Brown Stocking In Niangua

[fishinwrench]

I wouldn't be so quick to assume they are lying, when it seems proof is a bit lacking.

If proof wasn't lacking I wouldn't be questioning it.

If you paid someone to plant 50 acres of corn, would you be content with half a bushel at harvest time without questioning something ? I mean sure, some of the seed may not sprout....and the deer might get some.... yada-yada

I know that stretch of the Niangua like the back of my hand, I know the good holding areas. The only stretch with good holding areas that I don't frequent very often is the area within a stones throw of NRO. I guess it's possible that the NRO stretch is COMPLETELY ATE UP with Browns and Rainbows, and all the other good spots between 64 and Prosperine just have a mediocre-to-moderate population of trout.

All I know is, when I hear those kind of numbers I expect to find more fish at certain key areas, than I normally do. I know what it's like when the fish count on the Niangua is really good. That's all I'm sayin'.

[Gavin]

Dunno...most of the Niangua is under white ribbon regs....and fish disappear quickly under those circumstances...

Cant say I know it that well, cuz I've only floated it a half dozen times.....usually in the fall or winter when I've met some folks coming down for C&R Season at Bennett...My friends may fish Bennett, but I go and float. The Niagua aint bad in the fall/winter if you ignore all the beer cans, trash, C- scenery......not much to look at,but weve always boated lots of fish down there.

Havent been there in a couple years, but weve always caught lots between Benett and Barclay during the C&R Park season...Nobody out...and weve usually catch 20-30 fish each a day, mostly brown trout, plus a few eagle sightings. I'm guessing it has a pretty good trout population, but not much in the way of size or holdovers due to the white ribbon reg...Same can be said for the Upper Current...think MDC put some tagged fish in between Cedar and Welch during the fall about ten years ago...Dont know how many they put in, a dozen or so friend of mine cleaned 25-30 tagged rainbows the weekend after the stocking.....They dont last long. Maybe two weeks if they are lucky. Cheers.

[fishinwrench]

Gavin, Believe me, I am taking all that into consideration.

The meat hunters seldom float or even walk/wade very far on the Niangua, and truthfully there isn't that many of them. They hit the mouth of Bennett, the old gravel ramp, the hole above NRO, and the Barclay slough...that's about it. There aren't "hordes" of people loading their freezers the day after stocking like I've seen at other WR areas. Just a handfull of regulars that are in the loop and catch a few easy limits when they see the water trails on the roads. Most just walk up on a spot and either give up in 15-20 minutes, or take 4 quick ones and go home. There's easier, more convenient and reliable fishing in the park for people that are truly fish hungry, and the locals know that. They also know that a "daily tag" is good for about a week or so. LOL (oops, did I say that outloud?)

Also I have to say that the trash situation has actually gotten alot better. Huge difference between now and 5-10 years ago, that's for sure.

[Gavin]

FW, I have no way of telling how many they actually stock...but here's what they are supposed to do...I compiled the info from the Missouri Trout Plan that they implemented around 5 years ago...

I do know that the survival of stocked trout is a real problem...For example...they are supposed to stock the upper Current with 8,000 brown trout per year in the spring..Thats about 1,000 stockers per mile. By the time they shock it in mid September the population estimate is usually around 400-500 fish per mile, sometimes less in a low water year. From my observation...around 30% of the fish they shock in the fall are holdovers from previous stockings.

My guess is that at least 70-80% of the stockers are dead within 6 months, even when they are protected with a Blue Ribbon Reg. It could be worse on a stretch of river like the Niangua that has less favorable trout habitat, more float traffic, bait fishing, and gigging.

I think the Niangua gets truck stocked also...Every time I've floated it, I've noticed a pattern...Look for a road coming down to the river, and you hammer fish. Maybe a switch to float stocking would spread the trout out and improve things abit. Dunno...maybe enough complaining will get em to change something, stock more, or more intelligently....;>)! At least the trash situation is improving. Cheers.

Missouri Stocking Data

Trout Parks Rainbows Browns Total % of Total

Lake Taneycomo 750,000 10,000 760,000 40.22%

Bennett Springs 300,000 - 300,000 15.88%

Montauk 250,000 - 250,000 13.23%

Roaring River 250,000 - 250,000 13.23%

Maramec Springs 200,000 - 200,000 10.58%

1,750,000 10,000 1,760,000 93.14%

TMA's

Eleven Point 16,000 - 16,000 0.85%

Current River 8,000 - 8,000 0.42%

Roubidoux Creek 6,500 - 6,500 0.34%

Capps 4,000 1,000 5,000 0.26%

Roaring River 4,000 500 4,500 0.24%

Stone Mill Spring 3,900 - 3,900 0.21%

L. Piney 2,100 - 2,100 0.11%

44,500 1,500 46,000 2.43%

STMA's -

Niangua 7,500 5,000 12,500 0.66%

Current River - 8,000 8,000 0.42%

N. Fork of the White - 6,500 6,500 0.34%

Meramec River - 5,800 5,800 0.31%

Roubidoux - 800 800 0.04%

7,500 26,100 33,600 1.78%

Winter Trout

St. Louis 38,053 - 38,053 2.01%

Kansas City 12,000 - 12,000 0.64%

50,053 - 50,053 2.65%

1,852,053 37,600 1,889,653 100.00%

[fishinwrench]

I sure would have expected a better survival rate, especially when they only have to travel 2 to 10 miles. If a 25% survival rate is the norm then it hardly seems worth the effort. When you look at it like that, it sounds more like a program designed to benefit coons, turtles, and buzzards.

[Buzz]

I sure would have expected a better survival rate, especially when they only have to travel 2 to 10 miles. If a 25% survival rate is the norm then it hardly seems worth the effort. When you look at it like that, it sounds more like a program designed to benefit coons, turtles, and buzzards.

I could take offense to that Wrench, , but I won't.

I do know that there was an interesting stocking in Capp's Creek back in January that was all browns, somewhere around 600-700 fish. They usually stock browns in the Fall, but I don't think it is nearly that many. When I asked about it, it was suggested to me that it had something to do with the flood last year and the drop in numbers of Rainbows available. Dunno.

I also wonder about the actual numbers of fish stocked, but this year I think I have an inside contact that will help out with that, at least for our local WR fishing.

Buzz

( Kyle Buzzard )

[fishinwrench]

I could take offense to that Wrench, , but I won't.

I do know that there was an interesting stocking in Capp's Creek back in January that was all browns, somewhere around 600-700 fish. They usually stock browns in the Fall, but I don't think it is nearly that many. When I asked about it, it was suggested to me that it had something to do with the flood last year and the drop in numbers of Rainbows available. Dunno.

I also wonder about the actual numbers of fish stocked, but this year I think I have an inside contact that will help out with that, at least for our local WR fishing.

Buzz

( Kyle Buzzard )

Well, I'm glad you have a thick skin.

No, a descrepancy of a hundred or so wouldn't concern me, I can imagine how difficult it would be counting a truckload of flip-flopping fish......but when they report (and accept credit for) stocking 5000 or more, when other evidence indicates that 1200 is a much more accurate number, it just makes ya wonder, ya know.

I probably wouldn't have such a hair-trigger for stuff like that if it weren't for OTHER federal and state "capers" that are pulled off right in front of in our faces all the time. It seems that everyone associated with state or federal entitys is either crooked, or turning a blind eye toward things out of fear for their jobs.

It is just like this stupid water quality reporting they are doing here on Lake Ozark. It is so obvious that the DNR is in bed with AmeronUE and the community leaders that it turns my stomach. We have some serious E-coli issues here, among other things. And instead of taking action to solve the problem they are totally BSing the ones who provide their wealth, just to maintain the tourist cash flow on the short term. And when called out on it, or asked to answer valid questions....they plead the fifth (no comment). I'm sick of watching these state and federally funded agencys being run that way, it's freakin' wrong !

Wow, got off on a bit of a rant there didn't I....Sorry

[ozark trout fisher]

Well, I'm glad you have a thick skin.

No, a descrepancy of a hundred or so wouldn't concern me, I can imagine how difficult it would be counting a truckload of flip-flopping fish......but when they report (and accept credit for) stocking 5000 or more, when other evidence indicates that 1200 is a much more accurate number, it just makes ya wonder, ya know.

I probably wouldn't have such a hair-trigger for stuff like that if it weren't for OTHER federal and state "capers" that are pulled off right in front of in our faces all the time. It seems that everyone associated with state or federal entitys is either crooked, or turning a blind eye toward things out of fear for their jobs.

It is just like this stupid water quality reporting they are doing here on Lake Ozark. It is so obvious that the DNR is in bed with AmeronUE and the community leaders that it turns my stomach. We have some serious E-coli issues here, among other things. And instead of taking action to solve the problem they are totally BSing the ones who provide their wealth, just to maintain the tourist cash flow on the short term. And when called out on it, or asked to answer valid questions....they plead the fifth (no comment). I'm sick of watching these state and federally funded agencys being run that way, it's freakin' wrong !

Wow, got off on a bit of a rant there didn't I....Sorry

I still don't see a lot of evidence that the MDC lied on this one. Based on the example of brown trout stocked in the Current River, it would seem that trout survival in the Niangua would be very low, explaining the said "discrepancy". Think of it this way... The Current has very protective regs, the Niangua does not. The Current River has favorable water temperatures all summer long, and the Niangua does not. Bait is legal in the Niangua, but not in the Current. The point is, if the survival rate is 25% after a few months in the Current, I would doubt it is even 10% in the Niangua.

I agree that the government lie a lot in general, the DNR's lies about the ecoli problem in LOZ being a prime example. Also, I believe the MDC makes their share of mistakes, (one of them being absolutely no help on the Crane Creek issue), but I just don't see the evidence here. The math works out for me. I don't see a problem.

[Buzz]

Well, I'm glad you have a thick skin.

Wow, got off on a bit of a rant there didn't I....Sorry

Dude, you have no idea.

Rant away. We should all question our government and it's actions and or inactions.

[XP 590]

WOW! I had no idea this would bring up such lively discussion, thanks to everyone for your input and opinions. I don't intend to get into an online argument with a bunch of people that I don't know personally, maybe I'll run into some of you on the water some day and get to know you. It seems like everyone on here has good reasons to support their opinions and I think this board is an incredible wealth of information.

Strictly speaking from my own experience, I'm very glad to live in a state with an active conservation agency that provides us with great sporting opportunities. I've had many friends move away from Missouri and they often comment to me that we don't know how well we have it here in that respect. The opportunity we have to catch non native fish, like trout, in our waters is something I don't take for granted, it has become my favorite hobby over the last few years. I don't claim to know this stretch of river like the back of my hand and clearly, many of you have much more experience on the Niangua than I do, but I have been fishing there alot the last few years and have always caught plenty of fish. In the last few months, I've stood at the lower end of the Barclay riffle repeatedly and caught dozens of browns early in the morning, including lots of these smaller ones I was talking about and that is why I brought up this discussion in the first place. I've also been reading every piece of info I can find about our Ozark streams and talking to people that I consider to be well educated on the subject and I agree with other opinions on here that trout mortality on the Niangua is probably very high.

Weather permitting, I'm floating on my water skeeter from Bennet to Barclay tomorrow and hope to have good fishing to report.

Thanks again for all the input.