It’s cold and a bit foggy near the stream. Daylight has not yet arrived. Enthusiasts stand shoulder to shoulder shifting from one foot to the other in an effort to shake off the cold while protecting fingers with warm breath or instant heat packs. And they’re having fun! The adrenaline is high, anxiety at a fever pitch as they await the siren that will signal the opening moment of the new trout fishing season. Families have gathered for generations to participate in this rite of passage.

Last week, I mentioned harbingers of spring and this is a big one for us. We carry with us the memories of all the trout openings we experienced during Ken’s tenure in state parks and now he logs onto the online Trout Cam at Bennett Spring to watch the action from his recliner. Trout season opens each spring on March 1 and it’s a very big celebration. Anglers will typically catch their limit and then catch up with old friends. It’s as much about the camaraderie as it is fishing and, though it only lasts a day, lots of time and work are required in preparation.    

First, let me say that the Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks provides the facility, the retail space, lodging, and food service, either directly or through contracted concessionaires. They work in concert with the Missouri Department of Conservation, the provider of the beautiful rainbow trout that everyone seeks, so it’s a huge effort to bring everything together. It was especially complicated this year because Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery, a major supplier of fish, has just reopened after a lengthy remodel, Bennett Spring experienced highway repairs within the park boundary and is still renovating its hatchery. Roaring River State Park underwent campground and hatchery renovation, and Montauk State Park was devastated by flooding in November. It has required a herculean effort to be able to even open. There are still lots of repairs to be done, but amidst all the construction, the rearing of fish remains a priority.

Missouri only has a limited number of streams that support trout and the fish must be introduced to the streams as they do not occur naturally. The stream must be cold year-round and Missouri is blessed with lots of caves that produce cold springs. Once trout are introduced to the streams, they sometimes begin to reproduce naturally, but recreational fishing requires much higher production yields to support the number of anglers wanting to spend some time casting a line. In order to meet demand, each of our state parks that offer trout fishing has a hatchery where workers separate the males and females at spawning time. When eggs are ready, they are removed from the females and fertilized manually after milking the males. A female is capable of producing up to 5000 eggs during her annual spawning season. The eggs are poured into oxygenated incubator jars until hatched. They are then placed in small raceways where they live at the bottom because their egg sac, which is their only food source for the first couple of weeks, is still attached and weighs them down. These infants are known as “fry” and, as they lose their egg sac, are tended carefully during that stage by hand feeding.

When the youngsters reach a length of three inches, they are transferred to larger raceways and are fed mechanically. As they continue to grow, they are systematically moved to different raceways until they reach eleven to fourteen inches and are released into our Missouri trout streams to the delight of anglers. The process takes fourteen to sixteen months from egg to releasable size and they must be fed daily and checked regularly to identify any impending health issues. Each evening, hatchery personnel load the amount of fish prescribed by their formula for providing the correct ratio of fish to anglers. Birds of prey are a constant threat to the trout throughout their growth stages. As you can see, the task of providing fish for recreational purposes can be quite challenging.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19

How much work do you suppose is required to “fish for men” as Jesus asked the disciples to do? We are expected to lead people to Jesus by the way we speak and act, then these baby Christians must be fed and nourished in order to survive all the predators of this world. As they mature and become adult Christians, they need the company of other believers to remind them of their commitment. And, if none of Satan’s minions tempt them into walking away, they will become strong believers who will lead others.

If you’ve never seen the “Opening Day” phenomenon play out, you really should drag yourself out of your warm bed and drive to one of Missouri’s three premier state parks that offer trout fishing. I think the weather will even be pretty decent. But wherever you happen to be on March 1, you can do some “fishing” of your own. Be sure to give your family some special attention, and treat your co-workers cordially and with respect. Be patient with the grocery checker who is dealing with a difficult customer and treat both of them with kindness. If you are met with an opportunity to offer assistance to someone in need, either physically, emotionally, or financially, do what you can to help. There is no end to the opportunities for each of us to be more like Jesus. So grab your rod and reel and go do some serious fishing. You may be very surprised at what you “catch.”

Therefore, go and make disciples….teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.

Matthew 28:19-20 (Excerpted)

Here’s a little “fish food” for thought. If I want to go trout fishing, there are rules I must remember. If I’m between the ages of sixteen and sixty-four, I need a license, and no matter what my age I need a daily trout tag for park fishing or a trout stamp for winter catch-and-release. During the regular season, I am given a time frame in which to cast my line. The parks offer a variety of locations allowing different kinds of bait or lures along with spin-casting and fly-casting options. There is a limit to the number of fish I can keep and rules about keeping them on a stringer and where to clean them when I am ready. Oh yes, and the proper disposition of unwanted parts. My catch must also be over the accepted length in order to keep it. And since the trout sometimes acclimate to Missouri’s spring-fed streams and reproduce naturally, I may encounter a youngster not yet ready for keeping. I must carefully release it with the least amount of injury to its mouth. I’m sure there are some rules I’ve forgotten but you get the message that fishing comes with rules and responsibilities.

On the other hand, Jesus puts no limit on our “catch.” He only asks that we accept Him as the one true Savior and try to live our lives as He would, teaching others along our way. As much as I love the excitement of trout opening, my best decision in this life has been to follow Jesus and do some fishing with Him.