Where Is Everyone?

[Greg]

Well enjoy it while it lasts. They've generated a pretty big overhead these days, so without the big crowds they'll go belly-up ....and so will the trout per mile percentage.

There's an optimistic attitude. I have trouble believing a long standing MO state park will go "belly up". Montauk has for years had a pretty limited attendance/tag sale compared to Bennett and Roaring River but I've not ever heard that MO was thinking about closing it.

Greg

[eric1978]

Wrench has a point though. If the park is trending downward, fewer fishermen mean fewer fish mean fewer fishermen mean fewer fish. They need to jack the numbers of stockers back up (including more browns ) to draw people back...It's not going to work the other way around.

[Greg]

Wrench has a point though. If the park is trending downward, fewer fishermen mean fewer fish mean fewer fishermen mean fewer fish. They need to jack the numbers of stockers back up (including more browns ) to draw people back...It's not going to work the other way around.

I do see the point. But for myself and I'm sure some others - if they stock fewer fish - I'm fine with that. With lower crowds it wouldn't be necessary to pack that short section of stream with thousands of fish. As long as I have some trout to cast to - I'm fine. I know it'll probably never happen but I think Bennett would be great if that whole upper section was managed for catch and release and just stocked a few times a year.

Greg

[FlyFishinFool]

I do see the point. But for myself and I'm sure some others - if they stock fewer fish - I'm fine with that. With lower crowds it wouldn't be necessary to pack that short section of stream with thousands of fish. As long as I have some trout to cast to - I'm fine. I know it'll probably never happen but I think Bennett would be great if that whole upper section was managed for catch and release and just stocked a few times a year.

Greg

Greg - I absolutely agree!!! Make Zone-1 C&R single flies only and no spinners - then they could stock at best once a month. Would also be great if they then made Zone-2 flies only, no soft lures (e.g. like Zone-1 is today) that would cut back on the number of fish that are injured and die (the ones that no one keeps but they still die after a soft-plastic has been ripped out of their throats), thus reducing the cost for stocking Zone-2 as well.

[laker67]

Would also be great if they then made Zone-2 flies only, no soft lures (e.g. like Zone-1 is today) that would cut back on the number of fish that are injured and die (the ones that no one keeps but they still die after a soft-plastic has been ripped out of their throats), thus reducing the cost for stocking Zone-2 as well.

I think you have the wrong trout park. These regs do not apply at zone 2, or zone 1, bssp.

[FlyFishinFool]

BSSP Zone-1 is flies only which must have fur, feather or other material permanently attached, and requires a single hook but allows spinners; and Zone-2 is any flies and artificial lures excluding soft plastic and scents. However, until recently they have not been providing the manpower to enforce the regulations, and I have personally seen a lot of folks throwing soft plastics in Zone-2 (twister-tails, etc.).

My comment was that I thought making Zone-1 catch and release only and no spinners allowed would be a good idea, and then making Zone-2 follow the current rules for Zone-1 would help keep the fish numbers higher and help reduce the costs to manage and stock new fish.

[FlyFishinFool]

As an example - just read the prior post "Went Throught The Park 5/14" where someone describes fishing in Zone-2 with a jig with rubber legs - no soft lures (plastics or rubber) are legal in Zone-2.

[laker67]

BSSP Zone-1 is flies only which must have fur, feather or other material permanently attached, and requires a single hook but allows spinners; and Zone-2 is any flies and artificial lures excluding soft plastic and scents. However, until recently they have not been providing the manpower to enforce the regulations, and I have personally seen a lot of folks throwing soft plastics in Zone-2 (twister-tails, etc.).

My comment was that I thought making Zone-1 catch and release only and no spinners allowed would be a good idea, and then making Zone-2 follow the current rules for Zone-1 would help keep the fish numbers higher and help reduce the costs to manage and stock new fish.

Sorry. I misinterpreted your original post. I thought you were saying that soft plastic was allowed in zone 2 and 1. My mistake on both counts.

In a topic a few months back, creating a c and r area was part of the discussion. I would like to see zone 1 turned into bait water, and zone 3 as the flies only area. The bait water could start below Clarence Holland Dam, and catch and return above the dam.

[fishinwrench]

I would like to see zone 1 turned into bait water, and zone 3 as the flies only area. The bait water could start below Clarence Holland Dam, and catch and return above the dam.

There ya go ! Almost all of Z1 is slick frogwater and perfect for bait fishing. Z2 and Z3 has some riffles and seams, and is way more sporty water to flyfish.

The powers that be are just scared that more fish than they would like will end up in Z4

[NoLuck]

I see people fishing Zone 1 all the time across from the Gauge house and using soft plastics and Power Bait. The CA's just need to get off of their duffs and walk around instead of just driving through. The budget cuts have probably stretched those guys pretty thin but that doesn't mean that the job they do while there should be less than thorough. I'm not sure that the people using the wrong stuff really have any idea what is right or wrong though. its not my job to see if they do either.