June 2005
Beleaguered salamanders now plagued by deformities
Friday, June 24, 2005
Missouri's status as the only state with both subspecies of hellbender could be in jeopardy.
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| Cutline for 6/24/05 All Outdoors photo Hellbenders are North America's largest salamanders. Their prospects for survival in Missouri are uncertain. Anglers and floaters who see hellbenders are asked to report the sightings by calling Jeff Briggler at 573/522-4115, ext. 3201. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
Missouri is the only state that has both hellbender subspecies-Ozark and Eastern. To the average person, they are indistinguishable. Both are endangered in Missouri. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is building a case for giving both federal endangered status.
As recently as the 1960s, the Show-Me State had thriving populations of both varieties. The Eastern hellbender still inhabits Meramec, Big, Gasconade, Big Piney and Niangua rivers and the Osage Fork of the Osage River. The Ozark subspecies lives in the Current, Jacks Fork and Eleven Point rivers, the North Fork of the White River and Bryant Creek. However, since the 1970s, Eastern hellbender numbers have plummeted 80 percent. During the same period, Ozark hellbender numbers have declined by 70 percent.
One of the biggest sources of concern about hellbenders is the failure of recent surveys to discover young specimens or other signs of reproduction. The species has practically disappeared from the streams it used to inhabit in Arkansas.
No single factor is known to have caused these precipitous declines. Dam building took a toll as reservoirs covered cold, fast-moving waters that hellbenders require. Gravel mining in streams and other human activity on nearby land allowed gravel and mud to smother more of their habitat.
Declining water quality may have played a role, too. Hellbenders absorb oxygen--and anything else in the water--through their skin. Their extra sensitivity to pollution makes them a "canary in the coal mine" for water quality.
Increasing recreational use of the streams where hellbenders live also has increased pressure on the species. Anglers who accidentally hook hellbenders sometimes kill them unintentionally. The quadrupling of canoe traffic on some rivers increases disturbance of the rocky bottoms of Ozark streams. No one knows how this might be affecting the big amphibians.
Deliberate damage is a problem. Illegal collection for food and medicine in overseas markets and for the pet trade has decimated hellbender numbers in some rivers. In other areas, dozens of hellbenders have been found dead on stream banks, apparent victims of human ignorance.
Part of the hellbender's problem is its appearance. They have wrinkled, mottled skin that varies from gray to brown. Tiny, dark eyes peer from the tops of their heads. They are huge compared to most salamanders. Adult hellbenders are one to two feet long. Jeff Briggler, a resource scientist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, sums up their overall appearance, saying, "They're kind of gross."
Their unlovely appearance has led to all sorts of misconceptions. The most damaging is the mistaken belief that hellbenders have "poison spurs" on their legs and can inflict dangerous wounds.
With such folk tales making the rounds, it's no wonder that some anglers kill the hellbenders they catch. Briggler frequently sees mutilated specimens with wounds from fish gigs or fishing lines trailing from their mouths.
The rationale often used to justify killing snapping turtles and other aquatic predators-that they eat game fish-won't work for hellbenders. Their diet consists almost entirely of crayfish, minnows and other small animals. Besides, there are so few hellbenders, they couldn't possibly have a significant effect on fish numbers.
Briggler said it is impossible to mistake a hellbender for a fish. He says he suspects some are killed by people who want to see what they are but are afraid to touch them.
"I know they look weird," said Briggler, "but they are harmless. There is no good reason to kill them."
For most animals, losses of this kind would not be a problem. But hellbenders already are scarce, and they don't seem to be producing young. If the adults currently living in Missouri streams die without reproducing, the species could be lost to the state.
As if all this were not enough, now hellbenders must contend with what could be the final insult-physical deformities.
Briggler says an alarming number of hellbenders he has seen in recent years have misshapen toes, legs or eyes. Some are missing appendages. Others have tumors or other abnormalities.
The severity of the problem varies from stream to stream. In the Current River, three-quarters of all hellbenders have some kind of deformity.
"This animal already has so much against it right now," said Briggler. "These abnormalities could be the end of them."
The Conservation Department and the Fish and Wildlife Service have brought together other conservation agencies, universities and public zoos to form the Ozark Hellbender Working Group. Together, they are pursuing a bevy of projects to pinpoint the causes of hellbender decline and reverse it.
The public has an important role to play in one of those efforts-population monitoring.
"At this point, every sighting is important," said Briggler. "If an angler hooks one and releases it, or if a gigger sees one, we would like to know about it. That kind of information is extremely helpful for keeping track of where these animals still live. I can't tell you how grateful we are to people who take time to call in such sightings."
He urged anyone who sees a hellbender to call him at 573/522-4115, ext. 3201. Several facts will help him make the most of each hellbender report. Most important is location. He suggests looking for landmarks, such as barns, bluffs or other permanent features. He also needs to know the date of the sighting and the approximate length of the hellbender. Photographs are helpful if they can be taken without keeping the animal out of the water more than a few seconds.
Anglers who hook hellbenders can release them two ways. Removing the hook is best if the animal is not hooked deeply. Otherwise, the line should be cut and the hook left in place. Most animals released this way survive.
Besides studying hellbenders intensively and investigating possible contributing factors in their decline, the Ozark Hellbender Working Group is trying to develop a captive breeding program. Young hellbenders raised at zoos or fish hatcheries could be used in research or to replenish wild stocks.
"I am afraid that without artificial propagation the hellbender may not survive here," said Briggler.
-Jim Low-
Citizens are first line of defense against zebra mussels
Friday, June 24, 2005
Boaters, anglers and marina owners are critical links in Missouri's defense against ecological and economic damage.
JEFFERSON CITY--Every year, zebra mussels inch closer to Missouri's borders. So far the Show-Me State hasn't documented an infestation of the striped invaders. However, that could change overnight if boaters, anglers and marina owners are not careful. The rewards for watchfulness include continued enjoyment of clean water, pleasant beaches and good fishing.
Zebra mussels, which are native to the Caspian Sea, found their way to into the St. Lawrence Seaway in the ballast tanks of ocean-going ships in the mid-1980s. It took them just five years to gallop across the Great Lakes. Then they jumped from southern Lake Michigan into the Illinois River. By 1991 they had reached the Mississippi River. Since then, they have hitched rides to other North American waters in anglers' bait buckets and on pleasure boats and commercial craft. Live zebra mussels have even been found attached to trailered boats in California.
Zebra mussels are amazingly prolific, covering any available solid surface with thousands of individual animals per square foot. They can cause increased utility bills when they clog water intake pipes of power generating plants, municipal water plants and other utilities. They also damage boats, docks, buoys and other property on lakes and rivers.
Removal is possible, but expensive. Industries around the Great Lakes spend an estimated $3 million per year to remove the mussels from their operating systems.
Zebra mussels can attach to power boats' drive units and clog water intakes, causing damage to engines. They feed on plankton, the microscopic plants and animals that form the basis of the aquatic food chain. This puts them in direct competition with native mussels and young fish, including bass, bluegill and other popular sport fish.
State and federal agencies have spent millions of dollars seeking ways to eradicate zebra mussels, but so far nothing has been found to eliminate them without harming other, desirable animals.
Oklahoma officials have confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Grand Lake. One of the lake's tributaries, Elk Creek, enters Oklahoma from southwest Missouri. Adult zebra mussels and larvae also have been found at El Dorado and Cheney lakes on the east and west sides of Wichita, Kan. Adult zebra mussels also have been found in the Missouri River at Sioux City, Iowa.
Steve McMurray, a resource scientist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, said alert citizens have played a key role in preventing zebra mussel infestations in Missouri so far.
"One of our strongest lines of defense has been marina operators," said McMurray. "We have caught several infested boats before they went into Missouri lakes and streams because marina personnel knew what to look for and alerted us to the problem."
Boat owners appreciate help, says McMurray. Once they realize that launching an infested boat could hurt fishing, they are glad they found out in time.
Preventing the spread of zebra mussels isn't difficult, but it requires attention. Just as ocean-going vessels carried the invaders from Europe, pleasure craft can harbor microscopic zebra mussel larvae in live wells, engine cooling systems, bilge pumps or bait buckets. Once released into uninfested waters, the animals grow and multiply unchecked.
Missourians can slow the spread of the zebra mussel by draining all bilge water, live wells, bait buckets and any other water from their boats and equipment before moving from one body of water to another.
Boaters should dispose of leftover live bait and should inspect boat hulls, drive units, trolling plates, prop guards, transducers, anchors and trailers. Scrape off and trash any suspected mussels, however small. Remove all water weeds from boats and trailers. Flush boat hulls, drive units, live wells, bilges and their pumping systems, trailers, bait buckets, engine cooling water systems and anything that got wet with a hard spray from a garden hose.
If your boat and trailer were in infested waters, take them through a carwash and clean them with hot, high-pressure water. Dry boats and trailers in the sun for two to four days before taking them to new areas.
Running boats frequently helps reduce zebra mussel infestation. Small juvenile mussels are soft and are scoured off the hull at high speeds. If possible, avoid leaving outboard motors or the drive units of inboard motors in the water when not in use. Hulls and drive units should be inspected periodically and scraped free of mussels. Pumping hot water through engine intakes prevents zebra mussel growth in the cooling system.
Zebra mussel sightings should be reported to the nearest Conservation Department office. You can find information about what to look for in the "Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations," available wherever fishing permits are sold, or request "Zebra Mussels: Missouri's Most Unwanted" from Conservation Department Distribution Center, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, phone 573/522-4115, ext. 3630, pubstaff@mdc.mo.gov. The information is available online at www.mdc.mo.gov/nathis/exotic/zebra/.
-Jim Low-
November deer season set for Nov. 12-22
Friday, June 17, 2005
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| Missouri's youth firearms deer hunt will take place Oct. 29 through 30, followed by the regular firearms deer season Nov. 12 through 22. Although the length of various deer hunting season segments remains the same as last year, several other regulations have changed. These are outlined in the 2005 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet. The booklet will be available from hunting permit vendors in July. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
JEFFERSON CITY-Missouri deer hunters will find a few changes to this year's hunting regulations, but season length and most other details are similar to last year.
The Missouri Conservation Commission set 2005 deer hunting regulations at its meeting June 2. Season dates are: Firearms Deer Season
• Urban counties portion, Oct. 7-10 in selected counties
• Youth portion, Oct. 29-30
• November portion, Nov. 12-22
• Muzzleloader portion, Nov. 25-Dec. 4
• Antlerless portion, Dec. 10-18
This year's youth portion of the firearms deer season will take place two weeks before the November portion of the season. This is a week earlier than in the past.
Archery Deer and Turkey Season
• Sept. 15-Nov. 11
• Nov. 23-Jan. 15
Availability of antlerless deer permits remains the same as last year, and antler restrictions instituted last year remain in effect in the same 29 counties. The Conservation Commission may consider expanding the antler restriction trial to additional counties in 2006.
The Conservation Commission directed the Protection Division to begin normal enforcement of antler restrictions this year. Conservation agents gave hunters some latitude last year because of the newness of the requirement to harvest only bucks with at least four points on one side of their antlers.
The Commission also voted to give people who live on land they lease the same privileges as landowners regarding individuals accompanying persons hunting on Youth Deer and Turkey Hunting Permits. This means that the person accompanying the youth hunter does not have to have hunter education certification if they were born before Jan. 1, 1967.
Several regulation changes relate to the elimination of check stations this year. Instead of being required to take deer and turkey to physical check stations, hunters will check deer electronically, either by telephone or with a computer over the Internet. The new rules require hunters to:
• Write the Telecheck confirmation number on the main portion of a deer or turkey hunting permit and immediately attach it to the animal.
• Check deer and turkey by 10 p.m. the day they are taken.
• Check deer or turkeys before leaving the state.
Hunters who own land in more than one county will be required to conform to bag limits in each county.
Firearms turkey hunters must wear hunter orange Oct. 7 through 10 in counties open during the urban portion and Oct. 29 through 30 statewide during the youth portion of firearms deer season.
The Conservation Commission also voted to loosen restrictions on small-game hunting during firearms deer season. This year, small-game hunters will be allowed to use rimfire .22 cal. and smaller firearms during the November and antlerless portions of firearms deer season. In the past, only shotguns were permitted.
Details of deer and turkey hunting regulations will be available in July at www.mdc.mo.gov/hunt/deer/deertuk/ or in the 2005 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet.
-Jim Low-
Conservation Commission sets early migratory bird seasons
Friday, June 17, 2005
Frameworks are like those of recent years, with teal season contingent on population survey results released in July.
JEFFERSON CITY-Missouri's dove hunting season will run from Sept. 1 through Nov. 9, same as last year. Other early migratory bird hunting seasons set by the Missouri Conservation Commission at its June meeting also will be similar to last year.
The Commission set possible dates for early teal season, contingent on teal population survey results to be released in July. If the blue-winged teal breeding population index from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is below 3.3 million, teal season will be closed. If the population index is at least 3.3 million but less than 4.7 million there will be a nine-day teal season Sept. 10 through 18 with a daily limit of four and possession limit of eight. If the population index is 4.7 miion or greater there will be a 16-day season Sept. 10 through 25 with the same limits.
The hunting season for sora and Virginia rails is Sept. 1 through Nov. 9 (70 days). The limit is 25 rails in the aggregate daily or in possession.
For common snipe, the season is Sept. 1 through Dec. 16 (107 days). Limits are eight daily, 16 in possession.
Woodcock hunting season is Oct. 15 through Nov. 28 (45 days), with limits of three daily and six in possession.
All early migratory bird hunting seasons are subject to final federal approval.
- Jim Low -
Commission to meet July 6-7 in Jefferson City
Friday, June 17, 2005
JEFFERSON CITY- The Missouri Conservation Commission will meet July 6 and 7 at Conservation Department Headquarters, 2901 W. Truman Blvd. Jefferson City. The Commission will meet in executive session July 6 and in open session at 8:30 a.m. July 7.
Commission meetings are open to the public. Items to be placed on the agenda for presentations or other business should be sent in writing to Director, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, fax 573/751-4467, at least 10 working days before the meeting date. The deadline for the next meeting is June 22.
People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements by writing to the same address, or by phone at 573/751-4115.
Commissioners are: Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, chairman; Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, vice-chairman; Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City, secretary; and Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, member.
-Jim Low-
Family camp for deaf children is Aug. 13-14
Friday, June 17, 2005
Deaf campers can enjoy a weekend of outdoor fun with their families.
OSCEOLA, Mo.-The Family Outdoor Skills Camp for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, now in its fourth year, is taking applications for its annual event Aug. 13 and 14 at the H. Roe Bartle Boy Scout Camp near Osceola. It's a great opportunity to expand outdoor horizons in a supportive atmosphere.
Conservation Agent Dennis Garrison organizes the event for the Missouri Department of Conservation. It drew 67 participants in 2002, 100 in 2003 and 188 last year. This year, attendance will be capped at 200 to keep logistics manageable.
The two-day camp enables families with deaf or hard-of-hearing children to participate in outdoor recreational activities and learn the basics of diverse outdoors skills. Garrison said the camp is a great learning experience for participants and its instructors. Garrison's inspiration for the event came from his day-to-day work.
"Over the years I have met quite a few deaf people in the outdoors," said Garrison. "It made me aware that opportunities for deaf children to learn about hunting, fishing, canoeing and so on are limited. I decided it would be a good thing for the Conservation Department to make more opportunities available."
Garrison recruited the Missouri School for the Deaf in Fulton to help. The school provides interpreters who facilitate communication between camp participants and the Conservation Department employees who provide skills training.
Agent Garrison felt it was important to make the camp a family event, because many deaf children attend residential schools away from their families. "I thought it was important for them to be able to spend time with their mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters in the summertime," said Garrison. "This is a place where they can do that."
Campers and their families learn canoeing, fishing and trap shooting. One of the highlights of the weekend is scaling a 40-foot climbing wall. The United Bowhunters of Missouri and the Compton Traditional Bowhunters will conduct archery training.
For more information, or to register, contact Tisha Holden, 573/346-2210, ext. 222, or Pat Roam, 573/346-2210, ext. 221.
The event, including lodging, meals and supplies, is free, thanks to support from sponsors, including the Missouri Conservation Agents Association, the Boy Scouts of America, Wal-Mart, the Warsaw Shrine Club, Coral Reef Seafood, Buzz's Market and the Toad Suck Grill.
-Jim Low-
Hand-fishing ban dates to dawn of conservation era
Friday, June 10, 2005
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| Modern-day fishing regulations are designed to allow anglers to harvest surplus fish without depleting their numbers. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
JEFFERSON CITY-As of June 1, Missouri joined 11 other states that allow some form of hand-fishing. Surveys conducted by the Department of Conservation reveal that Show-Me State anglers are about evenly divided between those who think this activity is acceptable (51 percent) if it does not harm fish populations and those who don't (49 percent). The debate over hand-fishing raises the question of why it was banned to begin with. The answer is tied to the history of conservation, not just in Missouri but across North America.
Hand-fishing, also known as noodling, hogging, grabbing and grappling, involves finding large catfish in underwater nest cavities and pulling them out by hand. It became illegal in Missouri by 1918, well before the creation of the Conservation Department. At the time, hunting and fishing regulations were set by the Missouri Legislature.
Before that, fishing and hunting were unregulated. People could catch or shoot as many fish or as much game as they wanted, any way they wanted.
Noodling, poison and dynamite all were legal for taking fish. People used these and many other methods now considered unethical, unsporting and destructive. They sent millions of tons of fish and game to urban markets. Millions more were simply left to rot, as happened during the slaughter of the Great Plains bison herds.
Three centuries of unrestrained exploitation took a heavy toll on wild resources. Alarmed at the depletion of fish and game populations, states began restricting the methods for harvesting wildlife and setting limits on how many could be taken.
During this era, the concepts of "fair chase" and "sustainable harvest" gained acceptance. One common measure taken in these formative years of America's conservation movement was to protect fish and wildlife at the times and in the places where they reproduced. That common-sense principle underlies many modern game laws.
Missouri was among a majority of states where the emerging conservation ethic led lawmakers to outlaw hand-fishing. Now the Conservation Department is revisiting the issue to determine whether the selective harvest of large, spawning catfish can be regulated in such a way that the activity does not deplete fish numbers.
Missouri's experimental hand-fishing season is part of a larger effort to understand catfish biology and population dynamics.
"Conservation is still a work in progress," said Fisheries Division Administrator Steve Eder. "Over the past 60 years, we have learned a tremendous amount about wildlife and how to manage it. We started with the highest priorities-deer and turkey management, fish hatcheries, bass management and so on. Now it's time to take on catfish."
Eder said the Conservation Department is developing a comprehensive catfish-research program that will enable the agency to better understand the effects of hand-fishing and other types of fishing on catfish populations and to manage those populations most effectively.
Ultimately, he said, Missourians will have a chance to influence catfish management policy through public meetings.
"I trust that Missourians will continue in their support of science-based fisheries management, as they have been for going on 70 years now. Everyone's goal is the wise use of the state's catfish resource. The way we get there is by careful study and conservative management."
Missouri's hand-fishing season runs from sunrise to sunset June 1 through July 15. A special $7 Hand-Fishing Permit, available only through the Conservation Department's central office in Jefferson City, is required. All flathead and blue catfish less than 22 inches total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught by hand-fishing. There is no length limit on channel catfish taken in accordance with hand-fishing rules.
According to the Wildlife Code of Missouri, hand-fishers may use feet and bare hands "without the aid of hooks or other man-made devices." Catfish may be taken by this method only from natural objects or natural cavities. Catfish may not be taken by hand-fishing from any man-made object except those related to bona fide construction such as bridges, docks, boat ramps and rock riprap. No part of any object may be disturbed or altered to help harvest catfish.
Hand-fishers may not possess fishing equipment, except a stringer, while on designated hand-fishing waters or adjacent banks. Stringers may not be used to assist with catching or landing fish.
Within 10 days of the close of the season, hand-fishers must submit a complete report on a form furnished by the Conservation Department, showing the dates and waters fished, length, weight, species and sex of catfish taken and other information. They must file a negative report if no fish were taken.
Other states that allow hand-fishing include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
-Jim Low-
Final round of chronic wasting disease tests produces good news for Missouri
Friday, June 10, 2005
Future monitoring for the disease will consist of testing sickly animals.
JEFFERSON CITY-Results from the third and final round of testing for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Missouri show no sign of the disease. State officials say they will continue testing for the wildlife disease when sickly animals turn up.
This year's test results come from deer killed during the 2004 firearms deer season. Federally certified laboratories tested tissue samples from 10,352 deer and 54 counties. All tested negative for the brain-wasting disease.
Asked how he felt about the results, Lonnie Hansen, a resource scientist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, said "Thrilled, just thrilled!
"This is not a guarantee that chronic wasting disease doesn't exist somewhere in Missouri," said Hansen, "but it tells us that the state appears to be CWD free. Now we just need to be vigilant and try to keep it that way."
Hansen said Missouri's vigilance must include hunters as well as operators of facilities that keep captive deer and elk. He urged anyone who observes sickly deer in the wild or in captivity to report them immediately to the nearest Conservation Department office. The Conservation Department gathered tissue samples from approximately 200 deer from each of 30 randomly chosen counties in 2002. The agency repeated the process with samples from 30 more counties in 2003. Last year's sampling completed the statewide testing program. None of more than 22,000 tests showed CWD in Missouri deer.
The Agriculture Department regulates the importation of captive deer and elk to safeguard Missouri from several veterinary diseases, including CWD. Producers from outside Missouri must obtain entry permits for elk, elk hybrids, mule deer and white-tailed deer by proving they have been in a state-recognized CWD monitoring program for the required amount of time. Missouri prohibits the importation of captive deer and elk that come from any portion of a state designated as a CWD endemic area or that have been held in a CWD endemic area within the past 5 years.
"Constant monitoring of our state's captive elk and deer herds is something that we take seriously," says Dr. Taylor Woods, assistant state veterinarian with the Missouri Department of Agriculture. "Missouri has never had a positive case of chronic wasting disease, and this keeps our state in a good position for marketing our products throughout the nation."
CWD belongs to a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or TSEs. It shares certain characteristics with other TSEs, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, scrapie in sheep and Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease in humans. However, CWD is a different disease, known to affect only members of the deer family, which includes elk, but not humans.
The World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes for Health have studied CWD and found no link between it and similar human diseases.
Likewise, veterinary health officials say that all evidence to date indicates that CWD is not a threat to domesticated animals. Woods said current research shows no evidence that chronic wasting disease can spread to other livestock, such as cattle.
For more information about CWD, visit the Conservation Department's Web site, http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/hunt/cwd/.
Missouri counties included in the final year of testing were Adair, Atchison, Barton, Benton, Butler, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cedar, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dade, DeKalb, Douglas, Dunklin, Gasconade, Henry, Hickory, Howard, Howell, Iron, Jackson, Laclede, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, McDonald, Mississippi, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan, New Madrid, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Pettis, Phelps, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Reynolds, Schuyler, Shannon, Shelby, St. Charles, Stone, Vernon, Wayne and Wright.
-Jim Low-
Ten tips for making childhood fishing memories
Friday, June 03, 2005
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| Planning ahead and thinking like a kid are the keys to successful fishing with children. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
JEFFERSON CITY-Early summer, with its cool mornings and blossom-scented breezes, evokes powerful memories of lazy days strung together into endless summers. For many, those memories include fishing. It is natural to want to make similar memories with children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. But for a surprising number of would-be fishing mentors, the dreams fail to materialize. Two reasons account for most failures.
Lack of time and resources is first on the list. People are busier than ever today, and any activity that requires significant travel is likely to be replaced with something easier.
Missourians are lucky in this regard. The Department of Conservation maintains hundreds of fishing areas on streams and lakes statewide. Active hatchery and fish management programs ensure that these waters have good numbers of fish. No Missouri resident is more than a few minutes from a public fishing spot.
With plenty of good fishing holes, the key to fishing with kids is knowing what makes fishing enjoyable for them. Here are 10 tips to make sure your fishing trip is a success.
1. Consider comfort
Fishing with kids requires slightly different supplies and equipment than adult trips. A youngster who is hungry or uncomfortable won't have the patience to fish, so bring snacks, drinks and lawn chairs for them.
Equip your young angler with a broad-brimmed hat to avoid squinting and eye strain, and be sure to use sun screen. The memory of pain-filled days after a fishing trip will overshadow good memories.
Think about comfort when deciding where to fish. On a hot summer day, a tree-shaded creek might be a better choice than a treeless pond. A lake chock-full of bass but hemmed in by tall weeds is less desirable than a less fishy public lake with a fishing dock and mowed banks.
2. Stack the deck
Children quickly lose interest if they don't get lots of bites. Younger children don't care how big the fish are, as long as they catch lots of them. Before your trip, check with a trusted local angler or pre-fish the chosen area to be sure the fish are there and biting.
3. Forget about fishing yourself
Beginning anglers require lots of attention. You are likely to have your hands full untangling knots, rebaiting hooks, unhooking fish and offering advice about how to cast, where to cast and when to reel in fish. If you try to fish yourself, both you and your youngster will be frustrated. Instead, concentrate on making the trip fun for them. The fishing buddy you initiate today could be the one who takes you fishing in your old age.
4. Take identical fishing poles
You can hold one and pretend to fish while standing near your young companion. When they snag a log or get their line tangled, hand them your rod and let them keep fishing while you take care of the problem. That way they are less likely to get bored and distracted by other things. And who knows, you might actually hook a fish yourself.
5. Cheat
If you do hook a fish, quickly release the line and pretend something is wrong with your child's gear. Trade rods and act surprised when they discover they have a fish on. Young children will never catch on, but you may have to be a little more cagey with those age 8 and up.
6. Use bait
Casting is the most difficult fishing skill to learn. Fishing with spinners, crankbaits and other artificial lures that require continuous casting and retrieving can be frustrating and tiring for new anglers. Worms, minnows and doughbait are a much better choice. You just cast these to one spot and let them sit until a fish bites. They also are highly effective.
7. Keep gear simple
Don't try to turn your youthful charge into a pro the first time out by saddling them with equipment they can't handle. A short fishing rod with an inexpensive spincasting reel is easier to use and less likely to cause problems than more complicated gear.
Tie a No. 8 or smaller hook on the end of the line, clip on one or two split-shot six inches above the hook, and add a small bobber just far enough up the line to keep the bait off the bottom. Tell your child to watch the bobber and reel in when it goes completely underwater.
8. Go where the action is
If you don't catch a fish in 15 minutes, move. Try casting your bait to a different spot first. Cast close to shore and out in open water, in the shade and in the sun, next to trees and next to water plants. The fish have to be somewhere! If that doesn't work, move to a different area.
9. Use a net
A small, inexpensive landing net will reduce the number of fish that get loose at the last moment. Besides cutting down on disappointment, a net can be used to catch frogs and other critters when the fishing is slow.
10. Stop and smell the roses
Children are not as goal-oriented as adults. They instinctively pursue whatever is most interesting at the moment. Take time to catch frogs, explore a spring branch or wonder at the beauty of a butterfly. The goal is to have fun. If they do, they will want to go again, regardless how many fish they caught.
Finally, pick up a copy of the 2005 Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations from a fishing permit vendor before wetting a line. This will help you observe statewide regulations and those that apply on specific areas.
-Jim Low -
Public lakes and trout parks make fishing easy
Friday, June 03, 2005
Every Missourian has a good fishing hole not far from home.
JEFFERSON CITY-"I've got one! I've got one!"
Everyone within 100 yards of the diminutive angler in a floppy hat and oversized rain pants knew that a feisty rainbow trout had grabbed her bait and was headed for the frying pan. The ragamuffin's mom grinned broadly as she netted the thrashing fish and held it aloft for her daughter to admire. Out came the family camera, and the fishing duo proudly posed for photos.
Although this scene unfolded at Montauk State Park on a recent weekend, the location could just as easily have been any of Missouri's other three trout parks or one of the Show-Me State's thousands of small farm ponds and community lakes. Safe and convenient, these waters require no expensive, specialized equipment.
Three trout parks are clustered in the area that harbors Missouri's largest springs. Montauk, southeast of Licking, and Bennett Spring State Park, west of Lebanon, are owned and operated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Maramec Spring Park, southeast of St. James, is operated by the James Foundation. Another DNR area, Roaring River State Park, is south of Cassville in southwest Missouri.
These parks have large springs that create ideal conditions for trout growth and fishing. The Missouri Department of Conservation operates a trout hatchery at each park. It stocks trout there daily to ensure good fishing. The settings are serene, and food, lodging and other amenities are provided on-site. Anglers with mobility impairments will find special facilities to meet their needs.
The rest of the state has a different but even more extensive network of public fishing opportunities. Dozens of community lakes dot the landscape, ensuring that no one has to drive more than a few miles to reach a good fishing spot. Such lakes are particularly abundant in northern Missouri.
Some of these lakes are owned by the Conservation Department. Examples include Pony Express Lake in DeKalb County, Lake Paho in Mercer County, Hunnewell Lake in Shelby County and numerous ponds and lakes at August A. Busch Memorial Conservation area in St. Charles County and James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area in Jackson County.
In addition to its own lakes, the Conservation Department stocks and manages fish populations in dozens of municipal water-supply lakes and other public reservoirs. Hundreds more ponds and small lakes in private ownership are stocked with bass, bluegill and channel catfish from Conservation Department hatcheries. They make northern Missouri as rich in fishing as it is for agriculture.
The weekend of June 11 and 12 is a perfect opportunity for Missourians to enjoy these close-to-home fishing spots. The weekend after the first Monday in June each year is Free Fishing Days, when anyone can fish without a permit. Other fishing regulations remain in effect, and Free Fishing Days does not give anglers permission to trespass. It does allow anyone to sample Show-Me State fishing without charge, however.
For more information about trout parks, visit the following web sites or call 800/334-6946. Persons with hearing and speech impairments can call toll free at 800/379-2419 with a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), or you can contact the Department of Natural Resources via e-mail at moparks@dnr.mo.gov. --www.missouritrout.com/roaringriverlinks.html --www.mostateparks.com/bennett.htm --www.mostateparks.com/montauk/geninfo.htm --members.socket.net/~tjf/maramec.html
To find a conservation area or community fishing lake near you, call any Conservation Department regional office or use the online Conservation Atlas, www.missouriconservation.org/atlas.
-Jim Low -
Literary voyage of discovery enters second year
Friday, June 03, 2005
This year's participants will find new places to visit, new pins to earn and outdoor equipment to win.
JEFFERSON CITY-Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery took more than two years to complete their epic journey. Modern-day explorers can enjoy a second year of adventure in the Missouri Department of Conservation's Journaling with Lewis & Clark: A Discovery of Outdoor Missouri.
The Conservation Department launched the program last summer. It encouraged participants to visit nature centers and other designated outdoor destinations and make entries in special journals, just as Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and other Corps of Discovery members did 200 years ago. At each site, they got in touch with the natural history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They also got a lapel pin depicting a distinctive feature of the site.
The 100 or so people who completed last year's eight-site trek received a distinctive Carolina parakeet completion pin and were entered in a drawing for camping equipment. The prizes included a four-person dome tent, two sleeping bags and two camp pillows from Bass Pro Shops and four camp stoves, a 50-quart cooler and a camp lantern from the Coleman Company.
The adventure continues this year, but with nine outdoor education sites to visit. Sites and pins available at each are: --Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center (CNC), Blue Springs, bison. --Cape Girardeau Conservation Campus Nature Center, bufflehead duck. --Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, St. Louis, mallard duck. --Discovery Center, Kansas City, pawpaw fruit. --Lost Valley Hatchery, Warsaw, channel catfish. --Powder Valley CNC, Kirkwood, dugout canoe. --Runge CNC, Jefferson City, wood duck. --Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery, Branson, brown trout. --Springfield CNC, coyote.
Lewis and Clark journalists who visit all nine sites this year will receive timber wolf completion pins. Again, they automatically are entered in a drawing for outdoor gear.
The program runs through May 31, 2006. To get started, just visit one of the designated sites and ask for your Lewis and Clark Adventure booklet. The booklet outlines day trips and activities that will help you get in touch with the Corps of Discovery's saga and provides places for journal entries.
- Jim Low -
