Never Been To Bennett Springs.

[jbtiwns30]

Please help me understand stuff. They were talking about 1500 anglers were at bennett just friday. Whats the big hype?! These are just rainbow trout right or is there brown trout too?? I really never trout fished down here in missouri, I was a guide for several years in minnesota but I never heard of numbers of anglers coming to fish one stream in one day. Plus these are stocked rainbow trout for crying out loud. I personally dont eat rainbows because once you have native browns and brookies you wont eat another rainbow, they do put up a nice fight. What are the sizes people are catching out there? One other thing, you pay to get your fishing license and trout stamp, is there another fee once you get to bennett springs?

[moguy1973]

Yep. The three state trout parks, Bennett, Montauk, and Roaring River, and the privately owned Meramec springs park all charge $3/day to fish. You don't need the $7 trout stamp to fish within the borders of these parks though, just the daily tag. A lot of people go just outside the parks with their trout stamp so they don't have to purchase a tag everyday and they still catch fish that have swam down stream.

And people that go to opening day/weekend to catch trout are lazy. They don't want to have to put up a fight to catch them since they are so easy to catch and there are so many that they stock.

[duckydoty]

Please help me understand stuff. They were talking about 1500 anglers were at bennett just friday. Whats the big hype?!

It is just a tradition that has been going on for many years in the state of Missouri. Opening day of catch and keep trout season. A chance to get out of the house, be with friends and family and be out side on the stream.

These are just rainbow trout right or is there brown trout too??

There are a few browns also, but they too are stocked.

I really never trout fished down here in missouri, I was a guide for several years in minnesota but I never heard of numbers of anglers coming to fish one stream in one day.

I am a guide in Western Alaska during the summers, so I do know and understand the difference between wild trout and a put and take fishery. Try to think of it as a Mardi Gras celebration. People will be dressed up in costumes, people will be drinking beer, and lots of people will be standing around the fire barrels having a good time.

Plus these are stocked rainbow trout for crying out loud. I personally dont eat rainbows because once you have native browns and brookies you wont eat another rainbow, they do put up a nice fight.

They are pretty much all stocked fish for a put and take fishery. I can't stand to eat them either. I've had too much wild Alaskan salmon of the the last few years and just cant seem to even think about putting some trout in my belly now.

What are the sizes people are catching out there?

Most are just stocker size in the 12-15 inch range, but on of the draws to Opening Day is that they do release some lunkers. A lunker in Missouri is any trout over 3 pounds. Some of these fish have been up to 18 pounds in the past.

One other thing, you pay to get your fishing license and trout stamp, is there another fee once you get to bennett springs?

In order to fish the trout parks during the regular catch and keep season you will need a Missouri State fishing license and a daily trout tag from the park you are fishing. During catch and release season all you need is the fishing license and a trout stamp.

[laker67]

 

Please help me understand stuff. They were talking about 1500 anglers were at bennett just friday. Whats the big hype?! These are just rainbow trout right or is there brown trout too?? I really never trout fished down here in missouri, I was a guide for several years in minnesota but I never heard of numbers of anglers coming to fish one stream in one day. Plus these are stocked rainbow trout for crying out loud. I personally dont eat rainbows because once you have native browns and brookies you wont eat another rainbow, they do put up a nice fight. What are the sizes people are catching out there? One other thing, you pay to get your fishing license and trout stamp, is there another fee once you get to bennett springs?

 

sure doesnt sound as if trout fishing in "missouri" is for you. too many people and they frown upon eating browns and brookies. opening day here is probably like "ice out" in minnesota, only warmer and you can see across the body of water you are fishing.

[jbtiwns30]

I wish one person would have the guts to come up to me and tell me what I can keep and not keep. As far as I see it, if its legal to keep and I chose to keep that fish nobody has the right to tell me or anybody that you shouldn't keep that fish. I would remind them that these are stocked trout that I am helping pay for with buying a fishing license and trout stamp and I have a right to that fish once I catch it. If I want to feed my family with good tasting trout I have the right to. If people have issues with other people catching browns or brookies I will tell them go find a stream that is only catch and release so you wouldn't get mad at others for keeping fish.

[Greasy B]

I've been a Missouri trout fisher for better part of a lifetime and I'm just as puzzled as jbtiwns30. If this is trout fishing I don't want any part of it. Fortunately jb we have a number of put grow and take fisheries. The Rivers are quite beautiful and if you go in really crummy weather somewhat deserted. A person can actually catch the occasional hold over that will give their wild cousins a run for the money in a beauty show.

[jbtiwns30]

You guys would make a stink in your pants if you saw the streams I fished daily up there. Your streams well I call them little rivers. These streams up north that I fished, well you could jump across most of them. Also you can catch huge trout. My biggest rainbow was 6 lbs, biggest brown was a bit over 7 lbs and brookie was almost 2 lbs, all were released because they were so big. I wish the streams were like that here but they are not. Thats why I am going away from trout fishing. It just bores me to much and its easy to catch the trout.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Don't miss the point. It's a tradition going way, and I mean way, back. If you think it's about fishing and keeping trout you have missed the point. Taneycomo hasn't always been a trout lake and it is by far the youngest of the trout destinations. There was a long time when you had to wait the winter before you could catch a trout in Missouri.

[ness]

I agree with duckydoty

[jbtiwns30]

Didn't miss any point. I totally understand tradition and its awsome. I just thought it was kinda odd hearing people stand just feet of each other lined up and down in a river trying to catch trout or any fish. Since someone said people frawn on keeping browns and brookies it kinda went away with the whole issue since nobody should have issues with what people keep when it is legal. The rivers or streams down here are pretty and just being outside around them are great way to spend a day outside.