We have lakes that are predominantly known for having smaller fish than others. Efforts to change that have been only partially successful.

Most of the Lakes that 20 years ago were struggling....are still struggling.

Unfortunately ....if you look at the percentage of funds that go to fisheries from the overall fish and wildlife budget it's usually pretty small.

I think with the environmental pressure's on our waters ...and I mean all sources of pressure from water quality,fishing pressure,imbalances in the ecosystem. They need constant intervention and money and hard work to correct them .

We have massive efforts to sustain the trout fishing here in Missouri. Without that intervention it will suffer.

When I was a boy....we had four Missouri Conservation lakes near me. They were incredible fisheries for there size. The MDC made sure that the lakes were stocked and constantly monitored conditions. They made sure each lake had a concession stand that rented boats,sold bait and tackle,food,etc. They made sure the parking lot lighting worked. And patrolled them enough that you knew your odds of being caught for illegal activity was very high. IT WAS ALL ABOUT QUALITY FISHING AND FISHERMAN.

Now ? They rarely stock anything. They rarely supplement forage. There are no more boat rental or concession stands. The lighting is usually not working. They came in and put handicap accessible docks and put brush around them. But the poor people who fish them can't catch decent fish but on rare occasions. They would better off with the old docks with fish around they could catch. New bathrooms,walking trails,bicycle trails,bathrooms. I fully expect they will say " gender neutral " on the bathrooms soon.

I live in a rural area...as Missouri as become more Urban...the money for wildlife and fisheries is a much more political thing then it use to be. Way more people involved in the process,way more science but less common sense, and practical solutions. Much money goes toward things other than the pure process of improving fishing. You have to be a "special fish" to get much attention now.

Okay let the bashing begin.

Like Forrest Gump says " I'm not a smart man"...but I am not blind either. I know what I have seen happen over the last fifty plus years.

And don't get me started on paying to launch on a lake that is built,staffed,and paid for with tax dollars. Worst case of double taxation I have ever seen.