Trout park tackle restrictions--any rhyme or reason?

[Flyfisher for men]

The trout parks all have various bait/lure/fly zones, but they are not consistent from park to park.

 Anyone know the reasoning or why such a varied system? 

 

For instance, Roaring River appears to have an artificial-only section, and you can use soft plastics in that area. By contrast, Bennett Spring lumps soft plastics with bait in a separate zone.

 

For reference:

Roaring River: "From the hatchery to the posted sign at the mouth of Dry Hollow Creek, only artificial lures, soft plastic baits and flies are permitted...No putty-dough baits, other natural baits or foods may be used in this area."

https://mostateparks.com/page/54247/fishing 

 

Bennett Spring:  "From the whistle bridge to the Niangua River. Only soft plastic bait (unscented), natural and scented bait are permitted. All flies and artificial lures are prohibited, even if natural bait or scent has been added." 

https://mostateparks.com/page/54109/fishing

[tjm]

Probably results of surveys conducted 50 years ago or the whim of some long gone Superintendent? The trout program is tailored to the customer balancing happy users against cost. So if Bennett had a high use rate by live bast anglers they would likely get a set aside area. RR has very little live bait use from what I can see, and the area is long enough that the bait anglers don't have problems with others fishing in it. I have in years past fished the bait zone at RR all day and only seen one or two other people.  The one time I remember fishing Montauk it seemed like everyone was using bait, again a different user group. Just a guess.

  Why does it matter? Just fishing put and take stockers out of a canal.   Be nice if they just sold trout by the each or by the pound so one didn't have to waste time snagging them. If I want a pure fly fishing experience I go to the natural creeks and fish for native fish.

[laker67]

If I remember correctly," BSSP is the only park" that  does not allow fly fishing in all zones.

[Flyfisher for men]

16 hours ago, tjm said:

Probably results of surveys conducted 50 years ago or the whim of some long gone Superintendent? The trout program is tailored to the customer balancing happy users against cost... Just a guess.

Why does it matter?

Your guess is as good as any.

It matters to me  mainly to satisfy my burning curiosity.   

 

Along the lines of what you say, though, tackle restrictions can, in theory, promote a good experience. e.g. "Fly only" to promote catch and release or to give fly rodders plenty of room for their casting by directing bait fisherman to another area of a park.  

 

 

[Seth]

Maramec doesn't have any restrictions. The bait soakers fish right next to the fly fishermen.

[Flyfisher for men]

9 hours ago, laker67 said:

If I remember correctly," BSSP is the only park" that  does not allow fly fishing in all zones.

You may be right on that. I haven't fished all of them, but it rings a bell. 

Why that is the case is exactly why I started the thread. My guess is it has to do with helping kids to fish at BSSP.  

[Flyfisher for men]

3 minutes ago, Seth said:

Maramec doesn't have any restrictions. The bait soakers fish right next to the fly fishermen.

 

That's been my understanding. I presume it has something to do with the private ownership of the actual park. 

[Seth]

15 minutes ago, Flyfisher for men said:

 

That's been my understanding. I presume it has something to do with the private ownership of the actual park. 

I don't think Maramec is nearly as long as the other parks so I don't think there is really enough space to do the zoning. That's what I've always heard anyways.

[fishinwrench]

11 hours ago, laker67 said:

If I remember correctly," BSSP is the only park" that  does not allow fly fishing in all zones.

As long as you squirt a little Fish Formula on your fly I think you can legally flyfish Z3.

[laker67]

44 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

As long as you squirt a little Fish Formula on your fly I think you can legally flyfish Z3.

Used to be that way and I spent most of late summer in z3. About the time that our favorite hatchery manager took office, it was changed to "nothing permanently attached to a hook" was legal in z3. And that included super  glue.