NEW REGULATION ATTEMPTS TO HELP ROCK BASS GROW

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- To an angler, the only thing better than catching a mess of fish is catching a mess of big fish. Those who ply southern Missouri's streams have a chance to make their fondest dreams come true.

Each year, tens of thousands of anglers float and wade gravel-bottomed streams hoping to do battle with a brawny, tackle-testing smallmouth bass. But the fish that entertains and sustains them between bouts with the heavyweight champ is the rock bass, commonly known as the "goggle-eye."

The rock bass is a brownish sunfish that inhabits primarily north- flowing streams of the Ozarks, including the Big Piney, Gasconade and Meramec rivers. It is smaller than the smallmouth bass. The state record, caught from the Big Piney in 1968, weighed 2 pounds, 12 ounces. But in spite of its size, the rock bass has the habit of streaking out of nowhere to attack virtually any bait or lure. Because of its enthusiasm for biting and the wonderful flavor of its flesh, this turbo-charged sunfish eventually replaces its larger cousin in the affections of many anglers.

Celebrity is an unqualified asset for a prize-fighter, but for a fish, being tops on everyone's list is a mixed blessing.

Aware of the growing popularity of rock bass, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) set out in 1991 to learn how this scrappy species was faring on heavily-fished streams and how scientific management might enhance the fishing resource it represents. The first step was to develop methods of measuring rock bass numbers in a stream and identifying a good study area with a strong rock bass population.

MDC workers conducted pilot studies on the Big Piney River, the Osage Fork of the Gasconade River and the Eleven Point River.

They used electro-fishing equipment to capture rock bass and marked each one by clipping off part of the pelvic fin, located on either side of the fish's belly near the head.

Beginning Jan. 1, 1995, anglers in the study area were limited to keeping nine rock bass daily, instead of the previous creel limit of 15 per day, which remained in effect in the rest of the state. Also, anglers in this stretch of the Big Piney River are now required to release rock bass under nine inches long.

News releases, public programs, special signs at stream accesses and other publicity measures helped spread information about the new regulations. Conservation agents in the study area didn't issue citations for violations the first year they were in effect, instead giving warnings and educating anglers about the change.

Baseline data showed that out of 1,000 4-inch rock bass, only about four were surviving for four years under the old regulations. "This is an indication of how hard the population is fished," said MDC Fisheries Research Biologist Mike Roell. "With some extra protection, it's reasonable to hope that the stream will produce more large rock bass. Creel surveys of anglers after fishing trips show that we are getting good compliance with the new regulations. That's no surprise. We asked anglers before the new regulations went into effect if they thought it was a good idea. More than 90 percent of them said they were all for anything that might improve the quality of fishing."

Roell says fish population surveys conducted last year showed no changes as a result of the new regulations. "It's still way too early to expect to see any results. We plan to gather population data for five years, and even if the regulations work as well as we hope, I don't expect to see much change until the third year -- 1997."

What changes can anglers expect to see if the new length and creel limits work as hoped? Roell says they can expect to see substantially more rock bass eight inches and longer. "There's a bunch of six- and seven-inch fish out there poised to grow to legal size. They've just been fished so hard under the old regulation that they never had a chance to make it to nine inches. Once they get to six or seven inches, they can grow an inch a year, so by the third year, we hope to see a noticeable increase in the number of keepers being caught."

If the more stringent length and creel limits work well, says Roell, MDC might consider using similar regulations in other streams. "That's a long way down the road, though," he says.

"The critical thing right now is angler compliance. If enough people either don't know about the new regulations, or ignore them, it could keep this technique from working. But with the understanding and cooperation of anglers, we could have some great fishing."