Poaching Season

[joeD]

Postscript (PS):

1. Yes, I'm drinking.

2. No, I won't edit my posts

3. Get over it.

PSS: My "avatar" is simply a delicious looking Manhattan. Which consists, in this case,of a nice rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, a dash of bitters, lovingly stirred with ice in a nice container, strained into a period coupe glass, with a cherry plopped in at the last moment. Then gulped by me without the aforementioned ceremony. Then repeated.

[Haris122]

I was on the river (actually Beaver Creek) Saturday and part of Sunday. Take out point was a remote low water bridge. There was a fish fry there Saturday night. Probably two dozen or maybe a few more carcasses laying on the bottom right below the bridge. Every single one was a sucker.

Off topic, but I remember a few years back checking out the MDC access near Meramec Caverns, before I went hunting and saw a heap of fish, primarily suckers, that had been killed off and fileted that same way. Just what goes on as far as gigging and sucker populations are concerned that makes it viable to keep doing it with current limits? Not a population biologist, but you figure 20 or so suckers each time by just one person out of 3 or so going along on just one boat for one night, has got to be hitting those things hard. Is it normally much more difficult than that with most folks not getting more than a few throughout the night? Or what's the dynamic there?

[Justin Spencer]

It's like any other kind of fishing, there are good spots and bad spots, good trips and bad trips, and unless you gig often it is rather difficult to hit a fish. Giggers usually don't gig the smaller suckers because the payoff is not there, so these fish are left for next year. It is a great self sustaining fishery.

[Seth]

Off topic, but I remember a few years back checking out the MDC access near Meramec Caverns, before I went hunting and saw a heap of fish, primarily suckers, that had been killed off and fileted that same way. Just what goes on as far as gigging and sucker populations are concerned that makes it viable to keep doing it with current limits? Not a population biologist, but you figure 20 or so suckers each time by just one person out of 3 or so going along on just one boat for one night, has got to be hitting those things hard. Is it normally much more difficult than that with most folks not getting more than a few throughout the night? Or what's the dynamic there?

1) high sucker populations

2) very small portion of the river gets gigged (most is done near public accesses so that leaves a lot of fish that don't get bothered)

3) suckers are always "running" so the areas that get gigged hard are always getting fresh fish

4) very few suckers are harvested outside of gigging season

I don't gig the Meramec but do mine near Vienna on the Gasconade most of the time. That place gets pounded all season but you can go up there all fall/winter and clean house on the suckers within a mile of the 42 bridge. There's a lot of other great water up and down if you feel like running some riffles but most guys don't bother because there is no need. The amount of suckers in the Gasconade is crazy and I don't think it would be possible to clean them out regardless of how many giggers there are.

[Smalliebigs]

Bravo!!!! brother you hit the nail on the head once again!!!! ......please don't edit and Manhattans are not bad but, I prefer my Jamaican rum, specifically Appleton reserve......oh the sweet nectar calls my name all the time. Your wisdom is becoming a common occurrence now....thank you

This thread is a perfect example of why the MDC does nothing about fishing regulations, as it pertains to smallmouth, and trout, in our public streams. They cannot be seen as favoring one "side" or the other. Therefore, hamstrung with indecision, they do nothing, passing responsibility on to future Conservation "regimes", while keeping the guise of impartiality. They know what is right for fishing in Missouri, but lack the political and social will to act upon it, for fear of alienating a marginalized and wrongly revered subset of the Missouri fishing population.

But, as we all know, if we would leave our hoosier fishing brothers and sisters alone, letting them do what they want, where they want, when they want, without fear of reprisal, I'm quite sure fishing in Missouri Ozark streams would improve exponentially.

C'mon. They deserve a break. I feel ashamed about my lack respect for their "traditions." You should too.

The very idea of being intelligent and moving civilization forwARD IS JUST PLAIN WRONG.

[riverman]

As both a smallmouth fisher and a gigger I must admit Im a little confused by this. I have caught more 18" plus smallies over the past couple of years on the current than I ever have. Yes bass do get stuck sometimes. Most giggers that I know do not kill bass on purpose. I am all for more patrolling and checking during gigging season. Please don't start a band wagon to end gigging all together. Most of us on the water at night are ethical law abiding people.

Thanks

[Seth]

As both a smallmouth fisher and a gigger I must admit Im a little confused by this. I have caught more 18" plus smallies over the past couple of years on the current than I ever have. Yes bass do get stuck sometimes. Most giggers that I know do not kill bass on purpose. I am all for more patrolling and checking during gigging season. Please don't start a band wagon to end gigging all together. Most of us on the water at night are ethical law abiding people.

Thanks

Took the words out of my mouth. I've seen a lot of very nice smallies caught on the Gasconade during our tournaments this year as well as the biggest one I've personally seen.

[Guest]

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[Haris122]

It's like any other kind of fishing, there are good spots and bad spots, good trips and bad trips, and unless you gig often it is rather difficult to hit a fish. Giggers usually don't gig the smaller suckers because the payoff is not there, so these fish are left for next year. It is a great self sustaining fishery.

1) high sucker populations

2) very small portion of the river gets gigged (most is done near public accesses so that leaves a lot of fish that don't get bothered)

3) suckers are always "running" so the areas that get gigged hard are always getting fresh fish

4) very few suckers are harvested outside of gigging season

I don't gig the Meramec but do mine near Vienna on the Gasconade most of the time. That place gets pounded all season but you can go up there all fall/winter and clean house on the suckers within a mile of the 42 bridge. There's a lot of other great water up and down if you feel like running some riffles but most guys don't bother because there is no need. The amount of suckers in the Gasconade is crazy and I don't think it would be possible to clean them out regardless of how many giggers there are.

I take it overall there's also a much smaller subset of people doing it compared to other kinds of fishing, with the extra equipment and all needed, that also helps keep it sustainable?

Not going to lie, it does look pretty fun from the clips on youtube. Just didn't quite see how it was sustainable if a lot of people do it regularly, with 20 or so fish a person caught each trip out.

[Seth]

Most guys I know who go often just try to kill enough to eat for the night. No sense in gigging too many if you go often. Part of the fun is frying them up with some taders and onions and having a few cold beers after a successful night of gigging. It's also not much fun to be up half the night cleaning fish especially early in the year when it doesn't get dark till late. It can make for some really late nights.