rFisherk

As I read the small print in this bill, it will create a "commission" to rule over streams, and they would be able to accept donations from private companies. You can see where that would lead. It also says that: "No adjoining parts of a watercourse shall be considered navigable unless they are deemed navigable by a Missouri court." As far as I know, only a few large rivers have been deemed navigable by a Missouri court, which I believe would mean all the others would be considered un-navigable, and therefore not only the gravel bars, but the bottoms of the rivers and stream to the center of the flowage from either side would be private property, according to this bill. Of all the bills I've covered since the deer reclassification, this one is the nuttiest of all, by far, and I find it disturbing that anyone in government would be so bold, reckless and unaware of the devastating ramifications that they would seriously propose such a measure. Personally, I don't think this one has a chance. It's just too crazy. On the other hand, the fact anyone would propose such a measure and have it make it to committee means we better take it seriously. After all, the author of this bill also is on the committee that decides whether to bring it before the general assembly or not. I just don't know about all this...it's getting too...well...beam me up Scotty.

I really appreciate your post and the links. They used to work. I used them often. Maybe we all used them too often. Maybe it is just an honest mistake in the software for my zip code? At any rate, I just wanted to let people know before they presumed the representatives listed were the right ones for their location by checking the maps to be sure. I should have CFM's link to legislators about this matter before the day is out, which is a whole lot easier to use and more accurate.

Smallibigs: I'm not saying for certain that our representatives are trying to avoid us, but when I clicked on the link for the legislator lookup you provided, only one of three was actually my representative. Hmmmmmm. I caution everyone using this link to check the maps provided to see if you're actually located in the districts these people actually represent.

Only a concerned, active and unified citizenry can combat all this. You are right, I believe, Spoondog, to speculate that these legislators are prone to "sweep all that under the rug." In the present political climate, they are prone to believe they can do anything, because they think everyone is too busy making a living and playing video games to pay attention. But when the challenge to their re-election from voters becomes greater than the special interest money they plan to use to buy TV ads, they retreat rapidly. That is why, whether one gets actively involved in this or not, it is important at this time to join and support the Conservation Federation of Missouri. http://confedmo.org/ I have noticed that since all the bills to damage the MDC and conservation came flooding in, it has become much harder to simply contact representatives via email, so even if you don't want to join CFM, at least join their Action Center to make it easier to contact your representative and prevent them from shutting you out of the decision making process all together.

Following is a press release I just received from CFM. Check you newspaper, and if it is one that published this falsehood, call, email and write them to correct this falsehood. If it goes unchallenged, it could influence a vast majority of citizens in the wrong direction. Even Rep. Spencer, one of the biggest foes of MDC, challenged the unethical devious, and maybe illegal, tactics of the American Cervid Alliance. The Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) condemns the recent actions taken by the American Cervid Alliance in publishing a false op-ed piece in several Missouri newspapers. The piece was represented as if it had been written by Rep. Bryan Spencer. Rep. Spencer notified The Joplin Globe on March 5 that the column recently published was not written by him. The piece called for reform of the Missouri Department of Conservation and was released to newspapers across the state under his name. Only the first paragraph, he said, was his and it was part of his Capitol report. To read The Joplin Globe's statement, click here. "The American Cervid Alliance, under false pretenses, tried to mislead Missouri citizens to further their private agenda. This is a sad example of a small private interest group putting Missouri citizens' natural resources at risk in order to further their personal agenda," said Brandon Butler, Executive Director of the Conservation Federation of Missouri. "In light of the American Cervid Alliance's past actions regarding chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Missouri, conservationists have to ask, 'What other information have they not been truthful about?'" continued Butler. The American Cervid Alliance is the national group representing captive cervid (deer, elk, and exotic animal) breeding and high fence shooting facilities. .The piece was represented as if it had been written by Rep. Bryan Spencer. Rep. Spencer notified The Joplin Globe on March 5 that the column recently published was not written by him. The piece called for reform of the Missouri Department of Conservation and was released to newspapers across the state under his name. Only the first paragraph, he said, was his and it was part of his Capitol report. To read The Joplin Globe's statement, click here. The American Cervid Alliance is the national group representing captive cervid (deer, elk, and exotic animal) breeding and high fence shooting facilities.

It is the most powerful thing you could do, Smalliebigs, and I heartily commend you for it. I have contacted CFM and they are working to put it on their Action site to make it easier for everyone to contact their representatives. I'll post a link as soon as I get it. I'm happy to say that, thanks to a rally by normally apathetic conservationist and outdoors people, we are winning this battle on many fronts, but the "war," as you describe it, is not over, and cannon volleys are still coming in. This is just the latest. I'll be posting about another development right after I post this.

This one really hits home to me, because stream smallmouth are my main fish and float-camping is my favorite thing to do. If this passes, I'll move from Missouri, maybe the country, because the current political climate, since 911 and the Patriot Act, is to strip us of the rights and freedoms that once made our country great. I don't know why CFM isn't all over this one. Maybe they are on vacation.

As Regan once said: "There you go again." I've posted about bills proposed by Representative Robert Ross before. Now he has proposed a bill (House Bill 955) that would reclassify how navigable and non-navigable streams are used by the public, or I should say restrict public use. It would reset the private land boundary for navigable streams from the current high water mark to the low water mark, which would mean that gravel bars would be off limits. On non-navigable streams, it would make the bottom of the stream private property, to the middle of the stream from either side, meaning you couldn't wade it without trespassing. The bill also would give adjoining landowners rights to alter the streams, divert water and a host of other things, while at the same time possibly infringing upon the Missouri Department of Conservation's right to manage the fisheries in these rivers and streams. It essentially would make rivers and streams the property of those who own the banks and give them rights to manage these waterways as they see fit, as long as they complied with federal guidelines. That's what I got out of the first reading. Read the bill yourself. Then contact your Senator and Representatives. I am told this bill sort of sneaked in and goes to committee Monday, and Rep. Ross is on that same committee.

I don't know. They should go, because it would be the only representation concerning stream smallmouth.

~~Mark your calendar to attend the inaugural Conservation Day at the Capitol on April 2, 2015. This event has been designed to bring conservationists from all across Missouri together at the Capitol for a day of promoting and supporting our natural resources and outdoor heritage. They have reserved the entire 3rd floor Rotunda and have table spaces available for up to 25 affiliate organizations. There is no fee and the spaces will go on a first come first serve basis to CFM Affiliates, so call their office today to make sure your organization secures one of the available spaces. "Ducks Unlimited looks forward to participating in Conservation Day at the Capitol. This is a great opportunity for citizens to meet with and speak to their legislators. It is also a great opportunity for conservation organizations to educate the public about their specific missions," said Mark Flaspohler, Manager of Conservation Programs for Ducks Unlimited. The Morning Shag with Shags and Trevor (KCMQ 96.7) will be broadcasting their popular morning show live from the Capitol from 6 a.m. until 10 a.m. We anticipate additional radio shows and a strong media presence. This event is for educational and informative purposes. We hope citizens and legislators alike will tour the affiliate booths to learn about the diverse outdoor passions of Missourians. Citizens will have a chance to meet with their legislators and thank them for protecting conservation in Missouri.

The biggest freak deer bring $50,000 and more each. They're raised in a relatively small area with a high fence all around. Shooters pick the deer they want in the price range they can afford. Then they go out and shoot it as it walks buy toward the feeder. They have it mounted and hang it in their house so they can impress people about what great hunters they are.

I wasn't familiar with the Pitzen knot, so looked it up and tied it a few times. May be a slight improvement over the improved clinch.

Clever.

I'm curious: What knot do you guys who use modern lines for tippets use?

I caught one years ago from KY Lake that was 6-6 in a little, four-hour night tournament on a rare night when fishing was tough. The KY bass actually won the pot for the biggest bass, and we won the tournament with only three fish and 12-3. Had one smallmouth and one largemouth. I remember all this because it was just so strange.

I don't think they can reproduce naturally in any Ozark river. The eggs must remain suspended in the currents for a certain amount of time, and that takes a pretty turbulent and consistent flow with no intermittent quiet pools.

I haven't check in a few years, but I found not only that mono on tippet spools was much better and more consistent quality, but most importantly, the strength rating per diameter (measured in hundreds of an inch) was much higher than anything I could buy on a filler spool. Don't know about Flouorocast and similar materials. Might be the way to go these days, if knots aren't too difficult to tie and bulky.

No, JD, rules have not always been complicated. For a good part of my early life, they were very simple, and the outdoors was a real escape from the complicated world.

I rest my case.

One of the things I think all of these rules do, is discourage young people from getting into hunting and fishing. I've tried to help and instruct a number of youngsters besides my own to get involved, and I've learned not to go into regulations with them, because when I've done so, they get a sort of blank stare and go back to their video games. They get more than enough rules in school.

Amazing what these guys will say when backed into a corner, even if it makes them look stupid. I don't think it is coincidence that Munzlinger backed off this bill at the crest of a media and letter/email writing campaign by concerned outdoorsmen, and I want to commend everyone here who participated. The bill, however, is not dead; it's changed. What do you think of the changes? The Department of Conservation said the original bill filed by Senator Brian Munzlinger (R-Williamstown) would have cut its budget by nearly $45 million by eliminating fees for hunting, fishing and trapping permits for Missouri residents. Munzlinger revised the bill after doing some research and speaking with the department and fellow lawmakers. “I visited with (the Department) and found out that there actually has to be a sale of the permits,” said Munzlinger. The federal Pittman-Robertson Act created an excise tax that provides funds to each state to manage wildlife and their habitats. The Dingell-Johnson Act provides financial assistance for state fish restoration and management projects. Department of Conservation Deputy Director Tim Ripperger says the actual selling of the permit brings federal aid dollars back to Missouri. “That’s over $20-million to this state that other states would be receiving if we weren’t selling those permits,” said Ripperger. Munzlinger’s bill no longer eliminates permit fees for Missouri residents, but it does provide a discount for non-resident landowners. Those with at least 80 acres of Missouri property would only have to pay 50 percent of the non-resident fee for hunting, fishing, and trapping permits. Non-resident permit fees for deer hunting are currently $225 and $130 for turkey hunting. “I thought this was a lot better bill at this time to move forward,” said Munzlinger. “It actually helps provide an incentive for those non-resident landowners to come and enjoy their land here in Missouri.”

Rondo, I'm told all the deer pictured on the website Fin and Feather posted fall under the "Price Upon Request" listing and that they go for $50,000 and up. These are genetically selected and chemically altered deer, fed enough by man to be considered semi-domesticated. Shooters can literally pick the rack they want to hang on their walls to brag about what good hunters they are based upon the price they're willing to pay. Regardless what you think of that, our major concern is the spread of CWD to the wild herd. There's no doubt the altered freaks in these farms introduced CWD to MO, and an educated theory is that the disease was caused in the first place by what they were fed. It's all about as far from natural as you can get.

Actually, I've thought for some time that the laws and rules governing hunting and fishing have become too complicated. Seems every species in every lake or stream has a different set of rules. Hunting is very much the same way. Maybe this is why in my "golden years," I seen to enjoy the simple and uncomplicated pastimes of hunting squirrels and fishing for bluegill. Reminds me of a time when escaping to the outdoors was escaping the complications and red tape of civilization. Over the decades, various rules have been added gradually and built up to something resembling the tax code. Now, I understand the biological and management reasons for these various rules in various places, but you almost have to be a lawyer to be sure you are legal, unless you fish for the same thing in the same place all the time. I like to do most everything most everywhere, and much of the time I'm a little paranoid about whether I know and am following all the rules. A case in point: I was fishing for crappie on a small lake around here a couple of years ago. We were doing well, and since I was running the trolling motor, I put my friend in charge of stringing the crappie. The agent comes motoring up after an hour or so and checked us, and after some friendly conservation, he asked who caught the crappie. Seems that even though we hadn't yet filled one person's limit, we were breaking the law by using the same stringer for two people. I felt terrible about not knowing this particular statute, or that my name was supposed to be on the stringer as well, and I felt terrible about actually breaking a rule.

No doubt the Wiggle Wart is a great early bait, but most of the time I prefer Strike King's suspended jerkbait.