For those of you who do fish the North Fork in MO.
I have just recieved that latest details of the fish count there as follows.
There has been some decline over all for numbers, from 05
Some of the reasons that may account for this are. Low water, hot summer and not a good enough spawn survival from the previous two years. Bows are not stocked in this river system, Browns are in the lower sections, and there is natural reproduction of Browns.
At least for the Bows, it may also be related to Brown trout populations that are eating the small Bows, and taking over the habitat that they prefer, which they will.
Typically this river will see Bows in the upper due to the colder water there from the springs.
Browns being more territorial will seek zones as a rule they can dominate.
As follows.
From Kelly ford to Blair bridge.
Browns...82
Bows....320
From Patrick to PP.
Browns....509
Bows....... 93.
This equates to around 5 miles of water surveyed. And something like 200 fish per mile.
This may seem a very low number of fish, but you would have to know this river to understand a few things as not all of the water when at low levels provided good habitat.
It is a true fly fishers river in my book.
And does have special regulations so far as harvesting fish is concerned.
Well worth fishing, you may learn a thing or two here.
DW.
