Questionable Activity

[Chief Grey Bear]

There are always going to be conflicts whenever there are a bunch of people on the same water. They have as much right to be there as you do...UNLESS their form of recreation interferes with yours while yours doesn't interfere with anybody else's to anywhere near the same degree. The sucker grabbers are messing up one pool for the trout fishermen. The trout fishermen probably aren't messing up the sucker grabbers much...in fact, they might be inadvertently helping them if they come wading into the pool and scare the suckers into the grabbers' hooking area (which was what the grabbers were trying to do by throwing rocks).

Problem is, there are times when one user's activities DO totally mess things up for other users. I don't think this is one of those times, but if a whole bunch of sucker grabbers descended upon the upper Current and set up shop in every decent pool, then it WOULD be such a case, since the trout fishermen in their normal activities would be doing nothing to really mess up the sucker grabbers, while the sucker grabbers would pretty much be messing up the trout fishermen.

It would become a very sticky situation in that case.

This is certainly interesting. If I am understanding this correcetly, sucker grabbers are to give way to trout fishermen? It is ok for trout fishermen to "set up on every decent pool"? But not sucker grabbers? It is ok for trout fisherment to work their way through a pool that a grabber was set up because it "may" help the grabber? But what if it doesn't? What if it actually scatters the suckers and they abandon that pool?

I guess the highlited statement in your post would depend on which type of fishing you were doing. I wouldn't think the grabbers would agree. When did we develope this whole food pyramid of sorts? And who put the trout fishermen on top? I like trout fishing as much as anyone, but I certainly would never say that I have rights to trout fish over any other form or type of fishing.

Now with that being said, if you were on the pool first, they yes, then you should be extended the courtesy of having that pool to your style of fishing, if not just have the pool to yourself. I would would let you have it to yourself personally. I don't like to crowd and I don't like to be crowded. Where has common courtesy gone?

[Outside Bend]

I wonder if throwing rocks into the river to move suckers around would be considered harassment of wildlife. Tossing rocks in the creek to move the suckers closer to your loungechair seems sorta contrary to the fair chase principle, to me at least. Heaven forbid you have to get up and do a little walking...

[Flyflinger]

I wonder if throwing rocks into the river to move suckers around would be considered harassment of wildlife. Tossing rocks in the creek to move the suckers closer to your loungechair seems sorta contrary to the fair chase principle, to me at least. Heaven forbid you have to get up and do a little walking...

Snagging kind of runs contrary to the fair chase principle.

[Flyflinger]

C'mon, Greg! It was just starting to get good! Ya see:

When pulverizing a deceased Equine, never forget to stop and "smell the roses".. You learn to appreciate each chunk of rhetorical flesh as it lobs toward unsuspecting posters who just stopped in on page 6 to see what the commotion is about.. You should remember to examine this tidbits as they fly by, see them for the unique masterpieces (or clear warnings) that they are. And the real good stuff, the psychological release of tension that comes from the (metaphorical) blood splashing onto everyone (bonding us in a strange way), THAT doesnt even come around til page 6 or so! Ya see, it's in kicking that dead horse that we all come to terms with our true thoughts, our true feelings.. Not just about the horse (cause after all, it's already dead) but about each other.

(for instance, through careful examination of many posts I have come to the conclusion that Wheat and FlySmallie were star-crossed lovers in their previous lives)

However, out of respect for one of the fly fisherman who helped turn me toward the righteous path of the Fly rod (and you did, Kind Sir) and a few others who apparently take that subject pretty darn seriously, I will now back away from this dead horse (the fly vs Spin guy debate) and turn my attention to riling up people about a different subject altogether. I hope you understand my comments regarding that subject were (usually) made purely in jest and that I have truly enjoyed my time on the stream with the fly guys I HAVE met...

That is an awesome post!....Cricket you have a way with words.

[Greg]

That is an awesome post!....Cricket you have a way with words.

I agree. Very funny.

Greg

[Chief Grey Bear]

I wonder if throwing rocks into the river to move suckers around would be considered harassment of wildlife. Tossing rocks in the creek to move the suckers closer to your loungechair seems sorta contrary to the fair chase principle, to me at least. Heaven forbid you have to get up and do a little walking...

I'd say after packing a lounge hair around all day, a man should be entitled to a little rock tossing. Them things can get awlful heavy.

[Flyflinger]

I'd say after packing a lounge hair around all day, a man should be entitled to a little rock tossing. Them things can get awlful heavy.

Websters definition of

Lounge hair: A late 80's German Polka band..best known for hits such as; "Snaggin and Grabbin"..."Tossin Cheese"..."That's my kids fish".

[Chief Grey Bear]

I don't have a problem with sucker snagging in most areas- but on really crowded water, it just doesn't work out well. It scares too many fish away for the other fisherman, whether they are fly or spin anglers.

I do not have a problem with snagging on more secluded streams where there method doesn't ruin as many people's fishing. Snagging at Baptist Camp is roughly equivalent to someone setting up shop and snagging suckers, say, in Roaring River State Park. It just doesn't work out well for anyone with that many fisherman around. And for every upper Current, I can probably name you 10 creeks where I have no problem whatsoever with sucker snagging.

I don't really understand where everyone is getting the idea that I am railing against spin-fisherman either. I don't have a problem with spin fishing on the Current or anywhere else for that matter.

One final point- I'm not even suggesting that snagging should be banned in the Current River. I am just suggesting that it is an inconsiderate behavior on this particular stretch of stream, in just the same way that some fly fisherman are inconsiderate of other fisherman.

I agree with the point of your post. But, if the grabber is their first, is he to give way to the trout fisherman? No. If the trout fisherman was there first, should he give way to the grabber? No. No one has rights over the other as determined by the method of fishing.

As far as Roaring River, Zone 3 would be an excellent area for some grabbing. And rightfully so. But comparing trout parks to wild rivers is not realistic.

Websters definition of

Lounge hair: A late 80's German Polka band..best known for hits such as; "Snaggin and Grabbin"..."Tossin Cheese"..."That's my kids fish".

Now that is funny. You got me there!

So you are Polka band fan. That explains a lot.

[ozark trout fisher]

As far as Roaring River, Zone 3 would be an excellent area for some grabbing. And rightfully so. But comparing trout parks to wild rivers is not realistic.

I said "roughly" like Roaring River State Park... The crowds on this section of the Current really aren't much less than that of a trout park on a slower than usual day, so I think that there is some valid comparison there. But I would agree with you that it may not be the best analogy.

I actually think sucker snagging is totally an okay method. It's a tradition, passed down in some Ozark families, and I think that those traditions should be allowed to continue whenever and wherever it isn't having a big negative impact.

But think of it this way.... Someone sets up on a nice, deep, trout filled pool early in the morning, with a gigging pole, some treble hooks, and a whole bunch of rocks. That person throws rocks in the pool to herd the suckers so he can snag them. Every trout in the pool is frightened and probably even leaves the pool, likely for the balance of the day. These are Blue Ribbon fish, and the water is low. They spook easy and they don't go back to feeding for a good long time after such a disturbance. Then the snagger leaves at noon, and a trout fisherman comes down to fish the same pool at 1 PM, after he leaves. And this will happen-this is crowded water and the good pools don't stay unoccupied for long. This is this guy's favorite pool, the one he had been looking forward to fishing for the last month. But for some odd reason, the fish just aren't there. He can't catch a thing, and he doesn't even see any fish. And all because another fisherman-in this case a snagger-used a method that frightened the fish very badly, not anticipating how he might ruin the experience for the next guy to come along.

If they are going to snag suckers in a very popular Blue Ribbon area, can they at least leave the rock throwing part out? Surely that isn't asking too much.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Can a trout tell the difference between a rock and...say a....walnut?.....hedge apple?...or any number of other objects that naturally fall into the water during the day. But why would they be more afraid of the occasional rock and not a steady stream of waders? Do you honestly think that they don't know you are there??? Every person/animal/bird/fish/what have you has a comfort zone. Cross it and you are finished.