By PAUL DAVIS
Outdoors Editor
Because of major flooding in May, it really wasn't any surprise when the Missouri Department of Conservation canceled the three meetings it had scheduled around the area to discuss the crappie situation at Wappapello Lake, and ever since, we've been waiting to hear when they'd be rescheduled.
Finally, there's some news, though you may or may not like it.
"We want the public to know that improving the quality of the crappie fishery at Wappapello Lake is still a high priority for the Department of Conservation," said Fisheries Management Biologist Dave Knuth, who oversees the lake's fishery. "Our regulatory process guarantees that the public will have a significant amount of time to provide input on any potential regulation change. However, the order of things has changed a bit."
Instead of rescheduling the three meetings locally, MDC instead will be taking comments at its 80th anniversary open house on Aug. 8 at the Cape Girardeau Nature Center. That meeting will run from 6-8 p.m.
"I will be in attendance and the situation at Wappapello will be one of the discussion topics," Knuth said.
Once those comments are tabulated, he said, fisheries staff will make several recommendations to their division chief and other higher-ups on some potential things to help improve the crappie fishing.
"In September, regulatory options will be presented to MDC administration," Knuth said, "and once complete, we will then move forward with more opportunities for those interested in Wappapello Lake to provide public comment regarding those options."
Knuth said it's important for anglers to know they still will have a say in the process.
The department, he said, cannot move forward without "an ample amount of public comments," and he suspects there will be several ways to do so after they get initial approval in September for their various proposals.
"After we get approval of some options, I'm betting we'll have several different avenues to comment on them, whether that is online or at an open house," Knuth said.
After that comment period, a final recommendation will be made to the regulations committee.
Until then, Knuth invites anglers with comments about the Wappapello crappie fishery to contact him by email at Dave.Knuth@mdc.mo.gov, or by calling him at the department's Southeast Regional Office at 573-290-5730.
"This is definitely on top of the list of priorities for us," he emphasized, "and we are moving forward."
Hot
Fishing
Fishing in the Wappapello spillway remains good, if you can stand the heat (and the crowds).
Catfish, big white bass, crappie and largemouth/spotted bass all are biting well, and I actually caught a buffalo, of all things, in the mouth with a crankbait over the weekend.
As expected after the word got out, fishing in the spillway has been a little crowded at times. On Saturday, there were a dozen folks fishing before the sun even came up and more kept rolling in as the morning progressed.
One thing I saw, which seemed pretty unexplainable, was about 50 small crappies just tossed onto the south bank to die. They were all about 6 inches long, give or take a little, but why in the world couldn't whoever caught them just put them back in the water? Talk about a complete waste.
Up in the main lake, fishing has been pretty good as well.
"Fishing's not really that bad," said Charlie Brotherton at Sundowner Marina, "if you can stand the heat."
Crappie fishing, he said, seems to have picked up, and he's been "hearing a little better stories on the crappie."
The keepers being caught, he said, seem to either be right at the 9-inch minimum mark or somewhere between 12 and 13 inches.
"There's not much in between," he said.
Bass fishing, Brotherton said, also remains good, as does catfishing.
Heavier
Weights
Fifty-nine teams took on Saturday's brutal heat to fish in the Wappapello Bass Circuit's tournament, and the winning weights were significantly better than other recent events.
First place went to Livingston and Livingston with a whopping 20.35 pounds. Their stringer netted them a cool $1,540.
Second place was earned by Manion and Manion with 17.62 pounds, good for $900 in winnings, and third place went to Harris and Jennings with 17.20 pounds. Their winnings totaled $618.
Coming in at the fourth spot was Fisher and Goodpasture with 15.15 pounds, good for $290, and the top five was rounded out by Hutson and Hutson with 15.07 pounds, good for $206.
Bruce Hutson and his son, Adam Hutson, have been on a role lately, with top-five finishes in their last three tournaments.
"A lot of it has just been luck and going by what's worked the last several years," said Bruce Hutson. "Early in the mornings, I like to use topwater baits."
The big bass competition was about as close as you'll ever see, with Owens and Buchanan's 5.0812-pounder just edging out Hackworth and Ballard's 5.08-pounder. The tiny difference was worth $413 to Owens/Buchanan and $177 to Hackworth/Ballard.
The Wappapello Bass Circuit will fish again on Aug. 19.
Application
Deadline
If you still want to apply for a managed deer hunt in Missouri, the application deadline is coming up Monday.
There are 100 or so hunts available this year for children, muzzleloaders, centerfire rifles and archery, plus those for mobility-impaired hunters.
Most hunts can be applied for online at mdc.mo.gov, while a few, like the mobility-impaired veterans hunt at the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in November, have their own separate application. It's always best to check the MDC website or that of the governing agency of where you're wanting to hunt to be sure.