Some Thoughts On Quality Fishing...

[Al Agnew]

Quality fishing...it's obviously a different thing for different people. For me, quality fishing means being on a stream, not flat water, catching a fish that's native to that stream or at least was born and grew up in it. Others will have different versions.

But quality fishing also entails a lot of other things, which are also different depending upon your point of view. Does it mean catching lots of fish? Big fish? Easy fishing? A real challenge?

I've been thinking about this ever since the discussions we had on stream smallmouth regulations. The Missouri Smallmouth Alliance is pushing for "world class" fishing in the Missouri Ozarks. But what does that mean? I've fished some world class smallmouth destinations. Only one of them produced the numbers of fish I can usually catch on a good day in the Ozarks, but most of them produced more big fish. Indeed, in some of them most of the fish you catch are what we'd call big or at least quality fish, over 16 inches.

As I think about it, there is something to be said for a fishery that produces 50-100 fish days with maybe one or two of them being over 18 inches in the case of river smallmouth. And there is also a lot to be said for a fishery where it really is a challenge to catch the bigger fish among all of the smaller ones. At what point does the challenge become so difficult and the likelihood of success so small that it's TOO much of a challenge? On the other hand, if you can catch 75 smallmouth a day and 80% of them are over 16 inches (as was the case in one of the places I've fished), to me that becomes too easy. It's fun for an occasional trip, but I really wouldn't want it to be that easy every time I go.

I have kept accurate records of the number of bass over 18 inches I've caught from Ozark streams most years, and I have several times gone back over those records and figured out the number of hours or trips it takes me to catch a fish that size. I don't remember the exact figures, but basically it worked out to something like a fish that size comes about every eight or ten hours of fishing for me (keep in mind that includes river largemouth as well as smallies). Or something like about one in 50 fish, or about one fish that size per trip, but that's an average over time, given that there are plenty of trips where I don't catch an 18 incher, offset by the occasional trip where I catch several.

The question is, is that good? Is it good enough? Would I be happier catching twice that many big fish per time spent? Ten times as many? At what point would such catches be so frequent that they wouldn't mean much? I've fished for fish where everything you caught was big, and about the same size, such as salmon fishing in Alaska. Ten to fifteen pound silver salmon are fun, especially when you find them in the backwaters and ready to eat big fly rod deer hair poppers. But geez, how many 10-15 pound fish can you catch before it gets to be...almost boring? One time I got so tired of catching cookie cutter big silvers that I started trying to get the much bigger but poorer fighting chum salmon to take my flies, just to catch something different.

Here's another thought...while I usually target a certain species or at least genus of fish--bass in Ozark streams, trout in Montana rivers, for example--it's always interesting to have some variety in my catch. In Ozark streams I may catch a walleye, a pickerel, crappie, rock bass and the two related species, several kinds of sunfish, drum, white bass, gar, and even some other species, even though I'm targeting bass.

So...as I think about it, I believe that, while there is certainly room for considerable improvement in our Ozark streams, what we have is pretty darned good. I like catching numbers of fish, with the occasional big one. I like never knowing for sure what you'll catch. What I think is that I'd be happy with the numbers of big fish doubling or tripling in relation to the numbers of smaller fish...in other words, I think I'd like it to be a little more likely that a given day would produce one or several big fish, but I wouldn't want the big ones to come so often that they would no longer be anything special. I want there to be enough big ones to reward the good or lucky angler, without there being so many that any nimrod can go out any time and catch them.

The great trips always stick out in your memory. I can easily conjure up the memories of trips where I caught several big fish or well over 100 fish. What if such days were commonplace? I think I'd remember them a lot less. On the other hand, what if they were a once in a lifetime thing? That wouldn't be so good. I don't want my fishing to be TOO tough. I seldom fish some streams in the summer when the fishing pressure is intense and the fishing is mediocre, because I don't enjoy the prospect of probably only catching 20 fish a day with the chances of a big one being very small.

So I guess for me, quality means the fishing is usually good for numbers, keeping me entertained throughout the day, with there always being a decent chance of one or more of those fish being big ones if I can figure them out and fish well. I don't want all the fish to be big, but maybe just a few more of them, or more of them being on the high end--20-21 inchers instead of 18-19 inchers.

[Nick Williams]

Great post. I personally went out today to a local small reservoir and I was nailing Largemouth Bass and panfish, and I know for a fact there are also some big cats and white bass and carp in that body of water, so it always keeps it exciting. I always enjoy going there because I always catch fish, and while it isn't usually huge fish or giant numbers, it is enough to keep me entertained while knowing I could pull in a 5lb LMB or a 20lb cat or tiny Bluegill. It's a small enough body of water that I can slowly work my way around it during the day, but big enough where I do actually have to try certain tactics/lures before I can find one that fits in that groove. And I can also use my fly rod, light spinning tackle or even some heavy stuff if I want so it gives me a lot of options. So for me, that place provides me with quality fishing.

On the other hand, right after leaving there I went out with some friends on a nearby lake...and caught absolutely nothing. Barely any bites. That to me is boring never fun fishing, especially when you leave a location where you are already catching fish!

[ozark trout fisher]

Interesting post.

I've always wondered exactly what people meant when they say that our smallmouth streams aren't world class. Not that I'm as experienced as some on here, I've fished some places that are considered to be that, and I like fishing a whole host of our Ozark streams better than any of them. It's just about what each person wants I guess, and our smallmouth streams seem close to perfect to me. Not to say they couldn't be managed a little better, but we do have it pretty good.

[Chief Grey Bear]

YES!!!!!! Finally, I have gotten through to someone!!!! That is the Ozark river fishing experience!!!!! She will give up her secrets but not for free. You have to put in your time and respect for her or you will be soundly rejected.

Now, we can have one more discussion on how to obtain the larger fish that is fair to all users of the resource and better for the resource, if you would like. But in a different post maybe.

[RSBreth]

All I want is the current regulations enforced on the Trophy Areas, that would help with raising more big fish, becuase I think I've been here long enough to see floods and drought and other issues have the effect of better or worse year classes of Bass in the rivers I fish most, all of that evens out after time if the human factor can be curbed.

I love the small walk and wade creeks (or upper part of bigger rivers) and the bigger rivers, too. I personally know two people who think if you aren't fishing from a Bass Boat on a big lake like Table Rock it isn't real Bass fishing - whatever the hell that means - even if you can catch bigger Bass from time to time.. Good for us - like Chief said - it's the whole Ozark river fishing experience I enjoy, and if they don't get it, they don't fish with me. And they don't get to.

So I guess I'll say it's both numbers and some bigger fish. If it was like Lake Erie, with 5-pounders on every trip, I'd probably get spoiled.

[Feathers and Fins]

Al, for me the definition of a quality fishery is not judged by numbers or size, but by the water quality, the health of the water the fauna surrounding it and the creatures living in it and around it.

I love to catch fish as do all of us here or we wouldn’t be here. But to that end there is far more to fishing than merely going out and casting a line in the water and hooking a fish! How boring would that be to go out ever time and catch a fish each cast?

I have been blessed to fish so many places from the Oceans surrounding this country to the smallest little mountain creeks, to catch fish from large Marlin and Sharks to tiny little smallmouth and trout. I have been happy each time to be on the water but what tears at my heart is when I see trash floating by or seeing a stream tore up by people. Quality to me is being able to see pristine water and all the wildlife in and around it. I guess I have gotten older where I more long for the serenity of fishing than the numbers.

My camera never leaves my side when I am on the water, I want to try and capture the moments in time and have them. A goose flying a heron fishing a frog waiting on a bug a dogwood in bloom or a red sky just before the twilight to me are all part of the tapestry of nature and all fall into the quality of the trip and place.

[Justin Spencer]

Al, for me the definition of a quality fishery is not judged by numbers or size, but by the water quality, the health of the water the fauna surrounding it and the creatures living in it and around it.

I love to catch fish as do all of us here or we wouldn’t be here. But to that end there is far more to fishing than merely going out and casting a line in the water and hooking a fish! How boring would that be to go out ever time and catch a fish each cast?

I have been blessed to fish so many places from the Oceans surrounding this country to the smallest little mountain creeks, to catch fish from large Marlin and Sharks to tiny little smallmouth and trout. I have been happy each time to be on the water but what tears at my heart is when I see trash floating by or seeing a stream tore up by people. Quality to me is being able to see pristine water and all the wildlife in and around it. I guess I have gotten older where I more long for the serenity of fishing than the numbers.

My camera never leaves my side when I am on the water, I want to try and capture the moments in time and have them. A goose flying a heron fishing a frog waiting on a bug a dogwood in bloom or a red sky just before the twilight to me are all part of the tapestry of nature and all fall into the quality of the trip and place.

Well put. To me this is why it is hard to beat floating and fishing, or wading the flats in the middle of nowhere. For those who are always tied to their bass boats, or other modern "conveniences" I think they are missing the true joy of nature, and what it really means to be an outdoorsman.

[DaveMac]

To me it's the whole experience, not just the numbers or size of fish. The beauty and character of the Ozarks, the clear water, gravel bottom, bluffs and everything. The fishing is challenging enough, but not too hard that it doesn't become frustrating. I like the fact that what takes effort is getting places where the masses can't (or won't) go. The times you find yourself alone on a gorgeous day catching these amazingly beautiful fish, you think "why aren't there more people doing this?" And then you think, well, just our little secret!

Having said all that, when my son and I get to our destination, we keep track of who gets first, biggest and most!

[Tim Smith]

Love the topic. To me a big part of enjoying fishing is taking what nature gives and taking that opportunity to deepen my knowledge about nature. Chief's comments about learning the system resonate with me. I spent years catching lots of small smallmouth in Illinois until I spent some time talking to anglers in the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance and started finding bigger fish (in the same systems I had been fishing).

Other times I've shown up to the river into an unexpected white bass run or cluster of walleyes and had a blast catching those...

...or the day I found those luminescent bugs along the bank on the paddle home at dusk...

....or the day I found the bobcat skull...or the cool fossil..or the arrowhead....or the mudpuppy.

What fishing gives beyond all that is that moment when everything clicks and when you make that perfect cast into the dead water behind the current seam and the boulder or snag and you KNOW the strike is coming and you're right. To me that's the affirmation that you have the keys to the place...that you are at home. That you belong.

[Mitch f]

Well, call it a character flaw but I'm a trophy hunter. I do enjoy the total experience though. I can feel better about myself by also admitting the fact that I get just as much pleasure having my fishing partner catch a bigger one than me. I'm not one of these guys that care if my partner out fishes me, but I've seen many people get all tense if they can't catch anything. I still think Missouri has a ways to go in making it a great fishery though. I've been to many other places and have seen what we are missing.