Capp creek rules

[bassman1308]

Where can I find out where I can fish / park legally at Jolly Mill/Capps.   Last time I was there, 12/27 , the parking area directly north of the farmer/land owners lane had a cable across it.   The other parking areas were open.  Can one walk onto the area around the mill park to fish without paying ?  Can one cross the fence and walk along the creek, on EITHER SIDE to fish BELOW the main bridge at Jolly Mill ?  Can one walk/fish all the way down to the lower bridge ?  

[Phil Lilley]

Pinned.  Please provide good information for future inquirers.

Thanks

[tjm]

The land owner, Bob Haskins,  between Jolly Mill and the MDC land is very cooperative with anglers and the MDC as to fishing from his land, as was his father before him.  The parking lot with the cable across it is closed at night to keep out the party people, he built that and planted trees on his land and maintains it for us anglers - he unlocks it when he gets out in the mornings which might vary. 

Near that  lot there is a V gate, by his driveway, that Bob made for us to access that side and across the new bridge  he has provided a stile to cross the fence. I would not "Climb over the fence" when he has provided such easy access, fence climbing aggravates any land owner, it is equivalent to tearing the fence down. Also just up the road past the mill MDC has a parking lot, but that would be a longer walk.

The Walleye Road bridge lot is owned and maintained by MDC and you can fish  all the way between bridges  and also down stream to Shoal Creek. MDC has a couple parking areas in between the bridges that you can use, but the hike to the creek is a long one. 

I am not sure about fishing in the Park, I have been told that walk in is fine below the mill but not in the mill pond, although I think the four mile management area per MDC publications would extend a mile upstream above the mill. That four mile management area may be reduced and the pubs not updated, I'm seeing ~1.5-1.75 miles between the Mill and the Shoal Creek junction. I can say that the park area below the mill is very heavily fished by park users.

The stream is currently a White Ribbon Trout area
 

Quote

 

White Ribbon Trout Area Restrictions:

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

 

Map shows the MDC land and parking and I scribbled in about where Mr, Haskins' lot is in red.

 

[houndawg]

Thanks for the info tjm!

[tjm]

I was hoping some of the guys that fish there more than I do would chime in and fix  mistakes I made, but that should be correct.

[ollie]

That was fairly accurate I would say. I would also say that it is ok to park by the bridge upstream by Haskins property. If his lot is closed and you don't want to pay the $5 to park at the mill then you can park off the road by the bridge.  At least I have done that a couple of times and never had any problems. I was just there yesterday and landed a nice 16" brown and a few bows. I must say though, Capps is a stream you have to put your time in if you want to catch them. There have been days I was truly humbled and others I spanked the slime rockets butt!  lol I personally wish they had a stronger limit or protected the browns better. 

'

[tjm]

2 hours ago, ollie said:

. I must say though, Capps is a stream you have to put your time in if you want to catch them

I think that is accurate.

I have also seen cars parked on  the road by the lower bridge, guy fishing the side away from the lot and didn't want to walk, I guess, there for a couple hours and no one bothered it.

The corn casters tell me that it's hard to distinguish between browns and rainbows and they think the length limit is just an entrapment so the warden can write more tickets. 

[bassman1308]

Thanks for the replies.  Corn casters. lol. Last year, just after the winter stocking, I watched two guys catch and release several trout at the hole next to the upper bridge.  They were using some kind of bait.  I could tell by how long it took to get the hooks out some were hooked deep. I imagine several of the released fish didn't survive. (Released by dropping them from the 10 ft bluff)  A PU drove by and they gave him several trout.  They left with at least 2 limits. I understand this is common here. To bad some people have no integrity. I do think I could enjoy fishing Capps between the bridges, specially if I know I'm not breaking any rules. Thanks again.

JC

[tjm]

So  many catch and release trout die from picture taking at RR that they still have to stock it every two weeks or so through the winter, and that is fly only. Observation tells me that only about 5-10% of trout fishers are aware that fish can't  breathe air. Those silly rubber nets that are supposed to be better for trout because they don't take the slime off, actually seem to make it worse because no one that I've seen can hold the fish still enough to get the hook out in a timely fashion in the slippery silicon. It's also common for the summer fishers at RR to take more than one limit, so I think the problem is not just at Capp's but may be a part of the Mo.  trout culture.  Last week a van full of folks at RR told me they only fish there in season and then they use real salmon eggs so that they can get their two limits each early and go home.

[bassman1308]

I didn't know that about the nets. I usually just bring the fish close to the bank and then grab the hook with my fingers and shake them off.   It's common to see people fishing illegal at RR.    In the past, People would use rules/laws as a guide to do things the right way.  Nowdays , some think it's only wrong if your caught. 

JC