You could always tweet the gov. of Kansas that seems to be a hot topic, or just have a sit in on a stream.
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You could always tweet the gov. of Kansas that seems to be a hot topic, or just have a sit in on a stream.
Well, I have done more than a little research on this matter and there are places in the state where people are so against people floating their streams, including Shoal Creek in Cherokee County (a fine 3-species bass stream in Missouri which flows into Empire Lake around Galena) that they have put barbed wire across the river. People who have accessed the creek legally (read:from Missouri) and floated downstream are therefore forced to get out and portage around the fence and are therefore trespassing as in Kansas, the landowner owns the banks, gravel, streambed, etc and they dictate where you can and can't access the creek. To float any body of water in Kansas except for the Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri Rivers (try finding public access for them as well, not as easy as it seems), you have to get permission from EVERY landowner along the stream on both sides or the sheriffs can prosecute for trespassing.
I think something needs to be done for this and I would love to get a group of Kansas residents together so we can try to fight this as best we can. We have some gorgeous streams in the Flint Hills and we do not have access to even wade fish them, much less to float them and catch the native spotted bass that are in the creeks.
Actually, Drew, you have more running water access than you know in N.E. Kansas, but you do have to hunt it down. The Corps of Engineers controls a surprising amount of waterway coming into their reservoir projects. Streamway parks and trails are also getting more common on some of the smaller semi-urban waterways in the area. Sometimes they require a county permit, but fishing is usually allowed and can be surprisingly good. I wish we had freer water access myself, but with access laws getting tighter rather than looser around the country, I don't see it happening. Oh, almost forgot-- track down a copy of the book Paddling Kansas.
Thank you Bluegill! I am aware of the FISH program where we can access private water as access has been purchased by the KDWP.
I have found a couple of streamway parks that are going to get fished this spring as well as a couple of parks around with creeks running through them that might hold a fish or two. I need to keep exploring a few places here locally, but time is needed to do so I guess. Thanks a million and I am going to see if I can find a copy of that book!