Mdc Enforcement Issues

[Chief Grey Bear]

We often forget that MDC has to try to please everybody. We smallmouth anglers want our fish to be bigger (and just as numerous), but some people want to be able to keep and eat more smallies. The trophy buck hunter wants more big bucks, but the average nimrod who only hunts the opening weekend of deer season just wants to shoot a deer. Just about any management decision MDC makes is going to tick somebody off.

That is the exact key element. They enact regulations that tie together the resource, the resource user, and the maximum for both, And that is not easy to do.

And why is the meat hunter the nimrod? Not everyone cares about the size of the rack.

I don't know as many people at MDC as I once did...some of them have retired. But I don't really see an elitist attitude. Yes, it sometimes burns my toast when one of the MDC people acts like they know a lot more than I do about a given subject...but they probably do!

Most of them are, for all intents and purposes, scientist. They have dedicated their lives to this. And I know what you are saying about them knowing more about a given subject but, it may also be a case of them telling us something we don't want to hear and we don't want to except as the truth. Let us not forget that these folks are dedicated to what they do and have a passion for it that runs deeper than our weekly outings.

this. 1000x this.

but ya we should make brown trout catch and release in missouri

I don't see the MDC ever giving that type of status to a non-native species. And I would have to agree.

[Feathers and Fins]

I am just curious as to why the Brown Trout would diserve protection of this magnitude? They are not native, They are breed in captivity for release, making them a put and take resource. Dont get me wrong I love to catch big fish and wouldnt mind seeing them with a larger minimum size restriction to enhance the trophy availability of the species. I dont keep trout as a rule, however restricting a put n take species beyound size and keep limits seems to defeat the purpose of a put n take resource.

[ness]

Al and Chief -- both excellent posts.

[stlfisher]

I am just curious as to why the Brown Trout would diserve protection of this magnitude? They are not native, They are breed in captivity for release, making them a put and take resource. Dont get me wrong I love to catch big fish and wouldnt mind seeing them with a larger minimum size restriction to enhance the trophy availability of the species. I dont keep trout as a rule, however restricting a put n take species beyound size and keep limits seems to defeat the purpose of a put n take resource.

IMO Brown trout aren't really managed as put and take. They are stocked at a much lower rate than the rainbows and brown's have the ability to grow much larger than rainbows. Seem like a waste to have a 15 inch brown harvested considering they can get much much larger. The Current is a great example in which one section the fish are safe and the other an angler can harvest 4 brown trout a day. The fish regualry move between the end of Montauk and the Blue Ribbon section. Seems silly and poor managment of the resource in this area. I generally think harvest of a non native stocked exotic is kind of silly to be honest. Seems like we could save a lot of money with a bit more emphasis on C/R in some areas (not the white ribbon sections or area they can't survive past a winter season) and still have the ability to harvest 1 Brown over 18. Use the leftover money for habitat improvement etc....for all species and streams. Under this scenario seems like a win win to me.

[awhuber]

I am just curious as to why the Brown Trout would diserve protection of this magnitude? They are not native, They are breed in captivity for release, making them a put and take resource. Dont get me wrong I love to catch big fish and wouldnt mind seeing them with a larger minimum size restriction to enhance the trophy availability of the species. I dont keep trout as a rule, however restricting a put n take species beyound size and keep limits seems to defeat the purpose of a put n take resource.

We keep all legal browns and throw em on the smoker.Those Germans eat baby Hellbenders!

[ozark trout fisher]

We keep all legal browns and throw em on the smoker.Those Germans eat baby Hellbenders!

Let the games begin...

[drew03cmc]

My only comment is that brown trout are not due any more management restrictions than we already give them. They are not native to this continent.

Someone commented that they can keep 4 browns in the state, that is illegal. The limit is ONE brown, 15" or longer.

[ozark trout fisher]

My only comment is that brown trout are not due any more management restrictions than we already give them. They are not native to this continent.

Someone commented that they can keep 4 browns in the state, that is illegal. The limit is ONE brown, 15" or longer.

Well, they're not due anymore management restrictions. If we're really going to make the right ecological decision, we should stop stocking all trout, and get rid of the wild populations where they occur. But until that happens (never) we might as well manage them in a way where we can have good opportunities to catch trophy sized fish.

That's all I'm gonna say about it. I've been down this road a few too many times anyway.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Well, they're not due anymore management restrictions. If we're really going to make the right ecological decision, we should stop stocking all trout, and get rid of the wild populations where they occur. But until that happens (never) we might as well manage them in a way where we can have good opportunities to catch trophy sized fish.

That's all I'm gonna say about it. I've been down this road a few too many times anyway.

Why is it that any and every time someone doesn't feel like they are getting the absolute best nature has to offer, whether it be trout, bass, deer or what have you, they want the rules changed to benefit their self esteem under the guise that it is the best for all???? Haven't we screwed with nature enough????

And I am not singling you out OTF, it happens all across the wide spectrum.

[ozark trout fisher]

Why is it that any and every time someone doesn't feel like they are getting the absolute best nature has to offer, whether it be trout, bass, deer or what have you, they want the rules changed to benefit their self esteem under the guise that it is the best for all???? Haven't we screwed with nature enough????

And I am not singling you out OTF, it happens all across the wide spectrum.

Oh goodness gracious, I shouldn't have gotten started on this. Basically there are about 10,000 conservation issues that I care about a lot more than trout regulations. So I'm just not going to argue it again. You probably won't end up changing my opinion anyway, and I certainly won't change yours