so why kick the out. I have been a member and never received a notice of elections only fundraising events. When asked about elections they say we will let you know when. Other members just seem to only be interested in the party and trinkets they get when the catch a tagged fish.

I spoke to the Ranger at the Park and he just smiled and said "No Comment." The same thing came from the Fee Collectors at the campground booth, I know they could not say anything negative about the group while working for the state. But if their wasn't a problem they could have said It's a good group.

I was camped five sites down from the treasure last year and I personally saw the ranger go into the site three times to get vehicles off the grass and asked them to turn the music down, and later he stopped one of the members for running over a campsite post and he was giving a walk and turn test to the driver. It ended up loading him into the patrol car and leaving the campground. This was what made me think about the group and start checking into the background of the group.

Some might I Have a Hard O- for the whole organization. NO just this bunch who are ripping the anglers off. I am going to join the Springfield chapter they seem to be a great bunch.

float1_copy.JPG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

ive been a member for quite a few years now and i dont have such a harsh view as you do. I know most of the board of the mtfa-st.louis and know alot of the members. Its always fun get together, and know quite a few of them like to have a good time and party. I know alot about what goes on and they do have meetings after the derby's. Maybe it's just the guys i talk to (kevin, etc.) but they are always a good bunch of guys. I dont see them making a bunch of money and the $15 a year for the family membership isnt bad for all they have to do. this weekend I was offered to come for lunch saturday, dinner saturday and lunch sunday. I usually get included in all that i would like and never feel left out at all. Maybe its because i know alot of those guys pretty well but i dont know...

There are a few things i think would be better if they were changed. I think the tagged fish check-in is a problem that seems to come up but they do offer a checkin usually up the hill, or before the prize gathering on sunday. It would be nice to have someone at the lodge during derby hours but most of the board and members are avid fisherman and are out on the water. And the holland derby is run by alot of volunteers, which makes a big difference in how much help is available. The rose holland draws a ton of people as where the MTFA doesnt. I have recieved tons of good stuff from the tourny's but i have also from the holland.

Those guys like to have a good time, and its unfortunate that things get out of hand...but its all in good fun. Desrtoying of property and disrupting other campers is another thing though. Shoot me a u2u or private message on who the guys causing trouble were if you want.

I have a little different opinion than you do but its all good! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Those guys like to have a good time, and its unfortunate that things get out of hand...but its all in good fun.

The word BUT some how don't make it seem right to me. A few hundred people are at the park to have fun, BUT if all of their fun got out of hand would that be the kind of place you would like to go? We are talking about grown up people who represent themselves as a creatable organization that is holding an event to better the resources of trout fishing. Not a bunch of Good Old Boy's that want to stay drunk all day and night.

It seems to me if your putting on a event and your name is on the letter head asking for sponsorship to the event, you would would be the first to give up a day of your fishing and drinking to see the event was ran in a professional way. Not send out invitations then let the event run it's self. The dinners should be a time to get together and have meetings, and they could include social drinking and a bit of partying. They should end at 10:30 when quiet hours are enforced in the campground, Not Mid-night or 1:00 AM while other families are trying to sleep. If you as a Officer of a event that you have scheduled see a member that is getting out of hand, You should speak with him and Never put him in a car and let him drive around looking for his room.

Your reply did not seem to mention what the MTFS does for trout fishing in Missouri. How much time have you volunteered to the hatchery or park? You mention Tons of great stuff. Is that all it's about?

You may well be one of the Good Members who want and try to make the MTFS a good club. I by no means think that the whole organization is bad. Other chapters are doing good for the sport of Trout Fishing. I just think this chapter of the MTFS needs to step back and look at itself compared to the other chapters. I don't think they will like what they see. They will see a bunch of unorganized juvenile men acting like red neck hoodlums, and not the MTFS. That's what the other anglers are beginning to see them as. I did not go to the park for the event last week, and I have had no less than 15 people tell me that they did not fish in the park because of the event. One guy said the campground had several empty sites. That's very unusual for a weekend event in Montauk during July. Wonder Why?

I also had people tell me there is some hard feeling's between the Officers and the membership. Why? Did someone change the date of the event and not tell the rest of the boy's where they could come out and get their trinkets and play?

Come on guy's just run the group as it was intended and you will have a bigger and better group, and the Trout fishing Community will respect you.

float1_copy.JPG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How do you join this fine organization or is it an invite only buddy club? :D

Never paid attention to the MTFA or trout derby's before but this peaked my interest. I found it odd that Montauk has 6 trout derby's a year and Bennett and R.River only have one. Does St. Louis MTFA organize these events? Why so many? All those trout derby's have to be a PIA for the folks who work at Montauk and people who accidentally stumble into a trout derby.

Regardless, it looks like KC and Springfield MTFA have something on ball, but I couldnt find anything on the St. Louis chapter. Doubt if they will be around much longer if they have difficulty running events and cant maintain a web presence. Who knows, we might be better off without them. Cheers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think we should just start out own association: hold dinners @ $25-$45 dollars/plate and raise up money to buy a spring branch somewhere that is C&R only (or some form of size/# restriction), but only until funding for a hatchery is raised. Eventually expand with the funding raised from the spring branch and donate money to parks and other places. If anyone thinks that I am a young idiot who is full of $^&*, please speak now.

Rob

WARNING!! Comments to be interpreted at own risk.

Time spent fishing is never wasted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.