Best Blue Ribbon Strem In Missouri?

[ness]

What you refer to as a wild trout creek, does not exist. All of the areas are stocked with hatchery raised fish on a routine basis. And yes they do stock 20 inch fish on occasion. The majority of the fish are 12 inch because that's what they stock. Most never make it past 12 inch in the wild, because of predators, such as man, river otter, mink, and blue herons. The fish always go through the ritual of spawning, but very few eggs survive. Even fewer hatchlings survive.

Laker76:

Mill Creek, Blue Springs Creek, Barren Fork and Crane are not stocked. Rainbows haven't been stocked on NFOW for many years, though they do stock browns. There are no documented stockings on Crane since the 1800s. They're not native, but they are wild in that they're stream-bred, and have been for many, many years. Rainbows will reproduce in MO. Browns go through the motions, but don't reproduce.

The bulk of the fish are smaller on the small streams because that's what the habitat dictates. Yes, there are larger fish than 12, and a lot far smaller than that. Again, it's dictated by the habitat, and even the small creeks can support a few large fish.

[laker67]

Laker76:

Mill Creek, Blue Springs Creek, Barren Fork and Crane are not stocked. Rainbows haven't been stocked on NFOW for many years, though they do stock browns. There are no documented stockings on Crane since the 1800s. They're not native, but they are wild in that they're stream-bred, and have been for many, many years. Rainbows will reproduce in MO. Browns go through the motions, but don't reproduce.

The bulk of the fish are smaller on the small streams because that's what the habitat dictates. Yes, there are larger fish than 12, and a lot far smaller than that. Again, it's dictated by the habitat, and even the small creeks can support a few large fish.

Yes sir, you are correct. The 5 management areas receive no additional stockings as far as the rainbows are concerned. The areas such as the Little Piney were being discussed, and my reference was concerning those areas. I stand corrected on the trout management areas. Thank you.

[ozark trout fisher]

What you refer to as a wild trout creek, does not exist. All of the areas are stocked with hatchery raised fish on a routine basis. And yes they do stock 20 inch fish on occasion. The majority of the fish are 12 inch because that's what they stock. Most never make it past 12 inch in the wild, because of predators, such as man, river otter, mink, and blue herons. The fish always go through the ritual of spawning, but very few eggs survive. Even fewer hatchlings survive.

Little Piney does recieve some hatchery fish in its lower portion, but it isn't stocked until you get several miles below where I was fishing. Plus the Vida Slab bridge is a barrier to fish migration, which I was fishing above, and no trout are stocked above Vida Slab. So it would stand to reason this was a stream bred fish. The section I was fishing is a Blue Ribbon area managed specifically for streambred trout, and there has been no stocking of trout in several years.

[laker67]

Little Piney does recieve some hatchery fish in its lower portion, but it isn't stocked until you get several miles below where I was fishing. Plus the Vida Slab bridge is a barrier to fish migration, which I was fishing above, and no trout are stocked above Vida Slab. So it would stand to reason this was a stream bred fish. The section I was fishing is a Blue Ribbon area managed specifically for streambred trout, and there has been no stocking of trout in several years.

The Little Piney has a White Ribbon section that is stocked on a routine basis. Lane Spring, which is above Vida Bridge, has been stocked for years. The local radio stations would broadcast the stocking days. My original argument was, that not all of the fish in the Little Piney are wild. I'm not sure where the White Ribbon section is now, but a trout's natural instinct is to migrate upstream. If there truly is wild trout, they will be intermixed with hatchery trout. You referred to it as a wild stream.

[ozark trout fisher]

The Little Piney has a White Ribbon section that is stocked on a routine basis. Lane Spring, which is above Vida Bridge, has been stocked for years. The local radio stations would broadcast the stocking days. My original argument was, that not all of the fish in the Little Piney are wild. I'm not sure where the White Ribbon section is now, but a trout's natural instinct is to migrate upstream. If there truly is wild trout, they will be intermixed with hatchery trout. You referred to it as a wild stream.

The Lane Spring White Ribbon area is no longer in existance. The White Ribbon area is now a few miles below the Vida Slab bridge, a sound barrier to fish migration upstream, so where I was fishing the trout would be purely wild.

[laker67]

The Lane Spring White Ribbon area is no longer in existance. The White Ribbon area is now a few miles below the Vida Slab bridge, a sound barrier to fish migration upstream, so where I was fishing the trout would be purely wild.

Well then that settles it. You know what? I wish you had landed that 20 inch fish. That would truly be a trophy from the waters that you describe. But, successfully landing a fish is not always the most important part of the fishing trip. Hopefully you can hook up with him on the return trip. Lets us know.

[ozark trout fisher]

Well then that settles it. You know what? I wish you had landed that 20 inch fish. That would truly be a trophy from the waters that you describe. But, successfully landing a fish is not always the most important part of the fishing trip. Hopefully you can hook up with him on the return trip. Lets us know.

I will certainly give it my best shot, but he might be more careful this time...

[Gavin]

To be honest...Vida slab provides a fish barrier at low water but its not uncommon to see several feet of water flowing over the top of that bridge when it floods... But its not worth arguing about. Any trout over 12" is a bonus, and one over 15" or so makes for a great day on any of those creeks. Cheers.

[ozark trout fisher]

To be honest...Vida slab provides a fish barrier at low water but its not uncommon to see several feet of water flowing over the top of that bridge when it floods... But its not worth arguing about. Any trout over 12" is a bonus, and one over 15" or so makes for a great day on any of those creeks. Cheers.

You are right I'm sure. I guess some stockers probably do make it up in high water. You're right, its not really worth arguing about.

[tgard27]

What you refer to as a wild trout creek, does not exist. All of the areas are stocked with hatchery raised fish on a routine basis. And yes they do stock 20 inch fish on occasion. The majority of the fish are 12 inch because that's what they stock. Most never make it past 12 inch in the wild, because of predators, such as man, river otter, mink, and blue herons. The fish always go through the ritual of spawning, but very few eggs survive. Even fewer hatchlings survive.

Laker, Im not sure that is true. The last stcking of Crane Creek was in 1960. Yes, majority of trout streams in the US are not native, but there is alot of streams that the population of trout come from natural reproduction of the trout in the stream. To me, a wild trout stream is one that the trout in the river naturally reproduce and the population is not reliant upon stocking. This is a subjectional definition, but if we were to consider wild streams as those of only native fish, then no brown trout stream could be classified in that category.