Smallmouth Regs Debate...again

[Chief Grey Bear]

MDC clearly values trout; huge resources are directed at trout and regs are almost stream-by-stream.

It would appear that the trout is at the top of the food chain in the MDC eyes. But don't forget that all money that is spent on trout by the MDC comes from fisherman that have spent money on trout by way of tags and permits. That is the only source of money that is spent by MDC on trout. There is no money set a side or bugeted for the trout program.

Motels, resturants, gas stations, fly shops and such are the true benefactors. And that is great because it keeps a lot of people working.

Smallmouth in this light are second-class citizens. A kid growing up on the middle to lower Meramec probably won't have an ingrained sense of the value of smallmouth; to him they are just bass. Not a highly valued species.

That is up to you to teach the the value of all wildlife. It is not the MDC's job to raise your children.

I want smart, science-based regs that clearly values smallmouth. MDC so far in my opinion hasn't got there yet.

And just what would those be??? We have more miles of special smallmouth regs than we do ribbon trout streams.

[Outside Bend]

The main point I would like to make is we need regulations that clearly value smallmouth bass.

One of the best points that has been made on this thread. The discussion is as much about value as it is about science. To many, increased opportunity for quality-sized smallmouth is more important than large numbers of fish below 15," and one could argue those streams which could support more quality-sized smallmouth in this state aren't being managed for that goal.

If you're wanting to see changes to the state regulations/smallmouth management paradigm, the biology of smallmouth is only one part of it. We need to start articulating the argument that quality smallmouth fishing isn't just good for anglers, it's good for all sorts of people living, working, and playing in the state- canoe liveries, tackle shops, hotels/motels, restaurants, guides and outfitters, NGO's, etc that it increases the chances that fishing and other outdoor activities will be passed to subsequent generations. Take a page outta the elk restoration playbook, and hammer it into people's heads how important it is that this is done

IMO some of you guys have put the cart before the horse- you're advocating that MDC change smallie regs when many folks in the Department don't see it as a priority. But if you illustrate the value of quality smallmouth fisheries, demonstrate that quality smallie fisheries are a priority for the public, it's much more likely to be adopted by the agency.

[hank franklin]

That is up to you to teach the the value of all wildlife. It is not the MDC's job to raise your children.

Uh, it's my job to teach my kids the value of wildlife? Are you sure? I keep waiting for the government to do it for me.

I've been away from the computer, uh, catching crappie with my kid. You oughta try it.

[Al Agnew]

It ain't the children we need to worry about, it's the adults whose minds we might be able to change. Then they instill it in their children. But I guess mainly it's that nebulous thing called society. Regulations that reflect the value of smallmouth in the stream could give the idea to enough members of society--and in this case I mean the "society" of the Missouri Ozarks--to make the people of that society more aware of their value. Maybe make it less likely that people look the other way or tacitly support breaking the regulations. Maybe make more peer pressure not to kill big smallmouth as a matter of course.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Uh, it's my job to teach my kids the value of wildlife? Are you sure? I keep waiting for the government to do it for me.

I've been away from the computer, uh, catching crappie with my kid. You oughta try it.

I guess you haven't been paying attention to all of the pics I have posted here over the years. You oughta try it.