Jasper County angler breaks 32-year hybrid-bass record

MDC congratulates Cesar Rodriguez on catching a 21-pound, 11-ounce striped hybrid bass at Lake of the Ozarks.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announces that Cesar Rodriguez of Carthage is now the state record-holder for hybrid-striped-bass after catching a 21-pound, 11-ounce fish at Lake of the Ozarks May 19. Rodriguez used the pole-and-line method.

Though the fish breaks Missouri’s previous hybrid-striped-bass record of a 20-pound, 8-ounce fish, set in 1986 at the Lake of the Ozarks, Rodriguez wasn’t that surprised when he reeled in the bass.

“It was just a normal day out fishing,” Rodriguez said. “Last year I caught a 24-pound hybrid in Oklahoma, but I couldn’t find a game warden to confirm it. So, this catch didn’t come as a surprise that it was a record-breaker.”

The fish’s weight was verified on a certified scale at MDC’s Roaring River Hatchery in Cassville. The hybrid-striped-bass is the sixth state-record fish caught this year.

Rodriguez mounted his prize fish, and said he is planning to catch another that will top his even-larger Oklahoma catch.

Missouri state-record fish are recognized in two categories: pole-and-line and alternative methods. Alternative methods include: throwlines, trotlines, limb lines, bank lines, jug lines, spearfishing, snagging, snaring, gigging, grabbing, archery, and atlatl. 

Snapping turtles begin laying their eggs in June

Though intimidating to people, snapping turtles play an important role in nature.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) says snapping turtles begin laying their eggs this month in sandy areas. Though many Missourians may be intimidated by their hard, spiny shells, large size and “snappy” demeanor, naturalists say these amphibians play an important role in nature and deserve to be left alone.

“These turtles help keep the populations of many aquatic plants and animals in check,” said Alex Holmes, a MDC naturalist. “Their nests are also preyed upon by hungry predators such as skunks, raccoons, and mink.”

Holmes said snapping turtles have earned a reputation for their strong jaws and ability to snap, but if people don’t try to handle them, they’re a beneficial wildlife species. They live in farm ponds, marshes, swamps, sloughs, rivers, and reservoirs — anywhere there is permanent water.

“Snappers prefer bodies of water with a mud bottom, abundant aquatic vegetation, and submerged logs,” Holmes said. “But now is the time females often travel over land during their egg-laying season and often are killed by cars.”

Female turtles are particular about where they lay and bury their eggs and might travel long distances to find a suitable location, Holmes said. Most female snappers select well-drained, sandy or loose soil to deposit their eggs.

“Snapping turtles are careful to lay their eggs deep in the sand,” he said. “If you find snapping turtle eggs, simply cover them back up and let them be.”

Courtship and mating can take place between April and November, but mostly in late spring and early summer. June is the usual month for egg-laying, though two clutches may be laid per season. The female digs a nest in deep sand or loose soil and deposits usually 20–30 eggs. The eggs hatch 55–125 days later, depending on environmental conditions.

Holmes said snapping turtles aren’t detrimental to fish and wildlife as generally supposed, even though they do eat some small fishes, very young ducks, and goslings. Common snappers are basically lazy and are more apt to feed on slower moving, sick, less desirable fish. By doing this, they provide a valuable clean-up service by eating diseased or weakened fish and by devouring any dead or decaying fish or other animals.

Snapping turtles can be harvested, with some people preferring to eat the meat in a stew. However, anyone harvesting a snapping turtle should ensure it’s not an alligator snapping turtle. Alligator snapping turtles live only in the few natural aquatic habitats remaining in Missouri’s Bootheel. It’s the largest species of freshwater turtle in the world. The alligator snapping turtle is rare in our state due to habitat loss and illegal harvesting. There is no open season for the alligator snapping turtle.

The new regulation is effective March 1.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Commission approved at their February meeting the proposed crappie regulation change at Wappapello Lake. As of March 1, the regulation will be a daily limit of thirty (30) crappie, but not more than fifteen fish can be greater than 9 inches in total length.

This is a change to the previous regulation of a daily limit of 30 and a nine-inch minimum length limit that has been in place since 2006. Based on the biological data and information gathered from anglers through creel surveys and public meetings, this is a must needed change according to Dave Knuth, a MDC fisheries management biologist.

“We see large fluctuations in the quality of the crappie fishery at Wappapello Lake from year to year, which is largely driven by the stability of the water levels,” Knuth said. “Crappie growth can be extremely variable in Wappapello Lake and length limits are not effective when growth is slow and not consistent from year to year.”  

The new regulation will increase harvest opportunities for anglers during poor years.

“We heard what anglers were saying about the 9-inch minimum length limit, the large number of short fish anglers were catching and the limited number of harvestable size fish available,” Knuth said.

The new regulation will also increase the opportunity for anglers to harvest the slow growing Black Crappie. Only about two percent of the Black Crappie ever reach 9 inches in Wappapello Lake before they die of natural causes, Knuth said.

“I encourage anglers if they do keep fish under 9 inches to keep Black Crappie,” he said. “Black Crappie are more robust than the White Crappie at smaller sizes. Reducing Black Crappie numbers in the lake may improve White Crappie growth by reducing the competition between these two species.”

Also, limiting the number of fish over nine inches will keep some of the bigger fish in the lake a little longer. This will maintain some consistency in the quality of the fishery even during poor years.

“We will continue to monitor the fishery intensively to determine if the regulation is producing the desired results,” Knuth said. “Like many of the anglers that fish this lake, I am excited to see this change.”

Trout lakes in Jackson, Farmington and Perryville are stocked and ready.

Cape Girardeau, MIssouri - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) says trout may be harvested from Rotary Lake in Jackson, Giessing Lake in Farmington and Legion Lake in Perryville beginning Feb. 1.

According to MDC Fisheries Management Biologist Mike Reed, fishing has been very good this winter due to relatively warm temperatures.  Anglers have reported success at all three lakes using a variety of artificial lures and flies. 

“If the lakes don’t freeze we should have an excellent opener to the trout harvest season at all three lakes,” Reed said. 

Reed said MDC stocked trout in November at the start of the catch-and-release season. 

“These fish provide a tremendous amount of fishing opportunity through the fall and winter months when warm water fishing is at a lull,” Reed said, adding that in addition to catchable-size fish, a few “lunker” trout were also stocked at each lake.

Reed reminds anglers they must release trout caught now through Jan. 31. 

Starting Feb. 1, any bait may be used and four trout may be kept regardless of size.  All anglers between the ages of 16 and 64 must have a valid Missouri fishing permit and any angler harvesting trout must possess a trout permit as well. 

“An amazing number of trout can typically be caught the first week of trout harvest season,” Reed said. 

Many anglers frequently catch limits of trout using light weight or ultra-light fishing tackle or fly tackle. Reed recommends anglers use 2-4 lb. test line, small hooks and little or no added weight to their line. Popular baits include almost any type of small spinner, small crank baits, natural baits such as worms and cheese, and commercially produced dough baits. 

Bald eagles are starting to nest across southeast Missouri and can be seen along area waterways.

Puxico, Missouri - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and U.S. Corps of Engineers have canceled the Eagle Days event scheduled for Friday, Feb. 1, and Saturday, Feb. 2, at MINGO National Wildlife Refuge, Duck Creek Conservation Area (CA) and Wappapello Lake, due to the current federal government shutdown.

“It’s unfortunate that we had to cancel the event, but people may still drive onto these and other areas to view eagles on their own,” said Sara Bradshaw, a MDC education consultant and one of the Eagle Days organizers. “The eagles are active on the areas and viewable in several locations with the use of binoculars.”

Eagles are starting to nest across Southeast Missouri and can also be viewed at Ten Mile Pond CA or anywhere along the Mississippi River and other waterways. Bald eagles are usually seen near lakes, rivers, and marshes as they forage for fish or carrion. The bald eagle’s return to the lower 48 states is a continued conservation success story. Although historically about 20,000 pairs nested in the United States, by the 1950s only about 3,000 pairs were nesting. Today, over 10,000 pairs nest in the United States annually, including about 200 in Missouri, as of 2010.

Mature bald eagles have a dark brown body with white head and tail, which makes identification simple. The large, hooked bill, strong talons, and irises of the eyes are yellow. Females are larger than males, but otherwise the sexes look alike. In flight, bald eagles soar on rising warm air currents on flattened wings, not holding them V-shaped. Juveniles are all brown, with white speckles. Adult bald eagles can grow up to 36 inches in length with a wingspan of up to 84 inches.