Trout Fishing Report for Bennett Spring
Brought to you by
Weaver's Tackle Store
October 29, 2018

How's Fishing?

This season is coming to a close, but catch and release should tide over the die hard anglers (myself included). Many memories have been made this season, lessons learned, and traditions passed on for generations to uphold. Individuals and their families will return next season for their annual pilgrimage to Bennett Spring State Park, Missouri trout mecca.

Fishing has been great. The cooler temperatures are keeping the trout active. Egg patterns throughout the day seem to be very productive. Mid-afternoon is slow, but the evenings are beneficial when dry fly patterns are presented. The stream is low, gin clear, and inundated with beautiful trout.

All of us here at Weaver's Tackle Store wish you a wonderful rest of your year and cannot wait to see everyone next season!

Of Interest:

Thanks again to the amazing Bennett Spring State Park Hatchery Staff and Park Store Staff for all their continued hard work! The tag totals for this season as of Sunday October 28, 2018 are as follows: Adult tags sold: 118,249 and Children's tags 19,424. The approximate number of trout stocked is somewhere in the "trout" park of 300,000. Thank you to Assistant Hatchery Manager, Mike Perry for the information. Any updates or corrections will be posted at a later date if needed.

Water Conditions

Bennett Spring
October 28, 2018
Gage house level is 1.77
Daily Discharge levels:
All discharge numbers are in Cubic Feet per Second
minimum was in 68.0 in 1938
25th percentile is 96
Current level is 95.6
Median is 114
Mean is 126
75th percentile is 134
Max was 391 in 1971




Niangua River
October 28, 2018
Gage House reading (water level) is 0.94 feet.
Discharge levels in cubic feet per second:
Minimum was 22.0 in 1993
25th percentile is 38
Median is 52
Today's reading is 43.2
75th percentile is 97
Mean is 215
record high max was 2130 in 1997

What's Working?

From the Fly Case

Griffith's Gnats
Rabbit Hare midges
beetles
Renegades
red zebra midges
Bennett Blue cracklebacks
green cracklebacks
gray scuds
red San Juan worms
olive green Megaworms


Zone 1 or 2

white thread jig
John Deere
Jimi Hendrix glo-balls
marabous- black and yellow, gingersnap, black and olive, ginger, white, and red and black
Rooster Tails - Bumblebee, Yellow Black Tiger, Metallic Gold Spot


Zone 3

white powerbait
orange powerbait
salmon peach powerbait
sherbert powerbait
salmon eggs

Fishing Times

Catch-and-Release hours begin November 9, 2018 and go until February 11, 2019.

Catch-and-Release Season
2nd Friday in Nov. through the 2nd Monday in February
(Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday only) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Weather Forecast

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Wind chill values as low as 39 early. South wind 6 to 11 mph.


Tuesday: Showers likely after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. South wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.


Wednesday: Showers likely, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 56. Chance of precipitation is 70%.


Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 55.


Friday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.


Saturday: A chance of sprinkles and flurries. Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

Lunker Club

10/21/2018

Matt Mosher from Salina, KS
2 1/8 pounds zone 2 with a homemade lure

Shea Stille from Bellflower, MO
2 pounds zone 3 on a rubber worm


10/22/2018

Ed Bain from Temple, TX
2 pounds in zone 1 on a red and white thread jig

Jerry Brown from Shawnee, KS
2 1/4 pounds in zone 1 on an olive marabou


10/23/2018

Tracy Werdehausen from Waynesville, MO
2 pounds in zone 3 on an orange plastic worm


10/23/2018

Jerry Denzel from Lebanon, MO
2 pounds in zone 1 on a ginger marabou


10/24/2018

Scott Nowak from Camdenton, MO
2 1/2 pounds in zone 1 on a black and white midge


10/27/2018

Derek Gray from Chillicothe, MO
5 pounds in zone 2 on a caddis fly

John Greer from Sweet Springs, MO
3.8 pounds in zone 2 on a shammy worm


10/29/2018

Gary Hey from Augusta, MO
2.2 pounds in zone 1 on an olive wooly

Calendar of Events

November 9, 2018

Catch-and-Release Season Begins

(Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday only) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.





November 17, 2018 - Freeze Your Trout Off (FYTO), 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hosted by the Roubidoux Fly Fishers. 





January 1, 2019 - Hike to the Bennett Spring Natural Tunnel

When: 11 a.m., January 1st, 2019
Where: Natural Tunnel Trail
Bennett Spring State Park
(The trail head is just past park cabins and Bennett Spring.)

Length: 7.5 miles (Approx. 5 hours)

The Natural Tunnel is a 296 feet long tunnel forming an S through a hill. Anticipate being outdoors on the trail from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This trail consists of natural surfaces including dirt, mud, gravel, shifting rocks, slippery surfaces, exposed roots and down vegetation on the trail. There are inclines over 10% and stream crossings without bridges. It is suggested that participants wear shoes that fit well, dress appropriate for weather, bring a snack and water.

For more information about the event, call the Bennett Spring Nature Center at 417-532-3925 and ask for Patricia Chambers. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com.

Quote of the Week

In this busy, noisy, impatient world, faster often seems better. Many of us wear stress like a badge of honor and take pride in exhaustion. Perhaps we won't solve these problems by going fishing. But I like to think it can't hurt.

Author:

Shawn Perich



Thanks for reading,

Devin

OUR PREVIOUS REPORT:

Trout Fishing Report for Bennett Spring
Brought to you by
Weaver's Tackle Store
October 23, 2018

How's Fishing?

Fishing was really good this last week. The weather was much cooler with scant precipitation. The sun came out and the trout obliged avid anglers with tight lines. The stream is low, clear, and very well stocked. We have about a week left in the catch-and-keep season, but there is still time for that last fishing excursion.

Water Conditions

Bennett Spring
October 21, 2018
Gage house level is 1.81
Daily Discharge levels:
All discharge numbers are in Cubic Feet per Second
minimum was in 80.0 in 1938
25th percentile is 94
Current level is 103
Median is 111
Mean is 132
75th percentile is 148
Max was 407 in 1984




Niangua River
October 21, 2018
Gage House reading (water level) is 1.11 feet.
Discharge levels in cubic feet per second:
Minimum was 19.0 in 1993
25th percentile is 32
Median is 48
Today's reading is 56.1
75th percentile is 135
Mean is 103
record high max was 491 in 2017

What's Working?

 
From the Fly Case

Klinkhammer
copper wrap zebra midges
olive zebra midges
Bennett Blue cracklebacks
green cracklebacks
red cracklebacks
gray scuds
dark red San Juan worms


Zone 1 or 2

white thread jig
John Deere
peach with a red dot glo-balls
Jimi Hendrix glo-balls
marabous- black and yellow, gingersnap, cerise, ginger, white, and red and white
Rooster Tails - Bumblebee, Tinsel Leech, Frog Spring


Zone 3

white powerbait
orange powerbait
salmon peach powerbait
green pumpkin powerbait
salmon eggs

Fishing Times

Weather Forecast

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 57.


Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 54.


Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 59.


Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.

Lunker Club

10/16/2018

Gary Kniepkamp from St. Jacob, IL
3 pounds in zone 2 on a green crackleback



10/17/2018

Marty Strauser from St. Clair, MO
2 pounds in zone 3 on cheese bait

Bill Sales from Kansas City, MO
2 1/2 pounds in zone 1 on a wooly bugger



10/18/2018

Steve Paulus from O'Fallon, IL
2 pounds in zone 2 on a blue crackleback

David Preter from Louisburg, KS
2 1/4 pounds in zone 3 on orange powerbait

Steve Paulus from O'Fallon, MO
2 pounds in zone 1 on a blue crackleback



10/19/2018

Mike Mathis from Moberly, MO
2 1/4 pounds zone 2 on a white jig

Clayton Charleville from St. Louis, MO
2 1/4 pounds in zone 1 on an olive jig



10/20/2018

Tim Russo from Hillsboro, MO
3 1/2 pounds in zone 2 on a white brassie

Tina Jarvis from Park Hills, MO
2 pounds in zone 1 on a mopfly

Randy Duncan from DeSoto, MO
2 1/4 pounds in zone 3 on yellow powerbait



10/21/2018

Geoff Schaefer from St. Louis, MO
2 1/4 pounds in zone 1 on a crawdad marabou

Luke Reynolds from Sweet Springs, MO
2 pounds in zone 3 on white powerbait

Calendar of Events

Hike to the Bennett Spring Natural Tunnel
On Jan. 1st

When: 11 a.m., January 1st, 2019
Where: Natural Tunnel Trail
Bennett Spring State Park
(The trail head is just past park cabins and Bennett Spring.)

Length: 7.5 miles (Approx. 5 hours)

The Natural Tunnel is a 296 feet long tunnel forming an S through a hill. Anticipate being outdoors on the trail from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This trail consists of natural surfaces including dirt, mud, gravel, shifting rocks, slippery surfaces, exposed roots and down vegetation on the trail. There are inclines over 10% and stream crossings without bridges. It is suggested that participants wear shoes that fit well, dress appropriate for weather, bring a snack and water.

For more information about the event, call the Bennett Spring Nature Center at 417-532-3925 and ask for Patricia Chambers. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. 

Quote of the Week

I think I fish, in part, because it's an anti-social, bohemian business that, when gone about properly, puts you forever outside the mainstream culture without actually landing you in an institution. It's a nice position. No one considers you to be dangerous, but very little is expected of you.

Author:

John Gierach



Thanks for reading,

Devin

PERSONS OF INTEREST

Ben Havens
Hatchery Manager
Bennett Spring Fish Hatchery
26142 Hwy 64A
Lebanon, Mo 65536
417-532-4418 x1062


Craig Fuller
Fisheries Management Biologist
417-532-7612 x 224
craig.fuller@mdc.mo.gov


Patricia Chambers
Bennett Spring Nature Center
26250 Hwy 64A
Lebanon, MO 65536
(: 417-532-3925| 6: 417-532-7006
www.mostateparks.com


Operation Game Thief Hotline, 1-800-392-1111.



Dallas County Conservation Agent Matt Hitchings and Ryan Wood
Matt.Hitchings@mdc.mo.gov (link sends e-mail) or at (417) 733-3876

Ryan.Wood@mdc.gov (link sends e-mail) or at (417) 733-0286.




Conservation agents for Laclede County
Jarrad.Jewell@mdc.mo.gov (link sends e-mail) or 417-718-1111

Jarad.Milligan@mdc.mo.gov (link sends e-mail) or 417-288-8744


Trout Cam At Bennett Spring State Park https://mostateparks.com/content/trout-cam

Mike Sapp Photo

Mike Sapp Photo