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Fishing News Headlines
2/16/2001
Roaring River Lures 2,500 Trout Fishermen Full Day of Special Events Celebrates Trout Season Opener
CASSVILLE, Mo., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Roaring River swirls, churns and
dances with the release of thousands of trout at nightfall February 27 and 28,
inspiring a pilgrimage of anglers -- and a flurry of events -- early the next
day.
That's because March 1 marks the first day of trout-fishing season -- an
eight-month period that has drawn anglers of all ages to the shores of
southwest Missouri's cool waters for generations. This year, the thousands
who visit Roaring River State Park on opening day with fishing tags in hand --
and the thousands of others who come just as spectators -- will find the most
activities offered by any state park in Missouri.
The 2,500 anglers who are expected to line the banks at Roaring River will
start vying for prime spots around 4 a.m. Three shots fired in the air by
Missouri Secretary of State Matt Blunt at 6:30 a.m. let the anglers know it's
time to cast their lines and start the 2001 trout-fishing season.
Renowned fly-fisherman Jack Gartside will be at the park on opening day to
give advice to the visiting anglers. Gartside has fished waters in every
corner of the globe and along the way he's designed innovative fly patterns --
such as the Sparrow, the Gartside Pheasant Hopper, the BeastMaster and the
Gurgler -- that have appeared widely in books, publications, and even a few
museums. He's also known as "the Van Gogh" of fly-tying, and will be on hand
at dawn to share his expertise.
About 290,000 trout will be stocked in Roaring River State Park this
season. That's about 230,000 pounds of fish, and they all come from the
Roaring River Hatchery. The Missouri Department of Conservation runs the
facility, which is monitored around-the-clock. During trout-fishing season,
between 400 and 2,800 trout are stocked each night. The task can take two
parks employees up to three hours to complete.
The majority of the trout at the hatchery are rainbows, which were first
introduced from California in the 1880's. Less than three percent of the fish
are brown trout -- a combination of two types of trout introduced from Europe
at the close of the 19th century. On opening day, Jerry Dean, the hatchery
manager, can explain the differences between the trout and answer other
questions about the stocking program during a guided tour of the hatchery.
The Roaring River Inn & Conference Center, which was built by the Missouri
Department of Natural Resources three years ago, will serve as home base for
the anglers on opening day. An early riser continental breakfast, along with
the traditional fishermen's breakfast buffet, will be open from 3 a.m. to
10 a.m. Lunch is served at The Tree Top Grille, the Inn's restaurant which
sits above the more than 20 million gallons of water that rush through the
park daily. The Tree Top Grille is, of course, known for it's trout -- smoke,
grilled and broiled.
Plenty of activities on opening day aim to inspire culinary artistry by
the anglers. French-educated Chef Roland Henin -- one of only 57 master chefs
in the world -- will share his favorite trout recipes with the "Inn" crowd,
but only after they're taught the proper way to clean and fillet a trout.
Chef Henin is the corporate executive chef for Delaware North Parks Services
(DNPS), the concessionaire hired by the state to run the Inn. He directs
foodservice operations at all DNPS-operated facilities -- from Kennedy Space
Center to Yosemite National Park -- and has taught at a number of America's
premier culinary art schools.
Roaring Rivers' own Chef Trent Starks, who designs the creative menus for
the Inn, will join Henin and Chef Jim Lekander of Springfield's KY3 TV's
"Taste of the Ozarks" later in the day for more recipe swaping. "Taste of the
Ozarks" will tape live from Roaring River March 1. The featured dish? Trout.
The Roaring River Inn & Conference Center is one of the best-kept secrets in
the Ozarks. Nestled high atop a scenic overlook, the Inn provides guests with
a variety of amenities including 26 comfortably appointed guest rooms,
26 secluded cabins, full-service restaurant, gift shop and swimming pool as
well as four separate meeting rooms ideal for business functions, parties or
banquets. Roaring River is located in Cassville, Missouri, just a short drive
from the bright lights and entertainment venues of Branson, and the antiquing
of Eureka Springs. Roaring River Inn & Conference Center is operated by
Delaware North Parks Services, one of the world's leading service providers at
national parks, state parks, and popular tourist attractions.
Delaware North Park Services is one of the fastest growing providers of
recreational visitors services in the United States. The company's expertise
includes the operation of a broad range of hotels and restaurants, retail
stores, tours, educational programs and leisure activities. The company
serves as guardians of such national treasures as Yosemite and Sequoia
national parks, Grand Canyon, Kennedy Space Center, Niagara Falls, Roaring
River, Jones Beach, Robert Moses, Captree and Deer Creek state parks and the
Asilomar Conference Grounds and Jetty Maritime Park.
Delaware North Companies Incorporated is a privately held international
company with annual revenues in excess of $1.4 billion. Its seven independent
operating units are industry leaders in traditional concessions and fine
dining, hospitality and recreation services, sports and leisure facilities
management, and retail operations.
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