Trout Fishing Report for Bennett Spring 9-28-21
How's Fishing?
The trees haven't really started changing colors, but they will soon. I was joking with an angler when I was taking pictures that it was already impossible to sneak up behind someone to take a picture of them without disturbing their fishing. The leaves give you away!
For a great top water choice, a Griffiths gnat or a renegade can be used effectively in the shadows on the stream. Crackleback of all colors, but especially those with grizzly hackle seem to be working very well. The Bennett blue crackleback has been a favorite choice. Small marabou, 1/80th and unweighted have also been big favorites in this super clear water.
Zone three has cleared out and there are some great fish to be caught.
Of Interest
Free fishing for the ladies was this past weekend. The event was well attended, although slightly fewer people than last year. The event was well done with information, demonstrations of fly tying and a hand made fly rod that was given away. The winner of the fly rod was Joyce Merrell. Congratulations, Joyce!
It was very enjoyable to watch the support the women received from fathers and husbands as well as the support the women gave to each other.
Bennett Spring water levels for 9-28-21
Gage House water level is 2.01
Daily Discharge levels:
All discharge numbers are in Cubic Feet per Second
minimum was 73 in 1938
25th percentile is 95
Current level is 111
Median is 108
Mean is 135
75th percentile is 145
Max was 704 in 1993
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=06923500
Niangua River water levels for 9-28-21
Gage House reading (water level) is .78 feet
Discharge levels in cubic feet per second:
Minimum was 27 in 1995
25th percentile is 38
Median is 48
Today's reading is 50.5
75th percentile is 102
Mean is 164
record high max was 1320 in 1993
Lunker Club
9-22-21
David Todd from Lee's Summit, MO
2-1/8 pounds on a light green mega worm
zone 1
9-23-21
John Trailer from Ludlow, KY
2-1/8 pounds on a white marabou jig
zone 1
9-24-21
Marty Morrison from Bowling Green, MO
2-1/10 pound on pink mouse tail
zone 3
9-25-21
Sarah Clever from St. Louis, MO
2-1/2 pounds on a black & yellow marabou
zone 1
Esther Doggett from Jeff City, MO
2 pounds on white power bait
zone 3
Cleveanne Kauffmann from St. Louis, MO
2-1/2 pounds on black & yellow marabou
zone 1
Rose Frohwitter from St. Louis, MO
2-1/2 pounds on a Black & yellow marabou
zone 1
Carson Jones from St. Louis, MO
2-1/2 pounds on a jimi hendrix glo ball
zone 1
Jamie Henrichs from Lebanon, MO
3-1/2 pounds on a frog spoon
zone 2
9-25-21
Martha Bunse from Cosby, MO
2.35 pounds on white floss
zone 2
Brenda Lavery from Freeman, MO
2-2/4 pounds on black & yellow marabou jig
zone 2
Laurie VanDorin from Hampshire, IL
2 pounds on black & yellow marabou jig
zone 2
Sidney Casey from Villa Ridge, MO
2-1/4 pounds on a white mop fly
zone 2
Dalton Owen from Kearney, MO
2-1/4 pounds on a black marabou jig
zone 1
Kayla Romack from O'Fallon MO
2-1/4 pounds on Jim's Jig
zone 2
9-25-21
Kayla Romack from O'Fallon, MO
3 pounds on pink dough bait
zone 3
Michelle Gicona from O'Fallon, MO
2 pounds on a ginger marabou
zone 2
Mallowry Matthiesen from Oklahoma City, OK
2 pounds on home made dough bait
zone 3
9-26-21
Ray White from Franklin, IL
2-1/4 pounds on black & yellow marabou
zone 2
Kain Kirchoff from Centralia, MO
2.2 pounds on an olive waltz
zone 2
John Greer from Sweet Springs, MO
3.2 pounds on chamois worm
zone 2
James Harris from Springfield, IL
2 pounds on a gingersnap marabou
zone 1
Bob Reece from KC MO
2-1/4 pounds on orange power bait
Niangua River
9-28-21
Andrew Hendren from Columbia, MO
2-1/10 pounds on a minnow
zone 3
What's working?
From the Fly Case
cracklebacks: bennett blue, gold
midge - black or red zebra
Renegades
griffiths gnat
Zone 1 & 2
marabou: black & yellow, gingersnap, white
white or cream mini jig
john deere mini jig
glo ball -original tri color, jimi hendrix
Zone 3
live worms
power bait: white
chartreuse power bait worms
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
BEGIN
END
September
7:30 A.M.
7:15 P.M.
October
7:30 A.M.
6:30 P.M.
Quote of the Week
. . the fisherman fishes. It is at once an act of humility and a small rebellion. And it is something more. To him his fishing is an island of reality in a world of dreams and shadow
Author:
Ade Reemer
Thanks for reading,
Lucy