brittsnbirds

Thinking that I need to get something to float with. Thought about a canoe or a kyak also those inflatable units. Want something easy to transport and handle. For fly fishing for trout and smally's. Any suggestions.

Will hopefully (fingers crossed) head down next week (Monday). Staying until Thursday will try and post a report. Hopefully will catch some fish, NoLuck is out west so their mouths aren't sore and I have a chance.

Looks like mother nature is going to veto my trip. Don't want to chance pulling the trailer through ice. Come on April!

Thanks, give me the itch. Do you tie your own SJW's? What pattern? Where on the Current were you? NICE PICS. Love the brown trout porn!!

Will not be there for the opener, however my Cousin and I will be there the week after. Got a kitchen pass and looks like there is plenty of room. Will be there Mon thru thrus/Fri. Will see what happens. Just need to get out. Britts

Lunkers, right. Remember that is what the goof ball told Danny that got us to go down there!!! Like to find that guy again and slip him some stale beer.

Like your going to be there Upstream?? If you are anywhere you'll be on the river slinging your little black jigs!! BTW I have some now so you won't be the only one catching fish!!

No way!

Wow, that's some great shooting and editing!! Wonder how big the taker was?

Thanks I will. Haven't made it over there for awhile.

Made a deal with the wife to go back to Scotland this summer. She insists that I try to flyfish this time. When we went to Ireland several years ago I was overwhelmed with the trip in itself let alone trying to schedule a fishing trip. This time I'm considering it. Would like any suggestions/comments from any experiences. Thanks Pat

RC I thought Rich was going to go down. He pimped me earlier in the week but the kids were in town. When is C&R over? I need to get away for a few days regardless of the cold.

Last summer when I was in Larry's, Kelly was there. We talked about size of fish etc. and how it was hurting the economy He was very frank about how things were going down hill since the new Hatchery Manager came around. I'm not suprised because the shelves were empty and his attitude was in the dumps! It has to hurt knowing that your dad ran an operation for so long and you can't take it over to keep the family legacy alive. I feel for them. I will miss Larry's. When my Dixie (Brittany) was around I use to take her in the shop to let Larry love on her. We would share our Pheasant hunting stories and talk about out dogs. Life goes on regardless.

Has he hit fitty yet? Nope just looked but almost!! Hope you had a happy one Rich! Did big bro take you out for dinner?

Use to be a SAMS in Raytown when I was little. You could get everything there. Was like a old school wally world. Going to Piggy wiggy isn't helping the 401k though!! BTW greeting from Indy!! Boring!!!!!!

Whatever, you are always running up there when your down. Plus you have the support your bro's 401K!!

Ashley creek is where from Baptist?

I know!!!!

Well RC did you come down? We're here!!!

Not raining up here in CG 5! Saw a 2 plus pounder today. Wow biggest fish I've seen down here in a while!!

I go back to the fish management issue. One of the recurring questions you hear from fisherman to fisherman from vendor to fisherman is "catching any?". The next question is "any size". If you don't have quality fish/stock the quality of fishing is not going to be there. It's a trickle down effect. Then your tag sales ($27,000 est. down this year) will be short. Your sales in your stores both on site and off will be short. Businesses will close their doors and the park will turn into a playground for kids and floaters. Rant off. Thought you were going to push that job off to the other operator NoLuck? At least you have the trailer at it's new house. Make it much easier to just run down for a 2 day trip. Have fun out there, found out my son is getting Xferred again with Amazon to Louisville from Indy. So I'll have another town to check out next year!! If you have time do a sampling of the water we fished and see if they are any better. A guy in the shop acted like they were holding the bigger ones back for this weekend. Catch you later.

beagle, We found the same problem last week at the BSSP. Numbers were good but the quality of fish was horrible. I haven't fishing MSSP for a few years and found the quality to be pretty good. Have you noticed it to drop off just this year or over the last few? Was hoping that Montauk was ok and would switch my fishing location from BSSP to MSSP. Takes me another hour but if the quality of fish is there I will invest in the extra hour and $$ to make the trip. IMO I like the atmosphere of Montauk much better.

Actually Rich we ALL need to email this guy (andrew.branson@mdc.mo.gov) and voice our complaints. I would also suggest we cc: to mogov.mail.mo. I noticed in the Governor's bio he talks about 2 most important things are faith and family. Well I don't know about you guys but I find myself doing a lot of sole searching as I am standing in a trout stream having a little one on one with the man. As far as family goes what better way to bond with their family than to take them camping and fishing down at BSSP or one of the other trout parks. As you, Mike and I have discussed we have fond memories of our trips as kids down at the BSSP and other trout streams in the MO. Don't forget who on March 1st every year is up to his Arz in cold water waiting for the horn to go off. They make that event a big dog and pony show. If we emphasize in our emails how the atmosphere of the experience of catching "quality" trout as well as the tag sales (down some 9,700 as of 8/26/2013) has degraded/declined plus the fact that we may be taking our business somewhere else maybe it will make a difference. I also noticed that the Governor talks about putting people back to work but I suspect at the BSSP they have laid people off. Well if their attendance continues to go down and they keep managing the fish production and distribution the way they have I suspect that is counter productive to the Governor's goals! I'm trying to put an email together that isn't too opinionated and critical of the current hatchery Administrators operation as I know when someone tells me how to do my job I usually shut down (wife). However if we all explain that we are pretty much disgusted with the degradation of the fish size and quantity maybe it will make a difference. My other issue is that the "new" hatchery and improvements to the runs was suppose to increase production and allow them to more easily manage the fish. With all of that I would think that we would have already observed a better fishing environment. Wow, rant off! How about we all get on the band wagon and fire some emails off!!!!

Wayne, the problem isn't that "little one's got loose". The problem is that the Hatchery manager has changed practice of determining how to release fish. In his infinite wisdome he either has figured out or was told to quit culling/sorting fish like they use to with the wood crates. They don't physically count them they weigh them. MDC procurred a new crane to hoist a basket with a scale attached and "weigh" the fish to be released. They base their calculations on an average 12" fish weight. What I saw that they released was nothing near 12". Many would be lucky to make 6". This whole thing comes down to $$ not stock production. If they were raising catlle or hogs they would cull out the light ones to get bigger (like they use to) and release the mature larger fish. These small fish will definately cause me to think twice about going down again. Oh BTW on Monday I believe they were down on tags sold for the year compared to last year(approx. 9700). That's a bunch of moola. Plus not counting the dollars that they missed out on camping fees, and other sales in the shop. I was told to voice my complaint to andrew.branson@mdc.mo.gov!!

Well NoLuck how was it??