Why Are Some Members Deathly Afraid To Say Where They Fish?

[Flyflinger]

The reason above HWY 8 sucks now is because way too many people are hitting it all the time. I use to catch many 18 and over every year up there, it's not like it use to be at all but what river is??? I know where Al went and caught 683 smallies over 17 inches, I can tell by the gravel that he mistakenly allowed us to see by his paddle

Hey I have tried to take OAF guys on the river to no avail and expose my supposed secret spots.The only one on here who will go with me is MOsmallies and he has reaped the rewards.I have no problems showing people where I go but, you have to go with ME.Not many guys on here are willing to go where I go and do what you have to to get way out into the dung. Go on a 12 mile float and have to drag your canoe three miles of the twelve.I will give props to Fishingcricket he is like me willing to hit the river with ya and have good time and not be so pretentious about it.I don't need the Smallmouth Alliance to show me how to catch smallies or Chuck Tyron to show me where to go.

Dude...I'll carry the canoe on my back for 10 miles to get to some quality smallmouth action. I could care a less. In fact most of the best fishing spots I know of come after a 1-2 mile hike or wade. Smalliebigs..when we getting out?

[Ham]

Even though the fishing pressure is astronomical because it is one of the top 5 ranked smallie streams in the USA I think we might catch a fish or 40 like last time.

Crooked Creek is a shadow of what it used to be. I think Gravel Mining was the biggest part of its degredation, but increased fishing pressure took a toll as well. If you think Crooked Creek is one of the Top Five Smallmouth Stream in America, you are either delusional or ignorant. I don't mean either of terms as an insult, but just descriptive of fact. I'm not sure that Crooked Creek was ever in the Top Five.

Go fish some rivers in Maine, Minn, the New River in Virginia, John Day River, the Columbia River, the Susky, and about 100 other great smallmouth rivers and get back to us on Crooked Creek being in the Top Five.

I love Crooked Creek, but I don't lie to myself about it being one of the Top Smallmouth Rivers in the country.

[gotmuddy]

Crooked Creek is a shadow of what it used to be. I think Gravel Mining was the biggest part of its degredation, but increased fishing pressure took a toll as well. If you think Crooked Creek is one of the Top Five Smallmouth Stream in America, you are either delusional or ignorant. I don't mean either of terms as an insult, but just descriptive of fact. I'm not sure that Crooked Creek was ever in the Top Five.

Go fish some rivers in Maine, Minn, the New River in Virginia, John Day River, the Columbia River, the Susky, and about 100 other great smallmouth rivers and get back to us on Crooked Creek being in the Top Five.

I love Crooked Creek, but I don't lie to myself about it being one of the Top Smallmouth Rivers in the country.

You may be right but so far I have caught my biggest fish there. I do intent to fish the eleven point this fall quite a bit.

[Greg]

Just to clarify (and speaking only for myself):I wasn't pointing my comments regarding not caring for posts that don't name a location at any particular person at all. Thinking about it I would be hard pressed to even remember who does that? I certainly did not post in response to Mr. Agnew's last post. At that point I don't think I had even read his most recent post.

And I certainly didn't mean to make anyone out to be a "villain" as someone else stated. As I said this is an open forum and everyone is free to post what they want - just as everyone else is free to comment upon it, and to read or not read it.

I also think my comment regarding these posts being "senseless bragging" was a little strong and I apologize for that. When you have a great day on the water all of us like to talk about it. My opinion is that if someone posts about their day of fishing and omits the location and or what lure or fly they are using - it's probably not really a fishing report but is more of a fishing "story" - although the details are probably very true. Some stories are well worth reading (to me) if they contain humor, useful tactics, pictures, etc. If not I simply choose to stop reading them.

But I won't apologize for my feeling that the best reports will still always be the ones that do name at least a general location. That makes it more real to me and I think to others as well. I still remember one of the first reports I posted about fishing on upper Taney. Phil responded to my report with "Nice and thanks for posting but where were you on Taneycomo and what were you using?".

I can't speak for everyone else on the "other" side of this but I think I unintentionally came on a little too strong and I apologize for that.

Greg

[Wayne SW/MO]

I don't buy into the conspiracy theory that a bunch of poachers

I'm not sure how this got into the discussion, but it never was part of my reasoning. The fact is that most poaching is done by locals who need no direction to any Honey Hole. My own reasons are simple, there are no secret smallie streams in this state, but some have limited habitat. Fishermen, including myself, add more stress to a situation enhanced by the natural climate change and drawdown of resources. I'm not going to remind fishermen, on a thread that can get over 1200 views, that a small stream exist.

[Guest P. owensby]

Razorback football? Last time I heard about Arkansas football, Steve Little was busy getting drunk then paralyzed after being drafted by the Big Red.

You forgot the fact that he used I-270 at Ladue like his own little ice rink, and decided not to land the triple sow-cow. Ohh, wait a minute, you did mention the accident...

[joeD]

[Trav]

Ok Joe...We sure do think alike!

[joeD]

I'd be ashamed to admit something like that, Trav. Yikes.

[Wayne SW/MO]

But yet you keep looking.