Dan Kreher

No need to post signs just on May 6th. That's just the day that StL-based members will be meeting to post signs at accesses more easily reached on a day trip from here. If you are willing to post signs at any of the SW/SE or more remote locations listed in the post, you can do it anytime in the month of May. We can just ship prospective posters the signage and mounting materials and e-mail the access lists and posting instructions. So, don't dispair if you cannot join us on the 6th. Send me a PM with the stream/area you are interested in posting and I'll get in touch with you on more specifics. We'll take all the help we can get.

Missouri Smallmouth Alliance Sign Posting Day When: May 6th, 7:00 AM Where: Meet at Denny's restaurant on South Outer Road across Hwy 44 from former Chrysler Assembly Plant in Fenton, MO Bring: An appetite for a free breakfast, a cordless drill or screwdriver, road atlas/GPS and full tank of gas What: MSA volunteers will be assigned a stream access checklist and provided educational signs, driving directions, access maps and mounting hardware for posting specific public stream accesses Who: Existing and prospective members of the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance Volunteers organize and disperse to Missouri Department of Conservation-approved angler educational signs at approximately 140 public stream access points located in Central and Southern MO Ozarks For more info, send me a PM via this board or e-mail me directly at dankreher@yahoo.com Thank you.

World Class SMB access sign.final.pdf Smallie Fans! The Missouri Smallmouth Alliance has just recently finalized its new and improved Help Create World Class Smallmouth Fishing informational signs. The new signs (if I figure out how to post a PDF on this message I'll show it here) feature new graphics, including a beautiful smallmouth bass illustration courtesy of Al Agnew, and are less wordy than the old ones they're replacing. Key meassages include a depiction of the slow SMB growth rates in Ozark streams and encourage anglers to carefully release all sub-legal fish and to practice voluntary catch and release to improve fishing quality. The content and format of the signs has been officially approved by the Missouri Department of Conservation (as in the past) for posting at all MDC owned/leased stream access sites. We're working with other agencies (ONSR, USFS, DNR) to obtain their formal approval for posting at those locations as well. We are planning our official sign posting day for Sunday, May 6th (I will provide details in a separate post) where MSA volunteers will meet for breakfast to receive their sign posting packages and then head out to post a planned 130 or so accesses on about 30 rivers located in the Central and Southern Ozarks. A good turn out is needed to get this important work done. Despite the help we'll receive from largely St. Louis-based members, we will definitely need assistance from other folks around the state in order to effectively hit those smallie waters in the SE and SW portions of Missouri. That's where the outreach to conservation-minded members of Ozark Anglers comes in. We need volunteers to commit to post one or better yet groups of stream accesses on the following waters which we cannot easily reach on a daily round trip from St. Louis. These rivers include the following: SW MO SE MO Sac River Marble Creek (Iron Co.) Turnback Creek Black River (Reynolds, Butler Co.) Pomme de Terre River Indian Creek (Butler Co.) Weaubleau Creek Bear Creek (Wayne Co.) North Fork Spring River Apple Creek (Cape G. Co.) Spring River Crooked Creek (Bollinger Co.) Center Creek Whitewater River (Bollinger/Cape G. Co.) Shoal Creek Cane Creek (Butler Co.) Hickory Creek Big Sugar Creek Indian Creek Elk River Flat Creek James River Finley Creek Clear Creek Beaver Creek - Corps of Engineers Access Swan Creek - Corps of Engineers Access Due to the distance from St. Louis, other streams where additional help may be needed include: Niangua/Little Niangua, Little Black, Eleven Point, North Fork, Bryant, Spring River (Howell Co.), Warm Fork Spring (Oregon Co.) Thanks in advance for your help on this project! Anyone interested in helping out with this angler educational project can contact Dan Kreher via PM on this board or send me a direct e-mail to dankreher@yahoo.com for more information. We'd like to get all the stream accesses across the Ozarks before Memorial Day weekend so they can be out there when the folks start hitting the streams.

Just got back last night from 3 days on Jacks - Buck to Alley. Water extremely clear and about as low as you'd want to float a loaded solo canoe. Water temps were from high 50s to low 60s by late in day. Fishing was OK but bigger fish hard to come by. Put in about 11 on Sunday and took out last night at 6:30. Mostly fished soft plastics - craws/slider worms/sinkos/small tubes with action sporadic. Goggle eye numerous and was able to cobble together a total of 10 over 8 inches (self-imposed minimum length limit) for a little fish fry before dinner. Smallmouth sizes were generally from 9-12 inches for most fish with a few 14-15s thrown in each day but not a whole lot. Fish seemed to turn on about 1 pm on Monday/Tuesday and stay on for a couple of hours. Larger fish finally started chasing spinnerbaits around timber with some current yesterday afternoon. With cathing all those little fish -- a 15-incher seemed like a real pig when one would finally hit. Managed to take a 16 on Sinko not too far below Bay Creek and then biggest fish of trip -- nice 17-incher (photo on Matt's camera) -- hit weightless Sinko about 1/2 mile above Alley take out. A strong finish. Smallies starting to get back on a few beds in choice spots below boulders in slower current. Had a few soft takes but behavior seemed pretty tame in regards to feeding. Expect spawning activity to pick up soon as weather warms back up. Saw lots of larger fish -- particularly in deeper holes below Bay Creek yesterday but not seemingly interested in feeding. Saw two kayak/campers from Springfield area Monday night/yesterday as only fishermen on stretch. Nice fellas. A group of four day trippers below Bay yesterday and that was it for other people on 3 days of beautiful water. Jacks could use some more water though - another few inches in water level and perhaps some color would make trip even better. Awakened by goggling turkey Monday morning before six camping right across from Jam-Up Cave. He went on for at least 30 minutes calling for a hen. Very cool.

Thanks for endorsement. I'll report how we do upon return next week.

Was planning trip on upper Kings River (AR) but outfitter says not sufficient water above Rock House. Plan B is Jacks from Buck to Alley. CFS at Buck gauge at 78 and 1.7 feet. Matt Wier and I taking solo canoes on 3 day trip so load won't be too heavy. Do you believe there is sufficient water for good float/fishing at this level. Last year I did Prongs to Bay Creek in May at about 250 CFS and it was a wild ride at times on upper stretch above Rhymers mostly. Still a couple days of pondering as we're not heading out until Sunday AM. Currently racking my brain mulling over options for 25 miles of water with adequate water, good fishing and great scenery. Jacks hopefully will fit that bill as air temps warm up after cold front passes.

If folks are serious about practicing catch and release, they should be using barbless hooks to reduce stress on the fish and to make their release much quicker. From wounds I've seen on some fish, I wonder what sort of grappling hook guys are using out there. Yeah, I'm glad they released that bass so I could catch it again. But, my God, can you use a pair of needle nosed pliers next time? I've fished barbless for the past 10 years at least both here in MO as well as in upper Midwest and Canada. Do you occassionally lose a fish or two if you don't play them right, sure. But the ease with which a fish can be relatively harmlessly released on a barbless hooked artificial - even one with trebbles -- is remarkable. Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario -- one of the best, yet easily accessible, wilderness fishing destinations in North America, went barbless about 4 years ago. Same as Sylvania Wilderness in the Upper Peninsula -- as well as total C&R there. Barbless hooks have been shown to be much more conducive to higher release survival. Yes, there are places where consumption of sportfish should be relatively liberal if folks' desire is a large number of relatively small fish. Personally, I believe prolific and generally fast growing and short lived panfish are more suitable for a fish fry. For predator sportfish at the height of the foodchain -- stream SMB, carnivorous brown trout, muskies, flathead catfish, etc. I firmly believe there should be many more places where one has a legitimate shot at catching great average size and lunker fish which are being specifically managed for just such an opportunity. Frankly, I'd like to see more of our home waters managed in this latter fashion through area special regs (and enforced) with other areas being managed under comparatively liberal regulations. It sure seems that many on this board would be in favor of some greater quality angling opportunities. To get back to the original point, fish barbless if you're truly into C&R.

I've taken 20 SMB trips to Canada since the late 1980s doing both wilderness canoe trips to Quetico as well as fly-in outpost cabin trips to areas north of there. Avg. SMB size in Quetico is about 15-16 inches with fish going about 2 lbs (thick lake fish). Better ones are 17-18 inches and you can catch lots of those on a good day. Fish of 19 inches are relatively common but a 20-incher is still considered a really nice fish up there. Biggest I've caught is probably 21 or so. Fish in the outpost cabins might average a little smaller but that depends on the particular lake. A 5-pound smallmouth is a real good fish anywhere and not too common in most regions. Perhaps with the long growing season and huge forage base of shad at Pickwick, 5 pounders are caugtht every day - but 5 lbs in most other areas is a really old fish. As verified by the MDC - MO stream smallmouth bass generally take about 10 years to reach 18 inches in length and a 20 incher might be as old as 15 years here. Up North in Canada and Boundary Waters, fish grow even more slowly with verified reports from fisheries biologists of 20+inch SMB being 16-18 years old. That is why, even in these wilderness fisheries, anglers much practice C&R on these larger fish. The days of guys going to Canada to take home stringers of bass, walleyes, etc. are essentially over. Not because the fish are no longer there -- they are. But, because Ontario and other provincial fisheries managers have placed very restrictive length and creel limits on all the desirable sportfish species. They protect SMB during the spawn only allowing 2 fish UNDER 14 inches to be kept prior to June 30th. On walleyes, the fish that many used to head to Canada to fill their freezers, anglers can only keep 4 fish per day (and possession) in NW Ontario and only one of them can be LARGER than 18 inches. Northern Pike are managed with a restrictive slot; Lake Trout are protected seasonally. Tourism dollars from US anglers represent the lifeblood of many rural Canadian areas. Anglers want to catch lots of big fish for their enjoyment and are willing to release the vast majority of them in exchange for that priviledge. Good to see that far-sighted managers are ensuring that quality fishing will continue by preventing unsustainable harvest. I'd like to see our MDC guys adopt a similar stance with regards to quality fishing -- particularly in our easily depleted streams. We'll keep pushing for that day. Sorry to get all preachy on this topic, but it simply pisses me off that our stream smallmouth fisheries continue to be primarily managed for the benefit of consumptive anglers while populations of our larger adult SMB are getting raped by unscrupulous giggers in certain areas. But that's another topic already.

Thinking about hitting the lower Big Piney later this week. Looks like it's come up a bit with Sunday's rain. Anyone been on it yet this "Spring"? Trip middle of last week on Meramec was pretty good with several nice 15-18.5 smallies on Wiggle Warts, spinnerbaits & Husky Jerk. Water temp in mid-50s but sinfully windy. Should probably hit it again, but BP might be nice too. Any info would be appreciated.

I believe that gigging is banned in the various Blue Ribbon Trout Management Areas. Some of them wouldn't float a boat but others are giggable stretches.

Al, I will send you a gigged 14 incher on Meramec just about Hwy 19 Bridge near Steelville. This one didn't make it. Saw another dead smallie in hole that I was unable to snag to take photo. From trip back in mid-January.

I reached out to Kathy Etling today and she is digging up that article and is sending to me. I might have hard copy of it around here somewhere. She isn't doing any writing for STL PD currently but is still writing for other outdoor publications. We'll see if we can get something going on her end on this again. Seems that evidence of illegal gigging activity is building.

Once again Al has brought perspective, clarity and insight into our discussion. Thank you.

MSA is highlighting stream access/tresspass laws in our upcoming newsletter. We've known about the access issues on upper Osage Fork (I believe that's who you're referrign to) for many years and some of our STL-based members have attempted both successfully and unsuccessfully to access that stretch. It comes down to a law enforcement/courts issue. His family's posting (I believe he's now deceased) of that stretch is both lawful and unlawful -- no need to get into that now. Regarding MSA signs -- I handle that program for the MO Smallmouth Alliance as Conservation Chairman. I work with Matt Wier a lot and did not receive word from anyone that they were looking for signs to post last year. Crossed signals or dropped ball I'm not sure. I'd be glad to hook anyone up with signs, list of accesess, posting guidelines, etc. this year when we get our new signs approved by MDC and produced. I'll send out work on Ozark Anglers when the time comes. Regarding ability of our streams to produce World Class SMB Angling -- true all streams' habitat is not created equal. However, if folks are able to catch 18-19 inch smallies in small creeks with very questionable habitat that are protected by remoteness and/or no angler harvest, then I'd surely bet that our larger streams with excellent habitat and food sources are capable of same. Rivers like the Niangua, Current, Gasconade, Meramec and many other others (Crooked Creek, Kings, etc.) have awesome habitat but suffer from a myraid of consumption-based issues many of which have been well-chronicled on this Forum. I and many others on this site have fished a lot of places around North America chasing smallies. We find that -- where angler harvest is curtailed due to special regulations, difficult access, lack of SMB harvest tradition amongst locals, no gigging, reintroduce of river otters, etc etc -- average fish sizes are much higher than we have here in Ozarks. Many of these areas in upper Midwest and Canada have much shorter growing seasons than we do here so their 18-inch fish are just as old as ours (at least 10 years in most cases). Research has proven than natural mortality of adult SMB in streams is extremely low without angler harvest. No reason that a river is capable of producing gobs of 10-12 adult SMB but not gobs of 14-18 inch fish based on food and habitat. Problem is that too many of our fish over 12 inches are harvested by anglers under existing regulations and/or prevalence of catch and keep philosophy. So, MSA clearly does believe Missouri / Arkansas / Oklahoma can produce world class angling for stream smallies if protected and managed for quality rather than under the prevalent maximum sustained yield philosophy which allows the species to be self-sustaining but at expense of quality sizes. That's what MSA is trying to change along with angler attitudes while addressing certain illegal practices like gigging of sport fish. We've not formally taken on the gigging issue since it is a tough one to tackle without alienating a large chunk of folks who enjoy this Ozarks tradition. We are starting to work with MDC on addressing abuses here and Al's recent experience may serve as a great catalyst to launch this initiative. Regarding Illegal Gigging of MDC Tagged Smallies -- MDC did consider this as a risk of unwittingly promoting illegal gigging of fish worth money. Based on my conversation with them back in December on this issue, they'd not yet seen any sort of evidence of this -- yet. I'll circle back with them soon to see if any disturbing patterns in returns tags has resulted since then. Unbelievable!

Saw 2 dead gigged smallies on Meramec around popular Fishing Spring access back in January. This issue clearly needs to be dealt with. I will bring it up to MDC Fisheries Chief Chris Vitello if I get an opportunity this weekend. MDC has informational gigging signs but self-policing ranks of giggers is clearly not sufficient to curb acts of bad apples. We need more enforcement here which, as we know, is a difficult thing to get when budgets are tight. I do like the idea of conducting an enforement sting in areas of suspected illegal gigging activity -- it would likely nail some bad guys and send a message to cut this crap out. Hate to take position that puts all giggers into same boat -- certainly it is a small minority who are the lawbreakers we can only hope. Think this issue needs more attention clearly. Streams like the Meramec, Gasconade and Niangua could become some of the best smallie waters in the country if they were properly managed and laws were enforced -- both for folks using rods & reels and a giggers trident.

Those far SW MO accesses were posted at some point several years ago, but we unfortunately were unable to get to them last year. Sorry for unintentionally misleading readers. Not that I don't think non members don't care about these issues. Clearly posters on Ozark Anglers clearly do. Individuals are just not as likely to be as effective in having their voices heard though if they're not part of our organization. We've got members with lots of different ideas, interests and opinions. But we have to work as an organization to craft our messages, effort our activities and collectively decide how to make a difference. Leaders have to lead or nothing gets done. Join MSA if you'd like to, rattle Gary Lange's cage telling him you'd like to help him get something going in SWMO or remain independent. You can do as you wish. However, it seems uproductive to me that I need to spend energy defending the only organization focused on protecting and improving Missouri's stream smallmouth bass fisheries -- the MO Smallmouth Alliance -- rather than discussing ways how like-minded anglers can help shape the future of our sport and management of our resources. Some folks seem to like complaining while others try and do something constructive about issues. Do we have all the answers -- NO -- but at least we're putting for the effort on behalf of other anglers. It is silly that we have to keep going down this path when we all seem to want the same thing -- better smallmouth bass fisheries -- for both today and future generations.

C&R may not be a reality but it certainly does work to improve angler catch rates and average fish sizes. The Special Regs areas were not about accelerating growth rates. They were about lengthing average fish lives essentially. By that I mean, they were about protecting smallmouth bass from harvest to a longer period allowing them to grow to larger sizes. Objectives were to increase average fish sizes and angler catch rates -- which all have largely accomplished to varying degrees (see MDC White Paper on topic). In fact, the MDC was pleased that SMB growth rates did not diminish notably in the Special Regs Areas. There was some concern that fish growth would decline due to greater competition for food resources with more adult SMB in stream under more restrictive regs. Any slowing of growth rates was very slight. in the Special Regs Areas, the science was proven to work -- not necessarily to the full degree hoped by MDC -- but they were effective. That's why MSA would like to see more of them -- particulary more 18" MLL areas in selected areas as well as a raising of the bar statewide. The initial results of the MDC's tagging studies, which Al Agnew did a good job of explaining in this initial post in this thread, have shown surprisingly high fishing pressure for SMB in our streams (42% of tags turned in for cash in first 7 months of study). No word yet on what percentage of these legal-sized fish were kept vs. released. We have a lot of anglers fishing for SMB in our streams. We need regulations and education which support sustainable, high quality fisheries that allow a reasonable amount of harvest by those so inclined but not enough to reduce these fisheries to mediocre avg fish sizes and proportional stock densities. Our current regime of maximum sustained yield regs (12"/6 fish) do just that. They are better than what we had before they were enacted some 40-50 years ago when we had a 10 fish creel and no MLL. But, it is well past time for a revision in those statewide regs that better fit current angler preferences (sport vs. food) and allow these fisheries to better achieve their potential if managed more effectively.

Perhaps I was a bit presumptous on that point -- not that anyone posting on this board hasn't jumped to questionable conclusions in the past. My hope is that Missouri's citizens are not 'fishing for food' to sustain themselves. I realize that there is poverty out there both in urban and rural areas. Relying on the smallmouth bass population of our streams as a primary food source is not a viable solution to hunger. It's simply not sustainable -- few could argue that it is. I certainly do not begrudge people eating meals of crappie, bluegill or other plentiful panfish. And smaller catfish are mighty tasty as well. Those species are relatively prolific and grow pretty fast. Put and take rainbows are the same way. Hope anglers value slow growing and naturally sustaining stream smallmouth bass populations more than as a food fish. Certainly believe folks on this board do based on the passion displayed. I'll try to refrain from making generalizations in the future.

I never said that MSA has posted our signs at ALL accesses in state. Last year, we hit about 140 public accesses -- I can provide the exact accesses posted by us if anyone is interested. The SW corner of state as well as remote (in relation to STL metro area where most of our members reside) areas in S. Central Ozarks have been difficult for our volunteers to post. We certainly have members in SW MO area (Springfield mostly) but unfortunately our primary volunteer for sign posting down there was unable to help out last year. If anyone is interested in assisting MSA in posting signs at MDC, State Park, USFS stream accesses, please send me a private e-mail and I'll make sure you receive signage, posting materials, signage, etc. We are non-profit volunteer based organization that in 2011 spent hundreds of man hours and drove thousands of miles throughout the Ozarks to hit as many stream accesses as we were able. We don't receive any compensation for our time or for our gas. Not whining here. We do this because it is part of our organization's stated mission. Again, if anyone wants to help out they are more than welcome to speak up. PS -- a former member of the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance, Gary Lange of Nixa, tried to get interest in a SWMO MSA chapter going early last year (on this board) but became frustrated by a lack of interest from folks as almost no one turned out for his organizational meeting. If folks are interested in making a real difference in helping to shape the future of our state's native smallmouth fisheries, I welcome them to get on board with the MO Smallmouth Alliance. Message board postings are interesting and informative, but constructive dialog with fisheries managers will be more effective in really getting things done. MSA has had some leaders emerge in the SEMO area of the state to form their own satellite chapter for members located in that area. They have their own periodic meetings, do an annual river clean up and participate in MSA outings when available. We keep connected through the newsletter and e-mail. Illinois has 3 different chapters in the state that are quite active. We fully realize the MO is a large state and don't expect folks to drive 100 miles to make a meeting. We have about 250 members across the state currently and at most 60 members show up at our biggest meetings. That's quite OK -- people are busy. Still, there is absolutely no reason not to join MSA if you care about the resource. The voices of many are much louder than those of a few.

Getting Ozark anglers to hold our native stream bronzebacks in the same esteem as these other treasured fish is key to changing angler behavior. Some will continue to keep all they catch but hopefully others will value catching that fish too much to reduce it to merely a fried hunk of protein.

Obviously, there is a ton of interest in improving the managment of our beloved Ozark stream smallmouth fisheries to produce higher quality angling. Biologically speaking in those environments with suitable habitat, restricting angler harverst via catch & release regulations or high minimum length limits is the most effective means to achieve this long term objective. Fish will still grow slowly, but they will be protected from harvest to a much greater degree than they are under current statewide regulations. Slot limits can also be an effective managment tool in those fisheries where fish growth is being curtailed by restricted food supplies and too much competition for the resource to support the population. Not so sure these conditions exist to a large degree in our stream fisheries -- likely not. Most high MLLs and slots both typically include reduced daily creel/possession limits that keep better anglers from overharvesting fish. Stream smallmouth bass here in the Ozarks represent the apex predator in the food chain and the most sought after game fish in the majority of our rivers. Expecting our fisheries to remain strong and/or improve under the current 12-inch minimum, 6 fish creel limits (which have been in place since the 1970s/1960s, respectively) is ridiculous. Fishing pressure, easier access, jet boats, etc. all place undue pressure on our adult SMB populations to an unprecedented degree. We need help. The existing special regs areas here as well as elsewhere have shown that quality based regs work to improve smallmouth bass fisheries. The science works, now it's down to educating anglers on the steps necessary to make our bronzeback fisheries better in terms of average sizes and angler catch rates -- basically help them reach their angling potential. Given the majority of anglers preferences today as fishing for the enjoyment of it -- no one really fishes for food in this country (don't even go there) -- our fisheries should be increasingly managed in a manner that serves those interests. I agree, that total C&R on our native SMB fisheries is likely impractical to impose. Perhaps we could propose certain stream reaches for this designation, but they would likely be rather rare. Most C&R is purely voluntary. Updated regs are needed for sure and various proposals have been included here as well as proposed officially to the MDC by the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance (back in 2010). Certainly, there are a number of regs regimes that could work more effectively than the current program in place. I have my concerns about slots limits from both a biological perspective and a angler behavior standpoint. It is likely, based on science, that slots would not be terribly effective in improving angling quality on our SMB streams. Would it serve as a appeasement for catch & keep guys if it the top end of protected range was high enough (18") and the slot wide enough 13"-18"to protect a large swath of adult smallies? Perhaps. I fear that if the regs are liberalized on the low end to allow greater harvest of SMB below 14" for example, come Memorial Day weekend, it will be a free for all by local / consumptive anglers on little smallies on our streams. I'd expect lots of limits of smallish fish to be taken with total harvest numbers initially likely exceeding what we experience under the 12-inch MLL today. But enough on regs. Folks have commented that we need more angler education on the biology of SMB, growth rates, benefit of C&R, etc. The MO Smallmouth Alliance couldn't agree more. For many years we have posted all public stream accesses in Ozarks with our MDC approved Help Create World Class Smallmouth Bass Fishing in Missouri signs. Likely many of you have seen them in field ove the years. We are in process of updating our signage to be more noticeable and impactful with anglers who gain acces to our rivers at public landings. Our proposed sign update will be posted on the MSA website www.missourismallmouthalliance.org website sometime next week. It features a great SMB illustration by Al Agnew as well as valuable info on the slow growth rates of stream SMB (4-6 years to reach just 12") as well as summarizes the existing statewide black bass regs (12"MLL, 6 fish, closed season). Efforts like these, in addition to growing our membership and circulating conservation messages through our newsletter, MSA is working to imrove angler education any chance we get. Regs certainly work, but providing anglers with knowledge might just get them to modify their behavior in a manner that supports more sustainable fisheries long term. Changing attitudes is the toughest part of the process. I certainly appreciate the dialog -- sometimes quite colorful -- on this thread and am pleased to see such strong interest in this topic. MSA will keep working for the benefit of like-minded anglers for the betterment of our fisheries. We will be meeting with the MDC Chief of Fisheries, Chris Vitello, this weekend at the CFM annual meeting at Lodge of Four Seasons. We'll try to express our collective desire to get the show on the road with regards to stepping up the MDC's managment efforts for stream smallies. At an appropriate time (post publication of official angler survey results) MSA is poised to approach Conservation Commissioners on this topic as we have been more than patient here. BTW -- no info on goggle eye angler survey results presented at MSA meeting. Info not yet compiled for publication.

As Conservation Chairman for the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance, I am reluctant to even comment here regarding the Chief's "concers" with MSA. And, I'm not inviting an online dialogue here on that topic - necessarily. I do want to clarify MSA's position regarding our slate of stream SMB management proposals submitted to the MDC's Regulations Committee in early 2010. As formulated, we believe that our suggested three-pronged approach to managing stream SMB fisheries for overall quality are biologically sound and appropriate for those streams outlined. Specifically our group's proposals are as follows: - Increase statewide mimimum length for SMB in all MO streams to 15 inches; decrease statewide creel limit to 3 SMB per day - Increase the number and length of SMB Special Regs waters managed under the 15"/1 fish creel regulations now used on 10 stream sections in Ozarks (9 new stream sections suggested) - Increase the number and length of SMB Special Regs waters managed under the 18"/1 fish creel regulations now used on 2 stream sections in Ozarks (4 new stream sections suggested) Our proposals match closely the manner in which Missouri's streams are managed for smallmouth bass already which provide sustainable angling for stream smallies in good numbers generally but, we believe, fall short of their potential in terms of average sizes and the number of larger fish available. More detailed information concerning our proposals are available on the MSA website (www.missourismallmouthalliance.org). We submitted our proposals in the interest of conducting a more intensified conversation with the MDC regarding the management of our streams for overall quality, e.g. improved proportional stock densities of larger fish leading to angler catch of better averaged sized smallies. Would other proposed regulations changes achieve a similar objective? Could other streams have been proposed to receive special regs? Could we have encouraged the MDC to treat the Neosho subspecies of SMB separately? Could we have suggested protected slot limits for certain fisheries? Yes, yes, yes and yes. Our goal was not to present the be-all-end-all regs for Ozark stream smallmouth regulations. We simply structured our proposals in a manner to closely match the slate of biologically-based regulations regime already in place for our state. We just wanted to raise the bar to improve quality on a more widespread basis. We believe that our actions certainly got the conversation going within the MDC ranks again after seemingly several years of complacency. One tangible upshot of our proposals, we believe, was the MDC's decision to construct and circulate a comprehensive angler survey of our state's avid stream smallmouth and goggle eye anglers to determine their practices and opinions on certain management issues. We feel that this survey will be a great tool with which the MDC can then structure and institute potential managment changes for these species going forward. We anxiously await the release of those survey results to be discussed at our upcoming meeting this week with the MDC (see Ozark Anglers home page for info). Do we want the MDC to adopt our suggested managment changes hook, line and sinker? You bet. Unfortunately, this is not how regulations get enacted in our state. Once we learn the angler survey results, MSA will re-invigorate our activities with respect to our submitted proposals. Our organization remains quite committed to our cause to Create World Class Smallmouth Fishing in Missouri and is equally committed to work closely with the MDC in achieving this long-term objective for the benefit of all avid sporting bronzeback fans in the state. I invite all those interested in this same object to participtate as part of our organization. We will get a lot more accomplished together than as individuals.

Next Wednesday, February 15th the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance will be holding its monthy membership meeting at MDC Powder Valley Nature Center in STL area from 7-9pm. John Ackerson, MDC biologist and coordinator for its stream smallmouth bass management plan, will be presenting to our membership that evening. John will be covering the results of the comprehensive smallmouth bass/goggle eye angler survey circulated by the MDC in early 2011 as well as other pertinent stream smallmouth bass management issues that evening. This is a great opportunity to discuss angler concerns and observations with the MDC's point man on stream smallmouth bass. The Missouri Smallmouth Alliance has found John to be very honest and open in his dealings wtih our membership and he appears to be truly commited to making Missouri's stream fisheries the best they can be for the enjoyment for conservation-minded anglers. John's home managment turf had been on the Eleven Point until recently moving northward late last year as he is now primarily responsible for the Current and Jacks Fork rivers. This meeting is sure to be well-attended and informative for all who cherish our Ozark streams and the bronzebacks who live there. Both MSA members and other interested anglers are invited to participate. There is no charge to attend. Doors open at 6:30. Any non-members wishing to join the non-profit Missouri Smallmouth Alliance that evening are more than welcome to. Annual membership dues are just $20 and include, in addition to receiving the chapter's bi-monthly newsletter (Ron Kruger editor), new members also receive a free 1-year subscription to Outdoor Guide Magazine and six months of River Hills Traveler as well as a copy of the late Chuck Tryon's fine book, 200 Missouri Smallmouth Adventures. We think this is the best bargain in fishing.

I believe this felt sole ban only applies in the state's regulated trout waters -- Trout Parks and those red-white-blue ribbon fisheries as listed on the MDC website. But perhaps you were being facetious.

Currently have two solo canoes -- a Mohawk Solo 14 that I like for overnight camping plus the Vagabond. The Vagabond is great for day trips but I have recently become enamored with the Jackson Coosa sit on top (actually stand on top) kayak. It is made for river fishing and I've seen lots of angler reviews endorsing it as a great craft for smallies. However, my domestic situation requires that I sell one boat before I buy the kayak. Hopefully, I'll find someone looking for a good solo canoe.