Bennet 6/25

[FishinCricket]

Didn't mean to sound too harsh about it, just not my cup of tea...................

No worries, man.. I was being serious. If our Hatchery and park is losing business because of a downturn in something or other, I want to be able to help correct it. I suppose that would start with going to some of the other parks and seeing how things are there..

What can be done to make this park your "cup of tea"?

[ozark trout fisher]

No worries, man.. I was being serious. If our Hatchery and park is losing business because of a downturn in something or other, I want to be able to help correct it. I suppose that would start with going to some of the other parks and seeing how things are there..

What can be done to make this park your "cup of tea"?

Well the number 1 thing, (which happens to be quite impossible) would be to make it a bit longer .

Bennett Spring is really a fine place to fish, I just happen to prefer Montauk a bit, because its a bit closer, and because the atmosphere is more wild, at least in my opinion, and you can find some pretty productive riffles and runs that almost no one fishes. With that said, I'm sure if I fished Bennett as much as you do, I would learn to love to fish it. I'm sure its all just a matter of preference.

[FishinCricket]

Well the number 1 thing, (which happens to be quite impossible) would be to make it a bit longer .

Bennett Spring is really a fine place to fish, I just happen to prefer Montauk a bit, because its a bit closer, and because the atmosphere is more wild, at least in my opinion, and you can find some pretty productive riffles and runs that almost no one fishes. With that said, I'm sure if I fished Bennett as much as you do, I would learn to love to fish it. I'm sure its all just a matter of preference.

I know exactly what you mean, kinda.. lol. I would say the same thing you have said, only about Bennett! Hehe

not sure what we could do about making it longer, other than closing off zone 2 to flies only or something, but I'm not sure if the revenue change would be good. Of course, I have no stake other than that I live here and fish here. I do sincerely appreciate the input offered here, even if it seems harsh. Please know that I would carry these concerns to others if And when the need arises.

Maybe I can make it down sometime to Montauk or MSP or Roaring River, see how it goes. Wanna show me round Montauk?

[ozark trout fisher]

I know exactly what you mean, kinda.. lol. I would say the same thing you have said, only about Bennett! Hehe

not sure what we could do about making it longer, other than closing off zone 2 to flies only or something, but I'm not sure if the revenue change would be good. Of course, I have no stake other than that I live here and fish here. I do sincerely appreciate the input offered here, even if it seems harsh. Please know that I would carry these concerns to others if And when the need arises.

Maybe I can make it down sometime to Montauk or MSP or Roaring River, see how it goes. Wanna show me round Montauk?

The making it longer part was a joke, although maybe it could be done :lol: :lol: :lol:

In my opinion Bennett is definitely better than Meramec though. Never been to Roaring River.

[tgard27]

I'm glad that I'm not the only one that is disapointed with Bennett. Needless to say that I'm not going back there for a while. I like Roaring better than Bennett, I never have been to Montauk but its on my to do list. The thing about Bennett is that it feels too congested. I know that its a trout park and that it will be crowded beacause of this, but I think that the large amount of people in the small amount of space hurts this fishery. Come to think about it, I never really have the success at Bennett that I do at Roaring, probably user error on that. If i could change one thing about it, I would make zone one a catch and release only. That might help with the pressure that Bennett recieves. Travis

[fishinwrench]

Too short ? Bennett has plenty of water for everyone: Zone 1 for those that don't wade so good and wish to be close to their car and a potty, Zone 2 for those that don't mind bustin' brush...and their butt for more natural settings, The Johnson county hole for those that want to socialize and catch 80 fish per day, Zone 3 for cheese-chuckers, And zone 4 for the hardcore skilled and adventurous types....and hardcore wannabes.

[FishinCricket]

And zone 4 for the hardcore skilled and adventurous types....and hardcore wannabes

of which, I am the latter... lol.

[DoveTail]

And Zone 4 is very long and open.

I'm not sure why Bennett isn't as good as it used to be (other than less fish being released), but I would think the other parks would be on the same ratios? Don't they release 2.5 fish / day per sale? Or does Bennett have too many browns that are eating rainbows? Do people need to start keeping brown trout?

I think there are fewer fish than years past, but are there fewer people fishing? Quite a few catch and release only, so the math isn't adding up. That would leave up the option on the browns taking a toll on the rainbows? Or what is happening.

At least there are a lot of parks and other streams to fish around so everyone can make a choice.

I have seen very crowded conditions in all the parks and other streams.

[ozark trout fisher]

And Zone 4 is very long and open.

I'm not sure why Bennett isn't as good as it used to be (other than less fish being released), but I would think the other parks would be on the same ratios? Don't they release 2.5 fish / day per sale? Or does Bennett have too many browns that are eating rainbows? Do people need to start keeping brown trout?

I think there are fewer fish than years past, but are there fewer people fishing? Quite a few catch and release only, so the math isn't adding up. That would leave up the option on the browns taking a toll on the rainbows? Or what is happening.

At least there are a lot of parks and other streams to fish around so everyone can make a choice.

I have seen very crowded conditions in all the parks and other streams.

It is possible about the browns making the impact, but I would tend to doubt it personally. A big brown trout can maybe eat a few stockies, but it really would take a pretty large trout to be able to eat a 10-12 inch stockies. There are probably a few large enough, but imho not enough to cause a decline in the fishery.... Plus I'd take one of those big browns over 20 stocked rainbows

I haven't fished Bennett long enough in the past to really say whether or not it is declining.... And I'm not really saying there are any less fish at Bennett than at Montauk. I mostly just like Montauk because there are quite a few awesome, and pretty un-fished fast runs that I can fish in solitude, and have a pretty good chance to catch fish after fish. There are probably such places at Bennett, I just haven't spent enough time there to find them. I've spent most of my time around the dam, so that could explain my lack of solitude at Bennett.........

Never been to "zone 4", but it does sound like a nice place to fish.

[fishinwrench]

I think there are fewer fish than years past, but are there fewer people fishing? Quite a few catch and release only, so the math isn't adding up. That would leave up the option on the browns taking a toll on the rainbows? Or what is happening.

I've suspected some "number fudging" going on for quite awhile, especially with what they claim to be stocking in the river. But even in the park if they stocked as many as they claim they do then there would almost be too many fish, in my opinion. You just don't see THAT MANY people carrying out stringers of fish. Some are being kept for sure...but not as many as they claim to be stocking.

In all fairness I'd say that only 1 in every 10 people you see fishing at Bennett (on a given day) will have a stringer dangling off of him. So if they estimate a sale of 100 tags, and stock 225 fish, but only 50 fish get taken, and this pattern continues.....then you'd have a rapidly increasing density of fish in the stream. I may be totally full of crap, but this is what I see and percieve.