Farwell nearing second year as hatchery manager

Opening Day is nothing new to Barry County native Brad Farwell, but his job title of Roaring River Hatchery manager this year is.

For the first time officially, he is charged with stocking the 6,000 trout, including 100 lunkers, into the river in preparation for 1,800 anglers visiting the park for a southwest Missouri tradition — Opening Day.

Succeeding Paul Spurgeon officially in May 2022, Farwell has been the assistant manager since 2011 and continued running the facility after Spurgeon retired in February 2022.

“I started working here when I was 15,” he said. “I worked here through high school and college on the weekends and summers. I went to Shepherd of the Hills for three years after college; then, the assistant job opened up here.”

Farwell’s father, Marvin Farwell, worked for the hatchery for 35 years, and Brad Farwell spent many of his formative years within its walls.

“He was a fish tech who worked the 4 p.m. to midnight shift, so he was the one stocking the fish,” Farwell said. “I was always here as a little kid. A lot of times, the school bus would drop me off and I would go fish, or I would help my dad do stuff. I was about 10 or 11 then, and obviously, that grew into me enough to want to come work when I was old enough to get paid — they didn’t hire 10- or 11-year-olds.”

One thing that makes the job so special for Farwell is the mixture of administrative and field duties.

“I’m an outdoorsy kind of person, and in this job, I can be outdoors a lot, then I can come in and do paperwork when it’s nasty,” he said. “I’m not just stuck in a cubicle all day, but I’m not stuck outside all day either.”

Another hook, line and sinker for Farwell is location.

“I figured I’d be working who knows where, so when the assistant manager position opened up, I went for it,” he said. “Not many people get to work in the hatchery where they grew up.”

Officially managing his first Opening Day, Farwell said this year is more routine than usual, as all major projects are complete and the hatchery is nearly at full capacity.

“We’re running full bore,” Farwell said. “We only have four empty pools, and those will be filled in about a month. This is the first time we will be full since 2017.”

In 2018, a $1.9 million renovation project at the hatchery meant an exodus of on-site fish. Dry raceways remained until 2021, when the modernization project finally reached completion amid challenges from flooding to COVID-19 and more.

“At full capacity, we have about 450,000 fish here,” Farwell said.

Beyond the raceways, Farwell said the staff has been checking off smaller items on their lists.

“We’re just doing all the regular stuff,” he said. “We are putting fish in the river, getting signs changed and cleaning up the area. As far as our end goes, there’s not much we are working on because the big projects are done.”

Farwell said stream management was also not necessary this year.

“There is a gravel basin waiting to be cleaned after the last flood, but the stream is basically the same as when last season ended,” he said.

Missouri’s catch-and-keep trout fishing season officially begins at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 1. The catchand- keep season at the trout parks runs through Oct. 31.

To participate in the season, Missouri residents ages 16-64 and nonresidents 16 and older are required to purchase a fishing permit. In addition to a fishing permit, trout anglers must also purchase a daily trout tag, which can be purchased at Roaring River State Park.

A daily trout tag at the three state parks costs $4 for adults and $3 for people 15 years of age and younger. Daily fishing permits are $8. The daily limit is four trout. For more information on fishing at the trout parks, visit mdc.mo.gov/fishing/species/trout/ trout-parks. Anglers are encouraged to purchase their fishing permits ahead of time from any of numerous vendors around the state, online at mdc. mo.gov/buypermits or through Missouri Department of Conservation’s free mobile apps, MO Hunting and MO Fishing.

The park store are open for purchasing trout tags and will remain open until 7 p.m. on March 1.

The park’s campgrounds, lodging units and restaurants are expected to be busy. Visitors should come prepared with water and snacks, and dress appropriately for the weather. Opening day activities will be available for online viewing at mostateparks. com. The trout cams are located near the most popular fishing spots and follow all the fishing action. This is a great opportunity for anglers who are unable to participate in person or for family members wanting to share in the excitement from home.

Opening day photos and trout tag sales information from all three state trout parks will be available on the trout season opening day webpage. Anglers can share their photos from opening day through social media by tagging @ MoStateParks or using #MOTrout on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Trout season in Missouri is a cooperative effort of Missouri State Parks managing the state parks and the Missouri Department of Conservation operating the hatcheries and stocking the streams with trout.

To help prevent the spread of the invasive alga didymo or “rock snot,” the use of shoes, boots or waders with porous soles of felt, matted or woven fibrous material is prohibited at all trout parks, trout streams, Lake Taneycomo and buffer areas.

For more information on trout season opening, visit mostateparks.com or call Roaring River State Park at 417847-2539, Bennett Spring State Park at 417-532-4338 or Montauk State Park at 573-548-2201. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.