Run Off Little Piney

[Hookedonsmallies]

I am very familiar with the area you parked and waded. I personally have never had any issues I have not fished it in 2 years but before that I fished there at least 2x a week . The grotto is a whole different story, I have been ran off from there several times . It is clearly marked now that it is PP And rightfully so. If I was a land owner I would be ticked at the way that stream is treated. The locals are the worst, complete disrespect for nature. Unfortunately calling the authorities in these situations would probably net 0 results. I think there are maybe 2 or 3 deputies in town, and chances are, if you are not a local , the fine officers of Doolittle ,do just that! Very little! Plus the land owner would likely be A) the sheriff himself, the deputies brother, C) the mayor , or D) all of the above

[ozark trout fisher]

I am very familiar with the area you parked and waded. I personally have never had any issues I have not fished it in 2 years but before that I fished there at least 2x a week . The grotto is a whole different story, I have been ran off from there several times . It is clearly marked now that it is PP And rightfully so. If I was a land owner I would be ticked at the way that stream is treated. The locals are the worst, complete disrespect for nature. Unfortunately calling the authorities in these situations would probably net 0 results. I think there are maybe 2 or 3 deputies in town, and chances are, if you are not a local , the fine officers of Doolittle ,do just that! Very little! Plus the land owner would likely be A) the sheriff himself, the deputies brother, C) the mayor , or D) all of the above

I hate to say it, but the local landowners are one of the biggest problems, not only in terms of access, but also in how they impact the river. The stretches of that creek that are not public often have cattle right down to-or even in-the stream.. The banks are eroded, the water is shallow and warm, and wide. I call those the "frogwater" stretches, and they are basically pointless to fish, even if you wouldn't yelled at for having the gall to fish the mud-banked, gravelly wasteland of a "stream." That much of this is "blue ribbon" trout water makes it all the harder to get over.

It's tough, because the public stretches (and a several areas that flow through better managed private land) are lovely, and have great fishing for both trout and smallies. Right now the LP is a decent trout and smallmouth stream. But, given it's spring-fed nature, and what we can see where it's on Mark Twain, there is no excuse for it to be anything but one of the best in the state. It pains me to see it's potential go untapped in all but a few relatively short stretches.