Is It Legal?

[zsmith62]

Okay... now I'm just trying to figure out the way some of you guys are thinking. If you want to use a rapala, spoon, or roostertail, they have specific zones for just that kind of fishing. I just cannot understand why someone would spend so much time trying to figure out whats legal and ways to find loopholes in the regulations. If you want to throw a lure do it in the perspective zone that was designed for that kind of fishing. I cannot get why some of you would risk a ticket to try and throw lures in the fly zone. The way I see it is if youre gonna fish in the fly zone, use a fly, not try and rig a lure up to try and bend the rules. Keep in mind that I do NOT have a problem with spin fishing. I do however have a slight problem with trying to cheat the system by throwing a rapala in the fly zone.

[ozark trout fisher]

Okay... now I'm just trying to figure out the way some of you guys are thinking. If you want to use a rapala, spoon, or roostertail, they have specific zones for just that kind of fishing. I just cannot understand why someone would spend so much time trying to figure out whats legal and ways to find loopholes in the regulations. If you want to throw a lure do it in the perspective zone that was designed for that kind of fishing. I cannot get why some of you would risk a ticket to try and throw lures in the fly zone. The way I see it is if youre gonna fish in the fly zone, use a fly, not try and rig a lure up to try and bend the rules. Keep in mind that I do NOT have a problem with spin fishing. I do however have a slight problem with trying to cheat the system by throwing a rapala in the fly zone.

One reason.......... There are more fish in the fly area. Any way I can get around that regulation and still be legal, I am doing it. I'm just telling it how it is.

After about 10 AM, the fish can be pretty thin in the bait/lure area. After that, I will use any legal lure or fly in the fly area. Lets face it, its legal. If the hook is permanently attached, only has one point, and there is a feather, everyone's happy.

You ask me why I would fish in the fly area with a legal lure. I ask you why you would fish in the lure/bait area with flies? I see a pretty fair amount of people doing it. Just saying.................

I believe the way Missouri's regulations are designed, it is plain to see that they want to allow some spinning lures in fly only areas. They wouldn't allow spinning rods if that's not how they wanted it.

[zsmith62]

Let me clarify one thing before this gets too out of hand, I do not have a problem with spinfishing or even those using spinning rods with FLIES in the fly zone. And, I don't really have too big of a problem with using the rapalas, I just think that the regulations are pretty vague and up for personal interpretation... all I was giving was my own interpretation, I guess I should've been more clear.

As far as there being more trout in the fly zones, I think that it is that way for a reason, that being that the traditional method of fly fishing of using actual flies is inherently more difficult than say, dunking powerbait or using soft plastics. Fly zones just have more fish because they don't get culled out as quickly.

It was also brought up that there are a lot of people who use flies in the other zones, well when those people are competing for fish with those using things like powerbait and soft plastics, I'd say that they are technically at a disadvantage.

Anyways, I thought I'd point out that I wasn't attacking anyone personally, I was simply giving my own interpretation of the state laws that, lets face it, could use a little more clarifcation.

[ozark trout fisher]

Let me clarify one thing before this gets too out of hand, I do not have a problem with spinfishing or even those using spinning rods with FLIES in the fly zone. And, I don't really have too big of a problem with using the rapalas, I just think that the regulations are pretty vague and up for personal interpretation... all I was giving was my own interpretation, I guess I should've been more clear.

As far as there being more trout in the fly zones, I think that it is that way for a reason, that being that the traditional method of fly fishing of using actual flies is inherently more difficult than say, dunking powerbait or using soft plastics. Fly zones just have more fish because they don't get culled out as quickly.

It was also brought up that there are a lot of people who use flies in the other zones, well when those people are competing for fish with those using things like powerbait and soft plastics, I'd say that they are technically at a disadvantage.

Anyways, I thought I'd point out that I wasn't attacking anyone personally, I was simply giving my own interpretation of the state laws that, lets face it, could use a little more clarifcation.

Really, like I said before, a Rapala in a fly only area might be pushing it just a bit.......

But to me, there is a difference between a Rapala, and a rooster tail, or a jig or something. Maybe that's just me?

Personally I've never seen a Rapala with a single hook

And don't think I'm saying that anyone should be able to use anything in the fly area. Heck, I had a run in just last week with someone throwing powerbait way up in the fly area. That's just poaching no legal gray area there.

[bikehikefish]

Okay... now I'm just trying to figure out the way some of you guys are thinking. If you want to use a rapala, spoon, or roostertail, they have specific zones for just that kind of fishing. I just cannot understand why someone would spend so much time trying to figure out whats legal and ways to find loopholes in the regulations. If you want to throw a lure do it in the perspective zone that was designed for that kind of fishing. I cannot get why some of you would risk a ticket to try and throw lures in the fly zone. The way I see it is if youre gonna fish in the fly zone, use a fly, not try and rig a lure up to try and bend the rules. Keep in mind that I do NOT have a problem with spin fishing. I do however have a slight problem with trying to cheat the system by throwing a rapala in the fly zone.

I don't see using lures, etc in the "fly" zone as a loophole in the law. The law is very clear as to what is legal. My advice is to ask an agent, not a park employee, the next time you see one (I will do that if I have the opportunity just to make sure I'm not way off base here). Fisherman have been using those methods for years and years and the MDC has seen not seen reason to change the regs because some fly fisherman want others to use a particular "style" of fishing. The regs are designed to protect the resource (limited number of trout for an ever increasing number of fisherman).

btw - I only fly fish in the parks and the trophy trout areas, so the rule doesn't affect me.

[ozark trout fisher]

By the way, I was fishing yesterday in the catch and release area at Montauk (fly only) with a rooster tail, (single hooked) with a conservation officer or some MDC employee close enough to see what I was doing. The only thing he said to me was to ask me how the fishing was...................................

That might mean something

By the way, the rooster tail produced exactly zero takes. The only thing I could get a hit on in the C&R area was a Glo-bug (aka Powerbait imitating fly) :lol:

[jjtroutbum]

You ask me why I would fish in the fly area with a legal lure. I ask you why you would fish in the lure/bait area with flies? I see a pretty fair amount of people doing it. Just saying.................

Now I maybe using a fly rod but my "bait" a lil soft plastic with soft hackle is definitely dipped in flavoring.

While being swung threw the riffles of zone three (Bennett) with the greatest of ease.