Trout fishing Report for Bennett Spring 10-7-21
How's Fishing?
Phenomenal. That's the word on the stream. There are not as many huge fish, but there are so many good sized ones! That's true in all the zones, but especially zones two and three. There may have been a few extra fish dropped in for women's free fishing day last week and a lot of them could still be there. It's possible.
The water is that beautiful blue green color that Bennett is known for, and it's unbelievably clear. This means you should lighten your tippet, or use fluorocarbon perhaps. If you are on a spin rod, switch out to two pound line or add a tippet of lighter line to the end.
The best color to use is salmon pink. Whether you are using a small marabou or a tiny sowbug, the color is good.
Of Interest
Anglers have the opportunity to catch and release trout during the winter fishing season. Bennett Spring Trout Park is open for catch-and-release fishing only from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from the second Friday in November thru the second Monday in February. The last day of the previous catch-and-release season is February 8, 2021. The season beginning in the fall of 2021 will start on November 12, 2021 and end on February 7, 2022. During catch-and-release season, only flies may be used and all fish must be released unharmed immediately.
Bennett Spring water levels for 10-5-21
Gage House water level is 2.00
Daily Discharge levels:
All discharge numbers are in Cubic Feet per Second
minimum was 81 in 1933
25th percentile is 96
Current level is 109
Median is 110
Mean is 132
75th percentile is 133
Max was 640 in 1987
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=06923500
Niangua River water levels for 10-5-21
Gage House reading (water level) is .78 feet
Discharge levels in cubic feet per second:
Minimum was 24 in 1993
25th percentile is 34
Median is 46
Today's reading is 58.8 - down from 100 on Thursday
75th percentile is 66
Mean is 64
record high max was 328 in 1994
Lunker Club
9-29-21
Tim Reichert from Warrenton, MO
2-1/2 pounds on pink jig
zone 2
9-30-21
Jim Hamilton from Kirksville, MO
2.4 pounds on yellow power bait
zone 3
10-1-21
Jack Davis from Marthasville, MO
4 pounds on black & yellow jig
zone 2
Harry Goodwin from Louisburg, KS
2-1/2 pounds on a red brassie
zone 1
10-2-21
Amanda Nimma from Buffalo, MO
2 pounds on a black & yellow marabou, gold head
zone 1
10-3-21
Dale Swanson from Collinsville, IL
2 pounds on a shrimp
zone 3
10-4-21
Sandy Bennett from Jeff City, MO
2 pounds on a shrimp
zone 3
Frank Paulo from Fairview Heights, IL
2.2 pounds on a dropper rig - fur bug and hares ear
zone 2
Donna Ellison from Eolia, MO
2.2 pounds on a black & white marabou
zone 2
10-5-21
Steve Saladino from K.C. MO
2-1/2 pounds on a peacock wooly
zone 1
What's Working?
From the Fly Case
cracklebacks: bennett blue, gold
ginger wooly fly
midge - black or red zebra
Renegades
griffiths gnat
shrimp pink scud
sowbug fly
Zone 1 & 2
marabou: salmon or salmon and brown, black & yellow, gingersnap, white, peach & brown
white or cream mini jig
john deere mini jig
glo ball -original tri color, jimi hendrix
Zone 3
live worms
power bait: salmon peach, white or yellow
shrimp
Events at Bennett Spring
Bennett Tradition quilting
In commemoration of the Missouri bicentennial, Bennett Spring State Park will host a monthly program entitled Bennett Traditions. Each program will include a 20-minute presentation about a natural and/or historic topic that pertains to the area. The presentation will be followed by a 20-minute lesson from Karen Jaegers about quilting that relates back to the presentation topic. The event will conclude with a short question-and-answer session led by June Buckles of Buckles, Bobbins and Bolts quilt shop.
Dates, presentation topics, quilt block designs and quilting techniques are as follows: .
Oct. 28 - Trees; maple leaf block; binding techniques.
Registration is required and limited to 10 people. Each program will be recorded and posted online at a future date. To register or for more information, contact the Bennett Spring nature center at 417-532-3925.
PROGRAM TIME: 11 A.M.
Holland Derby
The annual Holland Derby. Fishing derby for fundraising for The American Cancer Society. Derby runs two days - 9th and 10th. Tagged trout are released, they will win prizes if caught.
When: Saturday, October 9, 2021
Time: 7:30 AM to 6:30 PM
For additional information, please call 417-532-4418 or 417-532-7612.
November 6 &7
The first weekend in November Stream Team #5462 will be holding a three day clean-up of the Bennett Spring. This year we will have two dive shops assisting us in this endeavor. James Presley will lead Diventures of Springfield in Zone 1 and Chris Heitman will lead Show-Me Scuba of Springfield in Zone 2 & 3. Our hope is to get a lot of fishing line, lures, etc. out of the Bennett Spring while other participants can clean the trash above and around the Spring. All are welcome to help! We made this a weekend event to allow for many participants as an end of the season family activity. If you know someone that wants to participate, there will be a daily sign-up sheet in the nature center from 10 am to 4 pm so that we may have a record of all that attend for the purpose of Stream Team reporting. Participants can get gloves and trash bags at the nature center.
Patricia Chambers
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 throughout the year.
Events for 2022 - save the date.
April 23, 2022~ Veterans Free Fishing Day
Fishing Hours
October
7:30 A.M.
6:30 P.M.
Quote of the Week
If you keep at it long enough, one day you may witness some greater disturbance, some rushing breach of the water's surface so startling and violent and exhilarating that you too will suddenly, and always thereafter, believe in monsters.
Author:
Paul Schullery
Thanks for reading,
Lucy