I have LMB. All that I've caught so far, with one exception, have been under a pound. The exception was 2 lb. But I see swirls, usually 2 at the same time, and always from the same 2 places in the pond, that appear to be caused by bigger fish. If they are 3 lb or more, I expect they could inhale a 14” muskie fingerling. But everything is something of a gamble.

It would appear that muskie never spawn in MO. I've read the State's muskie management plans, and they are all about stocking. I haven't found any mention of natural spawning. That's puzzling to me. With the variety of waters in the State, I'd think some would favor natural spawning. But maybe it's something the conservation dept. doesn't want, and it's trying to avoid self-sustaining muskie populations. Maybe they fear they would destroy existing fisheries in the waters where they might be self-sustaining.

I've never been keen on put and take fish management. Sometimes you have no choice if you want this or that species, or you fear a species will get out of control so you stock a sterile hybrid or fish that are all the same sex. But wherever possible, if I'm going to be taking fish out, or the public is going to be taking fish out, I prefer that the fish replace themselves.