Oaf Angler Is, Eeeek, A Baitfisher Of Smallies..

[Chief Grey Bear]

I think it's absolutely valid.

MDC is not God, for lack of a better analogy...they might make the rules, but that doesn't mean their rules are good ones.

Eh, not really...not in my opinion. They were half-assed from the get go.

Oh, and about smallies being the most cherished native sportfish...I don't see these heated debates taking place about any other species, so maybe...

1. The rules have worked for 40 some years now. But if they are not followed, of course they won't. It doesn't matter what rules you have in place.

2. That certainaly was not your argument just a few months ago. I seem to remember you and the posse wanted to implement those same rules on just about every stream of water in the state.

3. If they want to catch a bigger fish, they don't blame every Tom, Dick, and Harry plus the MDC for the reason's why they can't. They just go out and fish harder, better and smarter.

[eric1978]

1. The rules have worked for 40 some years now. But if they are not followed, of course they won't. It doesn't matter what rules you have in place.

2. That certainaly was not your argument just a few months ago. I seem to remember you and the posse wanted to implement those same rules on just about every stream of water in the state.

3. If they want to catch a bigger fish, they don't blame every Tom, Dick, and Harry plus the MDC for the reason's why they can't. They just go out and fish harder, better and smarter.

1. We haven't had SMAs for 40 years. But you're right, if their rules are not followed they won't help, but some people will follow them so I'd rather have the SMAs than not have them. If it keeps just one angler from harvesting a big smallmouth, it's a good thing.

2. Again, they're better than nothing because at least a few anglers will change their habits. I still think MDC needs to do a much better job of educaction and enforcement of the regulations...that has been my position all along, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see more SMAs established anyway.

3. I do fish hard, and sometimes I'm rewarded. If Tom, Dick and Harry are all eating 18" smallies that I could have otherwise been catching, they are partially to blame.

[Guest]

deleted

[Bird Watcher]

Circle hooks work it just takes a bit of rethinking on hook sets. My hookups have been gone through the roof. My sons have gone to the moon.

Couldn't agree more. I thought circle hooks were a scam until I "re-learned" how to set a hook. I put the rod at 10 and just start reeling briskly. get's them every time in the corner of the mouth.

[Smalliebigs]

I am trying this from my iphone so I hope it works. kkirchmer, I just wanted to say I am truly sorry for calling you a tool. You are correct, me calling you a name without me ever meeting you or knowing you personally is truly immature and wrong. So I am saying that I am sorry. If you felt I was threatening you in anyway that is not the case at all. I am a complete shithead sometimes and let my emotions get the best of me. After seeing that you are true stuart of the rivers and smallies I feel much better. I am one of the biggest advocates of the preservation of smallies you would ever want to meet and sometimes it is to a fault. I will never appologize for my views on the preservation of river Smallmouth Bass in Missouri, it's just something I will never budge on. I will take that opinion to my grave. So I just wanted to say I'm sorry kkirchmer, I'm a jackass!! now it's time to float on the upper, upper Jacks Fork.......see ya

[Chief Grey Bear]

1. We haven't had SMAs for 40 years. But you're right, if their rules are not followed they won't help, but some people will follow them so I'd rather have the SMAs than not have them. If it keeps just one angler from harvesting a big smallmouth, it's a good thing.

2. Again, they're better than nothing because at least a few anglers will change their habits. I still think MDC needs to do a much better job of educaction and enforcement of the regulations...that has been my position all along, but it doesn't mean I like to see more SMAs established anyway.

3. I do fish hard, and sometimes I'm rewarded. If Tom, Dick and Harry are all eating 18" smallies that I could have otherwise been catching, they are partially to blame.

1. I was not talking about 40+ years of SMA. I was speaking of 12inch 6 total limits for unimpounded waters. We are getting to a point we could equate the smallmouth debate to gun ownership. We keep making more restrictive gun regs because of a few thugs and it does nothing but punish the law abiding gun owners like myself. And simply put, I view this debate as the same.

2. Now here I was speaking completely of SMA's. And the point was you wanted the MDC to "stick their neck out" and do something for smallmouth as they have done for trout. I simple was stated that they did. And I believe, though I haven't checked it out to verify, there are more specially protected miles of smallmouth streams than trout. I would even let you throw in all the White Ribbon streams on that too.

3. The fish are there. Members of this forum have caught them. So again, we can't point our finger at the "What if" crowd. You just need to man up and quit casting blame. I have never caught one either but I will never blame it on anything other than me. Someday maybe I will ge lucky and get one. But if don't, so what, I have had one hell of a good time.

Oh yeah, Dylan is a cool name. Thanks. Dylan thanks you too. He was named after Bob Dylan. And I named my daughter Sierra after the Sierra Mountains.

Chief,

I don't think you realize how many people we have fishing our streams on this side of the state.

That is a very valid point. And very true. But also on the flip side, when one reads all the reports and see's the pictures, I would have to think that, and I think you would have to agree, that fishing on that side of heaven does look to be incredibly good. And I hope to enjoy it myself soon.

[eric1978]

He was named after Bob Dylan.

Awesome, and that's exactly why I like the name so much, too. BD is my all-time fav.

I like smallies, and I like catching a lot of them, especially the bigger ones. So anything that keeps more of them in a stream, I support. That's it.

[Chief Grey Bear]

In fact he loves Bob's music too.

I too enjoy a good brownie trip. So get your big ol' butt down here so we wet a line and discuss the problems with the republican party.

[KCRIVERRAT]

I'm in!................. Hey, if we all ever meet Phil... should we nickname him Red Buttons?

Also, my grandson who is 3 months old is named Dylan Morrison Smith. Easy to figure that one out...

[eric1978]

In fact he loves Bob's music too.

I too enjoy a good brownie trip. So get your big ol' butt down here so we wet a line and discuss the problems with the republican party.

We do agree on that my friend. We do indeed.

I'm in!................. Hey, if we all ever meet Phil... should we nickname him Red Buttons?

Also, my grandson who is 3 months old is named Dylan Morrison Smith. Easy to figure that one out...

Bob Dylan, Van or Jim Morrison, and...Ozzie Smith?