Mid-Missouri Trout Unlimited

December 2005

Dave Mayers described habitat improvement on Barren Fork Creek.  The Barren Fork in Shannon County is a Blue Ribbon Trout Area managed for wild rainbows.  Lunker structures, shown below, have been installed in the creek to provide overhead cover for trout.  Although Dave doesn’t recommend the Barren Fork as a destination stream because of the limited amount of stream mileage with public access, if you are in the area it is worth a look.

Side view of Barren Fork lunker structures

Cross-section of Barren Fork lunker structures

Wing dam on Barren Fork moves water toward the lunker structure on left side of photo

The winter delayed harvest season at Bethel Park Lake kicked-off on November 1.  MMTU volunteers turned out on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, November 6 for Kids Trout Outing where kids learned to catch trout.  Approximately 75 kids participated.  Trout were cooperative and all had a good time.  Michael Riley ran a great event, special thanks to Clearwater Outfitters for providing prizes and fly boxes for the kids, and for coming out to help.  The Missouri Department of Conservation and Columbia Parks and Recreation also provided support.

            Approximately 2400 rainbow trout, some very large, were stocked in Bethel Lake for catch and release fishing through January 31 with harvest permissible thereafter.  A Missouri fishing permit is required for catch and release fishing, and a trout permit required to possess trout (after January 31).

Office elections were held at the November meeting.  The following slate of officers was elected:

President                      Curt Morgret

Vice-president              Bryan Chilcutt

Secretary                      Lynn Kleopfer

Treasurer                      Michael Riley

Newsletter                    Bill Lamberson

Conservancy                Richard Mendenhall

Membership                 Jim Washabaugh

(Jim also serves the chapter as Web Editor)

Program                       Mike Kruse

Resources                    Jim Auckley

Member-at-large          Scott Rubinstein

We appreciate the service of current officers, especially Jon Deal, who has so ably served as President the past two years.  Thanks Jon. We look forward to Jon’s continued service on the Board as Past-President.  Special thanks also to Jeff Witten; Jeff is completing his term as Past-President.  We particularly appreciate the contributions that Jeff has made to the banquet committee.

Books for your gift list?

Pete Fromm’s Indian Creek Chronicles is one of my all-time favorites, although only indirectly related to fishing.  Another good one along the same line, but more directly related to fishing, is Dave Hughes’ Big Indian Creek.

Scott Waldie has a trio of books about life in Traver’s Corners, all are enjoyable reads.  More good Montana stories, with a bit more of an edge, are told  in At the River’s Edge.  The author, Jerry Kustich, is one of the bamboo rod builders at Winston.  Another of his books will be out soon.

A book that occupied many nights of my bedtime reading is The Notes and Letters of Theodore Gordon.  Very modern thought despite having been written nearly a century ago.  Edited by John McDonald.

Robert Behnke’s Trout and Salmon of North America has great information as well as beautiful illustrations by Joseph Tomelleri.

Want to expand your fishing, ask for Ed Engle’s Tying Small Flies and Fishing Small Flies, great information.

Planning has begun for the 2006 MMTU Conservation Banquet.  The Banquet will be held at the Holiday Inn Select on Thursday, February 23.  If you can volunteer for the banquet committee, call Jon Deal 573-442-0931.  Please help tie flies for a chapter fly plate, and also boxes of flies for raffle and auction prizes.  If you have ideas and are willing to help solicit donations, please call Jon Deal, Lynn Kleopfer, or Bill Lamberson.  Most of all, come to the banquet and bring your friends.  For us to raise the money needed for the Little Piney Research Project, habitat improvement on the Barren Fork, teaching kids to fish, and our donation to Casting for Recovery (retreat scholarships for women recovering from breast cancer), we need people at the banquet.  Please help us sell tickets

The Second Best Thing to Do

It isn’t what you think, it isn’t even your next thought.  Quite guessing, just read.

Bidding was furious at last year’s Banquet for the guided trip Eleven Point River and I was thrilled to walk away with this Outfitters generous donation of a “Drift Boat trip for two”.  Remember the hand-built, wooden drift boat shown at our TU meeting a year ago?  Busy use will send it in for an overhaul this winter.

October is a great time of year for the trip, brightly colored leaves, cool temperatures, crowds are gone, water is down and the fish are lonesome.  We camped the night before near Greer Access and were met by Brian Sloss, and boat, early Friday morning.  Brian and his buddy bought 11 Point River Canoe Rental near Alton, MO, see pictures at www.11pointcanoe.com.

After the first 100 yards - first riffle - first fish.  Next riffle, next fish and so it went.  The water was super clear and rainbows were readily spotted, but they were mostly caught hiding and feeding in riffles.  Riffles connecting shallow pools, riffles near deep pools, by the bank, at the gravel edge of islands, near down trees.  Catching fish was only interrupted by pork chops on the grill, an above average shore lunch.  Did I mention that Brian used to cook at Booches?

This is a Rainbow fishery, no Browns.  Forestry and Conservation have different opinions on introducing non-native Browns.  The 11 Point gave me the second largest Rainbow I have ever caught in the wild, one of those that takes line and makes you think about your drag.  You know, trying to adjust its setting while worrying that attention away from the fish will allow it to break off.  What to do??

Enjoying the day – the fish – Fall colors – the boat – all tied as The Second Best Thing to Do. The best was sharing the day with my son.  Watching him enjoy what I enjoy was the joy.

So go have joy!  The Banquet will be here soon and so will many trips to entice you.  Buying a trip in February helps you schedule those special getaways that if we aren’t careful, keep getting put off.  See new water with an old friend.  Have joy.

Jeff B. Witten