New Info On Browns In Hickory Creek

[Chief Grey Bear]

I happened upon an MDC agent today at the Allen Bridge CA near Neosho. We talked about many things and got a great story from him about a 22inch rainbow that came from Shoal Creek this year.

I spoke to him about trout poaching in Hickory but didn't get any ideal answer from him. But at least they are aware of the rampant problem.

Then I asked him if browns were stocked in Hickory. He said no. Only rainbows. He stated that all trout came from the Neosho hatchery and all they raised was rainbows. So I took the answer as gospel.

I then told him that a few weeks ago that I caught one in there. He stated that he has heard of a few comming out of there over the years but was unsure of how or when they showed up. So, I am still at a loss.

[ollie]

Sounds like someone's pet got flushed down the river! lol

[timsfly]

I know some guys from the Neosho area that used to take fish and put them in there own spring, I remember one time they told me their spring branch dumped into hickory creek. They fished alot and took limits several times a week back to there spring branch, I would think during higer water times some could have escaped, I know they took a few browns with them, for several years there was not a length limit on browns, at roaring river, and you could take five home if you could catch them. So maybe some showed up from there.

It was just like that Brook trout I caught a few years ago at Roaring river.

Nice brook trout, but where did it come from, the nearest brook trout at the time were at Beaver Dam.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Thanks for reporting that Tim. That is some great info and lends some validity to the link I posted a couple of weeks ago. Can you state what time frame this was happening? If you want it to remain confidential and private, I understand.

The brown I caught was in the 14-15 inch range and was curious as to the possibility of a little reproduction going on.

That's odd about the Brook down at RR. Last year, while my son and I were fishing Hickory, we happened along couple of serious fishermen that were very knowledgeable of trout and Hickory Creek. Before I struck up a very pleasant conversation with one of the gentlemen, I recall hearing one of them stating that the fish he just caught was a Cutthroat. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. I'll never know.

[drew03cmc]

Well, RR is at least kind of a tributary of the White if you look at it under a very large scale microscope so the Brook is a little easier to understand than why is there brown trout in Hickory. They would have to be stocked somehow, somewhere, and trout, do not take to being transported very well, so good luck tracking this explanation down, but it is all very intriguing!

[timsfly]

I caught the brook trout about 10 years ago. The guys were taking browns out of the park as of a few years ago. I think they quit trasporting fish about the time the limit went to 4

[Buzz]

Hey Chief, did that MDC agent happen to say when they stopped raising brown trout? I talked to a couple that were stocking Capp's a couple of years ago and asked if they stocked brown trout there and they said that they did, but on a much smaller scale than with the rainbows. Maybe the browns went away when they started raising the sturgeon. The reason I'm wondering is that I've caught several small browns at Capp's in the 6 inch range just in the last 2 months, more than I've ever caught out of there before. So, if they haven't been raising them and no other hatchery stocks Capp's they would almost have to be reproducing in that creek. That would say a lot for the health of the creek itself and of the fish that inhabit it.

Kyle

[drew03cmc]

They do stock browns at Capps, but apparently not at Hickory. Also, according to MDC, browns do not reproduce in MO. I would imagine they could if left alone. If we can establish a brown trout reproduction in any stream, that could be big for the state...not likely, but rare reproduction is possible I imagine.

A better question on those lines, I have caught 3" rainbows at Bennett and been told by MDC they DO NOT spawn there...

[Chief Grey Bear]

No, Kyle, he didn't. I have never been to the hatchery, I just always figured they raised Browns too. Maybe he misspoke when he stated that. I think Ollie may be able to shed more light on that subject.

As clarification, when I posted to Tim's post, stating that it "...adds some validity to the link...." I was not typing exactly what I was thinking. What I meant was that if the author of that link was finding trout in Hickory upstream from MDC stockings, or before it was being regularly stocked, then it may be possible that the trout the author was finding may have been the trout placed by the folks that Tim was speaking of.

Am I making any sense?? I didn't think so.

[Gavin]

Bait bucket biology is the only logical answer.