Plan Aims To Boost Trout Benefits

A trout management plan approved by the Conservation Commission last month outlines dozens of initiatives to improve and expand trout fishing in Missouri.

JEFFERSON CITY--One out of five Missouri anglers say they fish for trout. Thousands of anglers flock to the Show-Me State's trout parks, cold-water streams and trout lakes each year, bringing millions of tourist dollars with them. The Department of Conservation hopes to boost those and other benefits with a management plan aimed at expanding trout fishing opportunities. Missouri's existing trout fishing opportunities include: --Four trout parks stocked by the Conservation Department; --Seven trout management areas; --Five special trout management areas; --Eight wild trout management areas; --Lake Taneycomo, with a well-deserved national reputation for size and number of trout; --Winter trout fishing programs in approximately 20 lakes in St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia and Cape Girardeau. The approximately 2 million trout stocked in Missouri waters each year lure nearly 140,000 Missouri residents, who spend $91 million chasing trout. Nonresidents' expenditures pump $24 million in new money into the state's economy annually. These expenditures work through the state's economy to generate more than $240 million in economic activity annually.

That's a lot of trout fishing for a state where trout don't occur naturally. The Conservation Department thinks it could be better, though. The Conservation Commission recently approved a plan to increase existing trout fishing opportunities and expand trout fishing to new areas.

The plan also envisions changes at the Conservation Department's five cold-water trout hatcheries. These facilities already produce approximately 1.7 million trout annually, but the agency hopes to increase this by 20 percent.

The plan includes improvements at the Conservation Department's hatcheries at Montauk and Bennett Spring state parks. These facilities currently are vulnerable to periodic flooding during heavy rains. Bennett Spring Hatchery will benefit from changes in its water supply system. Ongoing work at Roaring River Hatchery near Cassville will result in similar benefits there.

Improvements being considered at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery near Branson include renovation of the existing brown trout rearing facility, improvement of the water recirculation system and an additional water supply line from Table Rock Dam. These improvements would help the hatchery produce more trout.

The Conservation Department is looking into using new technologies, such as direct injection of oxygen, to boost productivity at all its cold-water hatcheries.

The Conservation Department wants to increase the stream mileage available to trout anglers. The agency currently manages about 145 miles of cold-water streams for year-round trout fishing. The plan sets a goal of adding 10 miles to this total in the next five years. This could be accomplished by buying stream frontage or by acquiring easements from willing landowners.

The plan includes measures to improve in-stream fish habitat and management of stream corridors.

One strategy being considered to increase angling opportunities is to reduce the statewide daily limit from five to four trout. In trout parks, trout management areas, Lake Taneycomo and urban fishing lakes, most anglers catch fewer than the current limit each day. Lowering the limit would spread available fish out among more anglers in all trout areas.

Accessibility is another issue addressed in the trout plan. The goal is to meet the needs of all trout anglers, whether they wade, boat or fish from the bank. It also will provide more opportunities for anglers with disabilities.

Stocking of larger than average sized trout currently is confined mostly to trout parks, Lake Taneycomo and a handful of specially managed areas. This could change under the new plan, which contemplates stocking more "lunkers" in other areas, such as winter trout fishing lakes and regular trout management areas.

The plan includes provisions for working with citizen conservation groups. The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation recently established a Trout and Coldwater Fund to afford anglers and interested organizations the chance to help with projects of particular interest to them. Money contributed to the fund will be used to underwrite easement purchases, habitat work and research projects.

Fisheries Division Administrator Steve Eder said his staff is excited about the possibilities the plan opens up. "If you could wrap up trout anglers' enthusiasm in a holiday package, it would open with a big bang," said Eder. "Missouri has been a leader in bringing this excitement to the average angler for many years, but there's much more to be done. This plan will help us extend our past successes into the 21st century."

The Conservation Department plans to survey trout anglers to discover what they like about the existing trout management program and how they want it changed. The mail survey of randomly selected fishing permit buyers and trout permit buyers will find out where these anglers fish and what species and size of trout they prefer for catch-and-release and catch-and-keep fishing. The survey also will explore their attitudes toward possible changes in Missouri's trout management.

Copies of the plan are available by calling 573/522-4115, ext. 3158. The text will be available at the Conservation Department's Web site in the future.

The Conservation Department operates trout hatcheries at Missouri's four trout parks in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and The James Foundation.

Jim Low

Missouri Department of Conservation