Niangua Decline?

[oneshot]

I doubt that otters are a big factor.  There is little doubt that otters can decimate smaller warm water streams, but a river the size of the Niangua is a lot harder for them to clean out, and trout are not quite as easy to catch as warm water fish, especially in cold weather.

Rivers like the Niangua and Meramec, with large watersheds above the trout water, are tough on trout.  A big warm flood can really mess things up, as can drought years when not only the river gets really low but the spring flow also decreases significantly.  And even a small flood of cool to cold water at the right time of spring could make a lot of trout move upstream, well above the spring, in an abortive spawning run, and then end up stranded in rapidly warming water.  Still, if nothing else the first couple of miles should be fairly consistent fishing as trout should continually repopulate it from the spring branch.

The Otters hit holes. I've seen them kill 20+ Trout in one hole in a few minutes. Not eating just killing.

 

ooneshot

[Flysmallie]

I've heard of these otter serial killings before. Doesn't make any sense. Why would they just go around killing fish for no reason?

[snagged in outlet 3]

Maybe they are related to Jeffery Dahmer????

[fishinwrench]

Specifically targeting trout too!   

I've heard of these otter serial killings before. Doesn't make any sense. Why would they just go around killing fish for no reason?

To keep the giggers from doing it first ?

[oneshot]

Ok I was fishing down stream below the riffle at Barclay, the hole just below the Root Wad. Caught two Trout then they quit. Started seeing several Trot go belly up, four Otters were in the hole, they was going back and forth in the hole. If they wasn't killing Trout for fun why was these Trout dying?

 

oneshot

[trythisonemv]

The niangua has definitely declined. When I was in school we would go every weekend all through high school and slay the trout.  After 2003, we saw a very different river,. I've been the last two years taking friends in the winter and had moderate luck. One day we caught fifteen in a snow storm. But overall btw population seems very low. Also I noticed a decrease in trout caught when sandsprings pushed in that spring up above Bennett. There used to be a big pool and always trout in it. Now canoe launch. Seems canoe revenue is taking precedents. 

[Gavin]

Otters will kill for sport sometimes. Usually during breeding season. Had one of my best days this year on the Niangua but I was not fishing for trout. The trout water has been slow the last couple years. 5-6 trout and some bonus fish about average, but never a banner day. Not many places to fish w/o company down there. Anglers in every spot were you can drive to the river. That trout water gets hit harder than most.

[oneshot]

Ok I have to admit seems like every space along the river that can have an Outfitter has one. When Hidden Valley open shop I couldn't help but feel negative.

I was Reborn in the Niangua and plan on it to be my final Resting Place. My family has worked with Outfitters over many years. We have bought Rafts for Outfitters and they pay us a percentage. Have seen changes not only with the river but the whole area. Dealing with a whole different type of people.

I still Love the river not for the Trout. One species of fish but the many other species.

oneshot

[Greufy]

I am relatively new to the river.  I have only been fishing it regularly for the last 5 years.  I would have to say that so far this year I have seen some of the best fist totals I have seen.  I try to make it to the river at  least 3 times a month and fish it in various spot between Bennett and Ho Hum.  I don't have the reference that goes so far back as you all talk about in early 2000's or even the 90's, but I think the river is just fine and healthy.  The floods this spring have jacked up all the holes I fished the past two years and I had to find new ones but the fish are still there. 

My buddy Dave and I went out on last Monday and we caught over 80 trout, and none of them were stockers.  All had very good looking fins. We didn't have any monsters other than the largest Cotton Mouth I have ever seen come out right where we were fishing.  The biggest trout was just under 2lbs.  Two weeks ago We went to a different spot and caught a lot of browns you could tell these were stockers since they were all between 11 and 14 inches.  I also landed 13 Smallies biggest being 16 inches and most being keepers if they were in season.  

So in short the River is good you just have to find the new spots that the fish are hanging a spot may look good and not hold any fish and then see an ok spot and it holds tons.  So just throw you lure in every hole that looks decent and you will find fish.  No red horse this year, seen some nice ones under the boat but no hook ups.