drew03cmc

We have regulations now that are not enforced, so to add more to them, is foolish. I know what Al says on the issue that when a new regulation is put into place, people follow it, however, people don't always know of the changes to the regulations for something like bass. Everyone can quote Al if they want, but Al is just like everyone else on here, a conservation-minded sportsman who enjoys the outdoors and the bounty that the rivers of Missouri offer. I want everyone to see that line at the end of Al's quote. "More restrictive regs don't cost a thing. Sure, I'd like to see better enforcement." I guess that doesn't amount to anything either.

Why draft more regulations Hank? They don't enforce the ones we already have. Maybe we can start by enforcing these, before we get more regulations thrown at us.

Really? You are going to knowingly violate the regulations? Do you keep a sublegal fish because the odds of getting checked are slim to none? I can't believe someone on this site said this.

Good ole upstate NY smallmouth.

They need to put a sting on the giggers. I don't care if the giggers are armed. That is part of the dangers of duty as an LEO.

Not following the inclusion of the New River or the Tennessee River. Those are different habitat types, as well as different regions and as such, have minimal application to this discussion. Highly restrictive harvest regulations does not suggest no harvest.

If I am wrong, show me proof to the contrary. I want to improve the fishing, but honestly, catch and release isn't the way to do it, IMO. Also, there is no way to enforce catch and release fishing. I have never seen an MDC agent on a river in Missouri. If they had a presence and the ability to enforce these laws that keep getting enforced, more regulation might be a good thing. Maybe we can get the MDC to work on enforcing laws rather than enacting more laws that will not be enforced.

I understand your point of view and I respect it. I would have no issues hanging a 20" fish on the wall, and I wouldn't even apologize for it either. I would, however, take good pictures so the taxidermist could get the colors just right and what not. I am pretty satisfied with our current regulations, however, there is always room for improvement. Catch and release is a pipe dream, and while it would satisfy most anglers, it would not benefit the bass population as well as having some bass kept.

Jason, you are right. I don't have as much smallmouth fishing experience as most on this site. I do, however, have unbridled passion for the species and the conservation methods necessary to preserve a resource. I, too, have fished a hell of a lot more before wife and kids, but you know what, I wouldn't trade them for anything, well, almost anything. Eric, I can sympathize with not being able to hit the water whenever I want. I have creeks and ponds up here that I can go fish for an hour here or there, but when i want to get away for a day or two, it takes a couple weeks worth of advance planning. I can completely understand your viewpoint here. It sucks living this far from what we love. How do the current regulations favor the meat fisherman? I like that you can keep a couple fish if you so choose, but most smallmouth bass fishermen that I know will not keep smallmouth anyway. I will put this out here and say that if and when I catch a smallmouth over 20", I would likely keep the first one and put it on the wall. With that said, I would favor a 15/3 or 18/2 regulation statewide. Ron, why don't you continue to make your condescending posts and call people names, while we all talk about the issues. I am glad your life has offered you the chance to spend more time outdoors than in your house, but not everyone has that opportunity. Dan, I was only pointing out the lack of signage on the streams I fish after I saw that you said "all" accesses. The streams I fish most in the Ozarks are the Elk system, including Big Sugar and Little Sugar Creeks, the Spring system, including Shoal Creek. I have never seen one of your signs at any access on those streams. I thank you and the MSA for your mission, but membership in the state chapter isn't on my plate right now due to the six hour drive for meetings. I think you all have the right idea and motivation. What do you quantify as world class smallmouth fishing? I am just curious.

I spend a little money every time I go down there, and normally walk through the shops looking for little trinkets.

I don't feel the need to give my money to some organization to prove my concern for a species. I didn't pay for my new TU membership, Hodgman waders did. I agree with the mission of the MSA, however, I don't think that putting signs up is enough. We have this discussion every year, and neither side will change their opinion, but I am on board if anyone ever gets something going in the SW part of the state. I want to see a group give these streams the attention they deserve, and Gary had the right idea, however, meeting dates and times were not conducive to a good turnout. Eric, you couldn't be more wrong about me either, but that's okay, you have your misguided opinions based entirely upon your holier than thou attitude, so have at it.

No Gavin, I called Dan out on something not true. He said he never said that, and I plainly found it and quoted it to him from his own posts.

Funny, I took that straight from your post. Yes, your exact words are that you posted all accesses. I guess that is wrong though, right? If you recall, the effort by Gary was well received, but when meetings are on a Wednesday night, most of us have to work, and some of us live HOURS away, so Wednesday nights don't work. A weekend meeting would work better, and we talked to him about that, and then haven't heard anything else about it. Keep on beating that drum about if you don't join the MSA, you don't care.

Fish is a cheap food source. If you need food, you can catch fish all day long, limiting on difference species and fill the freezer. It is a perfectly acceptable source of food.

Mitch, your issue is that the MSA is not infallible as you all seem to think. The MSA has NOT posted all public accesses in the state as Dan just stated. I called you guys out on it and you have given a typical response. I am NOT driving 6 hours to a meeting which lasts 2 hours. It is a waste of my time to drive to St. Louis, which isn't a great place for a "state" smallmouth alliance meeting. Perhaps Springfield would be a better meeting place, with meetings on weekends, or somewhere else centrally located in the region. Oh well, have fun in the bass club you all hold in such high regard.

I haven't seen a sign at the accesses I have used. The Elk River system is either forgotten or neglected, which is it? How about the Spring River system, which includes Shoal Creek? Same story. Not to stir the pot, but yet again, if it feeds the Missouri or the Mississippi (north of Memphis), it gets attention from you all. If not, it seems to get forgotten.

Ness, I live southwest of you about a half hour or so depending on where in Shawnee you are. I am sure I am not an inbred hillbilly meat eating poacher, but I am not a city-dweller either...I don't know.

Perhaps they ARE scientists Ron. They might not have your amount of expertise, but they have science backing them up.

Please do research before you post to prevent things like this. Smallmouth are native to the Ozarks, however, they are not native west of the Ozarks. Rainbow trout belong in the streams of the west coast. They do not belong in the Rockies, Appalachians or Ozarks. Since you mentioned them, wild horses, have been in North America for 4 million years. I guess that is wrong though because you said so, right? If you don't agree with MDC, state that, but there is no need to stoop to name-calling.

That is how they work. You know it and I know it.

Eh, hell, over the years, we have gotten good at arguing.

Pheasants deserve the same amount of additional protection as brown trout, none. The current regulations are fine, and in some cases, excessive, but that is neither here nor there. Elk belong here along with mountain lions. Whether or not you agree with it is irrelevant. The elk and the area they have been reintroduced into is far from a zoo, and more wild than most places in Missouri. Otters belong in our rivers and the fish populations may take a couple years to find equilibrium with the reintroduced otter, but if conserving and preserving a NATURAL resource is wrong, what would you have the MDC do? Notice that I emphasized natural. Trout aren't natural here, otters are. I am all for genetic testing of Neosho smallmouth to determine genetic differences between them and northern strain smallmouth. There are notable appearance differences, along with some minor habitat preference differences, but the extent of genetic differences are what intrigue me. I realize that you and I don't agree on much OTF, but we both love the Ozarks and the species native to them. I can definitely agree with you on that one. Wrench, the difference in spoonbill and, say, pheasant, is that the spoonbill is indigenous to this area, much less this continent. The elk are indigenous to this area as well, regardless of what embittered "sportsmen" want to say.

I misquoted you, really? All of that was taken directly from your post. You seem to put things out there and don't like when people disagree, because you have done it all and know it all. I am glad you have your experience, but do not advocate your opinion as fact. It is misleading, and for someone who doesn't enjoy doing things your way, it is incorrect. I wasn't asking for an argument, rather, I was asking that you do not present your opinion as fact as you have done. Present it as how you do it, not how everyone else should do it.

You went there.

I am watching this for information. I would like to believe they both did well.