Blue Ribbon Trout Poll

[ness]

If it takes us to report them, then I gues that is what we should do. This pretty much goes against what we have taught ourselves about being a "snitch". Maybe it would be a good idea for us to encourage each other to do the right thing and report violations. I know I could use all the encouragement I can get to do so. If enough of us make that call, maybe there will be more of a presence of enforcement.

Thanks for this topic and letting me express my opinion.

kdan,

I hereby encourage you to snitch.

It's a huge problem, and it has been for years. When you snitch you do two things: you alert the Conservation Agents that there's a problem in an area and you just may get one of the criminals busted.

I'm not so mean-spirited that I want to see somebody get nailed, but I can look beyond that and know that it's a good thing -- because it deters him, everybody watching and everybody who hears about it, from breaking the rules.

Here's the number -- everybody put it in your phone right now.

1-800-392-1111

I'm waiting...

[Wayne SW/MO]

I'm not saying I would, but some might report the same violation just because the violators are present. If someone is taking a fish that I could enjoy, but won't because of an illegal kill, I have no problem Snitching, bitching or telling.

[troutfiend1985]

They are not wild they were stocked and should be treated as such.

Wow, what is your definition of wild then? This is the attitude that brings these problems to the surface. People treat a natural resource as if it doesn't matter, that mother nature or the magical cabinet of a local hatchery is sufficient to replace the fish. If everyone took this attitude to the stream, there would be no fish. So yes, lets treat them as if they were stocked and keep every fish that we catch. This would eliminate the problem of poaching because there wouldn't be any fish to catch.

I personally fish barbless flies, practice catch and release and see no reason for the need to keep a trout from a wild stream i.e. a trout stream that’s population relies on natural reproduction. If you want to keep what you catch, that is fine, go to a trout park or a white ribbon stream. I like Chief's idea, report what you see. Bug these agents until they pay attention.

I was initially hesitant when making the switch to barbless hooks, but I haven't noticed a difference. I have not lost more fish than I would have with barbed hooks, give it a try and see for yourself.

As to this, lets not make more rules because we can't enforce the rules we already have, I think that’s a weak argument. That is the equivalent of telling the poachers that they have won. I know that this is coming out strong, but I'm tired of the law abiding people bending over for the people who take advantage of the laws. I hope that one day I run into a poacher on Crane one day. Poachers beware.

[Deer Slayer]

The problem as I see it is that some folks fish the same streams continiously and catch & release is in no way a guaranteed "no kill". To target a fish outside of it's legal season, even with the intent to release, is potentially and can be construed as poaching. You are still killing a percentage of the fish, and without a doubt causing them distress during their breeding season. I also feel that a trout stamp should be required to fish for, not just possess trout. The holy than thou types, who fish continiously throughout the year, potentially killing and harassing untold numbers of fish, who then look down on me for keeping a few during one of my rare fishing trips, make me sick.

[Wayne SW/MO]

To target a fish outside of it's legal season,

Trout? I'm not sure I'm aware of anywhere that you can fish for them "out of season". As far as catch and release mortality, what makes you think its that common? If populations continue to hold up in the face of natural predation, then one could assume its not a problem.

[Justin Spencer]

If someone wants to keep a fish and it is legal to do so I say go for it! I am however selfish enough that I hate to see a big fish taken out of my front yard (especially a streambred fish), but I can't get mad about it, not everyone is out for the same reasons. I will continue to harass and yes probably accidently kill a few fish year round, however I cannot think of a time I released a fish thinking it would probably die, if the fish takes a fly too deeply I just clip the line and evidently studies say it will rust out in a few days. Unfortunately most of the fish I catch or try to catch don't take it deep enough! There is no way catching a fish can be good for it so if you are truely worried about killing a fish you'd better go golfing.

[ness]

The problem as I see it is that some folks fish the same streams continiously and catch & release is in no way a guaranteed "no kill". To target a fish outside of it's legal season, even with the intent to release, is potentially and can be construed as poaching. You are still killing a percentage of the fish, and without a doubt causing them distress during their breeding season. I also feel that a trout stamp should be required to fish for, not just possess trout. The holy than thou types, who fish continiously throughout the year, potentially killing and harassing untold numbers of fish, who then look down on me for keeping a few during one of my rare fishing trips, make me sick.

I'm pretty sure most just want folks to follow the rules. If you're taking fish legally on your rare fishing trips, you won't find too many folks that have a problem with that. Who's looking down on you?

If you wanna 'look down' on somebody who practices C&R within the rules, go ahead. But that's a dead end. If you wanna argue C&R, feel free.

[snagged in outlet 3]

Justin said

"There is no way catching a fish can be good for it so if you are truely worried about killing a fish you'd better go golfing."

But who is going to regulate protection of the other golfers?

Snagged

[ozark trout fisher]

The holy than thou types, who fish continiously throughout the year, potentially killing and harassing untold numbers of fish, who then look down on me for keeping a few during one of my rare fishing trips, make me sick.

A little feisty there, eh? I try not to fish wild trout water during the spawning season. The few times I do, I am pretty darn careful not to wade on redds, or to try to catch fish that are on their beds. There is no kind of trout water in MO that really has a closed season, unless you count the couple of weeks in fall and winter that the trout parks are closed to allow the hatchery folks to catch up on things. So it's pretty much impossible to fish out of season.

There are places where wild trout are more abundant that I think it's okay to keep them. And I don't look down on folks that keep a wild trout here every once in a great while, it's just that I don't think it would hurt anything (and it might help a good bit) to make wild trout streams catch and release.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Trout? I'm not sure I'm aware of anywhere that you can fish for them "out of season".

There is no kind of trout water in MO that really has a closed season, unless you count the couple of weeks in fall and winter that the trout parks are closed to allow the hatchery folks to catch up on things.

Hickory has a closed season on trout from November to March. And like black bass on unimpounded waters from March to May, you may fish for them but not possess them.

But like you say, other than the parks, that is the only water that I know of that is closed.