Anglers Swarm to Montauk

With the opening of trout season coming up this Tuesday, March 1, Montauk State Park officials and employees are preparing for the massive swarm of expected visitors.

Montauk State Park officials are expecting around 2,000 fishing tags to be sold this Tuesday, weather permitting.

According to Hatchery Manager Tom Whelan, the park will stock between 6,000 and 6,500 fish, 50 of which will be lunkers (fish over three pounds).

“Campgrounds and lodging will fill up this weekend and will be full through opening day,” said Doug Rusk, Montauk State Park Natural Resource Manager.

Luckily Montauk has several options to accommodate every kind of camper.

 

For those who prefer camping outside, Montauk offers reserved lots throughout their massive campground site. The campgrounds also include on-site shower facilities and laundry facilities as well. To ensure a safe and pleasant camping stay, the park employs designated campground hosts to help those staying in the campgrounds.

However, for those who prefer the comforts of the indoors, Montauk also offers a variety of cabins located all around the park as well as special special lodging.

The Dorman L. Steelman lodge offers rooms for those wanting to relax after a long day of fishing in a comfortable motel setting. The Steelman lodge is also where fishing tags are available along with a variety of fishing equipment. For a quick bite to eat, visitors can also go to the lodge’s diner. Visitors can also sit down, relax and enjoy a nice, hearty meal at the lodge’s restaurant as well.

Eagle Eye Over Montauk

One of the more popular activities held at Montauk State Park during the winter season is eagle viewing. February 18 marked the last of the official Montauk eagle viewing sessions for the season. Luckily, I made it to the event just in the nick of time.

Around ten other individuals and I met up at 9:00 a.m. Friday morning at Montauk’s stone shelter excited to see our country’s national symbol. With many years of experience working with the Missouri Department of Conservation, Park Naturalist Steve shared many stories and information about the local eagle population. Thanks to the generosity of the park, we were able to use a spotting scope and binoculars to view two active eagle’s nests. However, none of us could get a good shot of the nest or of the eagles with our average digital cameras.

To the surprise of many people, the state of Missouri is actually one of the leading bald eagle states. According to Park Naturalist Steve, thousands of these majestic birds migrate south from their nesting range in Canada and the Great Lakes states each fall to hunt around open waters such as the rivers and lakes here in Missouri. More than 2,200 bald eagles are reported in Missouri regularly during the winter season, making our state the leader in the lower 48 states.

With its open waters and plentiful food sources, Montauk is a prime residence for these huge birds. In fact, during our eagle viewing, we witnessed the adult eagle leave its nest, soar over the park to the hatchery and catch a couple of trout which it then took back to the nest to feed its babies. With three large hatcheries, fully stocked with trout, it’s no wonder why eagles choose to nest at Montauk.

Costs and Benefits of Trout Fishing

Enthusiastic anglers, took advantage of the warm weather this weekend at Montauk State Park and cast their lines for the last time before the waters are shut down to prepare for the opening of  trout season on March 1. However, little did I know, trout fishing would not have been possible at Montauk without its hatchery.

The Montauk Hatchery is just one of five state hatcheries in Missouri and was opened in 1932. This hatchery is managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation and raises between 300,000 and 400,000 trout each year. While about 200,000 of those trout are stocked throughout the park, the rest are sent to other trout fishing areas.

Because trout were not native to Missouri and are very expensive to produce, the Department of Conservation decided in 1937 that anglers should “pay their own way.” To help balance the cost of raising trout, anglers are required to purchase trout permits and daily fishing tags.

            Many acts of legislation have been passed over the years to help manage fish hatcheries. The Sport Fish Restoration Act places a federal tax on fishing equipment and boat fuel. Voters also approved the Missouri Conservation Sales Tax in 1976 which places a 1/8 percent general sales tax dedicated to funding conservation efforts throughout the state. Essentially, all anglers help support the management of fisheries with their fishing-related purchases.

Not only does trout fishing help sustain hatcheries, but it also helps out local businesses such as motels and tackle shops. Funds created by the Sport Fish Restoration Act and the Missouri Conservation Sales Tax also go towards paying for kids fishing programs and Stream Team volunteer workshops.

The Montauk Hatchery is open to the public between sunrise and sunset with special fish food available to feed them for just 25 cents. Special tours of the hatchery are also available at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, Satudays and Sundays beginning Memorial Day weekend and lasting through Labor Day weekend.

Montauk Wonders

Put down your cell phones. Step away from the television. Shut down your computer. Believe it or not, it is possible to have fun without any advanced technology and electronic or digital stimulation. As a child, I always looked forward to our regular family outings to Montauk State Park and continue to visit the park every chance I get.

This gorgeous state park is located about 22 miles south of my hometown of Salem, Mo., at the headwaters of the Current River. The area became an official state park in 1926 but Montauk was actually a thriving, self-sufficient community, first established by settlers in the early 1880’s.

Even though the cell phone reception in the area is slim to none, visitors often get caught up in the parks many wonders to even worry about it. With camping, hiking, fishing, picnicking, floating, swimming, and eagle watching, Montauk has something for everyone of any age to enjoy.

The night before I was set to revisit the park, Mother Nature made a visit bringing along a few inches of snow. Worried that there would not be any other visitors, I made the journey to Montauk anyway. Even with fresh snow on the ground and 37 degree temperatures, I saw a group of 4 men, fishing poles in hand, about to make their way into the freezing cold river. After making my way to the rivers' edge I started talking to one of the men. While upset he had not yet caught anything he told me that he travels all the way from St. Louis to enjoy the park which he says, “has the best trout fishing in the state of Missouri.”

With this blog I hope to promote Montauk State Park and prove that it is possible to have fun without a lot of fancy, expensive technology.

For more information about Montauk State Park and directions on how to get there, please visit http://www.mostateparks.com/montauk/map.htm