Droppers Legal???

[DeepDiver75]

Question for anyone who's up on their trout park regulations. Is it legal to fish a dropper fly at any of the Missouri trout parks? I love fishing this method and have seen numerous folks at BSSP doing it but didn't think that it was a legal fishing method. I even thought I might remember Tim from RR talking about using a dropper ( but he could have been outside the park boundaries). Any insight into the ruling on this would be greatly appreciated.

[Randall]

in the fly-only section of bennett, no. the legal definition of a fly includes "on a single point of hook". a dropper would be considered illegal because it adds a second point of hook to your rig. in the artificial areas, its legal.

a dropper is legal at meramec everywhere, and i believe at motauk too. i don't know about roaring river.

[NoLuck]

You may want to check further into that when you get there.I think its legal in 1 and 2. Stop at Weavers tackle and they can give you a definate answer.I've seen people fishing hoppers and nymphs in 1. I hope they were legal.

Good luck

Rich

[jdmidwest]

Good question, better check with a local a local warden on that one or drop an email to the MDC Website. I would tend to think not in an area that is "Fly Only", single hooks. Missouri laws state that a fly is a "Single point hook" and was written to prohibit trebles in these areas. The definitions for the fly area mentions "Flies" several times and that could be construed to mean multiple flies like a dropper rig. Now I bring up the question of tandem flies like streamers tied on a double hook arrangement, essentially a dropper rig tied short? Here are the excerpts from the Missouri codebook this year.

3 CSR 10-12.150 Fishing, Trout Parks

PURPOSE: This rule establishes methods,

seasons, and limits for fishing within Trout

Park streams under management agreement

with the department.

(1) On Maramec Spring Park, Bennett Spring

State Park, Montauk State Park and Roaring

River State Park:

(A) Fishing is permitted on designated

waters during posted hours. Not more than

one (1) pole and line may be used by one (1)

person at any time. Gigging, snaring, snagging,

and the taking of live bait are prohibited.

Flies, artificial lures, unscented soft plastic

baits and natural and scented baits may be

used, except in waters posted as restricted to

specific baits or lures. The use of any foods

to attract fish, except when placed on a hook,

is prohibited.

( Trout fishing is permitted from March

1 through October 31. The daily limit is four(4) trout,

and no person shall continue to fish

for any species after having four (4) trout in

possession. Fishing in the designated trout

waters is permitted only by holders of a

signed valid area daily trout fishing tag.

© On a designated portion of Montauk

State Park and Roaring River State Park,

catch and release trout fishing only is permitted

from March 1 through October 31. Only

flies may be used, and trout must be returned

to the water unharmed immediately after

being caught. Trout may not be possessed in

these designated areas, and no person with

four (4) trout already in possession may fish

there.

(D) Trout fishing is permitted from 8:00

a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays,

Sundays and Mondays from the second Friday

in November through the second Monday

in February at Bennett Spring State Park,

Montauk State Park and Roaring River State

Park. Fishing in designated trout waters is

permitted only by holders of a valid trout permit.

Only flies may be used, and all fish must

be returned to the water unharmed immediately

after being caught. Fish may not be possessed

on these waters.

(E) Trout fishing is permitted from 8:00

a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily from the second Friday

in November through the second Monday

in February at Maramec Spring Park. Fishing

is permitted only by holders of a valid trout

permit. Only flies may be used and all fish

must be returned to the water unharmed

immediately after being caught. Fish may

not be possessed on these waters

(23) Flies, lures and baits: The following are

authorized for use except where restricted in

3 CSR 10-6.415, 3 CSR 10-6.535, 3 CSR 10-

11.205, 3 CSR 10-12.135 and 3 CSR 10-

12.150.

(A) Natural and scented baits—A natural

fish food such as bait fish, crayfish, frogs

permitted as bait, grubs, insects, larvae,

worms, salmon eggs, cheese, corn and other

food substances not containing any ingredient

to stupefy, injure or kill fish. Does not

include flies or artificial lures. Includes

dough bait, putty or paste-type bait, any substance

designed to attract fish by taste or

smell and any fly, lure or bait containing or

used with such substances.

( Soft plastic bait (unscented)—Synthetic

eggs, synthetic worms, synthetic grubs and

soft plastic lures.

© Artificial lure—A lure constructed of

any material excluding soft plastic bait and

natural and scented bait as defined in (A) or

( above.

(D) Fly—An artificial lure constructed on

a single-point hook, using any material

except soft plastic bait and natural and scented

bait as defined in (A) or ( above, that is

tied, glued or otherwise permanently

attached.

[Gavin]

The reg only says that you have to fish with "flies", it doesnt address the number of "flies" that you can use. Since the number isnt specified, I'd say its fine to fish more than one. I rarely fish the parks, but when I do I fish occasionally use droppers, and I see folks doing it all the time. I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket for it, so it must be OK. Cheers.

[timsfly]

This should clear things up, droppers are leagle at Bennett unless it says no dropper in the area you are fishing. This memo came to me from the conservation dept.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u294/timsfly/regs.jpg

Sorry it is so hard to read. but I'll fax copies to anybody that needs one.

[TroutFearMe]

I have never heard that you couldn't use them but to get better answer contact this fly shop down at Bennett Springs somebody mentioned them before but here is there contact info. They also have a really good website. Here is the the link to there site http://www.missouritrout.com/weavers/report.html

Weaver's Tackle Store

11388 Highway 64

Lebanon, MO 65536

Phone: 417-532-4618

e-mail: weavers@missouritrout.com

[Randall]

i was led to believe that by adding a dropper that it added a second point of hook and was therefore illegal under the mo. definition of a fly. guess i was wrong.

it just doesn't seem logical to me that there may only be one point of hook for a lure to be defined as a fly, but a second hook may be tied- permanently attached- to the first hook as a dropper. because the second fly is permanently attached to the first, according to the law, the two should be considered one lure.

i'm not saying that droppers should be illegal, i don't like the mo. definition of a fly at all, i think it is ridiculous. i'm a big fan of droppers, and fish them everywhere but zone 1 at bennett.

[mizzouflyfisher]

I asked down there a couple of years ago, don't remember if it was an agent or somebody in the store, but I was assured that droppers were legal. So, about 99% of the time I use a dropper.

Mizzouflyfisher

[jjtroutbum]

I have used droppers for many years at Bennett even fishing in zone one next to undercover enforcement that wanted to know "Whats the dropper it shure is working." my answer was "Here have one." Its was a red brassie with no thread and was no problem.

I'm there for gonna have to say perfectly legal.