Muddy water, brilliant sky

The morning sunlight barely broke through the night sky behind Willard Smith as he stood on the eastern bank of Rotary Lake in Jackson's City Park on Wednesday.

Dressed in a heavy camouflage coat, Smith placed his hands in his pockets while he intently watched two fishing poles propped against a couple of rocks. He was eagerly waiting for a bite.

Wednesday was the opening day of Jackson's third annual catch-and-keep trout season, a day that is becoming a traditional holiday for local fishing enthusiasts.

But for Smith, this was an opening-day first.

And it was the earliest -- 6:10 a.m. -- the Cape Girardeau man had been fishing at the lake. But he wasn't alone. About 15 other anglers were scattered on the banks around the lake.

Tim Leimer and Bob Hahs, both of Jackson, were across the lake from Smith. Leimer said both men had been fishing for about 30 minutes without a bite.

In November, a heavy rain washed clay sediment from a nearby construction site into the lake. Missouri Conservation Department fishery expert Chris Kennedy said the water conditions would affect the success rate of anglers trying to catch fish. Trout use their sense of sight to find food, he said.

"It looks like it will affect the fishing ability," Leimer commented about the murky lake.

Fishermen stood on a dock during the first day of catch-and-keep trout season at Rotary Lake Wednesday.

In early January, the Missouri Department of Conservation dumped the agricultural compound gypsum into the lake to clear it up. Gypsum, which won't affect the fish, is typically used to clear muddy lakes.

Cape Girardeau County conservation agent Darin Pettit said the water has cleared up some and should be back to normal within 10 days.

Pettit was at Rotary Lake checking trout permits early Wednesday morning. He said he checked the permits of local anglers as well as one man from Florida and a couple from Kentucky.

"This is really getting a draw from residents outside the area," Pettit said about the Urban Trout Fishery program. "The man from Florida was originally from Jackson but he centered a vacation around coming here to fish."

Jackson's program has been growing in popularity over the past few years, Pettit said. The city is one of four in Missouri participating in the Urban Trout Fishery program. Jackson's program is co-sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation, Southeast Missouri Trout Unlimited and the city government.

By 6:45 a.m., the sun had created a splash of pink and purple colors in the morning sky -- and Smith was reeling in a catfish.

"I'll eat it," he said as he strung the catfish on a line. "This is a great deal to come out here and fish -- considering the next closest place to fish for trout is in Montauk State Park."

Other anglers weren't as lucky as Smith -- several had been at the lake for almost an hour casting their lines and waiting for a bite.

Pat Bira, of Cape Girardeau, brought his sons, Ben and Nick, to Rotary Lake at 5:45 a.m.

"This year the water clarity is affecting our fishing," Pat Bira said. "I guess we have a pretty sunrise as the consolation."

Claude Hurt fished for trout Wednesday.

Claude Hurt, of Jackson, agreed that the murky water was affecting his ability to catch fish. He said last year, it seemed as if three times as many people were fishing in the early morning hours.

By 7:30 a.m., about 15 more anglers arrived at the lake.

Jackson's Parks and Recreation director, Shane Anderson said the condition of the lake seems to have caused anglers to stay away on opening day.

"It is clearing but not as quickly as I hoped," Anderson said about the lake. "We hope by the end of this month it will be completely clear."

The Department of Conservation stocked Rotary Lake with about 2,000 trout this year. Trout can only live in water colder than 68 degrees, meaning the lake is stocked every year.

Starting Wednesday, anglers were allowed to keep a daily limit of five trout. Beginning March 1, the daily limit will change to four trout.

"Regardless of the current conditions, I think by the end of this month all of the trout will be caught," Anderson said.

jfreeze@semissourian.com