Proposed changes by Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife to effect LMF

[Texastroutfisher]

It looks like today is the day. Whats everyone's thoughts? Will the changes go through, be some sort of hybrid, or no changes at all?

[turfdawg]

Hopefully someone will post with the news

[Smallfry]

I dug around and found out that all the proposed changes for the river got passed, here's a link to the agenda from today www.wildlifedepartment.com/sites/default/files/Commission%202-11-20%20Agenda.pdf

[jt8fishing]

Thanks Smallfry I was just reading those.

[FlyAndStream]

So, it looks like:

• Removal of Red Zone within the park
• C&R of all rainbow trout less than 25" from State Park Dam downstream to the US Hwy 70 Bridge
• C&R of all brown trout less than 30" inches in the LMFR trout area above the State Park Dam
• C&R of all brown trout less than 20" inches from State Park Dam downstream to the US Hwy 70 Bridge
  
• Bag limit changed to 3 rainbow trout per day, only one greater than 25"
• The lower Mountain Fork River trout area is restricted to barbless hooks.
• No use of bait (?)

I did see no swimming unless in designated swimming areas (i,e; no bluffs, Cold Hole, EH, or spillway creek)

Did anyone see a minimum size limit for keeping rainbows, or a restriction on the use of treble hooks?

[glitchmo]

The opposite, bait is allowed everywhere.

[Smallfry]

Changes won't be in effect till June or July, maybe.

[BTLowry]

When do they plan to start charging admission fees to the park?

Thought that was part of the changes?

Or is that a separate thing?

[sulross]

Is it single barbless hook, or will they allow bait casters to use de-barbed double and treble hooks?

[sulross]

Feb 11, 2020 13:03:43 GMT -6 FlyAndStream said:

So, it looks like:

• Removal of Red Zone within the park
• C&R of all rainbow trout less than 25" from State Park Dam downstream to the US Hwy 70 Bridge
• C&R of all brown trout less than 30" inches in the LMFR trout area above the State Park Dam
• C&R of all brown trout less than 20" inches from State Park Dam downstream to the US Hwy 70 Bridge
  
• Bag limit changed to 3 rainbow trout per day, only one greater than 25"
• The lower Mountain Fork River trout area is restricted to barbless hooks.
• No use of bait (?)

I did see no swimming unless in designated swimming areas (i,e; no bluffs, Cold Hole, EH, or spillway creek)

Did anyone see a minimum size limit for keeping rainbows, or a restriction on the use of treble hooks?

It looks to me like the brown trout size limit is 30" for the entire LMF area. From what I read in the attachment Smallfry posted, the 20" for brown trout is for the lower Illinois River. 

[golferjeff]

A couple of thoughts.....

Barbless hooks with powerbait?  That should be interesting.

All basically C&R from Zone 2 all the way to highway 70.... my guess is we won't see stocking of Zones 2 and 3 much any more.

No swimming unless in designated areas.... let's see them enforce that one.  I hope they do.

I like the limit scaled back to 3 rainbows - that might mean some bigger fish will be stocked since the contracts are for poundage.

Lots of barb pinching going on.  The state might balance its budget simply writing tickets to enforce this new law.

At least our brown trout have a better chance with the new regs.  As a Brown Trout snob, I would love to see this.

[FlyAndStream]

I personally would like to see one of the LMFR Foundation's primary goals be to continue augmenting the brown trout population by annually stocking fingerlings, as it's done in the past. Seems brown trout are the future of the fishery, not that there wouldn't continue to be rainbows available. Or even going back to planting the brown trout egg vibert boxes, better yet do both. Regs are in place for browns river wide – that would certainly be one vision I could get behind and know many would give financially towards.

[glitchmo]

I just have absolutely no confidence that the barbless reg or the limit will be enforced.

[jonbo]

I think I have to agree with Glitchmo on the pessimism. All this has really done, ISTM, is make life easier for the enforcers, I guess which was necessary, and open the Evening Hole to bait fishers.

[Fenwick]

This board is read by fly fisherman but the linked article makes a case in point about single hook spinning lures.
I know...preaching to the choir:
www.finesse-fishing.com/single-hook-lures.html

Besides when someone employs a $5 lure in order to catch fish the intent is to catch fish period, not mash barbs down and catch fish and then let them go.
I have a hard enough time explaining barbless hooks and not keeping what I catch to begin with.

"So Fenwick, you intentionally increase the odds against yourself by mashing down the barb on your fly and then when you do catch one you let it go? You're #$%^ing crazy. So when you hunt do you shoot the critter and then immediately take it to the vet?"

[Texastroutfisher]

Just curious, has anyone approached the park officials or the ODFW about enforcement of these new regs? Maybe the LMFR Foundation. Given the current state of enforcement these new regs could also have a detrimental impact to the fishery if not enforced. As a C&R fly fisherman I have no problem with the new regs. However, now that the river is open to all fishing methods what risk is there to the resource if not enforced. The biggest concerns to me are the rainbow limits and the size limits on the larger fish. I agree with and understand that the regs need to cater to each individuals preferred fishing method but given that the red zones are gone this could quickly lead to a negative impact on the resource should it not be enforced. Also, given that the limit has been reduced by half will that affect the poundage being stocked? If not enforced how will this effect the population in the river should the poundage stocked be reduced. Also, what impact will there be to the trophy fish should the length limits not be enforced?

I think this is a positive step in the right direction for the fishery but these new regs will need to be enforced to make a difference. From what I have seen on the river I'm very skeptical that they will be. Only time will tell.

[breeden3]

I can assure you the park officials and law enforcement have all been approached by many people, including the LMFRF Foundation. It has not done any good. The rangers have other priorities inside the park and due to the prevalence of poaching in McCurtain County, the game wardens are kept constantly busy. Trout fishing isn't high on their list of enforcement, especially when you have deer, turkey, bears, etc being poached outside of season.

I would be surprised with these new regulations being put into place if we don't start seeing some better enforcement. Clearly the state is taking notice of issues regarding the LMF, even if we don't all agree with their regulation changes. Hopefully the state understands how unique the LMF is among OK trout streams and will continue to make regulations that benefit the trout, not necessarily the various fishermen that journey to the river.

I will continue to work as long as I can to try and get opportunities for the fingerling browns to be stocked. The brown trout are definitely the future of the river.

[breeden3]

A couple flawless LMF browns.  These were caught by BBFS guide Doron.

[okieman71]

Well Said Peter!!