October 18, 2016

How's Fishing

It has been crazy weather this fall, and the fish are a reflection of this.  As soon as the warm front came through this weekend, the fish just cut off.  The large number of anglers that were fishing could have played a part as well.  It was such a beautiful weekend that a lot of folks just had to wade in and wet a line one more time this season.
Even the best anglers where switching up lures and heaving big sighs.  The fish were there, they just weren't interested.  It's still warm today (Monday) but today they are hungry.  Several people have come up with lunkers and nice stringers of fish as well.  The possum hair roach and bennett blue crackleback have been two of the bigger players.  Tiny lures such as the RGN's and the zebra midges are also doing well, fished at two feet, under an indicator.

Fishing Times

7:30 am to 6:30 pm until October 31, 2016.
Catch and release will begin on November 11, 2016
8 am to 4 pm on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday only

Water Conditions

For Bennett Spring
10-17-16
Gage house level is 1.90 feet
Daily Discharge levels:
All numbers are in Cubic Feet per Second
minimum was 77 in 1938
current level is 80
25th percentile is 98
Median is 115
Mean is 130
75th percentile is 138
Max was 318 in 1970


Niangua River
10-17-16
Gage House reading (water level) is 1.80 feet
Discharge levels in
cubic feet per second:
Minimum was 18 in 1993
25th percentile is 32
Median is 48
Today's reading is 71
Mean is 94
75th percentile is 132
record high max was 435 in 2010

What's Working?

From the Fly case
Renegade
Griffith's gnat
brown san juan worms
zebra midge
ginger crackleback
bennett blue crackleback
Gray scud

Zone 1 & 2
Marabou jigs: Plated Black & yellow, gingersnap, brown & orange, brown & yellow
glo balls: original tri color, Jimi Hendrix
white floss jig
brown wooly with spinner
tinsel jig
grey deere
john deere
yellow or Bumblebee rooster tail
Glitter black Roostertail

Zone 3
power bait: orange & white or salmon peach
brown or black & yellow worms
Salmon Eggs UV

Lunker Club

10-10-16
Mike Whitworth from Washington, MO
2 pounds in zone one on a john deere

10-11-16
Randy Callies from Fenton, MO
2-1/4 pounds on a brown wooly with spinner

10-13-16
Kevin Baltz from Swanson, IL
2-1/4 pounds in zone 1 on a john deere mini jig

Doug Piper from Independence, MO
2.2 pounds on a grey scud in zone 2

10-14-16
Ron Tilson from Wichita, KS
2 pounds on a black & yellow worm in zone 3

10-16-16
Rodney Scheuler from Florissant, MO
2.1 pounds on a ginger marabou in zone 1

10-17-16
Heidi Gallegos from Grain Valley, MO
2-1/8 pounds on a yellow rooster tail in zone 1



Weather Forecast

Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. East wind around 7 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 64.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 69.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 72.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 72.

Calendar of Events

October Programs at the Nature Center - 417-532-3925 - in Bennett Spring are on Saturdays (Exception-No programs on October 22nd)

9 a.m. – Guided Hike on the Spring Trail (2/3 mile). The hike will start at the nature center. Bring Water! Directly afterward we will participate in the cultural tradition of raising the American and Missouri flags. Symbols on the Missouri flag will be discussed. Once inside the nature center, watch the indoor aquarium fish being fed.

11 a.m. – Ms. Patty Storytime with Activity near the picnic and playground area diagonally across from the park store.

2 p.m. – Family Program and Movie in the Nature Center Classroom followed by games to be played outdoors!

•      Why Bats Matter (October 8th,15th, 29th)

October 31st: End of Regular Season

November 11, 2016: Start of Catch and Release for 2016 - 2017

Quote of the Week
Something to think about - If you fish the wrong fly long and hard enough, it will sooner or later become the right fly.
Author:  John Gierach

Thanks for reading.
Lucy