Trout Fishing Report for Bennett Spring
Brought to you by
Weaver's Tackle Store
May 24, 2018

How's Fishing?

Despite the rains we have recently had, the water in the Spring is clearing up nicely. There is still quite a bit of stain, even murkiness, but every hour improvements can be seen.

It should be a very nice weekend weather-wise. There may be a few pop up storms on Friday or Saturday, but generally temperatures in the 80's and sunny.

Ginger has been a good go-to color the last few days. We have seen some action on brassies as well as brown roaches. The possum hair roach is a good choice for this, bounced or tumbled along the bottom if you are able to do that.

At the end of the report there is a calendar of events. This includes moss cutting and free weekends as well as special events. If you have an event at Bennett and would like to have it included, let me know.

Of Interest:

We had an e-mail from Ben Havens, our hatchery manager.  I would like to share that with you.
He writes as follows:

Hello all-

I hope everyone is enjoying this much warmer, stable weather!
Here is an recap of last month here at Bennett Spring.

Spring Flows

We started the month of April at 307 cfs or 198 million gallons/day. We ended the month at 135 cfs or 87.2 million gallons/day. Average for this time of year is 187 million gallons/day. We received rain this past month which equated to between 2-3” of precipitation. The stream started the month murky and dirty from all the extra spring flows but ended the month very clear and fishable.

Tag sales were down for April compared to a year ago.


                      Adult     Kids      Total

April 2018     9,658       904    10,562
April 2017   10,548    1,458    12,006
                                              (-1,444)



Tag Sales Year to Date

2018                         26,655
2017                         27,350

Total difference -695 or -2.54%

Fish Production

The stable water levels and occasional rain is helping our fish production make steady gains. Fish size and numbers are looking great for this season. We have had several volunteers help with production efforts this month. Fingerling numbers are looking good. We have moved several more lots outside from the building this month and have around 200,000 more fingerlings coming along. Bennett Spring Hatchery currently has 821,600 fish on inventory.


Fish Stockings

We completed the following stockings last month. Avg. size of fish stocked was 12.87” long and our stocking rate was 2.53 fish/tag. This is more than the 2.25 fish/tag stocking rate that we aim for… For those curious, the hatchery has stocked 150 lunkers so far this season.

Niangua River TMA – 900 fish
Bennett Trout Park-- 26,231 fish



Let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks—

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

What's Working?

From the Fly Case

white mega worm
orange mop worms
Possum Hair Roach



Zone one or two

Gingersnap or black & yellow marabou, Salmon & Brown, peach
wooly bugger - red, brown
white mini marabou
John Deere
White floss
Tan, brown, green or white mini jig
Chartreuse or white brassie
Glo balls - red or jimi hendrix, peach with red dot
Ginger with gold plated head, woolies
Tinsel green or brown rooster Tail



Zone 3

power bait: yellow, salmon peach, or orange sparkle
worms

Fishing Times

Lunker Club

5-14-18

Bob Choate from Marshfield, MO
2 pounds on yellow rubber jig in zone 3


5-15-18

Jeff Poleski from Union MO
2-1/4 pounds on a tan jig



5-16-18

Allington Jolly from Columbia, MO
2 pounds on a black & yellow marabou in zone 1



5-18-18

Jason Kuhlmann from Wright City, MO
2-5/8 pounds on yellow dough bait in zone 3



5-19-18

Gary Degraffenreid from Eugene, MO
2-1/4 pounds on a brown rooster tail, zone 2 - 2 times

Elijah Smith from Jeff City, MO
2-1/2 pounds on yellow power bait in zone 3

Deb Buehler from Carrollton, MO
2 pounds on a green rooster tail in zone 2

Jason Kuhlmann from Wright City, MO
2-1/2 pounds on yellow power bait in zone 3

Charles Dubbert from Martinsburg, MO
2-3/4 pounds on a brown jig in zone 2

5-20-18

Dan Miller from Terre Haute, IN
2 pounds on a black & yellow Marabou in zone 2

Casey Green from Westphalia, MO
2-1/4 pounds on peach marabou in zone 1

Kyle McCain from St. Charles, MO
2-1/4 pounds on a white jig in zone 2

Brandon McCourt from Leavenworth, KS
2 pounds on orange sparkle dough bait in zone 3

Tim Schroeder from Maywood, MO
2 pounds on white jig with a redhead in zone 1

Weather Forecast

Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 5 to 7 mph.


Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.


Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 88.


Memorial Day: Sunny, with a high near 88..


Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.


Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.

Calendar of Events

May 19th & 20th Missouri Trout Fishermans Association Trout Derby
Sponsored by Springfield Chapter Register Fri Night after 5 PM


May 19th Fish Hatchery Tour 10 am & Photo Walk 9 am to 11 am, Nature Center


May 23 & 24 - Weed cutting


May 26th Spring Trail Hike 10 am, meet at nature center


June 9 & 10 - Free Fishing Weekend


June 27 & 28 Weed Cutting


August 8 & 9 Weed Cutting


Sept 19 & 20 Weed Cutting

September 29 Ladies Fishing Day
Activities from 11AM to 2PM
Fishing and Fly Casting Instruction
Girls Fish Free!


October 13 & 14 Holland Derby

Quote of the Week

After all these years, I still feel like a boy when I'm on a stream.

Author: Ex USA President Jimmy Carter


Thanks for reading,
Lucy

OUR PREVIOUS REPORT:

Trout Fishing Report for Bennett Spring
Brought to you by
Weaver's Tackle Store
May 15, 2018

How's Fishing

Great weather, great company, great water and good sized fish. What's not to love?


Patricia Chambers, Interpretive Resource Specialist for the Park asked us to pass this e- mail along to anyone who might be interested:


Missouri State Parks will be accepting bus grant applications for field trips taking place through May 31, 2019. The application and guidelines are attached and can also be found on our website:

https://mostateparks.com/page/55065/outdoor-recreation-grants#bus

Bus grants provide up to $500 to fund field trips to state parks and state historic sites. School and youth orientated non-profit organizations are eligible to apply. Parochial schools are eligible for funding. Bus grants will be issued on a first come, first serve basis until funding runs out or February 28, 2019, whichever occurs first.

Please send this opportunity to those that may be interested. Rachel Senzee is the Grants Manager and would be glad to answer any questions.

Rachel Senzee
Planner II/Grants Manager
Ph. 573-522-8773
Fax: 573-522-6386

What's Working?

From the fly case

Bennett blue crackleback
olive crackleback
Renegade
zebra midge - black, gray or olive
white mega worm
griffith gnat



Zone one or two

Gingersnap or black & yellow marabou
wooly bugger - black & yellow, brown
white mini marabou
John Deere
White floss
white brassie



Zone 3

power bait, orange, salmon peach
worms - plastic in pumpkin seed color or pink night crawlers
red glitter salmon eggs

Water Conditions

Bennett Spring
May 15, 2018
Gage house level is 1.94
Daily Discharge levels:
All discharge numbers are in Cubic Feet per Second
minimum was 77 in 1989
25th percentile is 142
Current level is 113
Median is 201
Mean is 294
75th percentile is 339
Max was 1990 in 1967


Niangua River conditions
May 15, 2018
Gage House reading (water level) is 1.40 feet.
Discharge levels in cubic feet per second:
Minimum was 80.3 in 2016
25th percentile is 132
Median is 329
Today's reading is 118
75th percentile is 839
Mean is 685
record high max was 2670 in 1974

Fishing Times

Lunker Club

5-4-18

Grant Schmitz from Jeff City, MO
5-1/8 pounds on home made bait in zone 3

Cody Myrtle from Butler, MO
4 pounds on white mini marabou jig in zone 2

Carson Witherspoon -age 10 from Windsor MO
3-1/4 pounds on a ginger marabou in zone 2

Carson Witherspoon from Windsor, MO
2 pounds on a ginger marabou in zone 2



5-5-18

Austin Graeler from St. Charles, MO
2-1/8 pounds on black& yellow mini marabou in zone 1

Huntlee Myrtle - age 5 from Butler, MO
3 pounds, 8 oz in zone 3 on home made dough bait

Easton Martin from Hillsborough, MO
4.5 pounds on dough bait in zone 3

Ryker Martin from Hillsborough, MO
3.1 pounds on dough bait in zone 3

Easton Martin from Hillsborough, MO
3.1 pounds on dough bait in zone 3

Brad Benne from Kingdom City, MO
2 pounds on a white brassie in zone 1



5-6-18

Susan Werdehausen from Waynesville MO
2-1/4 pounds on pink worm in zone 3

Kyle Bishop from Wentzville, MO
2-1/2 pounds on white trout magnet in zone 3

Cody Myrtle from Butler, MO
4-1/2 pounds on home made dough bait in zone3

Rita Morris from Frankford, MO
2-1/8 pounds on 'Rita Bait' in zone 3

Jim Lucas from O'Fallon, MO
3 pounds on dough bait in zone 3



5-7-18

Rustin Colter from New Haven MO
2 pounds on black & yellow marabou in zone 1

Herb Beatty from Bennett Spring, MO
2.5 pounds on a fuzz bug in zone 2



5-10-18

Cindy Kinney from Shelbina, MO
2 pounds on black & yellow marabou in zone 2



5-12-18

Cody Myrtle from Butler, MO
3.5 pounds on a white mini jig in zone 1

Norman Black from Edgar Spring, MO
3.5 pounds on a green jig in zone 2

Calendar of Events

May 19th & 20th Missouri Trout Fishermans Association Trout Derby
Sponsored by Springfield Chapter Register Fri Night after 5 PM


May 19th Fish Hatchery Tour 10 am & Photo Walk 9 am to 11 am, Nature Center


May 23 & 24 - Weed cutting


May 26th Spring Trail Hike 10 am, meet at nature center


June 9 & 10 - Free Fishing Weekend


June 27 & 28 Weed Cutting


August 8 & 9 Weed Cutting


Sept 19 & 20 Weed Cutting


September 29 Ladies Fishing Day


October 13 & 14 Holland Derby

Weather Forecast

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 85.


Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.


Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80.


Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 81.


Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 82.

Quote of the week

The soul of an angler embraces a collection of unquestioned convictions foremost amongst them the faith that a trout could take on any cast. Deprive him of that assumption and only a perplexing sense of waste remains.

Author: Ted Leeson

Published:
Inventing Montana




Thanks for reading.
Lucy

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