ozark trout fisher

Maybe I'm totally wrong... But when I floated that river it really did look like a classic brown trout stream. I think the MDC should put some in, but I guess the forest service wouldn't go for it. Maybe they would be okay with it if they replace some of the rainbows with browns, that way there would be no more trout stocked in the end... I think they'd have the potential to grow pretty large, and if it hurts anything you could just stop stocking them, and I doubt if there would be a long term effect. But I don't know the river well at all, so I guess I'll keep my mouth shut on this one.

My bad. I thought there was, but I guess not.

But then again there is little appearance difference between a steelhead and a rainbow..... And we give them separate world records. Still, I think the world record should stand as is, no asterick either. Fishing and DNA testing just don't seem to go together in my opinion... A rainbow is a rainbow.

The Eleven Point is a cool place, I would go their if you could.... I've only been to the Eleven Point once, paddle up from the Greer access to the Highway 19 shoal before my float and got quite a few. But if not, Bennett isn't bad like others have said. Lots of trout of course, but then again lots of fisherman. You could also look to your east to the Meramec Red Ribbon and Little Piney Blue Ribbon area. Both are good wade fishing options for trout, although the Meramec hasn't been fishing well the last couple times I went. Piney has. If you go that way, I can tell you the directions to accesses. Just ask,and I'll send you a PM.

I read in some book somewhere (sorry to be so unspecific, just don't remember the name of the book) that there is a history of McClouds in the river, not sure how strong they are in the gene pool. Anyway, that's a truly beautiful fish..... I haven't been trout fishing in altogether too long, its good to see some nice pictures.

Seriously, didn't we just discuss this???? We don't need to do this again.

I just say its a great catch, regardless of genetics.... Putting an asterick by their world record would be, to me, like saying a Florida strain bass doesn't count. I think its rainbow trout, bigger than the world record, so it should count. The exact make-up of its DNA doesn't matter to me.

I agree. Some people wonder why I'd rather catch a really pretty 9" wild brook trout or smallmouth bass, than 3 pound largemouth, and I can't really answer them. Its just how I feel.

Agreed. I bet there are some monsters in there. Busch Wildlife just gets so much pressure, I don't fish it too much anymore. But, there is a pretty decent variety of fish there, so I guess its not all bad.... Have you ever fished for musky in that lake they stock them#35, I believe? I have not heard much about that before, but it would be fun if there were a decent number. Just doesn't look like good musky habitat to much to me, but who knows.

That's true. They're not native, but personally I would call them wild, because they are stream-born. Some don't ever call a hatchery fish wild, and I understand that opinion too. Maybe stream-born, or self-sustaining would be a better way to put it. I don't know. Like I said earlier, its not that big of a deal to me whether its a resident fish, or a truly wild trout. After a while, a resident fish doesn't look or act like a silver bullet, so it just doesn't matter to me.

Yeah, compared to a smallie stream Busch is definitely a bore, but there ..... Except in the winter, and sometimes even then.

You remind me of good old Scudz Rule, for those of you who know what I'm talking about.......... I wasn't trying to start a war, just saying that I wouldn't personally be comfortable taking fish from public water to put in a private pond. JMHO But its not a big deal. Take a few, just make sure they're legal fish and I know I don't really care that much. By the way, I'd like to see you make your argument about the fishing license to a conservation agent. I have a feeling that wouldn't go over too well.

All I can say is my standards rose twice in one week :lol: :lol: Triploid or not, that's a great fish. I say congrats to both new world record holders. Pretty amazing fish.

Mine isn't exactly what you'd call a good inflatable unfortunately.... You might even say its a pretty bad one. Does the job usually though. I do use treble hooks in it, but I have to be pretty careful. I have had them make a pretty decent leak in my kayak before, but then again it is a pretty crappy one to be honest.

I don't know about crappie... But if they are anything like Green Sunfish, they'll kill your pond. The lakes around where I live are all infested with green sunfish, (which have large mouths, and eat the same things growing bass do). All of these ponds have generally stunted bass, a 15 incher is considered a real nice fish. Just be careful what you stock in your pond, that's all I have to say. On a side note, I'm not at all sure its even legal to bring gamefish from a public water back to your pond. Anyway, it just doesn't seem right, taking fish from a public water, and bringing back to your own pond, I dunno about that. Just throwing it out there, but the MDC will stock your pond with largemouth, catfish, and bluegill. Might be the way to go. And if you do the MDC stocking plan, you do not have to allow anyone to fish your pond you don't want to. Let me say that again... You do not have to provide public access to your pond (although I'm sure folks would appreciate if you did) if the MDC stocks it, although you do have to follow statewide regs. And I seriously doubt that smallies would survive, or reproduce. They tried stocking those in Lake Sherwood (a deep, spring-fed lake that you'd think might be able to support them), and they died of pretty quick. A small pond will be cool enough to support them. Any cool water probably will not be oxygenated enough. But if its where a trout hatchery usd to be, who knows.

Welcome to the forum... Just don't expect the bass to be as big here as in Florida

Maybe he will trade his new 1.3 million dollar boat for my 14' foot jon boat.... I'll even throw the trolling motor and the paddles in if he asks real nice.

Yeah, I got a rack I have to put on my truck every single time I load up my canoe or jon boat... Not that hard, but not really worth it when I'm just going the Bourbeuse or something for an hour or two. The canoe is nice to have when I'm going out for a full day though. You just don't have to worry about it popping, plus it handles a lot better. With the kayak, mostly I just paddle up to a riffle, and get out and fish it.

Yeah, I got a canoe, but its too difficult to load up for just a short trip... So I just generally use the inflatable for short trips where I only have a couple hours to fish. Never tried a real float trip with it, just paddling up and down from accesses.

Yes.

Yeah, just a few miles down I think... The Missouri has always intimidated me a bit, just so much water to fish. But I'm excited to get out and give it a try this fall. Hope to see you on the water.

Yeah, I don't think they can ever be truly wild. But they can begin to act almost totally wild I think, so I its not a big deal to me... A trout stocked a year ago in the Eleven Point is the same to me as a wild trout in the Little Piney. Just my take.

Yeah, theres a boat ramp in Washington, down in the Riverfront park, about a mile from the bridge. I've lived right here, all these years, and only fished the river once. I gotta change that. And all the times I've driven by the Labadie power plant without even knowing.....

You'll probably do better for smallies way upriver. Floating might be tough, but you should be able to make it work.