More Smallmouth Discussion

[Al Agnew]

Just my .02 but I feel people feel they are regulated to death on everything concerning Hunting and Fishing I'd say sure Regulate the Smallmouth with Slot Limit,I'll just catch Crappie there is a Limit of 30 on streams I'll have plenty to eat and have fun catching them.Next thing you know someone will decide to cut back on Limit of Crappie.Well thats ok I'll still have Channel Cats.You see where this is going? I Fish and Hunt mostly for the Freezer and I follow regulations but alot of things I can't see reason for change.

oneshot

Oneshot, that attitude is one thing that continually frustrates me. There is no doubt that there is a subset of the rural Ozarks population that simply hates to be regulated. It's the most visible part of the urban vs. rural conflict. Very few anglers coming from the St. Louis and KC areas or even the larger towns around the periphery of the Ozarks mind regulations IF they make any sense.

I grew up in a small Ozarks town and still live in a rural area, and wouldn't have it any other way. And I know that anti-regulation mindset well. But I've often said that everybody in the Ozarks who wants to pretty much do whatever they please with our natural resources oughta be transplanted to central Kansas for a couple years. I think they'd come back with a lot more appreciation for what we have here, and maybe a little more appreciation of how easy it is to lose it if you let people do whatever they want. There was once a time when resources seems almost infinite, and people exploiting them were few, and back then one person doing whatever they pleased didn't really make much difference. But the world is a vastly different place these days. In the case of angling on Ozark streams, we're talking about a lot more people with a LOT better equipment and knowledge. At some point, for the good of the resource, everybody must accept more regulation unless almost everybody buys into doing it voluntarily...and while we've seen a lot of change in that area as well, we aren't there yet.

Of course, I fully acknowledge that the smallmouth regs issue is not so much one of protecting a resource as it is improving it. So then I think it comes down to what the majority of people who use the resource want...the status quo, or a greater percentage of bigger fish. And how badly they want it.

[Flysmallie]

I started a Southwestern Chapter of the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance and had a meeting room set up at the Springfield Nature Center for the first Thursday of the month. Norris and myself sat alone for the months of April, May and June with nobody interested in coming out to listen to what I had to say. I canceled to meeting room as I felt that since nobody was coming out it was useless to keep the room from some other use.

It seems to me that they would rather whine about things and complain about what others would like to do then to get involved themselves. Perhaps sometime down the road I will try again but for now I am going to fish Table Rock and enjoy life.

Gary, I'm sorry you have had a lousy turnout. I have tried every month, but it just ain't going to happen on a Thursday for me. I think in the beginning of this deal you asked what night would be best to hold the meetings. I don't think anyone agreed with Thursday but I think that's when the room was available. You also might look at having one down closer to Chief's neck of the woods. I know he would be there.

I would hold off through the summer and try again in the fall. But again you have to set the meetings up when people are able to attend. Smallmouth are very important to me, but my family is always going to come first, so that rules out Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for sure.

[Gary Lange]

If someone could find a place in Neosho, Mo. to hold a meeting that is free then I would dive down that way and hold a meeting. If i get enough interest I will do one every month in the winter months as long as the weather permits. I would also have some outings for the members to get to know each other and explore the Rivers and Streams in the Southwestern counties of Missouri.

[Trout Commander]

Gary,

Until the last couple of days I was oblivious to the MSA. Had I found this info sooner I would have been in attendance. My e-mail is JasonDCarroll@gmail.com , please feel free to add me to any mailing lists you may have to keep me informed of any further going ons in the Springfield area. I would not be opposed to Neosho or other area meetings either if a couple of us Springfieldians could carpool.

[Trout Commander]

Thanks for the quick e-mail Gary!

[Chief Grey Bear]

I am not against meeting half way in Monett. I would at least attend a meeting or two. I am still not ready to sign on the dotted line though. Yet.

[Gary Lange]

I have no Idea where to meet out that way. If you can find a place in Neosho to have a meeting Chief I'll come out that way.

[Buzz]

Gary, I would attend a meeting or two if it was a little closer to home.

[Gary Lange]

Maybe we can find a place out that way somewhere and meet and talk about Smallmouths and you all can educate this old Illinois boy about Missouri Ozark Smallmouths, especially the Neosho Strain Smallmouth.

[Smalliebigs]

Gary, I live in St.Louis, but I wanted to thank you for the effort.I deffinitely like the effort...don't give up. JDC, thanks for showing concern, I like to to see younger people with an eye for conserving our states resources. I always thought if the SMA could get in front of people going into Basspro or Cabelas for a day or two to spread knowledge to people about such and important resource like smallies, you could enlighten a ton of fisherman. Good luck and keep up the good fight.....you only live once so don't worry about what if