Thus It Begins?

[fwood]

Can I ask, who actually started the petition? Was it the owner or management of the restaurant in the park?
Seems to be a lot of misinformation about the Red Zones as to access for sure. I have seen many fishermen that thought the Red Zones were for fly fishing only though I've never seen that condition stated in anything I've read in the park regulations.
I've never kept any fish caught in the park in any zone but that's just me. I don't keep any freshwater species of fish. Practiced C&R for the last 50 years or so.

[Smallfry]

May 31, 2019 12:42:45 GMT -6 fwood said:

Can I ask, who actually started the petition? Was it the owner or management of the restaurant in the park?
Seems to be a lot of misinformation about the Red Zones as to access for sure. I have seen many fishermen that thought the Red Zones were for fly fishing only though I've never seen that condition stated in anything I've read in the park regulations.

I have the same questions! I'm gonna be up there at some point soon and I figure I'll ask around myself.

[huntnfish2much]

The original poster attached a photo of a petition that is posted in a restaurant near Beavers Bend.

The information in it is extremely inaccurate. Just like the hundreds of people every month that DON'T read the posted signs and regulations, the author of this petition doesn't know the first thing about Red Zone regulations.

The petition erroneously says that Red Zones limit access to children, elderly, and handicapped.

Of course, this gets the bleeding-heart, uninformed masses to jump on the bandwagon and sign this absolutely misleading petition.

Thus It Begins...

JR

[turfdawg]

May 31, 2019 12:42:45 GMT -6 fwood said:

Can I ask, who actually started the petition? Was it the owner or management of the restaurant in the park?
Seems to be a lot of misinformation about the Red Zones as to access for sure. I have seen many fishermen that thought the Red Zones were for fly fishing only though I've never seen that condition stated in anything I've read in the park regulations.
I've never kept any fish caught in the park in any zone but that's just me. I don't keep any freshwater species of fish. Practiced C&R for the last 50 years or so.

I don't have any proof to back this up but I really think "The Friends of Beavers Bend" got upset and started it when they held a kids fish and they would not let them have it at the cold hole because they were using bait. 

[sulross]

I am the original poster and will be back up there some time tomorrow. I'll look at it, again, if it is still in the restaurant/store and see if there is any group attached to it. As I said in the original post, I don't want to look at names of people who have signed it, much less post anything that would identify a singular person, unless it is clearly stated that the person is the creator of the petition. I don't recall anything on it like that. I am mostly bothered by the fact that it is one-sided and does not inform the public about how trout have been managed and what fly fishing means to the river, as well as explain the facts that red zones are not limited to fly fishermen. It's a slyly crafted smear campaign. It doesn't give the person who sees it on the counter as they are paying the bill any idea as to what a valuable role our community has played in the health of the river.

If you are on the LMF the next three days, come say hello. I'll be in the blue 4Runner covered in stickers.

[turfdawg]

David said that the petition was gone. Also, I don’t know if any you saw but the Oklahoma governor and his wife took a fly fishing trip with a couple of the independent guides. One of them sent me a message and said the governor and his wife were both very interested in what is happening on the river and wanted him to be very honest with his answers. I know both of these guys really care about the area and the river so I’m pretty sure they represented the caring anglers well

[dannys]

Good word Turfdawg--"caring anglers"--for it matters not the equipment; it's all about respect for rules, law and the life of the resource (river and fish alike).

[fbbpresident]

Hello all, my name is Brian Farley and I am the president of “The Friends of Beavers Bend”. I would like to clear something up so there is no confusion. The friends of Beavers Bend is a nonprofit group with a goal of supporting the park, it’s guests, and employees. That being said we are NOT associated with the above mentioned petition in any way. I will say again, fishing regulations are not our concern. If anyone has any questions for me I can be reached at [e-mail]
If you’re interested in joining our group to help support our park go to www.friendsofbeaversbend.com.

Thank you for your time,
Brian

[mirvc17]

I’m not trying to start an argument, but if supporting guests and park conservation is the purpose, I don’t see how you could not be concerned with the fishing regulations.

[turfdawg]

Jun 7, 2019 9:02:33 GMT -6 fbbpresident said:

Hello all, my name is Brian Farley and I am the president of “The Friends of Beavers Bend”. I would like to clear something up so there is no confusion. The friends of Beavers Bend is a nonprofit group with a goal of supporting the park, it’s guests, and employees. That being said we are NOT associated with the above mentioned petition in any way. I will say again, fishing regulations are not our concern. If anyone has any questions for me I can be reached at [e-mail]
If you’re interested in joining our group to help support our park go to www.friendsofbeaversbend.com.

Thank you for your time,
Brian

Well, once again it seems my ignorance knows no boundaries.

Brain I would like to apologize for ass/u/me (ing) it was y’all since it said friends of Beavers Bend.
I fallow y’all on Facebook and would like to thank y’all for the organized cleanups to the trails and camping areas.

[lipripper1983]

This is infuriating. We should make a counter petition.

[jonbo]

Well, I suggested it to some, but yours was the only positive response. A couple of folks kindly responded, but mainly I got silence. I took this as a hint from everyone to "Let sleeping dogs lie." After thinking about it more I kind of have fallen in with that line of thinking, myself. Don't cause unnecessary ruckesses? However, should we find out about an eliminate-the-Red-Zones petition actually being actively passed around or turned in to TPTB somewhere, I still think we should prepare a counter right away. You never know whether something like that might be taken seriously by someone with actual influence. Until such a time as that,... peace?

[danimal]

Jun 10, 2019 5:53:01 GMT -6 jonbo said:

Well, I suggested it to some, but yours was the only positive response. A couple of folks kindly responded, but mainly I got silence. I took this as a hint from everyone to "Let sleeping dogs lie." After thinking about it more I kind of have fallen in with that line of thinking, myself. Don't cause unnecessary ruckesses? However, should we find out about an eliminate-the-Red-Zones petition actually being actively passed around or turned in to TPTB somewhere, I still think we should prepare a counter right away. You never know whether something like that might be taken seriously by someone with actual influence. Until such a time as that,... peace?

Sorry Jonbo, I got busy and forgot to respond to your message. If the petition re-surfaces, I'll happily sign a counter petition.

[jonbo]

Well, I'm gonna take the hint I think I was being given and not do anything as long as that original dastardly petition stays gone. Are the smallmouth biting? There's a place or two on the Little Missouri I may try out if I can get around to it. If I should, do you know a fairly simple streamer I could look up and tie that fishes well in murky water? Or should I just plan to fish a black WB?

[danimal]

Jun 10, 2019 18:00:41 GMT -6 jonbo said:

Well, I'm gonna take the hint I think I was being given and not do anything as long as that original dastardly petition stays gone. Are the smallmouth biting? There's a place or two on the Little Missouri I may try out if I can get around to it. If I should, do you know a fairly simple streamer I could look up and tie that fishes well in murky water? Or should I just plan to fish a black WB?

Black works well. My WB of choice lately is a weighted conehead version (due to the high water we've had lately). Black tungsten cone for the head, brown/yellow variegated chenille for the body, with a rusty brown saddle hackle palmered around it (I think I bought the hackle from Eddie at the shop), dark brown marabou for the tail with a couple of strands of copper krystal-flash. Tie them bigger than you would for trout (like a #4 or #6 in 3 or 4XL). Another thing -- don't worry about proportions. Smallies like their buggers big and fluffy. If the hackle and tail are oversized then so much the better. I've waded the Little Mo both above and below Langley a couple of times recently and spanked them pretty good with that pattern, and did very well with it on the Caddo last week as well (including a monster that broke my line then jumped 2 ft. out of the water a couple minutes later trying to spit the bugger out). I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but please practice C and R with smallmouth -- it's a fragile resource. Send me a report if you go!!

[glitchmo]

The venerable Clouser minnow always works for me. Chart/white or olive/white.

[jonbo]

Thanks guys! Don't know when I'll make it, but definitely want to. Around Langley is kind of where I was thinking, too. Definitely C&R.