troutfiend1985

I'm sure that there will be alot of people down there, and I won't be one of them. While I don't get excited about arm to arm fishing, I do like opening day because I know that spring is almost here. This year, more than any that I can remember, I am wishing for spring to be here. We've been pounded, both in KC and down in the Ozarks. So, anyone here going to any of the trout parks tomorrow? Anyone going down soon? I'll be at Roaring from March 18th to the 20th. Good luck, tight lines (and hopefully no hooks in the head ).

How does Capps fish in the Summer? I have only fished it in the Winter and Spring but I am planning on making a couple of trips down there this summer if the fishing is worth it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the MDC only stocks White Ribbon Streams in the colder months correct? Anyways, I'm just wondering if the stream holds up well and if there are any hatches of note. Thanks.

Just checking to see if anyone has been out lately. I'm thinking about getting out there as soon as the ice melts. I've heard that people are catching trout off of the docks.

Nope. LOL. Probably not missing that much either, like it was stated above it's kind of a tourist article. But, if your at Bass Pro or Borders, you might want to look at it. You could always try typing it in on Google.

Just thought that I would put it out there. It's not everyday that you see an article on Ozark streams that don't involve the White River. Crane only gets a pssing mention in it, which I'm glad about. It's nothing to go out and buy unless you are unfamiliar with the streams in our state. Wish this cold weather would snap.

I don't know of any other places that match your description. I don't think any of the streams in the KC metro area have hybrids in them, but I would love know if I'm wrong. What type of set up are you throwing for them? I live in Raytown and I've gone for them a couple of times at James A. Reed. I always see them school shad up, and I know that there are a few horses in those ponds. I can't wait for winter to be over, this cabin fever thng sucks.

I understand how a C&R discussion can be pointless. I just don't understand someone trying to make a point of a less harmful way of fishing that C&R. I know that C&R doesn't equate to no kill, but what other way can a person fish that is less harmful?

I don't think I know of a way to fish that is less harmful than C&R, but hey I don't know everything. LOL. I think mortality rates are a part of the sport, yes some fish you release will die, its unfortunate. As for my comment, it was aimed at poachers. I personally feel that wild trout streams should be C&R, but that is only my opinion. If someone wants to go to a wild trout stream and legally keep a trout, so be it. Would I frown on it? I couldn't say that I would be pleased but no, I wouldn't look down on it either because it is within the regulations that our state feels is adequate to protect wild trout and satisfy the needs of anglers. More holy than thou? Hardly, maybe I'm left wing on this issue, but I don't tip my nose up at those who legally catch fish and wish to keep them. I think my statement was charged because of the comment that we should treat wild trout as if they were stocked, and that is something that cannot happen if we wish to preserve our limited wild trout populations.

Are you asking about Hickory or Capps, or both? LOL. If you're asking about Capps, I would go with a sz 16 BH Olive pheasant tail nymph. Worked well for me the last time I was there. Sz 16 gray scud is hard to beat anywhere, I know the last time I was there I saw few to any rises. Think nymph and deep, hit the pools and good luck. I'm going down next Friday, hoping to one of these browns that Ollie keeps bragging about

I have a question about the Niangua as well. I'm taking it that the trout population would be pretty good as Bennett is right there, but what is the structure like at Barclay? Is there alot of rocks or other types of structure? I'm thinking about going down sometime but I was curious to know what the stream would be like. Thanks

I hope those who lost their jobs can find employment quickly. As for the plant, I wonder if they are really dumping into the creek. If someone knows of that activity they should report it, as I'm sure that the plant could be fined. Hopefully the creek will prosper from this and those who are affected will find jobs.

Sounds like a great trip. You said a golden trout in the White? I never knew that they were in there.

Well, I learned something. I didn't know that a foul hooked fish could not be kept. It has never been a real issue to me as I mainly catch and release, but I am sure that I have broken that law once or twice in my life. Won't happen again.

I was thinking on going just after July 15th, that seems to be the date when the smaller streams open up. My idea was to get away from the crowds and get into the back country. I appreciate the help you guys have given, does anyone know of a good book on yellowstone because there are so many and I don't know if there are one's that are alot better than the others.

I don't know if you are interested in buying another one, but I found this book on Amazon.com. Here's the hyperlink. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1602390487/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0963883291&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=03FGCWZX4BW1N0BJVY96 looks like you can get a used one for fairly cheap. I hate it when I loan a friend something and never get it, squatters rights I guess. Hope that helps.

I'm going to Yellowstone this summer, I was wondering if anyone knew of a good guide that I could contact. I also have one other question, how bad are the Grizzlies up there? I'm really wanting to get into the back country, but man the I do not want to see National Geographic take place in front of me. I just have this picture of me accidentally wandering up on a Grizzly and me getting beaten like a guy in an early 80's Mike Tyson fight. Any help would be appreciated.

OK, I'm not trying to be a jerk. If you guys want to have pissing contest do it on another forum, either that or this forum is going to die. We know, gigging is effective, so are electronic fish finders lets move on. Lets get to the real stuff, ideas on how to reach poachers through education. Any ideas? Any thoughts or comments?

I like this idea, and I hope that I never came off as someone dismissing education totally, I just wanted to hear something more than education is the answer. My only concern with the idea of traditional education is that the majority of the people, if not all of the people, who come to these meetings will not be the ones who are causing the problems. That is not a shot at the idea of education, I just think that it might be the unfortunate truth. However, if the meetings can get enough people to listen the power of peer pressure might work, or the power of reporting. The bass boats v. gigging lights thing needs to stop, it doesn't really influence the problem in one way or the other. Yes, bass boats and the fish finders have improved and I'm sure that the gigging equipment has improved as well, so lets move on. I think in order to give these meetings credibility, that giggers need to be there. And if you could actually get those who the community suspects practices illegal tactics, all the better. I would hope that if someone is setting up this meeting, that the central focus of the meeting is conservation and responsible practices. This would go for fishing as well as gigging. In order to address the situation that seems to be the crux of this problem the people who are causing the problems will need to get the message, again applying the same treatment to gigging as well as fishing. This is where I expect the mud to kick up. Their needs to be an incentive for people to show up, both conservationist and poacher alike. Maybe a local expert in gigging, you know the whole carrot before the stick. While the expert, and again this is only an idea, is talking about effective techniques, he could also speak on the importance of conservation. Just throwing a dart at the wall in the hopes that it might stick. If, however, the people who are causing the problems are not present at the meetings, the use of education will not overcome the problems of poaching.

I don't think that restricting gigging is the formula to one type of fishing only. Whatever California does has no bearing on this conversation. Yes, in the future Missouri might adopt similar restrictions, but I seriously doubt the policy decision will be because there is a superior way of fishing and that we should support that method at the expense of another way, or that California does this so we should too. I haven't seen anyone blast using live bait, powerbait or spin fishing or claiming that fly fishing is superior or say that "real fishing"= xyz. And if they did then they are speaking on a subject with meritless arguments. I think, and this is only from my observation of the discussion, that the real issue at heart is protecting sport fish from poaching. I guess that when it really comes down to it, I don't see anything that will be done about this problem in the near future. Sure, call the hotline when you witness the act or the evidence of the act. But, is this forum and the people who are concerned with this problem going to actively do anything? Or is this a forum where we drink coffee and discuss a bunch of hypothetical solutions without taking the issue to the next step? By the next step, I mean a local representative or the MDC. So my bottom line question is; what is this forum really about and where is it going?

Chief, let me turn the tables a bit, what is your suggestion in regards to education? What more can MDC, or a conservation group do in order to reduce this problem? It seems to me that a previous post states that there are signs aimed at poachers, if these aren't effective then why? It seems that there is a group here that is very adamant about not having more enforcement, but there are others that also say more laws are useless because we can't enforce them. Bottom line question is, if an education route is chosen then what does it need to look like? Taking a playbook out of MADD. I agree that education is valuable, but to me a person can be educated on this issue by looking at mdc.mo.gov or contacting a local agent or reading the regulations, all of which are free and highly accessible. It is a person’s duty to know the law, as the old saying goes 'ignorance is no excuse.' Are these people truly ignorant of the laws, or do they turn their head away from it? Chief I know that you have to be a conservationist as I have read your posts, but how can we reach the poachers? I am all for education over enforcement, but how can we make education work? It is easy to say that we need to talk to the drunk drivers or poachers, but when the drunk drivers and poachers don't freely come to the meeting then how can we reach them? I have a hard time believing that a person thinks he can go onto public land and do whatever he wants however he wants, but I could be wrong and it wouldn't be the first time.

Catch a Hybrid Striper on the fly rod, catch a Musky on the fly rod. But, the big goal is to catch a cutthroat at yellowstone. Going up there this summer and I am going to explore the small creeks. I guess my other fishing goal is to not be eaten by a Grizzly.

I think that it is fun as a get out. I wouldn't take it over fly fishing for bass, hybrids or carp and JAR, but it beats the hell out of sitting at home. I fished with spoons and had a ton of fun. Rainbows hit well when there is enough ice to support fishing.

I went out on Saturday to walk my dog. I noticed some tracks out on the ice and wondered if anyone went. I didn't, but I went a few years ago and caught a few trout through the ice on spoons and had an absolute blast. I was wondering if anyone else went. I looked at the ten day forecast and it looks like the ice season is probably over, although with the way this winter has been going you can never tell.

So was the brown trout that was caught in the Little Red BS? I don't have a problem with a world record fish coming from non native waters. Fish are so spread out that they are constantly in non native waters and it doesn't seem fair to hold it against a guy because someone decided to stock a certain species of fish to waters that they were'nt native. Personally, I would take any record fish that I could get.

Zach, I've seen them in Bodarc chasing shad. They get big too, or they srock them big, one or the other.