GregSTC

Drove down to spend the day fishing with my daughter and her friend. Got to the park around 7:30 and found them at the road hole by the new fish cleaning station. They each had three nice fish caught on salmon colored power bait. I caught one with a "Bumble Bee Rooster Tail" then nothing, so I guess all of the "Stockers" had been cleaned out. We we moved over to the submerged road hole by the bridge. Caught two more on nice ones using a "John Deere" and a "Bed Spread". Went to breakfast at the lodge after I switched to the fly rod. From 10:00 to 6:30 I caught two more fish. One on a Green Crackle Back and the other on a BHCJ. There were plenty of fish in the stream but they weren't hungry. I only saw a couple fisherman having success with spinning rods but I couldn't tell what they were using. What ever it was they were using floats. I threw everything that I had at them from my trout park boxes. Every fish that I caught all day were caught on something different so I wasted a lot of time beating the water unsuccessfully. Still and enjoyable day all and all. The water was a little green due to all of the rain which is usually a good thing. Greg

Happened to be Kids Free Fishing Weekend but the kids were over near the new fish cleaning station so there was plenty of stream to fish. Fly fishing was kind of slow until around 5:00. I picked up fish using a mixed bag of flys. BH Prince, BH PTN, Peach Glo Ball, John Dear and Beadspread to name a few. Started each morning fishing the area above the submerged road with my ultralight using Bumble Bee Rooster Tail, Gold Head Black and Yellow Marabou Jigs, John Deere and Beadspreads. Most of the fish caught were really nice 14'-16'. There were a few 10" to 12" mixhed in but they were also fun to catch and tested terrific. The park and stream are in fantastic shape. The warm days and cool nights were perfect.

There are about 80 hotel rooms in building of about 10 units each. They are back against the hillside starting just past the dining lodge past the pool to just inside of the camping area. The cabins are located by the spring at next to the Niangua.

You kmow, I usually throw mosquitos and midges. I also should have stopped by John Readings shop to find out what was hot. We even passed Readings after running to Lebanon for Sonic!

Had to recreate my user information. I have beem a member for several years. Greg from St. Charles

I started above the whistle bridge at the horn and caught five fish. I started with a 1/64 oz gold head Black and Yellow Marabou-jig and finished with a Mepps Bumble Bee(Black and Yellow with a Gold Spinner.) I also tried a Beadspread and a John Deer without any takers. TIP:WHEN FISHING WITH MINI-JIGS CUT THE MARABOU BACK TO ABOUT 1/4" BEHIND THE HOOK BEND TO REDUCE SHORT HITS. The fish were just average stockers in size(Good Eaters.) My wife and son caught fished around noon in Zone 3 at the Whistle Bridge with yellow Power bait and did great. Mari caught her limit and lost a monster. Our 5 year old Michael got one on his well worn Scooby Doo rod and reel. I went out at 5:30 and fly fished till the horn(8:30) and never got a bite! There are tons of fish in the water and plenty were showing interest in my flys. I was using a new Froghair 6x leader without tying on any tippet. Stupid...Stupid...Stupid. I know better than to ever fish Bennett without fluorocarbon tippet and line and never heavier than 2 lbs when the water is clear and that is over 30 years of experience. That being said it had been over year since I had fly fished Bennett and had a wonderful time fishing but catcing would have been fun too. These are some the flys that didn't work! Everyone a proven trout killer. John Deer Beadspread Bead Head Prince Nymph Bead Head Copper John Nymph Bead Head Pheasant Tail Nymph Copper, Red and White Brassies Renagades Chartruse Body Crackle Back Always remember when fishing Missouris wonderful trout parks "Always use Fluorocarbon line and Tippet and never any heavier than 2 lbs especially when the water is clear!" We stayed in one of the park hotel rooms and it was great. This was are first time staying in one and we could not have been happier. If we don't camp we usually try to stay at Larry's.

I want to compliment Greg Mitchell on the quote by Rick Z. Greg

Took my wife and 2 1/2 year old to BSSP Monday the 15th and stayed with the nice people at Sand Springs Resort. Didn't get to fish Monday but that was no problem. Started off each morning at the whistle Bridge in Zone 2 and out meat on the table each morning with a little Mepps Yellow and Black which I think they call the Bumble Bee. The fishing wasn't hot ad heavy but there a really nice size fish in the spring. Each day I caught at least one fish that was between a pound and a half to a pound and three quarters. I even caught a small Brown trout which was only about 14 inches. But then I really don't like them to eat as much as Rainbows. I did ok with the flyrod as well. Picked up a few on John Deers and Bedspreads but had better luck on Brassies(Copper Standard). I did real well between the dam and stone bridge using a #14 Crackleback with Chartruse thread body. Caught fish on top as well as skipping below the surface during the swing. I noticed in July that the fish seemed to be turned on by Green Cracklebacks in Zone #1 around the two handicap jetties. The fish were hitting my green strike indicators. I'm thinking about tying some up in a Size #10 and attach a small gold spinner. I think it will be a killer. Nor for the big news. My son Michael caught his first trout. He was using his Scooby Doo rod and reel with Orvis invisible 7x tippet and yellow power bait with glitter about two feet above his sinker. Michael and his guide ready to go. Fishing it Hard Michael with his first trout on the stringer! What a great week even with the crazy weather Tuesday night. Can't wait until next year. Tight Lines Greg

Thanks I guessed and used pale yellow turkey rounds without dubbing and two wraps of hungarian partridge. Sounds close enough to me. Will be taking my tying stuff wth me just in case. Thanks again Greg

I've heard that yellow and green butt soft hackles have been catching fish. #18 BH copper johns and PTNs also are good producers. EHC, Mosquitoes and Cracklebacks(yellow and green bodies, #20 griffiths gnatts are good dry flies. The john deer mini-jigs are also producing well now. Royal Wulfs are a great searching pattern if you have fish going after your strike incators. Greg

I'm heading down monday the 15th for a whole five days. Tell me more about the yellow soft hackle. Called Charlie Reading and he mentioned that yellow soft hackles were catching fish. Greg

My fishing time has been reduced from once a month to once a year sance the birth of our two and a half year old. Friday evening I got to zone 1 between the two handicap acceses about 6:30. There was a hatch of PEDs so I missed a few with a BWO. I switched to a Green Crackleback and a nice rainbow destroyed it. With the hatch slowing I started drifting nymphs. I went through several and I finally picked up a small rainbow on a #14 Prince. Saturday I fished above and below the first handicap access in zone 1. I spent a total of four hours in this area between family time and totaled two nice rainbows. So after six hours of fishing I had four trout fishing the stream my way so the tactic for Sunday morning was to get some fish for the freezer. I started above the Whistle Bridge with my ultra-light and a black and yellow jig. Two casts = two fish. Switched to a black and yellow Mepps Rooster Tail. Two casts = two fish. I then went back to the first handicap access in zone 1 for some catch and release and started roll casting a Beadspread on the downsteam side. 30 Minutes equaled 6 fish. All Weavers #1 sugested flies, jigs and lures. The stream is running normal and kind of dirty. I guess from the moss cutting on Wednesday. There are tons of fish in the stream and with the exception of one ten inch fish the rest were all about fifteen inchers. Tight lines. Greg

Google Bennett Spring Fishing Report and click on the link to Weavers. The put out a twice weekly fishing report. They have been warning people for a couple weeks that they were schedule to cut the moss today. I wish that I could have warned you. Sorry.

I've been going to BSSP off and on for thirty years and have had the most success with catching larger fish above the dam up to the second handicap access wing dike. The water and fishing changes considerably through this stretch of the stream. Small beadhead midges work well between the two dikes then I change to mini-jiggs about the lower one. Between there and the dam Cracklebacks and streamers work better. But if there is a hatch on nothing beats #18 Renegades and #16 Mosquitoes!

A friend from work will be fishing below the dam next weekend and I promised to tie him some scuds for the trip. What would be the best patterns, colors and sizes?