ozark trout fisher

I agree. I love the ozarks. But one does sometimes feel the urge to hike into to a little mountain stream and fish for native cutthroat and brookies, or something like that. The ozarks is really nice as sort of a bread and butter place to fish, but I find I need to do some real mountain fishing every once in a while. Not this time of year though.

Since its too cold to actually do much in the way of fishing, I figured I'd ask what your guys' favorite fishing destination is in the U.S. Mine personally is the southwestern part of Montana. You just can't beat the trout fishing up there with the Big Hole, Beaverhead, Bitterroot, Jefferson, and all their tributaries. Second in my opinion would be the Adirondacks in New York. You have pretty awesome fishing up there for everything from native brookies to smallmouth bass and pike, in just about every water type imaginable

I just don't care.World records to me a really nothing more than a meaningless statistic. It sure as heck doesn't affect me, or anyone else for that matter. I will say that I wouldn't take a trip all the way up there to target on of those "trout". Not that I would exactly mind catching one..........

I have one goal for this coming year, when it comes to angling... That is to become a better fly fisherman. Nothing real concrete there, but that's my goal.

I didn't have the time to make it to Montauk today, so I just went to Maramec Spring instead. The water was a little up, but plenty clear. I mostly fished the riffle water around the island, and the fish were hitting pretty well. But my reactions were off, and I managed to fail in the most fantastic ways throughout the day. I got plenty of hits, but I either set the hook too fast or too slow pretty much all the time. Finally, I landed a 10" rainbow on a Copper John. I realize that winter trout park fishing is about as high percentage as it gets, but it just wasn't happening for me today. There were plenty of fish, and the water conditions were about perfect, so I have no excuses. Just a tough day. It really reminded me that I'm still learning when it comes to fly fishing. Still, the weather was beautiful, and I was sure glad to be fishing. On a side note, the MDC was doing some kind of habitat improvement in the spring branch. I couldn't figure out quite what they we're doing, but it appeared they we're adding some kind of structure at the lower end of the spring branch.

Tell me... It kinda sounds like based on the tone of your question, you don't think regulations changes in any case are right, even if necessary. Hell, way back whenever that put a 12" minimum and a daily limit of 6 on bass in this state, I'm sure there were people moaning that the MDC was pushing restrictive regs forced on everyone else. I personally have no want to make anything harder for any other fisherman, but I do see, at least in the streams in this part of the state, that some streams are simply receiving more harvest than they can handle, and if we expect to have quality fishing in the years to come, we need to cut back on the number of fish harvested. Some laws are necessary. It just baffles me, as I know your as conservation minded as any fisherman on this board, that you are totally opposed to any new regulations on bass. You can't tell me that some streams wouldn't benefit. Would you be opposed to some more SMAs on selected streams, or is it just the statewide nature of this that rubs you the wrong way? I understand that a fisherman in Southwest MO doesn't want regs pushed on them from a group of anglers in the St. Louis area. But if that's the case, can we please put the regional aspect of this down for a bit? I know all of us want better smallmouth fishing, so it's not like we have polar opposite goals here.

I like the idea of switching to a 14" and 3 statewide limit, and then working from there. That at least guarantees more protection for all streams, then we could set about making exceptions for streams that have special needs. In my opinion, that's where slot limits, catch and release regs, etc come in. I do wonder in the back of my mind if a slot limit actually would be best as as statewide limit, maybe something like 10" to 15". I have a feeling that may have a negative effect on smaller streams, where few fish grow to 10" in the first place. In the end, we just need to find something that is better than the current system, that a reasonable number of us can agree on. If any of us are too insistent about one particular aspect of the plan, we will never come up with anything to present to the Missouri Department of Conservation. I know some of you all are just leery of the idea of new regulations, but I hope that wouldn't come between you and doing what is necessary to protect one of the most important native gamefish in our state.

I have a few ideas regarding your first question. According to the people I've talked to, a lot of folks are just getting tired of the channelized, "high fence" nature of Maramec Spring. The way they have "improved" the stream has made it so there are basically just a series of long, slow pools. That's great for the meat fisherman who wants a quick limit, but those who are looking for something a bit more sporting often walk away disappointed. As fly fisherman, and catch and release fisherman steadily become more common on our trout streams, it seems that those folks would be trying to steer clear of Maramec Spring, thereby reducing the number of tags sold. Those who are looking for more classic trout water are going to just bite the bullet and drive the extra 45 minutes to Bennett or Montauk, or one of the wild trout creeks. That's my best explanation anyway.

Here's what I got, fishing wise for Christmas... Everyone knows I like to fish, but they do not seem to understand the idea of spin fishing, trout fishing, bass fishing, or especially fly fishing. You see, all of my family is composed of a bunch of baitfishing catfisherman, so my gifts reflected that a bit. Here goes 1. 3 bags of Berkely Catfish Stinkbait 2. A whole bunch of baitholders for catfish bait 3. A huge spool of 50 pound test 4. Several wire leaders 5.A bunch of egg sinkers I appreciate the thought anyway

I believe that its very possible that global warming could in the future cause a change in species composition, if it hasn't already. Of the three black bass species, smallmouth prefer the coolest water, so it seems that the warmer the water becomes, the larger the higher the chance that former smallmouth water is taken over by spotted or largemouth bass. I fear that it could end up pushing smallmouth bass closer to the major springs that feed north flowing Ozark streams, and it may totally cause the smallmouth bass populations in rivers that are not heavily spring-fed (Bourbeuse, Big) to become totally extinct in less time than we would like to think. I don't think that was the cause of the spotted bass migration in the 1980s, but it probably helped them to survive and spawn in water that they normally could not have survived in. The Bourbeuse, the Big, and the Meramec below the Bourbeuse River has always been spotted bass habitat, and climate change probably had nothing to do with the spotted bass migration there. It may,however, have allowed the bass to migrate further up the rivers than they previously could have.

I had planned to hit the 11 Pt in the next few days, but with the water levels I'll have to change plans. I'm heading down to Montauk, as the water levels are totally fine there.

The water levels looking fine.... It's at 130 CFS and dropping. Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

According to the AGFC website, 30,000 rainbows are stocked every March in the lower sections of Bull Shoals Lake.

I'm heading down to Montauk for C&R on on either the 27th or 28th, and I'm not quite sure what to expect... I've fished Montauk during the Catch and keep season dozens of times, but I was just curious if the fish still held in the same areas during the winter. I often fish the riffle water a ways up above the old mill dam during the catch and keep season, and do pretty well. Is that still a good bet in winter, or will they be hanging in slower water?

I agree with you on all but one point.. I really think the Current River especially is in need of at least two separate regulation zones. I think the Akers to Two Rivers stretch should be managed under White Ribbon regs... That's fairly small water, and I think it has more potential as a "numbers" fishery than a trophy fishery. But from Two Rivers down to the state line, I think it would be an excellent candidate for Blue Ribbon regs. That's big water, and it seems like the kind of habitat that should produce really big smallmouth. That section is really not living up to its potential now.

Just out of curiosity, why would spotted bass suddenly be moving up the Meramec or Gasconade River in the 20th century when they have already had thousands of years to do so? If spotted bass were meant to be in north flowing Ozark streams, one would think that they would have been here long ago. But there is no evidence to support that they have. In my mind, they're are a few plausible explanations for the migrations of spotted bass into northern Ozark streams, and none of them are due to natural causes. 1. They were stocked in a Missouri River tributary (which they in fact have been), and migrated down the Missouri, and found they're way to the Gasconade (or in the case of the Meramec, they went down to the Mississippi, and entered the Meramec from there. 2.Relatively new installments of dams on the upper Missouri River decreased its turbidity (and therefore decreased the turbidity of the Mississippi), allowing spotted bass to use these rivers as migration routes. This works well in conjunction with possibility #1. 3. There was an undocumented stocking of spotted bass in the Meramec and/or Gasconade River. 4. Spotted bass had been living in the Mississippi and/or Missouri Rivers near the mouths of the Meramec or Gasconade for years, and global warming made these streams better spotted bass habitat. If this was the case, it would have to be as a result of man caused global warming, because no natural warming cycle can cause such a quick change in habitat. I find the possibility that global warming caused the migration extremely unlikely, but I don't know for sure. These are really the only explanations I can come up with for spotted bass entering these streams in the last half century or less. All of these are the fault of man, and if any of these explanations are correct, the populations of spotted bass these streams couldn't be considered anything but unnatural.

I think that the ribbon system would make since to most anyone, and it sounds like the best plan anyone has thought of. I do have one question. What effect on the overall numbers of bass would there be if a slot limit was put in place as opposed to the current length limit? I would assume numbers would go down, while the size structure would improve in those streams. Is that an accurate assertion? I am more than willing to sacrifice some 10 inchers for more quality fish. I'm just curious. Another difficulty with the plan would be classifying every single smallmouth stream in the state of Missouri as one "ribbon color" or another. There are hundreds of streams in the state with smallmouth populations, and it would take a very long time to analyze (or collect) the necessary data to categorize them. I think it's a very worthwhile effort, but I'm just trying to be practical about it. But I do want to make it clear that if you all think this is the correct plan, and believe it can work, I will whole-heartedly support it.

That does seem odd that he says this... But how come everyone (including the MDC), considers smallmouth bass native to Missouri? Is it it possible that Mr. McClane made a mistake, and simply forgot to list the Ozark region, or had somehow received incorrect information? I'm not saying he is wrong. I would just like to know where he got his info. I've always kinda assumed smallies are native to the Ozarks, because that is simply what I've always heard. But if there is evidence to the contrary, I would truly be interested to hear. I'll readily admit you know more about this issue that I, or most other folks on this forum, but I do know that it is considered common knowledge that smallmouth are native to Ozark streams. That doesn't necesarily mean its the case, but you get what I'm saying.

The Salt still has a smallmouth population.

Thanks for the advice... The sight casting method will work fine in the parks, but I may have to look for other ways when I fish waters where the water isn't so smooth topped, or where the fish are just too wary to sight cast to. I think I'm gonna try to learn how to Czech nymph, but it's gonna take awhile before I'm proficient at it. I only say this, because in some of the streams I fish, trout seem to spend a lot more time in the riffles than the pools, and they stay hidden pretty well.

Alright man... I really did catch that fish, but I ain't gonna be able to prove it to you, so I'll stop trying. No pics = no bragging rights, so I'll just have to deal with that

Thanks... That fish probably gave me the craziest fight I've ever had. I can't even count the times that I thought that tippet was gonna snap. I don't even really know how I got it in, but frankly I think I just got really lucky. Also, I'd love to hear any places I could hang into some smallies up in the Adirondacks... I found a few places where I could catch just about as many 8 inchers as I wanted, but I never found any quality fish while I was up there last time. I'd love to hear any place where I could tangle into any smallies in the Adirondacks. Last time I was up there, I found a few streams where I could catch a bunch of eight inchers, but I couldn't find any real quality streams.

To be honest, I was just being lazy. The leader I'd been using for trout all day was 7x, and I just didn't feel like switching it out. I don't think I had any stronger leaders with me that day anyway, cause I wasn't planning to fish for smallies.

I will bring a camera. Although the last time I was up there is part of the reason I'm a little nervous about wading with one. We'll just say that the West Branch of the Ausable has a pretty nice digital camera somewhere. I heard all about Champy last time I was up there. I met up with an uncle that lives up there that swears he's seen him........................