Blue Ribbon Trout Poll

[ozark trout fisher]

I just don't see that there are any bigtime trout poachers out there. When MDC sets limits, I am sure they take into consideration hook mortality, creeled limits, poaching, and even natural predators. I would venture to say that blue herons, green herons, mink, eagles, and river otters consume more trout on a daily basis than any poacher could match. Like Zach said, MDC is evidently not concerned at this point. No kill, would be equivalent to taking away a person's right to harvest a legal fish. Plus I think "no kill" would eventually harm the overall heathy population. A creek or river can only support so many fish. As in natural predators, MDC has allowed seasons for otters and minks. In the future they may see the need to allow water fowl hunters to kill herons. Just like they allow deer hunters to kill a coyote. As far as it reducing poaching, a certain element of the population will always cheat no matter what the regs, whether it be hunting or fishing or everyday life. Our presence on the creek would hopefully deter most. I would say that MDC does a good job of protecting our resource of trout, because they know that 99 percent of us will abide by the regs they have set. Those regs being what they consider benefical to our trout population. Sure I would like to see longer length limits because I want to see larger trout. But if it is detrimental, causing overpopulation, then you have to let that idea go. I will trust my future fishing to MDC's decision making.

I really do think that poaching is quite prevalent. I can not remember the last time, for example, that I have visited the Blue Ribbon area of Little Piney Creek and not seen at least several worm containers on the ground. I don't think there should be any harvest of those trout allowed, I just think that's bad for the population. I could be wrong, but I do not think that anything like 99% of the fisherman around here fish legally.

I do see your point about how no kill regulations might cause the trout size to go down. But are big fish are big fish what you're really there for when you're fishing on of those little creeks? The habitat just isn't there to support many large trout. I think if the population gets above the stream's carrying capacity, nature will even that out, and the population will go back down.

I do trust that the MDC is knowledgable, is certainly trying to do their best to balance public opinion with the health of the fishery. But I don't think there's anything wrong with making suggestions. It's just hard to fish these streams week after week and not get concerned with where there going to be down the road. If the current level of poaching continues, I don't think these populations are going to stay healthy very long. That's all I'm saying.

[laker67]

I really do think that poaching is quite prevalent. I can not remember the last time, for example, that I have visited the Blue Ribbon area of Little Piney Creek and not seen at least several worm containers on the ground. I don't think there should be any harvest of those trout allowed, I just think that's bad for the population. I could be wrong, but I do not think that anything like 99% of the fisherman around here fish legally.

I do see your point about how no kill regulations might cause the trout size to go down. But are big fish are big fish what you're really there for when you're fishing on of those little creeks? The habitat just isn't there to support many large trout. I think if the population gets above the stream's carrying capacity, nature will even that out, and the population will go back down.

I do trust that the MDC is knowledgable, is certainly trying to do their best to balance public opinion with the health of the fishery. But I don't think there's anything wrong with making suggestions. It's just hard to fish these streams week after week and not get concerned with where there going to be down the road. If the current level of poaching continues, I don't think these populations are going to stay healthy very long. That's all I'm saying.

You can't compare the little piney to the other blue areas and make your decision based on that. NFOW, the current, and the eleven point have lots of water and lots of room for big fish. More specialized regs might need to apply to piney and crane and the other small creeks. I just don't see the poaching problem you describe. Maybe it's rampant on piney, but I don't see a major problem elsewhere other than trout parks. I'm sure public opion is considered by Mdc, and I encourage you to exercise that right. You might just come up with the solution necessary. Concerning your question about big fish, the answer would be yes.

[ozark trout fisher]

You can't compare the little piney to the other blue areas and make your decision based on that. NFOW, the current, and the eleven point have lots of water and lots of room for big fish. More specialized regs might need to apply to piney and crane and the other small creeks. I just don't see the poaching problem you describe. Maybe it's rampant on piney, but I don't see a major problem elsewhere other than trout parks. I'm sure public opion is considered by Mdc, and I encourage you to exercise that right. You might just come up with the solution necessary. Concerning your question about big fish, the answer would be yes.

Maybe you're right that the bigger rivers (Eleven Point, NFOW and the Current) should be exempt from these regs, because there is a hatchery element to the fishery in those streams, and big fish is more of an issue. But on pretty much every small wild trout stream I've fished lately, I've seen evidence of poaching. That includes Blue Spring, Mill, Spring Creek, and Little Piney. I'm sure if there's poaching going on there, it's probably going on around all of these creeks. And I just don't think these creeks should be managed for large fish. Like I said, with a few exceptions, the habitat just isn't there to support populations of larger fish. Most folks I know are just there to catch a few pretty little 8 inchers.

[Flysmallie]

I really do think that poaching is quite prevalent. I can not remember the last time, for example, that I have visited the Blue Ribbon area of Little Piney Creek and not seen at least several worm containers on the ground. I don't think there should be any harvest of those trout allowed, I just think that's bad for the population. I could be wrong, but I do not think that anything like 99% of the fisherman around here fish legally.

So if they are not following the rules now, what's going to make them follow the new rules in the future.

The only one I can vote yes on is increasing fines.

[Geoff]

While i dont really think barbless hooks should be required, we should be like CO and its parking, pushing a strong to RECOMMEND using a barbless hook. Its better for the fishes this way

[Gavin]

There arent many fish over 18" on the wild trout creeks...think I've only caught 5-6 fish over 18" out Mill, the LP, and Crane since moved back to Missouri in 1992. They all went back BTW. There are no guarantee on the river, but It's pretty rare when I dont catch one over 18" if I fish the Current or 11pt for a couple days in a row. I havent fished Taney or Arkansas in a long time, but when I did alot of it, it was rare not to catch several over 18" in a days fishing. I've fished all over the country, and thats great by any standard. Accourdingly, I see no reason to try to "improve" our trout fishing, or to place further limits an anglers options. It might feel good to do so...but I doubt if it will improve the fishing much. Trout are overregulated for the most part..

Franky, If you want to do something that will provide a tangible benefit to our fisheries...Work on changing some smallmouth regulations...There is plenty of room for improvement in that area. Cheers.

[FishinCricket]

So if they are not following the rules now, what's going to make them follow the new rules in the future.

The only one I can vote yes on is increasing fines.

Pretty much my sentiments exactly...

[ColdWaterFshr]

What Gavin said.

I don't see much need for changing the regulations here at all. Whats needed is more enforcement of the existing regulations, or at least a more visible presence of the field agents in those streams most affected by lack of it. Haven't seen any poaching or bait container problems like that at any of the Wild Trout Mgmt areas except for maybe the Little Piney.

The Wild Trout Mgmt areas should just be made into C & R only -- but basically they already are, so thats a minor point.

All the other Blue, Red, and White ribbon areas just need more enforcement of the existing regs in general.

[ness]

Coldwaterer hit the nail on the head. Enforcement is the issue, not the rules. I don't know what the fines are now, but I'd bet they're enough to be a deterrent if only they'd get imposed occasionally. To those that say the poachers don't care about the rules, you're right. But they would if they got stuck a time or two.

[Brian Sloss]

If you think that poaching isn't a problem in the Blue ribbon areas, then you are kidding yourself. I see it all the time on the Eleven Point and have noticed it on other rivers as well. Agreed enforcement is the most important part of the formula, but I would like to see a larger size limit and barbless hooks. That being said, i have no real problem with the current regs or our agents. They are just understaffed.