ness

Still working on mine. I expect to mail them mid-week.

Saw the story on PBS a couple years ago. Really good stuff. You might be able to find some info through their site at pbs.org

I wonder how much of the stuff they do is 'because that's the way we've always done it' and how important it really is compared to some of the other things they could be working on. My tummy tells me they've got some latitude in what they do, when they do it and where they go. PR? Kill two birds with one stone and do a little PR and write tickets at the same time. I'd wouldn't write them off 9/1 to 1/15, just because it's hunting season. Gawd forbid somebody kills a deer without a tag.

I think the situation could be improved with the agents they already have. Sure, I'd love to have more agents out there scaring people straight, but it seems to me a little cage-rattling could get them to focus on areas where we see the problems. Does anybody know what kinda hours CAs work? I would think that if they put in 40-hour weeks they could cover an awful lot of ground. I'm certain I could hit every major stream access in a county multiple times in a week. And, they could do a lot of good just parking at a popular access for one Saturday a month checking licenses and creels all day. Hit another one the next Saturday. Word will get out and people will be more likely to follow the rules. Hell, just parking a truck at the access would do some good. I've never thought the hiding in the bushes technique sounded very effective. I fished the 11 Point last fall, and was stunned by the fact I could call home from a 1-lane gravel road just up from the stream. Same old phone, same old service (Verizon). Maybe they're covering more areas or maybe I was lucky. Any way, it's worth a shot. I firmly believe the best things people like us can do are report what we see, and better yet, get a dialog going with the local CAs, express our concerns and try to convince them to pay a little more attention the the problems we see.

Ran into this article in the NY Times of all places. Has a nice photo essay on trout fishing in Iowa's 'Driftless Area'. Always looks like such a pretty area; there's a ton of streams up there and pretty easy access I believe. Iowa

I'm hoping my tendency for procrastination will be reduced by my declaring, publicly, in this forum, that I will begin work on my flies.....soon. Snowed in at the moment.

Good points there. Any time you have an 'opening day' you're insuring that it will be popular. For whatever that's worth.

Gary, With your vast experience and abundance of criticisms and ideas, why don't you just step up and volunteer?

Holy crap -- there are piranhas and alligators in LOZ too? The turds were bad enough. I think we need to drain that puppy and start from scratch. You guys can have your thread back now.

Well, you weren't asking, but I'll throw this out anyway: If you've got somebody just starting out, NFOW and Crane are about as tough as it gets. I took my nephew to Crane a couple months ago and it was a struggle. And he's been fly fishing for several years at Roaring River. As for NFOW -- there aren't any fish in there. At least it seems that way sometimes.

Watch out for Champy. Makes Momo look like a cuddly little puppy.

Who are you quoting, Wayne? You can't enjoy the game if you don't know who's playing.

I suspect by 'good trout water' Brian is referring to places where trout tend to be in the wild. And that would be where their predators, including humans, can't see them. Places like fast, broken water, deep water, etc. -- you know: good water. I know Brian, and I'm certain he wasn't trying to slam trout parks or anywhere by saying they weren't the 'good water'. He's a peach. Try 'sight fishing' to a big brown on the Current, or to a rainbow finning in shallow water on NFOW, and see how successful you are. It's not a tactic for every place, every time. It does work at the parks though.

Good stuff right there. I hadn't really thought about it in that way, but you're right -- designation of an area and/or regs do highlight the importance of an area. Now if we could just get a CA to drive by occasionally so people know they take it seriously. I wonder if MDC ever thought of using uniformed mannequins? Or maybe just park a CA truck at a popular access. Kinda started that out as a joke, but the more I think about it, the more I like it. The truck part, that is.

Worked -- just like the last version did, as far as I remember.

I think Phil purposely picked blue for its calming effect. Here's a photo test: It's my son demonstrating that waders work in reverse.

Can Explorer and get the free Mozilla Firefox. Or get a Mac.

Yeah -- I think these guys (MSA) are trying to do some good, and this thread and the other is filled with negative waves, man. It's ok to ask questions, but this seems to be putting them on the defensive -- and I don't think they deserve it.

I found the 'View new content' link -- so I'm good for now. Cleaner, more up-to-date look for sure. I gotta feeling we'll find some cool stuff in here.

Well, you are wrong -- I didn't assume you were targeting spawning fish. My assumption was that you'd be asked the question, and I thought I'd just get it out on the table. It wasn't my intention to call you out, put you on the spot or question your ethics. Sorry if it came across that way. Based on what you've said, I suspect you and I look at things pretty much the same way. They were cool pictures -- something most people haven't seen, especially from such a special place. Thanks for sharing, and again -- I'm sorry.

Had to Google that one. Is this what you're talking about? I found it here: CLICK

Wow -- TJ is a stud! And, a future tax-paying, license-buying, rule-following outdoorsman. Good for him and good for you and his dad for getting him out there!

You know, I don't think the end result has to be an immediate bust to have an impact. If you don't have service, make the call when you you do. If the agent is on the other side of the county when you call, that's a tough break. But you've planted a seed. A couple years ago I called on Crane Creek a couple days after I saw some ya-hoo fishing there with what looked like worms. They said they'd go check it out. Did they do it? Hell, I'll never know. But I sure improved the chances, right? This is about raising awareness and getting them to pay attention to an area. They've gotta patrol somewhere -- make them think about your stream first. The more (legitimate) calls, the better. Remember -- just seeing an MDC truck in the area will be a deterrent to some folks. Sure, a bust would be nice, a conviction and fine even nicer, and a front-page article in the local newspaper about CA crack-downs would be ideal. But it all starts with a phone call. So, act now! That number again: 1-800-392-1111

I just figured someone would ask whether you fished the redds -- given the pictures and all the emotional talk on the subject. So, no -- you didn't miss anything. Just being a smart a*s -- it's what I do.

Feels like I'm beating a dead horse with this, but.... If you're seeing violations, or even evidence of violations, call the game thief hotline. That'll draw attention to an area, and the odds of an agent getting out there go way, way up. No new rules, no new people -- just getting the ones out there to go where they're told. Squeaky wheel, and all that. That number: 1-800-392-1111 again: 1-800-392-1111 Call 1-800-392-1111 within the next 15 minutes and I'll send you some steak knives.