Fishing Report-Bennett Springs

[damselfly]

well, i fished bennett today with a friend since our club trip to the arkansas river was postponed due to all the rain....

the water level was up at bennett, more than i've seen it in a long time. fished all in zone 1 and caught fish on cream jigs (i'm not a purist, i'll catch 'em anyway that's possible) zebra midges (primrose and pearl and a light olive size 18's). went to the spring and used a #14 flourescent green crackleback and a #8 renegade and had a blast! fished em on top ~~ everyone else there was nymphing and they kept coming up to the dries....... ya gotta love it.

[brittsnbirds]

damselfly-

Were you using a crackle with grizzly or other color hackle? Did you mean a size 8 renegade? That's huge.

[Greg]

Sounds like you had a nice day. I almost drove up to Bennett yesterday but decided against it. Thanks for the report.

Greg

[gonefishin]

I tried mu luck spin fishing at Bennett Saturday afternoon. I am not as good as most fishermen. I was there 5 hours and only caught 8 fish; 5 bows, 2 brownies and one small jaw. From reading this forum I realize I should have caught somwhere between 50 and 300 fish in 5 hours. I reckon I just aint a very good fisherman.

Average size of the trout seemed to be a little larger than last year and it seemed there were more than the normal amount small browns being caught, didnt see any big ones. The Small Mouth I caught weighed about 3.5 lbs. I didnt think to take any pics of him. First time I ever caught one of those at Bennett. I am not sure what he had been eating but he was chunky enough for me to know he hadn't missed many meals.

The fish were biting on just about everything as long as it was John Deere Green, White or Olive colored jigs. Micros were out producing standard jigs.

My shoulders have really been bothering me so I didn't fly fish this trip so I am not sure what the fly fishermen were using.

One of the funny things I have noticed about Bennett is that there appears to be some friction between fly fishermen and spin fishermen. When I go there with my fly rod I am treated quiet respectfully by the fly fishermen but when I am spin fishing they (fly fishermen) tend to act like I am a second rate fisherman and at times can be down right rude. This last trip I was sitting on one of the handicap jetties and had a group of 5 fly fishermen wade right out in front of me and eventually completely blocked my fishing lane. I started casting in another direction but within about 30 minutes there were more than ten of them grouped up right in front of me. They appeared to care less that they had molested my fishing and were totally blocking any access I had to the river. I guess it takes all kinds to make the world go around. Anyway determined not to let the jerks ruin my afternoon, I the handicapped fisherman, got up and moved to another location.

All in all I had a great afternoon at Bennett. The Smallie I caught there was a bonus for the day.

[jjtroutbum]

Sorry to read about those fellas gonefishin,

Just glad you as I do not bother messing with less than desirable fishing company. There are thous that don't get the park fishing experience is also about manners and common courtesy than just catching.

In fact I have found my self spending more time sharing information, flies, and just in general enjoying the company of those that are as welcoming as I am weather they are using a spinning outfit or fly rod.

This is a far cry from the moments that not all that long ago I would have scolded a sport that decide to walk in on my drift or the fish I have put down and am now resting so that I may have another chance at it.

Now its about the experience and not letting the masses get to me in fact its more about the camaraderie. As over the last few years I have met many nice people some that recall fishing next to me seasons prior only to invite me to there camps and or coolers for a bite to eat or a cold drink. Some people never get it others are solely seeking solitude not that there isn't times that we all like to fish alone. Its just that the parks really aren't the place to hope to find much of it.

So like you say I'll also be "determined not to let the jerks ruin my afternoon." And I find it a good part of the park fishing experience to help make someone else's as good as mine.

P.S. Nice smallie I have caught a few and have seen a few that were big but never hooked one like that a Bennett.

JJ

[troutchaser]

This is exactly the reason I don't care for fishing the parks. I've had waaaay too many negative experiences to make it enjoyable. I have a friend with whom I fish Tanycomo, and he says he can spot the fishermen from Bennett Spring immediately. The telltale signs, in his book, are carelessness, improper landing and release of fish, and inconsiderate behavior toward other fishermen. It's sad that a stereotype like this has developed, since there are good people who fish at the parks, but it hasn't come about without merit.

Gonefishin', I wouldn't be hesitant at all to speak out when people are inconsiderate enough to block the handicap jetties. It's there for your use, you've helped pay for it, and they have the entire zone to choose from, so they should feel obliged to move.

Thus endeth the sermon. Amen.

[brittsnbirds]

gonefishin-

I have felt your pain. When I was a kid my dad took me to BSP. I didn't have waders just my trusty ultra-lite. I would wade as deep as I could stand (lower unit). But inevitably a flyfisherman would step in front of me or move in and crack me with his backcast. I've seen my dad display some of his Irish temper. Today I seldom spin fish. However I am always aware of my surroundings. I have seen a change for the better but as you have mentioned there are some "hole hogs" that don't give a rats a#$. Like troutbum said it's not worth it. I just move. One complaint that I have is people not paying attention to my backcast. There have been times where I am working a hole and someone, usually a spin fisherman walks right up behind me and starts fishing. At that point I don't want to loose my fly to his head. I usually turn around and (as nice as I can) let him know that he is about to get snagged. Usually that will do it.

Over the past few years I have made numerous friends on the stream and have educated myself from the contacts. Hopefully the times will continue to change and the rude ones will get leaky waders!

[damselfly]

brittsnbirds--- the crackleback was a grizzly one & had a small head of fluorescent red on it. and yes, the renegade was a #8. the story on that one is, that same friend & i were fishing there last year i believe and watched this older man, walk down from the spring, casting to the opposite bank in between a few of us and catching fish after fish. there were only about three of us in that 'line' and she & I were two of them. he stopped and struck up a conversation with her and gave her 3 of the flies he was using....#8 renegades...well she shared with me and a little later that afternoon we went to the spring and tore 'em up-- had a blast. we saw him the next day and found out he is an orvis rep from KC and fishes at bennett occasionally with some other friends. there is a fly shop in independence that ties the flies for him. --I think it's the Rainbow Fly Shop. something about the hook, he couldn't get anywhere so he has this lady tie those for him.....but said he uses that fly all the time @bennett successfully.

i know there are a lot of people who don't like to fish @ bennett, but you know, when you just HAVE to fish and you KNOW they are running water on taney -- what do you do??????? you go to bennett or you wait till the water warms up and then get the kayak out! i think bennett can be as good or as bad as ones expectations for the fishing experience are. if you expect to have some pristine experience - forget it....you'll be disappointed...however, if you go hoping to catch some fish and realize that you may run into someone who doesn't meet your expectations of what a fly fisherman should be, then you might have a good day depending on your level of tolerance. people are people no matter what the pursuit~~~~ take driving for example......i have much more tolerance for fisherman that don't do what i think they should do than i have for some idiot driver who thinks his car belongs in my trunk until he can speed up to pass me!!! he's usually the one i meet at the next light

[DeepDiver75]

I totally agree with the last comment. If you go to a trout park expecting serenity and solitude you're in for a big surprise, but there are times when the fishing bug bites and we hit the closest most convenient spot. I definitely prefer tailwater fishing if it weren't for the generation issue. I just want to know where all these people are fishing that say trout parks are too crowded. The last couple of trips that I've made to Taney or Norfolk dam to fish, it was all I could do to find a parking spot! Recently theres been a few times when I just had a seat at Taney and watched for a while because I didn't feel comfortable squeezing my way in with so many people fishing. I'm afraid that the only way to get away from crowded fishing conditions anymore is to pay for access to private water and my pocketbook won't allow that.

[gonefishin]

Just to clear up a point. I wasn't dissing on fly fishermen in general. I am a fly fisherman myself when when I am up to it. I was just commenting on the fact that there seems to be some animosity between fly fishermen and spin fishermen at Bennett. By and large I have met a lot of nice people, both fly and spin, fishermen at Bennett, Taney and Roaring River. The difference between the two seems to stand out most at Bennett is all.

Ohhh and yes, be it fly fishermen or spin fishermen it is not worth getting upset over the jerks out there no matter who they are. I fish to have a good time. If I want to fight I will go to a bar somewhere.