Just For Fun, What Would You Like To See Different On Thr Eleven Point If Anything

[ozark trout fisher]

OTF - please don't think I'm advocating banning bait fishing. That's not my position at all. I'm fine with people bait fishing wherever it is legal. I think it's a great thing in put and take areas. Nothing against bait fishing or people who do so at all. In some areas it is even healthy for the fishery for some fish to be taken out.

My only point is I just don't think it works that well for catch and release.

Greg

I knew you aren't for banning bait fishing, and I appreciate that. I was just making a point to those who do believe it should.

[Mark]

Those of you advocating increasing the Blue Ribbon Area to include Turner's Mill to Whitten, please answer the questions I posted a couple pages back;

Is there more fly fishermen or bait fishermen on the Eleven Point?

How many people use the Blue Ribbon Area now compared to the White Ribbon Area?

Is there congestion now in the Blue Ribbon Area that leads you to believe the Blue Ribbon Area needs to be expanded?

Will decreasing the size of the White Ribbon Area lead to a decrease in the number of fishermen (and the decrease in tourism $$)?

Will increasing the Blue Ribbon Area actually increase the size of fish (factual not theoritical proof)?

Exactly WHY should the Blue Ribbon Area be increased at the expense of the White Ribbon Area?

I don't know if there are more bait fishermen than fly fishermen on the Eleven Point (I actually believe there are). We stay in the White Ribbon Area, so we see people that like to harvest fish for supper including lots of locals. Decreasing the White Ribbon Area would force us all in about a 9 mile stretch, and opening up a total of 12 miles to the fly fishermen. Granted, we could still fish the Turner to Whitten stretch with a limit of 1 over 18", but those are the fish most of you want us to put back to keep growing. As I stated in another post, I believe Mike Jones from Hufstedler's Canoe Rental, a lifelong resident, who said he believed that there just aren't as many big fish as there use to be because there are more people fishing the Eleven Point, as I have witnessed in the past 12 years of fishing the Eleven Point (which is good for businesses). Our group of 8-10 guys probably wouldn't travel the 4 hours (and for 4 of us that's 5-6 times year) as often with new regulations that decreased our fishing area. We usually come for at least 2 days, float Turner to Whitten the first day, and Whitten to Riverton the second day. We sure do love the Eleven Point River and don't want to see it change.

[Delvis]

Now that a new year is upon us, I just thought that I would ask for the sake of conversation what changes to the Eleven Point you would like to see in 2009, if any. It can be fishing, camping, floating or anything you would like. This is just a conversation starter and meant to be fun. I was just curious, so fire away. I would like to see repairs to Turner South completed and the new boat ramp done, Whitten enlarged to relieve congestion on Saturdays, float camps completely repaired from last spring's flood and improved trials (ie the ozark trial and White's creek trail loop in the Irish Wilderness).

[Delvis]

Hope they keep blue/white ribbon areas the same. Would like to see Brown Trout added if it would not impact Rainbow too much. Also agree that they need to add restrooms up and down at some of the main campsites, some type of communication equipment for emergency situations and response would be great at main/posted campsites. Need to patrol river more for out of control jet boats.

[Forsythian]

I wish Alton was about 90 minutes closer to Forsyth.

[snap]

"just for the fun of it" ...has gotten some of you all riled up!!! I agree with delvis....brown trout if no adverse effect on the rainbow. Also, I agree that bait fishing does NOT work for catch and release. I also wish alton was closer to ste genevieve, but, then it would probably resemble the current at van buren!!!....topless from turner to whitten still sounds good to me!!!