Missouri's Winter Trout Season Trivia

[laker67]

How many out there can recall Missouri's very first "no creel" winter trout season? With no creel season upon us again, I thought it might make for an interesting topic. I would like to hear some facts and stories from some of the early days of "no creel" to the present season as we know it. There have been some changes and modifications along the way. Anything you can recall would be interesting. Thanks to MDC, we get the opportunity to fish areas that were normally closed from Nov to Mar every year. Tell me what you remember from your first "no creel" season.

[laker67]

Maybe no one out there can recall the first "no creel" season. I'll help refresh your memory. I had the privilidge of fishing the opening day of the first no creel season. It was Dec of 1976, I think the 11th. I cannot recall how many parks were open for that opening season, but I think that BSSP was the only one. Zone 1 was the only water that you were allowed to fish. You had to purchase a special "no creel" permit, and had to check in and out at the hatchery office. Fishing season was Dec and Jan only. I know for a fact that you could fish on Saturday, but I am not sure about Sunday for that first year.

[snagged in outlet 3]

Hey Laker67

Okay, I'll bite. Don't hold me to the year because it was a long time ago. The first time I went it had to be close to the opening season, but I don't think it was opening day that year though.

It was Bennett and we checked in at the shed next to the hacthery. I don't think the store was open for the CnR season back then. We had to buy the permit, which I believe was $5 for the season. It was very cold and the wind was blowing pretty hard. I remember my cheeks were chapped we were done.

We were the only two that had checked in and we had the place to ourselves. Back then they let go the big females they didn't want to keep over the winter. We caught fish from the get-go and had a bunch of big fish in the mix. We never left the spillway area down to the Bluff Hole, and it was awesome!!

When we were done fishing we got back to the truck and my front tire was nearly flat. The MDC guys aired it up at the shed for me and we drove into Lebanon for a fix. We dove home in the rain to St. Lou and talked about how great the day was. I figured at the time, it would always be just us and the fish for the whole winter.

SIO3.

[fishinwrench]

the first C&R was in 1976 ? Naw, It hasn't been that long... has it ?

[laker67]

Hey Laker67

Okay, I'll bite. Don't hold me to the year because it was a long time ago. The first time I went it had to be close to the opening season, but I don't think it was opening day that year though.

It was Bennett and we checked in at the shed next to the hacthery. I don't think the store was open for the CnR season back then. We had to buy the permit, which I believe was $5 for the season. It was very cold and the wind was blowing pretty hard. I remember my cheeks were chapped we were done.

We were the only two that had checked in and we had the place to ourselves. Back then they let go the big females they didn't want to keep over the winter. We caught fish from the get-go and had a bunch of big fish in the mix. We never left the spillway area down to the Bluff Hole, and it was awesome!!

When we were done fishing we got back to the truck and my front tire was nearly flat. The MDC guys aired it up at the shed for me and we drove into Lebanon for a fix. We dove home in the rain to St. Lou and talked about how great the day was. I figured at the time, it would always be just us and the fish for the whole winter.

SIO3.

Thanks SIO3. Those yearly years were pretty spectacular. If the weather was bad, you could bet that not much of a crowd would show up. I'm not sure which year that zone 2 would have been open. Only zone 1 was open the first year. The 5 dollar permit was called a "no creel permit". In the early days, the park store was not open. The park store set next to the shed that you referred to. Can you imagine being the only people on the creek, this day and age? Thanks for taking time to respond.

[AZ_Trout]

I don't remember that far back. But one of the first winter seasons for my son and I was 1988 at RRSP. Chris was in 2nd grade - I'd guess 8 years old. He could work a spinning rod well enough to function on his own. We went up to the hatchery and bought our winter permits, rigged up and started fishing. Up by the top pool, Chris hooks up with a +5 lb fish on a spinner, gets it in and let's it go. Later he shouts WOW look at this one, he is on the top bridge in fast water, I thought he snagged a stick and was being funny, until I was the fish move, jump and roll, I 'd guess close to 8lbs. It jumps again and throws the spinner. Now at this point I'd sat down and cried, Chris laughs and says "had to let it go anyhow". Later down by the lodge Tim's fishing the same hole as Chris, Tim has a nice 15 inch bow on the fly rod, he asks Chris "you want try one on this rod?" Chris does, and from that point on he has been a Flyrodder, 1st and almost only. We pretty much started a family tradition, that Thanksgiving weekend, Chris, my brother in law, and I went to RRSP for Catch N Release. We tried to work in 1 or 2 more trips in the winter season for the next 6-7 years until we moved from Topeka to Tucson. I still toy with the idea of flying in to KC and driving down for C&R.

[laker67]

AZ,

A great story, thanks. I hope you get to make another trip to RR. It's 4:30 AM here, and I'm headed out the door to fish my 33rd season of C and R.

[dave potts]

1976 sounds about right. I remember the fishing being really good those years. It was around 1982 or so when I went down with my youngest son who was around six at the time. It was a rather cold weekend and we practically had the place to ourselves.

I also recall one year when I started the morning up by the Holland Dam and could only see two other people-one about 100 yards downstream and one up by the guage house.

Those early years you got the tag over at the garage and could tell how many people were there by the number on the tag. A hundred people would be considered a large crowd.

Dave

[laker67]

Dave,

Back then 100 people would be considered a large crowd. The earliest "no creel" permit that I can locate, with all 4 trout parks listed, is 1982. Can anyone out there recall when MDC added the other parks to the no creel season? At BSSP, as time went on, the other zones were opened to the winter season. 1978 was the earliest that I show zone 2 open. I can't recall on zone 3. Additional days were added to the season, first Friday, and then Monday. When the weather was bad, and the crowds were light, it could be some of the best fishing of the year. Thanks for your comments Dave.

[bikehikefish]

My in-laws lived outside Salem, so when we visited for the weekends in the early '80s, I would drive to Montauk for the catch and release.

One day, as I left the farm about 7:00 AM, it started to snow. By the time I got on 119 there was 4 inches on the road. Getting down the hill toward Pidgeon Creek wasn't bad, but the wheels started to spin going up the hill on the other side. Almost made it to the top before I went off into the ditch (on the hill side, not the cliff side, luckily). At that time, some guy lived in a trailer next to the creek at the bottom of the hill, so I decided to ask him if I could use a phone. The worst part of it wasn't the $50 towing fee, or the guy in the trailer calling me a dumbass, it was hearing the siren in the park going off as I trudged down the hill. Eventually got to park, and had a great day of fishing.

Another day when I arrived at the park at 8:00, it was about 29 degrees and sleeting. I was the only fisherman there at the siren. The park employee who checked me in (in those days you had to purchase a no creel permit and present it at the office each day before you fished) said "you gotta be crazy!