Alley To 2 Rivers Weekend Trip Report

[Chief Grey Bear]

I sure see lots of folks hunting for coyotes during deer season then. Oddly, I don't see those hounds any other time of the year. On two different occasions I have had deer dogs wander into my campsite during deer season while campiing on the eleven point, both times they had gps collars.

You ought to make friends with the dogs. Toss the collars in the creek and then give them a ride a mile or two down stream. Wave adios and laugh your butt off as you picture the owner thinking standing there scratching his noggin wondering.

[mic]

You ought to make friends with the dogs. Toss the collars in the creek and then give them a ride a mile or two down stream. Wave adios and laugh your butt off as you picture the owner thinking standing there scratching his noggin wondering.

Chief that is so wrong, yet so right.

[drew03cmc]

Al - I have a few theories as to why there are fewer smallmouth in Alley than the other Ozark springs.

1. I think many of the larger smallmouth are in the spring branch and even the mill pond pool where fishing is not allowed

2. There tends to be heavy exploitation of smallmouth in the winter and early spring where Alley Spring enters the Jacks Fork. It is easy to access the confluence and fish the first several hundred yards of river below the spring because of the road on the North Side. The length limit is 12 inches in that part of the river and some people keep all of those small, legal sized fish they catch.

3. If people are keeping those 12 and 13 inch fish, they never have a chance to get larger.

4. Not all smallmouth go to springs in the winter, so if fisherman are harvesting that segment of the population that do use springs when the fish are 12 inches long, then there will not be large fish.

5. The depth of the river right below alley does not allow for a large number of fish compared to say the confluence at Big Spring on the Current River.

6. The temperature advantages of Alley Spring fade quickly as you move downstream and while the water may be a couple of degrees warmer a mile below the spring, it is probably not a strong enough benefit to draw large smallmouth from other parts of the river.

Just my thoughts.

Right, but not right. If people are keeping 12-13" smallmouth where there is a 12" length limit, that is their legal right. If you have a problem with it, tough, that is the law.

You haven't read that smallmouth migrate 40+ miles, have you? Smallmouth obviously pack their bags and travel miraculously long distances, calling cousins and the whole deal, on their way to winter holes. It is possible that even a 2 degree difference is enough to draw brownies from 10 miles down river if you listen to the migration believers.

[Greasy B]

Wow! "the believers" like a cult, I like that.

[Muddbugg]

Right, but not right. If people are keeping 12-13" smallmouth where there is a 12" length limit, that is their legal right. If you have a problem with it, tough, that is the law.

You haven't read that smallmouth migrate 40+ miles, have you? Smallmouth obviously pack their bags and travel miraculously long distances, calling cousins and the whole deal, on their way to winter holes. It is possible that even a 2 degree difference is enough to draw brownies from 10 miles down river if you listen to the migration believers.

Wow. I never said I have a problem with people keeping legally caught smallmouth. I simply gave an explaination as to why there might not be as many large smallmouth at that location.

I am fully aware of the documented migrations of smallmouth. I am also fully aware of the lack of migration by some smallmouth. It seems some smallmouth in the Jacks Fork move in the winter and others don't.

[Terrierman]

I got a problem with people keeping smallmouth. They grow too slow to be a meat fish and are a lot more fun to catch than they are to eat. Put them back.

[Chief Grey Bear]

I got a problem with people keeping smallmouth. They grow too slow to be a meat fish and are a lot more fun to catch than they are to eat. Put them back.

They don't grow any slower than other bass species. They all have about the same growth rate.

I love eating smallmouth. I had a mess of them just last night. This morning I am using the leftovers for my famous Smallmouth omelette. OH man are they good!

[laker67]

I love eating smallmouth. I had a mess of them just last night. This morning I am using the leftovers for my famous Smallmouth omelette. OH man are they good!

Enjoy that omelette chief, i will stay tuned for round one.

[Terrierman]

They don't grow any slower than other bass species. They all have about the same growth rate.

I love eating smallmouth. I had a mess of them just last night. This morning I am using the leftovers for my famous Smallmouth omelette. OH man are they good!

It takes about six years for a smallmouth to get to 14 inches. I fear we are in permanent disagreement. Especially given the pressure that the rivers see these days. Again I say they are a lot more fun to catch than they are to eat. Put them back.

[ollie]

Chief.......