What Hickory Could Be...

[Skell9653]

I have to admit that I am a very novice fly fisherman. I do plenty of bass and crappie fishing in the strip pits along with a lot of deer hunting. By the time I try to balance my free days to do all those I only get to go fly fishing maybe 10 times a year or so.... with that being said I have only fished Hickory twice but it's only about 25 minutes from my house. I've talked to some locals from there and they've said how after they're stocked everyone just flocks down there and keeps anything they catch. One guy even confessed to me that he would bring a large net and catch some. Hickory is a nice little creek and could really be developed into some fun fishing if there were some more regulations in my opinion. Why not make it catch and release only or something along the lines of that?? Can anyone else offer any input on this? Why don't they put more regs on it? Is there a process if we got a petition going that we could make something happen? Just seems like a shame to me to have a nice little creek that not very many people travel to fish because you're most likely not catching anything unless you get lucky and show up within a few days of a stocking... which seems to happen next to never.

[ollie]

I can help you out here on this.  It does have special regs that no other white ribbon stream has that I can tell and that is a C&R only from Nov. 1st to March 1st.  However it is still fished out from the poachers by around Christmas time.  The city owns the property through Morse Park and the state runs or manages the trout stocking.  The local police will tell you it isn't there responsibility to police the fisherman and technically they are right.  Only MDC will issue tickets on the stream.  There have been several meetings concerning making it into a miniature RR so to speak, but that has always failed due to lack of stream flow and feasibility.  I remember when they used to hold the kids fishing derby down there at the beginning of summer and they stocked up around the helicopter heavy one year.  The next day they came down to the water there wasn't any fish at all!  They discovered someone or people came in during the night with a net and seined them all out of the section!  That creek is hard to police anyways.  There are several places a person can hide from the road and not be seen.  This is where the poachers know they have the upper hand.  If I see someone who is taking fish during the C&R season I take their picture and send it in to the local agent.  Most of the time they are happy I take their pic with their catch!  lol  Little do they know.  And yes after word gets out it has been stocked people flock down there and fish it.  Many come back later in the day after taking their 4 and take another 4 and so on and so on.  Another big problem is the close proximity of the population.  The biggest set of poorer people live on the north side of town.  It's no secret and they can walk to the creek in just a few minutes.  When you don't have much to eat you might try your luck at a few dumb stocked trout for dinner.  I know I have suggested to MDC making their signs in Spanish as well, but they haven't done that either.  Have you ever fished the Robidoux?  It has many of the similar problems Hickory has as well.  I'm still trying to convince the MDC to protect the Brown trout on Capps a lot better too, but that is like jumping through hoops.

[Johnsfolly]

Here is what is currently on the MDC website for regulations on Hickory Creek.

Hickory Creek

Restrictions: 

The use of porous-soled waders is prohibited.
While on any waters with length limits, all trout you possess must be kept with head, tail, and skin intact.
Only flies and artificial lures may be used, and soft plastic baits and natural and scented baits are prohibited when fishing for any species from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28.

From Highway 86 bridge to Shoal Creek - 2.7 miles: 
   White Ribbon Trout Area  (All):  March 1 - Oct. 31
   White Ribbon Trout Area  (Catch & Release): Nov. 1 - Feb. 28

White Ribbon Trout Area Restrictions:

Length Limit: Rainbows -- none; Browns -- at least 15"
Daily Limit: 4
Authorized Lures: All

White Ribbon Trout Area (Nov 1 - Feb 28) Restrictions:

Length Limit: Catch and release only
Daily Limit: Catch and release only between November 1 and February 28
Authorized Lures: Artificial lures and flies between November 1 and February 28

White Ribbon Trout Area

Coldwater streams capable of supporting trout populations year-round. All receive periodic stockings of rainbow trout, and some also receive brown trout. They provide great opportunities for catching and harvesting trout and the occasional chance to harvest a large trout.

White Ribbon Trout Area (Nov 1 - Feb 28)

Coldwater streams capable of supporting trout populations year-round.

All receive periodic stockings of rainbow trout, and some also receive brown trout. They provide great opportunities for catching and harvesting trout and the occasional chance to harvest a large trout.

I have only fished this creek once and it was difficult to catch a trout. The ones still in after the last stocking event ( only saw three confirmed trout) are very spooky. I was able to catch one rainbow and had to deter a snapping turtle by blocking it with my legs to get the fish landed. However, I caught plenty of other species including a large goldfish. So there is a lot of potential in that creek. I would tend to agree with Ollie that the policing of the area is one of the biggest issues. There are always those that that take from our resources without adhering to the laws.

[Skell9653]

Thanks for speaking on the issue. That's very frustrating. Wish that I (and others) was able to enjoy it a little more. With it being so close to me (and to a lot of fisherman in Joplin) it would be real nice to have a place we could run to and fish for an hour or two without having to drive at least 45 minutes to an hour to the next closest thing. 

[Buzz]

Hickory doesn't get completely fished out during the C& R period. They do get poached but nothing like it was the first couple of years. I fish it quite often during C& R and most places still hold fish. Where they get taken out most are the areas that are hard to see from the road.  Around the ball fields usually holds the most fish. It's gotten a bad name over the years, but isn't really that bad. We really need more law abiding fishermen to help police it. Most poachers won't try anything of someone is around.

[Buzz]

8 hours ago, Skell9653 said:

I have to admit that I am a very novice fly fisherman. I do plenty of bass and crappie fishing in the strip pits along with a lot of deer hunting. By the time I try to balance my free days to do all those I only get to go fly fishing maybe 10 times a year or so.... with that being said I have only fished Hickory twice but it's only about 25 minutes from my house. I've talked to some locals from there and they've said how after they're stocked everyone just flocks down there and keeps anything they catch. One guy even confessed to me that he would bring a large net and catch some. Hickory is a nice little creek and could really be developed into some fun fishing if there were some more regulations in my opinion. Why not make it catch and release only or something along the lines of that?? Can anyone else offer any input on this? Why don't they put more regs on it? Is there a process if we got a petition going that we could make something happen? Just seems like a shame to me to have a nice little creek that not very many people travel to fish because you're most likely not catching anything unless you get lucky and show up within a few days of a stocking... which seems to happen next to never.

I haven't been yet this season, but I do know that the MDC stocks once before C & R starts and then a couple of times during and maybe one time after it ends. Anything put in before is usually taken out pretty fast. The next stocking usually lasts pretty good. It looks just like Roaring River when C & R ends though. I'm usually surprised if I see anyone fishing there in the winter. If it's a really warm weekend you will see more people. That's why I like to fish early and the colder the better. You'll need waders to get to some of the better spots too.

The sentence I have highlighted reminds me more of Capps Creek than Hickory. It gets absolutely raided.

[jtram]

15 hours ago, Buzz said:

I haven't been yet this season, but I do know that the MDC stocks once before C & R starts and then a couple of times during and maybe one time after it ends. Anything put in before is usually taken out pretty fast. The next stocking usually lasts pretty good. It looks just like Roaring River when C & R ends though. I'm usually surprised if I see anyone fishing there in the winter. If it's a really warm weekend you will see more people. That's why I like to fish early and the colder the better. You'll need waders to get to some of the better spots too.

The sentence I have highlighted reminds me more of Capps Creek than Hickory. It gets absolutely raided.

True story, Capps truly has some potential. It could grow some good fish but everybody and their stringer prevents it from happening. Even with the pressure their are a FEW good holdover fish. I could go off on a whiney tangent but I believe that I will just go fish it this evening?

[ollie]

you know Capps has the potential since my dumb butt can catch a 23" brown!  lol

[trythisonemv]

Capps has yet to disappoint me lol. You just have to walk further. I went one morning before sun up and there was a guy walking through the woods to a spot that holds several dozen fish usually . he was carrying a net and two buckets. I shined my headlamp on him and he turned around and left. Guessing he thought i was a warden but he didnt hang around. So . Agree with buzz and olle that we shoukd be more vigilant in keeping people honest.

[jtram]

3 minutes ago, trythisonemv said:

Capps has yet to disappoint me lol. You just have to walk further. I went one morning before sun up and there was a guy walking through the woods to a spot that holds several dozen fish usually . he was carrying a net and two buckets. I shined my headlamp on him and he turned around and left. Guessing he thought i was a warden but he didnt hang around. So . Agree with buzz and olle that we shoukd be more vigilant in keeping people honest.

If capps hasn't dissapointed you yet, you must not fish it much ?. I fish it in the range of 30 times a year (conservative estimate. I live 5 min away) and she can be a cruel cruel mistress. But when she is in the mood she can be great. Even when the stocking truck has been missing for a good while.