Wayne SW/MO

A 6wt is the standard all around flyrod, but I think in Missouri the 5wt that siusaluki posted is the best rod. One advantage or the double taper is that it's a very good roll casting line. Roll casting is sometimes the best cast in the parks and an added advantage is that the boys can utilize it if they have problems with the normal cast.

You should also consider Bennett Springs. Besides the fishing there are some long trails through some nice country. One leads to a "natural bridge" that is about 100yds in length under the surface. To make sense of that, it's a cave that collapsed on both ends.

Will the dam begin to wash out in high water? Some structures can stand over topping but not the added hydraulics of increased pressure in a breach.

I'm amazed..............that you didn't get caught sneaking out of the house.

probably the same as the tame ones, oink, ooink, ooooooink.

I don't know what the answer is, but with everything I've seen there is no rhyme or reason. Many of the fish in the park run small, maybe I should say real small, but the same is true of Taney and it's a different hatchery. In Taney some run to a nice size 12+, some in Bennett run 12+ and I happen to be at the river when they truck pulled up this fall. I would guesstimate that the fish from the truck averaged 13" or better. About half the fish hung around the ramp for about 30 minutes and thought it was feeding time in the concrete creek. I caught one 16" and most were bigger than 13". I think the hatchery might be making it more like natural, some big, some little, just like being on a natural stream. Of course having people on either side and as far as the eye can see doesn't take away from the mystic some.

I've seen them in the Pothole. As Ham said they're native to the White. here's a picture of one that came off of a big carp. Shadow doesn't do it right, but if you haven't had the please of meeting one, it will give you an idea.

Yes.

I did go and look. I wasn't thinking soft plastic as much as plastic. It does appear that the difference between a lure and a fly is the single hook.

Uncle Josh? Think bacon, it's compatible with everything.

Not trying to be picky, nor do I care personally, but those might be illegal in z-1? Plastic?

If you want to know where the quail went ask someone my age who spent a lot of time outdoors. I can assure you that there is no way near the number of brushy fence rows, abandoned weedy pastures, and there are more pigs and a lot more coyotes. Rabbits are in much the same shape for the same reasons, or at least were 20 years ago when I gave up hunting them for lack of game.

That site is a little behind on the conservation level. the new level is 658 or 659, depending on the day, now. BS has been the stepchild in the chain and it gets any excess. it's also the choice to hold most of the water for the new release standards for the White. Last thing I read was that BS would store 3'. That is why they raised the pool 6'. I know that the math doesn't quite work, but I'm sure it makes sense somewhere? I don't know what the sea level of River Run is, but I would guess it at close to 664 and if that's close they only have 5' to work with.

With the lack of fence rows and idle grass patches they probably don't find many quail either. As for turkeys, no shortage in the areas I roam.

Not if it's gated!

What is the purpose of this draw down?

I think I would have told the cops either they get the pound of flesh or you would given the fact they don't care.

Awesome. They are one good looking animal IMO. When I did a lot of coyote hunting I could never bring myself to take the shot on the rare sightings.

Well if they don't get it out the first time through I assume it will go round and round. Drink up everyone.

http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/12/23/artificial-sweeteners-polluting-great-lakes

They are very destructive to land, flora and fauna. They'll kill fawns and eat turkeys, quail and anything that nest on the ground. It's unfortunate that Missouri hunters are so inept that the pigs have to be kept a secret so that the experts in the MDC can eradicate them.

Turning the stream from the dam to the spring C & R would help the fishing part, but hurt the visitor numbers eventually. That of course is not allowed. Bennett used to be a fishing stream that was a state park, now it's a state park with a fishing stream.

Yup. They have never locked the gate except when the campground was flooded. I don't know what they are doing, but as I said it flood more often now and that might be too much.

They tore down a lot of things. Besides the store they tore down all the houses up behind it, Henry's resort cabins, Vogels, A lot of the houses in the second tier on the upper road out. I'm sure they would like to buy the old church and tear it down.

Noluck i wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't pushed to have it replaced. Larry's has new web site it appears. http://www.bennettspring.com/ I contacted them and got the following reply. May be a few changes but Larry's store will be open. Thanks. Kelly