Opening Day
Making memories, crafting traditions
After firing the gun to open catch-and-keep trout season on Sunday, Larry Quinalty reflected on the experience as more than 2,000 anglers cast their first lines of the year, surmising making memories — like shooting the gun — was the most important thing Roaring River State Park has to offer.
Publisher View — Kyle Troutman: Mission accomplished
The last week of February every year has repeatedly come to be one of the most coverage-heavy weeks of the year — and while 2026 gave no shortage of challenges, it gave as many rewards.
Sunday is for fishing
Opening Day at Roaring River State Park is once again expected to draw roughly 2,000 anglers casting for more than 6,500 stocked trout — plus the typical 100 lunkers — in the first Sunday opening since 2020 when 1,700 tags were sold amid the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Publisher’s View — Kyle Troutman: A busy week ahead in Barry County
On Saturday, I took a day away to go visit Jacob Brower, my old boss and former publisher of the Cassville Democrat and The Monett Times, and he asked me a question many people hint at but don’t ask outright — how many hours per week do you work these days?
Community Voices — Jon Horner: The meanings of March 1st at Roaring River
It’s almost March First, as we all know. For many reasons March First has special significance. When I was much younger than I am now, I had a special jacket. It was a Kansas City Chiefs coat. That coat also had a March First significance.
More than 2,700 wet lines at Roaring River Saturday
Though it was not the most-attended Opening Day in Roaring River State Park history, Saturday’s annual event came close to the record, with more than 2,700 anglers casting lines on the first day of catch-and-keep trout fishing season in Missouri.
Kyle Troutman: Capturing Opening Day
As we put the finishing touches on Trout Times this year — my 10th as editor of the annual publication — there was a nifty little hole left for a few words from yours truly.
Angling for Sa-TROUT-day
An eagerly-awaited harbinger of Spring arrives Saturday — the opening of catch-and-keep trout season at Roaring River State Park. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe will be on hand to shoot the Opening Day gun at 6:30 a.m., a time-honored, ceremonial tradition, usually performed under less-than-optimal temperatures.
Trout stocked in Roaring River
The Roaring River Hatchery has stocked 6,000 trout for the 2,000 anglers expected to converge on Roaring River State Park Friday. Now overseeing his third Opening Day, Roaring River Hatchery Manager Brad Farwell said on Monday the river is fully stocked.
Through the Years, Feb. 28
40 YEARS AGO: MORE LIKE A WINTER WONDERLAND — Roaring River State Park’s opening last week presented this sight... more like a winter wonderland...than a trout opening. Fishermen were obviously not out in numbers as they might have been had power outages and heavy snow not visited the area. Dressed for the low temperatures, most of the usuals were there, with some newcomers who just couldn’t resist the March 1 call.
