Nobody Fishing?

[laker67]

Well Noluck, I wish you good luck at montauk. And I will have to agree with Jeff, if you want a great time and match your fighting skills against some lunker size rainbows, then Rockbridge is the place to be right now.

[Bob A]

In my initial post, I mentioned a percieved opinion of a decline in the quaility of fishing at Bennett, when actually, percieved is far too mild a term. There is no doubt the quality of fishing has taken a real nose dive since about 2004-2005, when some new managment took over. To me, anyone who has fished Bennett prior to this change in managemt must certainly also have noticed this. When I first started fly fishing at Bennett, I hardly had an idea of what I was doing and still managed to catch a good number of fish. As things stand today, I feel lucky to land 3 or 4 in a 3 hour period.

I feel the real problems at Bennett are not to be resolved anytime in the near future, and my net impression is that this is simply a management problem that has been there for at least the last since the change over, It if hasn't been addressed yet, it is not likely to be. Like all government run functions, things simply aren't going to change until some sort of crisis brings it to a head....and this, also is not likely to happen in my lifetime. In brief, we can complain all we want but if there is no one to listen, we may as well be blowing in the wind.

Ideally, I'd like to see some outside talent brought in to take a close look at the operation of the fishery..By that, I mean REAL talent, some some political appointee already beholden to the status quo. I've fished from New England to the Rockies and I know the talent is out there. The experiences speak for themselves. Bennett Spring still has all the potential to again be the jewell in the crown of the park system but it won't happen all by itself. Things just don't happen that way.

[Bob A]

In my initial post, I mentioned a percieved opinion of a decline in the quaility of fishing at Bennett, when actually, percieved is far too mild a term. There is no doubt the quality of fishing has taken a real nose dive since about 2004-2005, when some new managment took over. To me, anyone who has fished Bennett prior to this change in managemt must certainly also have noticed this. When I first started fly fishing at Bennett, I hardly had an idea of what I was doing and still managed to catch a good number of fish. As things stand today, I feel lucky to land 3 or 4 in a 3 hour period.

I feel the real problems at Bennett are not to be resolved anytime in the near future, and my net impression is that this is simply a management problem that has been there for at least the last since the change over, It if hasn't been addressed yet, it is not likely to be. Like all government run functions, things simply aren't going to change until some sort of crisis brings it to a head....and this, also is not likely to happen in my lifetime. In brief, we can complain all we want but if there is no one to listen, we may as well be blowing in the wind.

Ideally, I'd like to see some outside talent brought in to take a close look at the operation of the fishery..By that, I mean REAL talent, some some political appointee already beholden to the status quo. I've fished from New England to the Rockies and I know the talent is out there. The experiences speak for themselves. Bennett Spring still has all the potential to again be the jewell in the crown of the park system but it won't happen all by itself. Things just don't happen that way.

[fishinwrench]

Yeah. Outside talent ! Someone less stingy with the pellets.

Seriously though, Bob. All things considered how would a wise hatchery manager make better use of the upgraded hatchery operation?

[brittsnbirds]

Headed down in a few hours. At this point I don't care about "dinks" just want to have some fricking solitude and cold water on my legs!! Life has been hell this summer and getting away to BSSP or one of the others is what I need. It's fairly close and I know it pretty good. If I get a yank on the ole rod I'll be happy!!

Later