Trout

PURPOSE: This rule establishes seasons, methods, and limits for taking trout. (1) Daily Limit: Four (4) trout in the aggregate, except— (A) From November 1 through the last day of February, all trout must be released unharmed immediately after being caught from Hickory Creek in Newton County from the Highway 86 bridge to its confluence with Shoal Creek; (B) On Lake Taneycomo and its tributaries, only one (1) brown trout may be included in the aggregate daily limit of trout; (C) The daily limit is one (1) trout in Barren Fork Creek in Shannon County from County Road A–D to its confluence with Sinking Creek; Blue Springs Creek in Crawford County from Blue Springs to its confluence with Meramec River; Crane Creek in Stone and Lawrence counties upstream from Quail Spur Crossing on Stone County Road 13–195; Current River and its tributaries from Montauk State Park to the river crossing on Dent County Road 6510/Shannon County Big Creek Road at Cedargrove; Eleven Point River in Oregon County from its confluence with Greer Spring Branch to Turner Mill; Little Piney Creek from the Phelps County line in Sections 9 and 16 of T35N, R8W, including Piney Spring Branch and Lane Spring Branch, to Milldam Hollow Access; Spring Creek in Phelps County from Relfe Spring to its confluence with Big Piney River; Mill Creek in Phelps County from Yelton Spring to its confluence with Little Piney Creek including Wilkins Spring and Spring Branch; and the North Fork of White River in Ozark County from the upper outlet of Rainbow Spring to Patrick Bridge; and (D) The daily limit is two (2) trout in: Meramec River and its tributaries, except Maramec Spring Branch, in Crawford and Phelps counties from Highway 8 bridge to Scotts Ford; and the unimpounded portion of the North Fork of White River and its tributaries in Ozark County from Patrick Bridge to Norfork Lake. (2) Methods: Pole and line, trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line, or jug line, except as further restricted in this rule. (A) Only flies and artificial lures may be used when fishing on the waters listed in subsections (4)(C) and (E) of this rule and on the Meramec River in Crawford and Phelps counties from Highway 8 bridge to Scotts Ford, on Dry Fork Creek in Crawford and Phelps counties from the elevated cable crossing to its confluence with the Meramec River, and on the Current River from Montauk State Park to the river crossing on Dent County Road 6510/Shannon County Big Creek Road at Cedargrove. Soft plastic baits and natural and scented baits are specifically prohibited. (3) Seasons: Throughout the year. (4) Length Limits: No length limits, except— (A) All brown trout less than fifteen inches (15") in total length must be released unharmed immediately after being caught from the unimpounded portion of any stream except as further restricted in subsections (4)(B) and (C) of this rule. (B) All brown trout less than twenty inches (20") in total length must be released unharmed immediately after being caught from Lake Taneycomo and its tributaries. (C) All brown trout and all rainbow trout less than eighteen inches (18") in total length must be released unharmed immediately after being caught from Barren Fork Creek in Shannon County from County Road A–D to its confluence with Sinking Creek; Blue Springs Creek in Crawford County from Blue Springs to its confluence with Meramec River; Crane Creek in Stone and Lawrence counties upstream from Quail Spur Crossing on Stone County Road 13–195; Current River and its tributaries from Montauk State Park to the river crossing on Dent County Road 6510/Shannon County Big Creek Road at Cedargrove; Eleven Point River in Oregon County from its confluence with Greer Spring Branch to Turner Mill; Little Piney Creek from the Phelps county line in Sections 9 and 16 of T35N, R8W, including Piney Spring Branch and Lane Spring Branch, to Milldam Hollow Access; Spring Creek in Phelps County from Relfe Spring to its confluence with Big Piney River; Mill Creek in Phelps County from Yelton Spring to its confluence with Little Piney Creek including Wilkins Spring and Spring Branch; and North Fork of White River in Ozark County from the upper outlet of Rainbow Spring to Patrick Bridge. (D) All rainbow trout less than fifteen inches (15") in total length must be released unharmed immediately after being caught on the Meramec River and its tributaries in Crawford and Phelps counties from Highway 8 bridge to Scotts Ford, except Maramec Spring Branch; and on the unimpounded portion of the North Fork of White River and its tributaries in Ozark County from Patrick Bridge to Norfork Lake. (E) Rainbow trout twelve inches (12") to twenty inches (20") in total length must be released unharmed immediately after being caught in Lake Taneycomo from the closed zone seven hundred sixty feet (760') below Table Rock Dam to the mouth of Fall Creek. (5) Permits: A trout permit, in addition to the prescribed fishing permit, is required to possess and transport trout except in areas where a daily fishing tag is required. A trout permit is required in addition to the prescribed fishing permit for fishing at— (A) Bennett Spring State Park, Montauk State Park, and Roaring River State Park from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays from the second Friday in November through the second Monday in February. (B) Maramec Spring Park from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily from the second Friday in November through the second Monday in February. (C) Lake Taneycomo from the closed fishing zone seven hundred sixty feet (760') below Table Rock Dam downstream to the Highway 65 bridge. AUTHORITY: sections 40 and 45 of Art. IV, Mo. Const., and section 252.040, RSMo 2016.* Original rule filed June 13, 1994, effective Jan. 1, 1995. Amended: Filed May 30, 1995, effective Jan. 1, 1996. Amended: Filed Oct. 25, 1995, effective Nov. 7, 1995. Amended: Filed June 5, 1996, effective March 1, 1997. Amended: Filed June 11, 1997, effective March 1, 1998. Amended: Filed May 6, 1998, effective March 1, 1999. Amended: Filed April 24, 2000, effective March 1, 2001. Amended: Filed Sept. 29, 2004, effective Feb. 28, 2005. Amended: Filed April 20, 2005, effective Sept. 30, 2005. Amended: Filed Aug. 24, 2005, effective Jan. 30, 2006. Amended: Filed Oct. 2, 2006, effective Feb. 28, 2007. Amended: Filed Dec. 19, 2005, effective May 30, 2007. Amended: Filed Aug. 30, 2010, effective Jan. 30, 2011. Amended: Filed Oct. 11, 2019, effective Feb. 29, 2020. Amended: Filed March 2, 2020, effective Aug. 30, 2020. Amended: Filed May 19, 2023, effective Feb. 29, 2024. Amended: Filed Sept. 6, 2024, effective Feb. 28, 2025. *Original authority: 252.040, RSMo 1945, amended 1989.