Fishing Report 3/9/2020
How's Fishing?
Fishing has been great. The weather has been beautiful. The stream is in good shape, but is running a little faster than normal. The trout are holding deeper than average. The use of sinking line, sink tips, or sinking leaders are helpful right now depending on where you enjoy fishing. Using dry flies in the evening with some extra mending can be productive. Renegades and green Cracklebacks worked well for me at the spring. I also stripped some woolies subsurface, which caught a few trout. If you prefer drifting under an indicator zebra midges, assorted mini jigs, RGN's (Ross' Glitter Nymphs), or Copper Hot Shots work very well. I did fairly well with marabou on my spinning rod. I was using 1/16th ounce everywhere, but the dam and the spring where I used an 1/8th ounce jig. See you on the stream, unless you see me first!
In Memory:
My heart is very heavy with the loss of Mike Ross to the Bennett Spring family. He was the most positive individual I have ever met. His smile was contagious. He had fishing stories I could only dream of. He tied beautiful flies that always produced trout. He taught me many things, including how to tie beautifully executed flies. I also had the pleasure of flyfishing along side him near the spring and gage house while he tested patterns meticulously. I am sure he will never be forgotten. Words can not fully express his impact in our small piece of paradise. I am sure he is fishing a stream no one can ever dream exists. We give our deepest sympathy to his wife, Donna, his children, extended family, and all his friends. He touched many lives with his.
A celebration of life is scheduled on Saturday March 21, 2020 at 11:00 A.M. at the Bennett Room located at 11798 MO-64, Lebanon, MO 65536
Water Conditions
Bennett Spring
March 9, 2020
Gage house level is 2.29 feet
Daily Discharge levels:
All discharge numbers are in Cubic Feet per Second
minimum was 84.0 in 1936
25th percentile is 126
Current level is 216
Median is 180
Mean is 205
75th percentile is 232
Max was 752 in 1973
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=06923500
Niangua River
March 9, 2020
Gage House reading (water level) is 1.91 feet.
Discharge levels in cubic feet per second:
Minimum was 51.0 in 1996
25th percentile is 116
Median is 269
Today's reading is 274
75th percentile is 515
Mean is 393
record high max was 2270 in 2011
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=06923250
What's Working?
From the Fly Case
Renegades
Green Cracklebacks
Copper Johns
Red or White San Juan Worms
Wooly Buggers-olive, brown, black
Harvester Midges- olive, red, brown
Olive Cracklebacks
Bennett Blue Cracklebacks
Copper Hot Shots
RGN's-golden olive, brown size 14
Clouser Minnow
Zone 1 or 2
Mopflies- cream, pink, white, orange
Megaworms-pink and white, red, white, orange, pink
Bedspread jig
Chamois Worms
Brown Roaches
Peacock Jigs
Bumblebee mini jigs
John Deere
Old Gray John Deere
Angry John Deere
White Grub jigs
White thread jigs
Peach Fur Bugs
Jimi Hendrix Glo-Balls
Apricot Supreme with red dot Glo-balls
Egg Glo-Balls
Gator Glo-Balls
Chartreuse with red dot Glo-balls
Original Tricolor Glo-balls
Easter Egg Glo-balls
Marabou - black and yellow, moss, ginger, gingersnap, red and black, pink, orange and white, Crawdad tricolor-(orange, brown, and green), Old Glory Tricolor (Red, White, and Blue), black and white, black, salmon, Shell and white, Pink Lemonade, white, Tequila Sunrise (orange and yellow)
Rooster Tails - Bumblebee, Midnight, Copper Tinsel Brown Trout, Metallic Gold Spot, Tinsel Shad, Glitter Black, Skunk, Crawdad, Red Flame Spot
All highlighted flies can be found by clicking on the name. The online store is also located at https://weaverstackle.com/, we are in the process of adding inventory. Please call 417-532-4618 to place an order if the products you seek are not available yet.
Zone 3
Lucky Lady worms-pink, white, orange and white, mint, red and white, black and yellow, pink
Pink Lemonade Powerbait
Bumblebee Powerbait
Glitter White Powerbait
Salmon Peach Powerbait
Cheese Powerbait
Hatchery Pellet Powerbait
Yellow Powerbait
Fluoroscent Orange Powerbait
Marshmallow White Powerbait
Pink Powerbait
Rainbow Powerbait
Grape Nymph Powerbait
Orange Twist Powerbait
Corn Powerbait
Powerbait Power Eggs pink, orange, or white
Orange Peel Power Worms
Minnows
Bentley's Secret Bait Original and Garlic
Worms
Weather Forecast
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 65.
Thursday: A chance of showers after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.
Friday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 55.
Saturday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 49.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.
Windyville MO
37.72°N 92.92°W (Elev. 1024 ft)
Lunker Club
3/4/2020
Tyler Nafzinger from Roach, MO 2 pounds in zone 2 on a white marabou
Ron Velasco from Washington, MO 2 1/2 pounds in zone 3 on a Berkley Pincher
Drew Burkart from Lawrence, KS 2.11 pounds in zone 2 on a Bumblebee Roostertail
3/6/2020
Joe Gicona from O'Fallon, MO 2 1/4 pounds in zone 1 on an olive woolly bugger
Tim Kramer from Highridge, MO 2.2 pounds in zone 1 on a Weaver's white marabou
3/7/2020
Gabe Benson from Sweet Springs, MO 2 1/2 pounds in zone 1 on a samon marabou
Johnny Wilper from Oak Grove, MO 2 pounds in zone 2 on a pellet fly
Jeremiah Reynolds from Sweet Springs, MO 2 1/2 pounds in zone 3 on cheese bait
Seth Malone from Columbia, MO 3 pounds in zone 2 on a white mini jig
Noble Bellis from Broken Arrow, OK 2 pounds in zone 3 on a minnow
Casey Cute from Columbia, MO 2 pounds in zone 1 on bedspread mini jig
Cody Blacklock from East Alton, IL 3 1/2 pounds in the Niangua River on an orange marabou
Calendar of Events
Weed Cutting April 7-8
Friday April 17, 2020
There will be monthly Mayfly Project fly tying nights in the Bennett Spring Church of God Annex, located across from the park office. Supplies and instruction on tying a basic fishing fly will be given. This activity will allow people to enjoy the art of fly tying and learn from experienced Bennett Spring fishermen and women.
All supplies will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own. A $5 donation for the "Fly of the Night" supplies is suggested. Donations will go to provide supplies and support for Kid's Free Fishing Day. Everyone's first six flies will be donated to The Mayfly Project, which mentors foster children through fly fishing.
This event is sponsored by Missouri State Parks, the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Mayfly Project. More information is available at http://www.themayflyproject.com .
Additional Mayfly Project program dates:
May 1, June 12, July 10, July 31, Sept. 4, Oct. 2
PROGRAM TIME: 6 P.M. - 9 P.M.
26250 Hwy 64A, Lebanon, MO | (417) 532-4338
Veterans Fishing Day~ Saturday April 18, 2020 Bennett Spring State Park~0700-1930
Kids Free Fishing Day~ Saturday May 2, 2020 Bennett Spring State Park~6:30 A.M.-8:15 P.M.
Weed Cutting May 19-20
FREE FISHING FOR ALL~Saturday June 6th and Sunday June 7th, 2020
BENNETT SPRING STATE PARK LEBANON, MO
Bennett Spring State Park welcomes the public to fish for trout for free. Fishing licenses are not required in the state of Missouri during this weekend. Daily trout tags and fishing licenses are not required for individuals fishing at Bennett Spring State Park. Free trout tags can be obtained at the park store. All other wildlife game regulations apply.
Weed Cutting June 23-24
Weed Cutting August 4-5
Weed Cutting September 15-16
For additional information or questions please contact the Nature Center at 417-532-3925.
There is a list at https://mostateparks.com/events/park/bennett-spring-state-park that gives all the details of other activities, such as hikes that are going on at Bennett Spring State Park through out the year.
FISHING HOURS
BEGIN
END
March
7:30 A.M. CDT
7:00 P.M. CDT
April
7:00 A.M.
7:30 P.M.
May
6:30 A.M.
8:15 P.M.
June
6:30 A.M.
8:30 P.M.
July
6:30 A.M.
8:30 P.M.
August
7:00 A.M.
8:00 P.M.
September
7:30 A.M.
7:15 P.M.
October
7:30 A.M.
6:30 P.M.
Daylight Saving Time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
Quote of the Week
Early on I decided that fishing would be my way of looking at the world. First it taught me to look at rivers. Lately it has been teaching me how to look at people, myself included.
Author:
Thomas McGuane
Published:
The Longest Silence
Thanks for reading,
Devin
