March 2003

Strong spawns promise excellent bass fishing

The Missouri Department of Conservation conducts annual sampling on the Missouri and Better-than-average spawns of black bass at several Missouri lakes create the potential for lunker catches. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Whether your goal is size or numbers, Missouri has bassing spots for you.

JEFFERSON CITY--With the arrival of spring, anglers throughout Missouri turn to bass fishing to cure their winter blues. Fortunately, largemouth bass populations appear to be in excellent shape this year at many of the state's most popular waters, so fishing opportunities should be plentiful.

TRUMAN LAKE--Covering nearly 55,000 acres, Truman Reservoir has something to please every type of bass angler. It has clear water and stained water. It has deep structure, plenty of shoreline cover and standing timber. It also has plenty of bass.

Trish Yasger, a fisheries management biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, says Truman has enjoyed several good spawns the last few years, so there are plenty of fish in several different year classes. It's a good place to catch a lot of bass, she added, but also a good place to catch the occasional large bass.

"We get a few bass in our samples up to 23, 24 inches. Not many, but they're out there." said Yasger. "A 24-inch bass at Truman probably weighs about 8.5 pounds," she added, "and we also get good numbers of fish up to 20 inches."

MARK TWAIN LAKE--High water has made spring bass fishing difficult at Mark Twain Lake in recent years, but its bass population appears to be in excellent condition, said Ross Dames, a Conservation Department fisheries management biologist.

"We've had good spawns and recruitment in most recent years," Dames said. "We've been fortunate to have everything go right for a good long while."

During fish population surveys conducted by the Conservation Department at Mark Twain in May 2001, Dames found 45-50 adult bass per hour. Those are good numbers, and the quality of fish was good, too.

"Right now, the largest group of fish we have are in the 12- to 14-inch range," Dames said. "We don't have as many legal fish, those over 15 inches, as we've had. High water prevented us from conducting population surveys last spring, but anglers reported good fishing before and after the high water. Bass shorter than 15 inches were more prevalent as summer progressed. This year, anglers should find sub-legal bass plentiful, and many of these fish should reach 15 inches by summer's end."

STOCKTON LAKE--Although anglers found that high water throughout the first half of 2002 hampered bass fishing, largemouth bass produced an excellent spawn that anglers will enjoy in years to come. Stockton also has a reputation for producing large smallmouth bass. In fact, the smallmouth bass fishery is one of the best in the state in both numbers and size of fish.

"We caught one not too long ago that was 19.6 inches long," Fisheries Management Biologist Tim Banek said. "She was full of eggs, but she probably weighed about 6 pounds.

"We don't see an increasing trend in the number of smallmouths," he added. "Last year, it was about 10 percent, which is more than usual."

Stockton also contains some big largemouths in the 7- to 8-pound range. While not common, anglers can catch bass of that size if they're willing to put forth the effort.

TABLE ROCK LAKE--A strong year-class of bass from 1999 graduated to the 15-inch legal keeper size in 2002, and they should be even larger this year. Bass populations are described as excellent throughout the lake, but the James and Kings river arms have the highest densities. Spotted bass account for about 20 percent of the lake's total bass population, and the biggest number of those are found in the main part of the lake, especially along bluffs and rocky shelves. Smallmouth bass continue to increase in both size and range.

BULL SHOALS LAKE--Bass fishing has been tough at Bull Shoals in recent years, but last year's high water levels gave it a much-needed boost.

"The wet spring and summer of 2002 provided sport fish the good spawning and nursery conditions they have needed for many years," said Bob Legler, Ozark Region fisheries supervisor for the Conservation Department. "Bass anglers can look ahead to the return of good bass fishing on Bull Shoals Lake within two to three years. Meanwhile, anglers can expect to catch numerous fish smaller than 12 inches this year."

Legler said 2002 was a tremendous year for bass production. Largemouth bass numbers have been way down for a number of years, and it'll take some time for these fish to impact the overall population.

"We've gone about 10 years with poor recruitment at Bull Shoals," Legler said. "The majority of bass caught next year will be small, probably 10 to 12 inches. Some will be pushing 2 pounds by the end of summer, and all of them should be 3 pounds by 2004."

LAKE NORFORK--Thanks to consistent water levels during the spawning season, bass populations are in excellent shape at Lake Norfork.

"Norfork has had more consistent recruitment than Bull Shoals, and this year was just tremendous," Legler said. "Anglers consistently catch 3-, 4-, and 5-pounders there, with occasional 8- and 9-pounders. Even 5-pounders are not uncommon on Norfork."

While only 10 percent of Lake Norfork is in Missouri, Show-Me State anglers can fish any of the lake's impounded waters by purchasing a $10 White River Border Lakes Fishing Permit. The permit also allows Missouri resident anglers to fish the Arkansas portions of Bull Shoals and Table Rock lakes.

SMITHVILLE LAKE--Overall numbers are fairly low compared to some other waters, but Smithville Lake could be a great place to go to catch trophy largemouths. Fisheries Management Biologist Jake Allman said Smithville is dominated by bass 12 inches and larger. A good portion of those are larger than 15 inches, he added.

"If they're big enough to be caught, there's a 44 percent chance they're going to be legal," he said. "You shouldn't be surprised to catch one around 18-20 inches. We've collected them over 22 inches.

"It's a lake with good trophy potential," Allman concluded. "They usually catch several 10-pound bass every year, usually in the spring before they go to nest."

LAKE OF THE OZARKS--A mid-Missouri impoundment of the Osage River, Lake of the Ozarks, will continue to be a great bass lake in 2003. Surveys conducted in spring 2002 showed a lot of fish larger than 15 inches, as well as good numbers smaller than 15 inches. Spotted bass numbers over the 12-inch minimum length limit are fair.

- Bryan Hendricks -

Kansas City cougar probably was wild, from the west

Body condition and stomach contents point to a free-ranging life.

KANSAS CITY--A mountain lion killed by a motorist in Kansas City area last fall probably came from a Western state. That's the conclusion of Wildlife Research Biologist Dave Hamilton, the Conservation Department's furbearer specialist.

The 2 1/2- to 3-year-old male cougar died after being stuck by a car while crossing I-35 near Parvin Road at 1:45 a.m. Oct. 14. It weighed 125 pounds and measured more than 7 feet from nose to tip of tail.

At the time, Hamilton noted the lack of unusual wear on the cat's claws and paw pads. Such wear is normally seen in captive animals that have been kept in concrete-floored enclosures. This, together with the lack of tattoos, tags or other signs of captivity, led Hamilton to speculate that the cougar might have been a wild specimen that wandered here from another state. He reserved judgment, however, until receiving test results on the animal's DNA and stomach contents.

The DNA tests showed it was a North American cougar. This is significant, since many captive mountain lions come from South American stock. "The stomach contents included white-tailed deer and raccoon," said Hamilton, "so it probably was feeding in the wild, rather than being fed by humans. There was no tartar buildup on ts teeth, and it wasn't obese, which are other telltale signs of a captive lifestyle. Judging by all these things, I think it's pretty likely this animal wandered into Missouri from somewhere to the west, however it could have been a captive animal. We just don't know."

Hamilton said the animal's age and sex are consistent with this theory. "Young males often wander long distances looking for areas not already occupied by adult male lions," he said. "Colorado has a thriving, self-sustaining cougar population. The fact that this cat turned up in western Missouri probably is more than just a coincidence."

Hamilton said the Conservation Department receives hundreds of reports of mountain lion sightings each year. Most sightings remain unverified due to a lack of physical evidence such as tracks, droppings, photographs or video tape recordings. In about a third of the cases, physical evidence clearly shows that other animals - often dogs or bobcats - were involved.

However, Hamilton said the Conservation Department's Mountain Lion Task Force investigates all credible reports of mountain lion sightings. He said people who think they have seen a mountain lion should call the nearest conservation agent or Conservation Department office.

- Jim Low -

Survey shows sturgeon numbers dwindling

The Missouri Department of Conservation conducts annual sampling on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers to keep track of shovelnose sturgeon, pictured here, as well as the endangered lake and pallid sturgeon. Recent trends show the fish are declining. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

A second year of sampling confirms last year's findings.

MOKANE, Mo.-Results are in from the second year of sturgeon sampling on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and the news still isn't good. The probable reasons, for the fishes' continuing decline, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation, are habitat loss and overexploitation.

Fisheries Management Biologist Craig Gemming said Conservation Department fisheries workers netted 2,888 sturgeon on the Missouri during the 2002-2003 sampling season. That is down from 3,265 the previous year. On the Mississippi River, fisheries crews caught only 170 sturgeon in 2002-2003, down from 285 the year before.

Those numbers lump together catches of the most common sturgeon species, the shovelnose, with much smaller numbers of endangered pallid and lake sturgeon. The 2002-2003 catch of pallid sturgeon on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers was four. The lake sturgeon catch was 39. Those numbers are essentially unchanged from the 2001-2002 season.

Although the number of sturgeon caught this year was down in both rivers, Gemming said the Missouri River catch rate--approximately 29 sturgeon per net day--was within the range of normal year-to-year variations in such field studies. However, the catch rate on the Mississippi River has declined steeply since the first samples were taken in 1996. Those averaged approximately 25 sturgeon per net-day seven years ago. Today they are between one and two sturgeon per net day.

In 1979, one in every 398 captured sturgeons was a pallid. This year's sample included only one pallid sturgeon for every 592 netted.

"It appears the shovelnose sturgeon population on the Mississippi River is taking a big hit from commercial fishing," said Gemming. He said he is even more concerned by an increase in the number of commercial fishermen pursuing sturgeon on the reach of the river he is studying. "If commercial fishing for shovelnose sturgeon on the Missouri increases, it probably will have the same effect it has had on the Mississippi River," he said.

Gemming explained that sturgeons in Missouri's two great rivers are suffering from a one-two punch like nothing else in their 150 million-year history. One is changes in the rivers themselves. Channelization for barge traffic has eliminated most of the places they once found shelter, food and spawning sites. The second punch is increased demand for North American sturgeon eggs, which are used to make caviar.

In the past decade, the Caspian Sea sturgeon fishery has collapsed, spurring demand for substitutes to replace pricey Russian "beluga" caviar. North American sturgeon eggs, called "roe," bring $30 to $70 a pound. Caviar made from Missouri shovelnose sturgeon roe commands a price of $275 to $300 per 14-ounce tin.

With that kind of economic pressure, said Gemming, it's not surprising that in the last three years alone, the number of pounds of sturgeon taken from the Mississippi River has jumped 1,000 percent. The increase on the Missouri River has been slower, but is accelerating.

A Missouri recreational fishing permit allows anglers to take up to 50 shovelnose sturgeon daily. The possession limit is 100. There is no limit on how many shovelnose sturgeon can be taken by commercial permit holders. Only commercial anglers can legally sell sturgeon roe.

According to Gemming, experienced commercial anglers can distinguish between the shovelnose sturgeon and its endangered relatives. The potential loss of their fishing privileges if they are caught with pallid or lake sturgeons is an incentive to be careful about protecting these species. However, amateur anglers may not recognize protected species, and the price of sturgeon roe is a powerful motivator for unscrupulous anglers.

Gemming, who coordinates the Conservation Department's sturgeon monitoring and evaluation project, said these trends are cause for concern about all three sturgeon species, not just the two that already are endangered in Missouri.

According to Gemming, lake sturgeon can live more than 100 years, but they don't' spawn until they are 15 to 20 years old. He said pallid and shovelnose sturgeons don't live that long, but they still take five to 10 years to reach sexual maturity. The average age of shovelnose sturgeon caught on the Mississippi River this year was about 9 years. Those on the Missouri, with lighter fishing pressure, averaged almost 12 years. "Not many Mississippi River sturgeon are living long enough to replace themselves," Gemming said.

"Things really aren't looking good for our sturgeons right now. If these negative trends continue, the Department might have to consider even more restrictive regulations. I would hate for fish that have survived since the time of the dinosaurs to go extinct during our watch."

Both recreational and commercial anglers can legally catch and keep shovelnose sturgeon. Pallid and lake sturgeon must be released unharmed immediately. Information about how to identify the three species is found in the 2003 Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations, available wherever fishing permits are sold.

However, anglers should be aware of a typographic error on page 25 of the summary. On that page, some of the descriptions of shovelnose and pallid sturgeons are reversed. The descriptions on page 26 of the summary are correct.

The Conservation Department is preparing a poster with sturgeon identification information and illustrations for distribution later this spring. The poster will be available on request from conservation regional service centers statewide.

- Jim Low -

Tagging yields interesting information about sturgeon

Fish marked by the conservation Department decades ago are still showing up. Some have traveled a long way from their original homes.

JEFFERSON CITY--Fisheries biologists with the Missouri Department of Conservation got a surprise recently when they hauled in a fish that was tagged by one of their predecessors nearly a quarter century ago. It was just one of several surprising and interesting discoveries coming out of sturgeon netting on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

Fisheries Management Biologist Craig Gemming said the 4-pound shovelnose sturgeon turned up Dec. 9, 2002, in a net in the Missouri River near Jefferson City. William Pflieger tagged the fish near St. Louis in 1979.

Pflieger was a ground-breaking researcher who collected fish all over Missouri and wrote the book "The Fishes of Missouri." In the 24 years since he tagged the fish, it traveled 119 miles from the original capture site.

"This was actually the second shovelnose tagged by Pflieger that we have caught in the past two years," said Gemming. "It's wonderful to experience contact across the years with someone who went before me."

According to Gemming, one of the four pallid sturgeon netted by survey crews this year had a coded wire micro tag marking it as a fish that came from the Blind Pony Fish Hatchery in 1992. That fish, well over a decade old, weighed 8 pounds. Sixteen of 30 lake sturgeon netted on the Missouri River near Mokane had micro tags from Blind Pony Hatchery. Another four fish had plastic spaghetti tags that indicated they were part of a stocking from Blind Pony in 1994.

The Conservation Department continues to tag fish as part of the sturgeon study. This year alone, fisheries workers put orange tags resembling short pieces of spaghetti on 2,888 shovelnose sturgeon on the Missouri River and 170 on the Mississippi River.

Tagging fish helps the Conservation Department gain knowledge that enables it to do a better job of managing them. Tagging studies can provide insights about how many fish are present, how long they live, how fast they grow, where they travel and how anglers affect their populations.

Gemming said anglers can help the Conservation Department manage fish effectively by reporting catches of tagged fish. Micro tags are implanted under the skin and so are not visible. Biologists use special electronic scanners to find them. However, spaghetti tags visible to anglers are printed with information explaining where to send reports. Posters at river accesses also explain how to report tagged fish.

- Jim Low -

St. Charles teens get cash for talking trash

The latest winning entry in the statewide stop-litter video contest portrays someone getting a second chance to help keep Missouri clean.

JEFFERSON CITY--Two St. Charles High School students have been named winners in the third No MOre Trash! video contest, sponsored by the Missouri departments of Conservation and Transportation.

John Flavin and Jay Simpson, students at St. Charles High School, won a $200 first-place award for their litter ad titled "Bottle." In the video, a student tosses a bottle at a trash can, misses, and the bottle breaks on the sidewalk. The student gets a chance to replay the scene and place the bottle in the trash can.

The sponsoring agencies will present the award to Flavin and Simpson on April 3 at St. Charles High School.

"NO MOre Trash" is Missouri's statewide litter awareness campaign. Helping in the effort is the Missouri Litter-Prevention Advisory Board established by Gov. Bob Holden and First Lady Lori Hauser Holden. The board is composed of government, business and nonprofit organizations. The campaign targets 16- to 24-year-olds, the age group research shows is most likely to litter.

The campaign began in April 2002 with the launch of the "No MOre Trash" website and a 30-second ad on cable networks. The campaign provides informational tool kits and promotional materials to interested parties.

"These videos are a great way to get our youth involved in litter prevention and education," said Stacy Armstrong, MoDOT roadside management specialist and one of the campaign coordinators. "They have fun making them, and we enjoy seeing their efforts."

The next entry deadline for the video contest is May 6. Anyone age 16 to 22 is encouraged to submit a 30-second entry to convince other Missourians their age not to litter. Send entries, in VHS, digital video or other formats, to No MOre Trash!, Attn. Ginny Wallace, P.O. Box 180, 2901 W. Truman Blvd., Jefferson City, MO 65109. For more information on the campaign or contest or to view the winning videos, visit rwww.nomoretrash.org.

- 30 -

Fire risk high in northwestern Missouri

Missourians need to be particularly careful with fire for the next few weeks. Drought in the northwestern two-thirds of the state adds to the fire hazard normally present until spring green-up. If you have information about fires that were set intentionally, call the toll-free Operation Forest Arson hot line, 800/392-1111. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Conservation officials recommend extreme caution when burning rubbish or other activities that could spark grass or other natural cover fires.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo.--Lives could be lost and people's homes and other property could go up in smoke unless people in northwestern Missouri are especially careful with fire this spring.

The United States Department of Agriculture's "U.S. Drought Monitor" published Feb. 27 shows "extreme drought" conditions in the area bounded on the east by Mercer, Grundy, Linn and Chariton counties and on the south by Carroll, Ray and Clay counties. Drought ranging from "severe" to "abnormally dry" prevailed throughout the northwestern two thirds of the state.

The Missouri Department of Conservation says the drought carries a significantly increased danger of wildfire.

"Missouri's highest risk of natural cover fires almost always comes in the early spring," said Forestry Education Coordinator Bruce Palmer. "We have lots of dry grass and leaves on the ground at that time of year. Dry, windy weather and low rainfall creates conditions favorable for wildfire. The danger drops off quickly as trees leaf out and grass greens up, but until then it's likely to be touch-and-go in northern Missouri, especially in the northwest"

Palmer said northern Missouri has been dryer than normal for more than a year. "Some parts of the state's northwest corner have hardly seen a drop of rain or a snowflake in months," he said. "Under conditions like this, an untended fire or a carelessly discarded cigarette can touch off a blaze that costs thousands of dollars to fight and may destroy homes, or even cost people's lives."

Palmer noted that while the danger of wildfires is particularly serious in northwest Missouri this spring, the rest of the state is vulnerable also. He said most wildfires get started unintentionally when someone leaves burning rubbish unattended or when a sudden gust of wind carries embers to tinder-dry fields or forests. However, a significant number of Missouri's wildfires are the work of arsonists. He said motives for setting fires range from simple mischief to smoldering resentments against neighbors. It is enough of a problem that the Conservation Department has set up a hot line for people to report suspicious wildfires.

"We call the hot line Operation Forest Arson," said Palmer. "Almost all the arsonists we catch every year are turned in by people who don=t take kindly to having their property endangered.@

Operation Forest Arson, cosponsored by the Conservation Department and the Conservation Federation of Missouri, allows citizens to call toll-free 24 hours a day to report arsonists. An anonymous call to 800/392-1111 is all it takes.

ASetting brush fires isn't just a prank,@ said Palmer. AFirefighters put their lives in danger fighting these fires. People lose their homes, and natural-cover fires cause enormous losses of private and government resources. Everyone should be watching for chances to stop it.@

Palmer offered the following advice to avoid starting a wildfire accidentally:
--If you must burn, pick an overcast day when winds are calm and the humidity is high.
--Notify local fire officials when you intend to burn.
--Burn before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
--After burning, check several times to ensure the fire is out.
--Keep water, rakes, wet gunny sacks and other firefighting tools at hand when burning.
--Call fire officials immediately if a fire escapes.
--Ask your neighbors not to burn on dry, windy days.
--Teach your children to be safe with fire.
--Don=t burn brush piles. They make great wildlife habitat and will naturally decay in two to five years.

- Jim Low -

License plate sales support conservation projects

Everyone gets a helping when Missourians put a little nature on their plates.

JEFFERSON CITY-- What do a disabled-accessible fishing pier at Brookfield Lake, a program to teach Missouri teens about quail management and an archery range at the Grundy Conservation Area (CA) have in common? Last year all benefitted from the sales of conservation license plates.

People who buy conservation license plates can choose artwork of a white-tailed deer, a bluebird or a largemouth bass. Last year, sales of the specialized license plates provided $71,760 for conservation education and other outdoor and wildlife resource enhancement programs. The funds are administered by the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation (MCHF). This private, nonprofit organization uses donations and income from conservation-themed license plates to further fish, forestry and wildlife programs.

One of the programs that get a boost from conservation license plates sales is the Missouri Department of Conservation's effort to build outdoor classrooms throughout the state. Fifty-five schools received grants to build or improve outdoor classrooms last year.

In addition to receiving funding, schools approved for outdoor classroom grants get one-on-one assistance from conservation education consultants in planning their projects. Existing outdoor classrooms include interpretive nature trails, amphitheaters and hands-on prairie restoration areas.

Other programs funded through the sale of conservation license plates in recent years have included:

Northwest Region -- Installed a barrier-free loading and fishing dock at Brookfield City Lake. Supported prairie restoration by purchasing equipment in partnership with the Missouri Department of Transportation and The Nature Conservancy.

Southeast Region -- Added disabled-accessible parking, built a wheelchair-accessible trail and overlook as part of a project that includes the Knob Lick fire tower. Purchased equipment for outdoor skills clinics.

Ozark Region -- Built a 30-target archery trail range with disabled access at Grundy Wildlife Area near Ava.

East Central Region -- Supported two teams with the Missouri Youth Conservation Corps working at Bray CA near Rolla, Little Maries Creek, Indian Creek and Spring Tree Gap in partnership with Central Ozarks Private Industry Council.

Southwest and Northeast Regions -- Conducted two, six-day Quail Academies to teach high school students and teachers to be ambassadors of upland wildlife management in their home communities in partnership with Quail Unlimited, the Conservation Federation of Missouri and University of Missouri.

Kansas City Region -- Funded "In Concert with Nature," a 30-minute, monthly television show seen by 550,000 Kansas City area residents on KCEN and in schools.

Central Region -- Helped pay for security surveillance equipment to deter vandalism and poaching at CAs.

Conservation license plates require a $25 annual donation. The Missouri Motor Vehicle Bureau charges an additional $15 for the personalized plate number. For more information about conservation license plates and the work of the foundation, contact the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, P.O. Box 366, Jefferson City, MO 65102, 573/634-2080 or 800/227-1488.

- 30 -

2002 fish kill means uncertain paddlefish prospects

Missouri's paddlefish snagging season runs from March 15 through April 30. Conservation Department officials say weather and other factors make predictions about this year's paddlefish harvest difficult. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo)

Fisheries experts say it's difficult to predict how paddlefish kills around Bagnell Dam and dry conditions will affect angler success in the snagging season that opens March 15.

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. -- A June 2002 fish kill and unusually dry weather are among the factors causing fisheries biologists to hedge their bets about the outcome of Missouri's paddlefish snagging season, which opens March 15.

Paddlefish season runs through April 30, with a daily limit of two paddlefish. In most waters, paddlefish must be released immediately if they measure less than 24 inches from eye to fork of tail. The minimum length limit is 34 inches on Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake, Truman Lake and their tributaries.

Snagging paddlefish, which can reach weights of more than 100 pounds, is trickier than it seems at first glance. This year, it could be trickier than ever.

Instead of eating worms, fish, insects or crayfish, spoonbills subsist entirely on plankton. They garner these tiny plants and animals by swimming around with their huge mouths agape.

Since they won't deliberately take any of anglers' standard baits or lures, the only way to catch paddlefish with any regularity is to snag part of their bodies with large, triple hooks pulled through the water.

The only time when paddlefish gather in large enough numbers to make snagging practical is in the spring. Obeying their spawning instinct, the big fish swim upstream until they meet obstacles. In Missouri, the most popular places are below dams on the Osage and White rivers.

Paddlefish begin their mass spawning migration in response to increased stream flow following warm spring rains. In years when rain is scarce and the weather is cold, paddlefish spawning can happen late, and the number of the fish taking part can be sparse.

"So far this year, the water is cold, and there's not much of it," said Missouri Department of Conservation Fisheries Management Biologist Greg Stoner. "If we don't get some pretty good rains in the next few weeks, then from an angler's standpoint it could be a really bad season."

Added to this natural variability is uncertainty about the effects of last year's fish kill on the Osage River. The fish kill last June claimed more than 4,000 paddlefish above and below Bagnell Dam. Many of the fish were potential trophies weighing 50 to 70 pounds.

"It's hard to predict how these factors will interact to affect fishing this year," said Stoner. "We hope there are still enough large fish and water conditions will improve to make for good fishing. Right now, though, all we can do is wait and see."

Paddlefish, commonly called spoonbill catfish, aren't catfish at all. The confusion is understandable, since paddlefish lack scales, as catfish do. The similarities end there, however.

Paddlefish come from much more ancient ancestry. Missouri's paddlefish is one of only two species in its family. The other is native to the Yangtze Valley, in China. Like sharks, they have skeletons of gristle, not bone. Their most distinctive feature is the snout or "paddle" for which they are named. This appendage, which can make up a third of the length of small paddlefish, is a sensory organ that helps them find food.

Paddlefish are big. The state pole-and-line record tipped the scales at 139.25 pounds, and 30- to 60-pound catches are common.

The Osage River between Bagnell Dam and the U.S. Highway 54 bridge is closed to snagging, snaring and grabbing. Also, you must stop snagging, snaring or grabbing for any species of fish after taking a daily limit of two paddlefish on Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks and their tributaries and on the Osage River below Highway 54.

Full details of paddlefish regulations are listed in the year 2003 Summary of Fishing Regulations, which is available free wherever fishing permits are sold.

Paddlefish need free-flowing streams to spawn successfully. Since lakes now cover virtually all the paddlefish=s historic spawning areas, the state=s paddlefish population is sustained by stocking fish spawned in captivity. The Conservation Department stocks approximately 25,000 paddlefish annually.

- Jim Low -

Quail Academy seeks cadets for 2003

Youngsters interested in quail management and hunting get an in-depth introduction at this intensive, week-long course.

JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri teens can learn firsthand what it is like to be a quail biologist. MO Quail Academy is accepting applications for those interested in learning about the habits and habitat of bobwhite quail.

MO Quail Academy is an intensive five-day course that focuses on quail management, biology and hunting. The program is larger than ever this year, with two events planned. One will take place June 15 through 20 at Mineral Area College in St. Francois County near Farmington. The other will be June 8 through 13 at North Central Missouri State College, Trenton.

The course combines education in quail biology, habitat management and wildlife conservation with exercises in recreational shooting sports. In addition, cadets learn about outdoor ethics, firearm safety, photography, entomology, bird dogs, botany and leadership skills. The academy is a joint effort of the Missouri Department of Conservation and Quail Unlimited.

Quail cadets also learn what they can do to improve quail habitat in their communities. Part of their course work includes learning what food and cover plants quail need to thrive. They learn leadership skills, including how to write news releases and give public talks. Each student is expected to give three programs in his or her community after completing the course.

The MO Quail Academy is open to current high school freshmen and sophomores who have grade point averages of 2.5 or above. Students also must successfully complete a hunter education course before the start of the academy. The academy, including food and lodging, is free to participants.

For more information, ask a high school guidance counselor or agriculture instructor. The application deadline is March 21.

- Jim Low -

The Missouri Conservation Commission will meet March 19 and 20 in Joplin

JEFFERSON CITY -- The Missouri Conservation Commission will meet March 20 and 21 in Joplin.

The Commission will meet in closed session March 20 and 21 at the Joplin Holiday Inn. The Commission will meet in open session at 8:30 a.m. March 20 at the same location.

Commission meetings are open to the public. People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements at the same address, or by phone at 573/751-4115.

Commission officers are: Howard L. Wood, Bonne Terre, chairman, Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, vice-chairman; Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, secretary, and Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, member.

- Jim Low -