Ozark's Smallmouth Alliance : Free The Fighter
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- čas přidán 14. 10. 2021
- The Ozark's Smallmouth Alliance is a group of dedicated anglers that work to ensure that The Ozark's Premier game fish is Preserved from generation to generation. The Smallmouth Bass. The effort is led by seasoned guide Ryan Walker with support from many different local guides/organization.
In this film we immerse ourselves deep into the Ozarks in an effort to showcase the how great this fishery is. This will be the first of the three part series.
For more information, you can follow Ryan on his blog at ozarkssmallmouthalliance.blog....
My Camera Gear:
Sony A7III: amzn.to/3aSYniF
The Do It all camera that is perfect for storing in your backpack on whatever adventure you are on. This Camera Produces professional grade images and video which is why it is the go to choice of the going native team.
ManFrotto Tripod: amzn.to/3DXg5hm
Rhode Microphone: amzn.to/3jlv2ly
Thanks for watching!
-Welcome to the Alliance
Great video, no doubt this checks the box of promoting smallmouth bass fishing, well done. I spent a 28-year career with MDC fighting to protect aquatic habitats for all fish species including smallmouth bass in the southcentral Ozarks starting in 1986. Several years of that time was spent implementing and evaluating special regulations for smallmouth. I worked on several rivers including Current, Jacks Fork, Eleven Point, North Fork White, Gasconade and Big Piney. Like you I got to see some beautiful rivers. While your statement of “I hate trout” is understandably your opinion, I must respectively disagree with the underlying reasons you give. Specifically, that they require lots of “care and feeding”. This is absolutely true if the only trout you hate are the put-and-take stocked fisheries. While these stocked trout waters do require lots of care, time and money, they serve a purpose in providing angling opportunities, BUT, these are not the only trout fisheries in Missouri. There are some wonderful wild trout populations that are sustained by naturally reproducing wild rainbow trout. To lump all Missouri trout into a cubbyhole related to an artificially created fishery in not fair. While the message portrayed in this video cannot be changed, please consider Missouri wild trout fisheries in future discussions about trout. I look forward to another wonderful video on our bronzeback of the Ozarks.
Man, this is a really great viewpoint and if it’s alright I am definitely going to pin this to the top of the comments.
When editing this video I debated whether or not keep the aforementioned statement of Ryan’s, and decided to keep it with a hope that viewers would take the statement with a grain of salt (which I believe you did). Ryan is definitely not actually against trout and enjoys angling for them routinely, but the statement is simply trying to prove the point of he wishes smallmouth got the love that trout do.
Thank you for all your work on those epic rivers, I would love to find a time to have a phone call with you if it all possible to learn more on the subject as we plan on releasing more videos in this series.
-Cole Rickerson
First and foremost; thank you for your commitment to our fish and wildlife. MDC, in my opinion, is the epitome of what a conservation department should be.
And no, i don’t really hate trout. That was meant as an inside joke and more tongue in cheek than anything. I live 10 minutes from Crane Creek and fish it regularly. We take frequent trips there after weekends and clean the lots and just sit and watch. I started my guiding career years ago on Taneycomo and the NorthFork of the White, subsequently guiding on some of the west’s famed trout waters, and also in Alaska for a few seasons. So trout is really where my fly fishing journey began.
My passion for smallmouth has overtaken my zest for trout, and we do our best to extol the virtues of this native fish that have ingrained themselves in our lives.
Thank you, again, for your years of service to the outdoorsmen and women of our great state.
#freethefighter
@@OzarksSmallmouthAlliance I figured it was a toung-in-cheek comment. I just wanted to be sure readers were aware that MO has trout outside of the trout parks and stocked rivers (White Ribbon Areas). You may be surprised, or not, how many Trout Park anglers never venture outside of the Parks. Not knocking the TP experience, it is responsible for many first time anglers, and folks who make it a lifetime destination. Regards and tight lines.
@@OneFishHawk55 yessir. Lots of good water. Was on the NFoW all day today. Had a good day!
Thank you again.
Ridiculously good.
Thanks for the support! This one has been a long time coming. We still need connect now that we are in the same area
Wonderful video! Very well done. Smallmouth have always been my personal favorite to target on flies. So glad to see some other anglers giving them the representation they deserve
Yeah absolutely they are a beyond special fish!
We appreciate the support!
I grew up in Missouri before moving to Alaska at 18. I’m lovin what you’re preaching here. Small mouth and goggle eye were my favorite fish to go after. If you want fish for skillet go crush crappie or catfish in the lakes or load up on white bass in the spring. leave the small mouth in the streams be!
Absolutely!!!! Where in Alaska are you now!
Ryan Walker is a very very good guide. He really knows his stuff. I highly recommend him. Good guy, very personable and knows his spots well.
Yes indeed! Extremely knowledgeable, and very professional.
Awesome vid. I have been fascinated by river Smallmouth since a young boy. Free the Fighter indeed.
Appreciate it brother! Smallmouth are so fun!
I'm a serious YAK angler from south Louisiana and this is quite possibly the best, most emotional fishing video I've watched!! Ryan, I'm so pleased to hear and feel your compassion for the MO/AR fisheries and agree with you fully on the delicate balance between pressure and pleasure as an angler. I fish all the usual tailwater for Trout four times during the cold season and spend the balance of time on small jaw streams like the Buffalo and Crooked Creek and RELEASING everything I catch, regardless of trophy status or dink. I loved your comments about receiving a gift catch from a previous angler who deliberately chose to release their catch for another day. I take so much pride in traveling from my home state into AR and MO for the sport and the challenge, and, am genuinely thrilled every time I release a "treasure" back into the waterway. God's speed to you, your associates and your organization(s) and I hope to meet you on the water sometime soon! Will be trout fishing The White next week; 18th through the 24th...
Hi Steve!
Wow, it is great news to hear from other passionate anglers such as your self!
Also good to know that their are other anglers who share the same sentiment as we do. None of us are perfect by any means but we do strive to make things better.
Hope the white fishes awesome! I myself will be down in tehas! Let me know how it goes.
Thank you Steve. Cole and Justus did an incredible job capturing the emotion. It’s a subject we are all passionate about.
Amazing video guys!!
Thanks Ryan I really appreciate it!
Coming from you that’s an incredible compliment Ryan. Thank you!!
love it love it love it.....
Literally the best messaging, filmography, and content on CZcams.
Kudos.... kudos to you guys.
Wow that is really high praise my friend! Thank you so much for your kindness, and we are appreciative of your encouragement!
God bless!
Incredibly important message and call to action for all anglers who cherish endemic populations of smallmouth!
Yeah we really are lucky to be able to enjoy an incredible gamefish like smallmouth!
I Grew up vacationing in Northern Wisconsin on the Great Lakes. My family and I are big fishermen because of that place. Growing up I would see people bring in Smallmouth after smallmouth and think nothing of it. Today because of their greed (granted there are still giants up there) the area we fished often had become completely wiped out of the big ones. I always thought that was wrong and haven’t kept a smallmouth since. I currently live in St. Louis and look forward to continuing to Free the Fighter and teach my son the lesson as well. Beautiful Cinematography! Well Done!!
Thank you Benny!
Amazing edit!
Good video ! They are good fighters! Tightlines!
Thanks man! Tight lines to you as wel!
Well*
Real good stuff
So y’all are from the AR OZ. Keep them coming peps!
Will do brother!
Great video and work with a great fish. I live in northeast Wisconsin and we are blessed with a phenomenal river smallmouth fishery. There’s no better fish to chase on a fly in my opinion!
They are pretty dang incredible to chase forsure. There is no other species like them! Where in Wisconsin are you near???
Wow!! Incredible video man you should enter into a film festival. Tight lines!!
Hahah oh man that is very high praise! We may just have to do that sometime!
Man. This was amazing. Loved every moment. The shots, music, and message were all on point. And Ryan Walker is incredible. Don't tell him I said that.
Haha your secret is safe with me! Thanks for the support!
Amazing fish and thankful I can fish the region once a year.
Thanks brother! It is a beautiful area
beautifully shot and produced. Wow.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.
Thank you!!! Is avid smallmouth anglers need to spread the message. Catch and release advocacy is what we need because I’ve seen first hand what keeping a limit every time ya fish can do to a bass population
Yes this can definitely kill a river!
@@CalledCollectiveMedia exactly what I was thinking when you said someone gave you that fish. It is a blessing to catch a beauty but that only means that 1: you are doing something right and 2: no one took that fish from you. I catch a ton of 11-13 inch smallmouth in southwest missouri but the 17+ are definitely fewer and more far between even since I was fishing 10 years ago
Awesome video. Keep up the good work. Smallies on the fly are the best!
Steve! Thanks you so much for you kindness. We agree smallies on the fly are incredible!
Great stuff here. Smallies have become my personal go to favorite anymore. Scrappy fighter, always willing to eat flies, and best of all minimal crowds. We have a big population of smallmouth here and discovering new places to pursue them is at the top of the list.
Thx for the killer video.
Thanks brother! That is very kind of you. I too love smallmouth and the places that it brings us!
@@CalledCollectiveMedia Subbed your channel. Top shelf...keep it up!!
Great film
Thanks man I really appreciate the feedback!
I was super excited to watch this. Great job to all who were involved!! I keyed in on the theme of these fish being a "gift"...who doesn't enjoy getting or giving gifts? I don't really ever keep fish anyway, but thinking of giving the next angler, an unknown soul, a gift of a fish, adds another layer of awesome to that feeling when releasing a fish, and makes me want to care for them that much more during fish handling.
I have fished with Ryan a couple times now and he's the real deal. He's not blowing smoke here...he genuinely cares about this resource and wants to help others enjoy it, and it shows.
Wow thank you so much, if you know Ryan then yes you know he is the real deal no doubt about it!
These fish are definitely gifts and one of the coolest species on the planet!
Great video. Well done everyone....I could feel the passion for these fish. Very cool video.
Thank you sir! We most definitely do, and we know there are more of us out there!
This river was awesome. Made me see smallmouths in a new light and gain a new appreciation for them!
Important cause and a great movie✊❤️
Appreciate your kind words!
Now this is fishamotography!
Thanks brother! We appreciate your kindness
Awesome!
Thanks Dustin! We appreciate the feedback
Awesome vid my man! Well done! The mindset and ignorance of anglers all over is so hard to change with regard to sustainability and appreciation for fish
Yes it is most definitely a challenge that we face, and will take an abundance of effort to fix that! Thank you so much for your support!
Nothing better than chasing smallmouth. Extremely well made video. Free the fighter!
Thanks Logan!
I appreciate your engagement! Free the fighter indeed!
Great video and information. Great looking smallies and great fighters.
Really a great message Ryan. Hope to see you on the water
Haha I’m sure that is a possibility with how much time he spends on the water
Dang, Cole, your videos just keep getting better and better, the filming, editing, matching the music, and story telling are top notch, Scotty from Wild Fly better watch out. You might take over as the best fishing content on CZcams.
Hahah you are too kind! Those guys are top notch though and phenomenal at what they do. We got a ways to go but I think we are heading in the right direction. But thank you so much for the support my friend!
Amazing film! A great story and one that needs to be heard and shared! Great job and thanks for sharing!
Thanks man! Your channel does a great job as well sharing how awesome this area is!
Awesome video! Shout out to Ryan for keeping them wild! Free the fighter!
P.s. to Ryan I hate that our fall trip fell through but you best believe I'm coming next spring to witness this beauty that is the Ozarks and get some time on the water with you! Talk to you soon!
Thanks for all the support Kyle!
Great video, great message. Inspiring!
Thanks my friend! We greatly appreciate you stopping by and leaving the comment!
Free the fighter!
Unreal! Keep it up!
Appreciate the kind words brother!
In the immortal words of my friend, Ryan Walker, "Fuck Trout!"
Hahahaha! I’d forgot about that little outburst!
Hope you’re well John!
This is amazing! Thank you OSA and Ryan Walker.
Thanks Ken! We appreciate the support
Great video love the passion
Thanks brother!
I came across of your channel Great content great video love it!! NEW FRIEND 👍😉🎣
One of your best videos yet. Loved it! Great job on this one
Hahah that is very kind of you chase!
This is amazing! Thanks for standing up for this.
It is our absolute honor to stand up for this!
Are you local to the area?
@@CalledCollectiveMedia Columbia, Missouri. Love your channel, I'v been a subscriber for several months. The quality of content you're producing is outstanding.
Free the fighter, always! Awesome message and great video.
Absolutely! Let me swim another day! Thanks for your support my friend
Great video and sentiment. It really is a catch 22 with organizations in the the Smallmouth Alliances. I want the 100 fish days to myself, to see no one, but if we don't promote, then who stays after the dumpers, polluters, poachers, bucket brigade, and keeps creel limits reasonable? Been a personal struggle.
Yeah it really a fine line to walk. Good arguments on both sides!
Excellent video! Subscribed!
great shots man!!
Thanks Colton! You are too kind!
Awesome vid brother your always taking it to the next level with every one! Man I had no idea it would take so long to grow to that size that’s amazing, y’all definitely put together a great video with a great message. Keep smashing it Cole, hope all is well my friend!
Shannon it is so great to hear from you and once again you are far to kind to me!
Yes, the smallmouth growth here in the ozarks take a very long time to develop. Kinda crazy honestly!
How are things with you?!?
Working a ton still but did take a week off to get some work done around the house and fished a few days in the rain with my buddy TNDeer Stalker Outdoors from Tennessee, no fish to show for typical for me lol… but still had a blast!
Cole, this is awesome brotha!! Miss you man!
Rick!! What’s up my man! Just watched your Guad film I wish I could’ve been there!
This was a great video!
appreciate it sir!! Thanks for stopping by our channel again!
@@CalledCollectiveMedia always man love your guys stuff! I do my best to keep up lol
@@adventuretimefishinghunting hahaha aint nobody got time too keep up with everything lol. We just appreciate you stopping in whenever you can!
Wow, just found your channel. Videography, music, editing - sensational...
Where did you learn your videography? I Love this style!
Thank you.
Wow, this is incredibly kind of you to say! I learned everything I know through a lot of trial and error haha. Thank you so much for your encouragement it means a lot to our team!!
Have a wonderful and blessed day!
Love the message so important to free the fighters. Would you agree the the MO conservation department has failed in its management of smallmouth? IE 6 fish limit?!
Yes I do believe that is unsustainable but at the same time I understand that there may be other outside influences that handcuff some of these decisions. We will continue to work to change some of these outdated laws
Failed is a strong word.
What needs to happen is increase the number of management areas, where there is slot limit and low (e.g. 1) fish limit of say 15” or better.
Increasing the minimum length limit has been shown, scientifically, to increase yield as well.
@@OzarksSmallmouthAlliance ahh yes much more elegantly put!
@@OzarksSmallmouthAlliance Sounds like an excellent idea. Its enough to make a fisherman depressed thinking about the state of fishing in missouri but i hold out hope that given the proper management the fish population can bounce back
What in the hell does anybody need with 6 SMB? Don' live in MO, But I would say that's a fail-anywhere.
Some great images!
What is the point of dragging the fish out of the water? Many see fishing justified only if one is hungry - and I find that commonsensical.
Do those long oars ever turn out to be cumbersome?
people are always gonig for largemouth or trout and i'm like "have you ever caught a smallmouth in a river???" lol=
Haha I couldn’t agree more! Smallmouth are so much fun!
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