Browns

[10pointer]

Im not sure as I havent seen it personally but I believe that is what Craig Fuller of the MDC said before. It is a hell of a tough road for sure though. I too have noticed over the years a decrease in the big browns coming out of the river. Hope it turns around...

[laker67]

In regard to Wayne's and 10pointer's comments, I have witnessed and caught many large browns out of zone 3 in july and august. Those fish just appear overnight it seems. I am almost positive that mdc is not loading up zone 3 with lunker browns at that time of year. Now, as far as numbers, a huge decrease in fish since 04. As far as them making it all the way to the raceways, a piece of cake at bssp. Their greatest obstacle would be the bait fishermen, and I mean no disrepect by saying that. Do the rainbow leave the warm river water as well? I can't say for sure, but I would assume so. Many stocker size fish would be caught and creeled on a daily basis and never given a second thought. I rarely fish zone 3 since the regulation changes, but I still make several observatory trips in july and espescially august. If I find a big fish, then I adhere to the new regs, if I don't find a good fish, then I return to zone 1 and 2 without ever wetting a line in zone 3. Those big browns come from somewhere, and I believe it is out of the river. In the 80's and 90's, I don't believe they clipped fins. Now it should be proof positive to know for a fact. I walked zone 3 about 3 weeks ago and did not observe even one good fish. Saw a few 3 to 4 pounders and that was it.

[ozark trout fisher]

Saw a few 3 to 4 pounders and that was it.

For what it's worth, many of us would consider a 3-4 pounder to be a very nice fish.

[dennis boatman]

I caught a 12"er Friday and was THRILLED!!!!!!!!! But, I'm easy. If the quality of your fishing trip is judged by the amount and size of your fish, you're doing something wrong.

[Wayne SW/MO]

The river can warm temporarily after floods, even minor ones. Unlike the 11 Point the lower Niangua doesn't get a majority of its water from Bennett and Sand springs. I suppose my point is that fish may well move into the branch for short periods, just as the smallies and goggle eyes do in the winter. The question is how far will they travel? They are animals and if they have no familiar water to return to one would have to wonder if they have the instinct to travel very far.

[laker67]

For what it's worth, many of us would consider a 3-4 pounder to be a very nice fish.

Agreed. I was only making a reference comparison to the 8 to 15 pounders we saw and caught in the 80's.

[laker67]

The river can warm temporarily after floods, even minor ones. Unlike the 11 Point the lower Niangua doesn't get a majority of its water from Bennett and Sand springs. I suppose my point is that fish may well move into the branch for short periods, just as the smallies and goggle eyes do in the winter. The question is how far will they travel? They are animals and if they have no familiar water to return to one would have to wonder if they have the instinct to travel very far.

Yeah, I think your right Wayne. From what I understand, all of the browns come from SOH hatchery. If that is the case, then the origin of their birth waters would not be present in the upstream current. Some might continue on up to search out spawn waters, but they could just as easily return to river on a seasonal pattern.

[laker67]

I caught a 12"er Friday and was THRILLED!!!!!!!!! But, I'm easy. If the quality of your fishing trip is judged by the amount and size of your fish, you're doing something wrong.

When it comes to trout fishing I make no judgements and set no quality standards. I'm out there for me and my style of fishing and could care less about much else. Sounds like you are out there for the same reason.

[ozark trout fisher]

When it comes to trout fishing I make no judgements and set no quality standards. I'm out there for me and my style of fishing and could care less about much else. Sounds like you are out there for the same reason.

I really do respect your attitude about this. It has often been my first impulse to sort of dismiss what I have always thought of as the "trophy hunter" aspect of the sport, but I'm more starting to think to each their own. All fisherman have at least slightly different mindsets about what they are trying to get from the sport and there ain't nothing wrong with that.

[Jeff Tief]

Whatever happened to the idea of stocking 100 small brown trout a month in the zone 1 area of BSState park?We fished the park the weekend of 09/10 and didn't see any evidence of this occuring anymore.In fact, we didn't see many big fish at all.Always like to see several lunkers just for the challenge of catching and releasing them.We stayed a Sand Springs and they said it has been a slower year;part of it is the economy and some of it might be the abscence of trophy fish.Years ago the folks at Roaring decided that big fish took up too much space in the rearing pools.By the next year the same people were saying they wouldn't make that mistake again.Big fish bring in the people.We still caught a lot of fish and had a great time but like Laker67 I sometimes need the fix a big fish provides.