Chief Grey Bear Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 I do a lot of thinking when I'm out and about. Maybe too much. So today I get to wondering, just what is "World Class" smallmouth fishing? I think it may have been mentioned at some point years ago. It seems the only point that gets driven over and over is that one must consistently on numerous occasions catch 19-20 inch smallmouth. Surly there is more to it than that. What is it that constitutes "World Class" and what is it that makes smallmouth fishing in Missouri suck so bad? I had another thought but I forgot it already. Dang it! Buzz 1 Chief Grey Bear Living is dangerous to your health Owner Ozark Fishing Expeditions Co-Owner, Chief Executive Product Development Team Jerm Werm Executive Pro Staff Team Agnew Executive Pro Staff Paul Dallas Productions Executive Pro Staff Team Heddon, River Division Chief Primary Consultant Missouri Smallmouth Alliance Executive Vice President Ronnie Moore Outdoors
Flysmallie Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 3 minutes ago, Chief Grey Bear said: What is it that constitutes "World Class" and what is it that makes smallmouth fishing in Missouri suck so bad? Missouri smallmouth fishing sucks??? Could have fooled me.
Mitch f Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 I wouldn't say Missouri fishing sucks, but if you ever go to Wisconsin Minnesota Michigan Ohio Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee Alabama Kentucky you will see what we've been missing. Especially the states up north that I mentioned Greasy B 1 "Honor is a man's gift to himself" Rob Roy McGregor
Old plug Posted November 4, 2015 Posted November 4, 2015 I caught 2 -4lbs in one day on Eagle Lake Ontario. Mitch f 1
fishinwrench Posted November 5, 2015 Posted November 5, 2015 Well I think the definition of "World Class" is: Among the best in the world. We'll never have world class river smallmouth fishing in Mo. but I can still be happy fishing our substandard flows.
joeD Posted November 5, 2015 Posted November 5, 2015 Yeah, but do those states have world class gigging? "World class" is of course a goal, something seemingly out of reach, but worth doing for the benefit of all anglers. The comparisons of Ozark waters on a fish to fish basis compared to other states and their idiosyncratic waters is wrong and misses the point. We are trying to make MISSOURI stream smallmouth fishing the best that it can be. Which is pretty darn good if one thinks about it. There are of course bigger and more fish elsewhere in our country, but, that's just it. They are elsewhere. And their biological environments are different. So, catching bigger, sometimes, and average size, sometimes, in other non Missouri waters doesn't mean our own Ozark jewels are somehow second class. We should embrace and nurture and try to improve, if possible, what we have in our own backyard, instead of longing for the greener grass on the other side of the fence. Lancer09, Brian Jones, Chief Grey Bear and 2 others 5
Flysmallie Posted November 5, 2015 Posted November 5, 2015 18 minutes ago, joeD said: The comparisons of Ozark waters on a fish to fish basis compared to other states and their idiosyncratic waters is wrong and misses the point. We are trying to make MISSOURI stream smallmouth fishing the best that it can be. Which is pretty darn good if one thinks about it. There are of course bigger and more fish elsewhere in our country, but, that's just it. They are elsewhere. And their biological environments are different. So, catching bigger, sometimes, and average size, sometimes, in other non Missouri waters doesn't mean our own Ozark jewels are somehow second class. We should embrace and nurture and try to improve, if possible, what we have in our own backyard, instead of longing for the greener grass on the other side of the fence. Since when did this guy become the voice of reason? Well said Joe. Lancer09, Brian Jones, Chief Grey Bear and 1 other 4
Mitch f Posted November 5, 2015 Posted November 5, 2015 Second class meaning "not as good as" then, yes..... Missouri is not as good as many other states. But it's my home and I love it, and I know we can make it much better. "Honor is a man's gift to himself" Rob Roy McGregor
Al Agnew Posted November 5, 2015 Posted November 5, 2015 "World class"...I've fished a number of world class smallmouth streams (forget lakes). John Day River, Oregon--100-200 fish days common, with 5-15 of those fish over 18 inches, and top end size about 21 inches. Upper Mississippi and tributaries--20-30 fish is a good day, but nearly all of them will be over 15 inches, and probably half will be 18-20 inches, top end size 21 inches but a 21 inch fish up there will be thick-bodied and over 5 pounds. St. Regis River, New York--it's seasonal, May through June for the most part as fish come up out of the St. Lawrence to spawn. 100 fish days are the usual, with a lot of those fish in the 18-21 inch class, more than half of them on decent days. 22 inch top end. Penobscot River, Maine--if I could catch 20 or so, with more than half of them over 18 inches, on a day when the river was flooded, I would love to see it when it's normal level. Those areas have one thing in common--they are lightly fished. I would not expect the typical Ozark stream to ever be as lightly fished. So I don't expect the average Ozark stream to produce that kind of numbers of bigger fish. There aren't many places that have streams as beautiful as the Ozarks. So in that way, it's already a "world class" place. Many Ozark streams also produce excellent numbers of fish. But they average smaller in the Ozarks than in most places where the numbers might be similar. And that is what I'd like to see improved. I neither expect nor really want every fish to be over 18 inches. I love never knowing how big the next fish you catch will be--a 7 incher or a 20 incher. But I'd be very happy if I had 2 or 3 times the chances I have now of catching a big fish. Not like a guaranteed thing such as in some of those places I mentioned above, just a better chance, due to the population structure having 2 or 3 times the percentage of big fish it has now. Smallieguy87 and Mitch f 2
Old plug Posted November 5, 2015 Posted November 5, 2015 One of the big things is pressure. I can see real easy how all this monkey shines on the weekend on the streams is not good for anything. like I have said in on here,I returned to Onadaga on the upper Meramec after a absence of about 35 yrs and it made me sick to my stomach just to look at what has taken place there. Looks like a fricking circus has come to town.
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