Groundhogs Day C&R at Bennett Springs - 2018

[Johnsfolly]

I guess that I could have titled this post as OAF at BSSPP 2018 of Folly's Feb Fishing at Bennett's with Ham and BilletHead. The day started with 5:45 am groups texts from Flippin AR, Milo MO, and Columbia MO. Three anglers heading to Lebanon MO to try to catch some trout as well as anything that would bite. The first texts were notifications of guys leaving their homes, then a weather discussion like "11 degrees", "A balmy 9 in BilletHeadville", "It's downright balmy 14 here in Camdenton." "Heat Wave", "Is it going to make it up to freezing?", "Yep". I have a tendency of being a bit of a lead foot any time that I leave the house before dawn to go fishing. That is especially the case when I am meeting guys at a certain time who like myself are up before dawn. We originally were to meet at 8 am. Ham through that he could be there by 9:30. I had a long day on Thurs and thought may get there by 9 am. I was wrong. I got there right before the 8 am whistle. Figuring that I was early, I had some time to make a cast or two. I hooked and landed two rainbows on a 1/125 oz white grub microjig.

  

After the second fish, I headed to the store to meet Ham and Marty. Soon after I parked at the store, Ham pulled in next to me. The two trout shredded the chenille off on my microjig and I needed some replacements. Ham and I went in and looked over the baits and rods and we both picked up a few microjigs to use. As we were getting gear ready, the man from Milo pulled in to the parking lot. Little did Marty know that he brought a flyrod to a JIG Fight! We started above the plunge pool below the spring. Ham was fishing his Zig Jigs and I started with the white grub microjig. Marty was fishing a leech and hooked up first. Then Ham caught his first trout of the day. One of the amazing sights that occurred time and time again was when Ham would get bit on his white or the olive ginger jigs, the hooked fish would get mobbed by lots of other trout apparently to try to take the bait from the hooked fish's mouth. Marty came over and we all were catching trout.

The first to tire of rainbows was Ham and he started to target the lesser fish in the area, with attention paid to the hidden and then plentiful sculpin. Ham landed his first Ozark sculpin of the year (his tenth species for 2018), then another, and another. Some were males that began to show their breeding coloration, their blue-green face and chin.

 

Even Marty with his Y2K fly got into catching these microfish, his new lifer an Ozark sculpin.

Often he even had five or six sculpin after his baits at any one time. He caught one Ozark sculpin after another and he even found a large sculpin with a smaller one in its jaws. Ham switched from catching sculpin and rainbows. I had seen a large banded sculpin in the channel. but could get it hooked. Ham found one closer to the bank and tried to get it hooked, but could not get a hook set on the fish. I tried with a John Deere microjig and I didn't get the fish's attention but got surrounded by Ozarks. After catching a couple of them, I finally got the attention of the banded sculpin and got it to bite.

This fish clearly shows the coloration of a banded sculpin and the most important feature is that the lateral line extends all the way to the caudal fin (tail). Whereas this Ozark sculpin with a similar coloration has its lateral line ends in the middle dark stripe below the second dorsal fin just before the caudal fin. The picture makes the 1/125 oz jig look huge.

In order to try to catch a few more species, we headed downstream to a spot that I had caught a rock bass and some striped shiners on my last trip. There were also trout to be caught as well. Ham caught the first striped shiner.

When it came to catching trout, no need to hide the bank, since the spring branch was full of trout in every hole that we fished. Lots fell to the olive/ginger, white, olive/orange zig jigs as well as various microjigs, white, john deere, pink grubs, etc. Ham even made the statement that these Bennett Springs trout made the White River trout look educated! We caught lots of chunky trout.

Still had to protect the striped shiner hotspots (crouching Marty - Striped shiner)!

These holes held bleeding shiners as well that were susceptible to Marty's fly and our jigs.

Ham and I each caught northern rock bass and a hornyhead chub was fooled by one of Marty's flies. The early single digit temps may have dissuaded other fishermen. We didn't see more than a hand full of guys fishing all day. The temps rose and it was a pleasant day throughout.

I had caught seven different species in the spring branch and two others in the Niangua. Ham caught at least six species with three of those new on his 2018 species total. Marty caught at least five different species, including a new lifer. (they can correct those totals). It was a great multispecies trip with great friends from OAF.

 

[Ham]

It was a Great day of fishing and camaraderie. I mostly managed to keep it off my mind that This would be my last fishing trip with John for a while. Distance made it tough as it was, but Maryland is a long way for a day trip. 

We literally left spots when we got tired of catching fish there. Crazy but true.

I’m thrilled John caught that banded, but more than a little pissed I did not. It bit me twice, but I did not noticed my tiny little hook was all jacked up. Try try again I suppose. 

Marty is a force with his fly rod. Proud of him. He makes me want to use mine fly rods more, but the negative influence on me being able to catch fish discourages me. 

I am regretful that I did not take more pictures especially of John fishing or the classic stoic John with personal best fish. 

Loved the day. Thanks Felllas.

[BilletHead]

          Good times with good guys! Thanks for the invite men. Ready for more. Dang Folly did you have to move so far? 

BilletHead

[Johnsfolly]

It was a melancholy ride home. However, I was glad we got to spend the day fishing. I caught my 63rd species and enough fish to put me over 1000 total since March. I may have even cracked a smile on a few fish ! I got to see Marty get absolutely giddy catching those native sculpin and minnows ! Even chuckled a bit when Ham did not want to catch something as mundane as another rainbow trout for his 50th fish on the day, but ended up catching one just the same because they wouldn't stay off his jig! Though he did admit later in the day on the Niangua that he was also done catching bleeding shiners.

Hopefully we can get in one more trip before I am in Maryland permanently. If not I will have to see about scheduling a business trip back to Missouri around the time for Jigfest 2018!

 

[laker67]

Saw you guys on the creek friday. Unfortunately I didn't make the connection as to who. Sounds like a good time was had by all and friday was the least crowded day of the entire season. 

[Ham]

14 degrees at 8 AM has its benefits

[Johnsfolly]

2 hours ago, laker67 said:

Saw you guys on the creek friday. Unfortunately I didn't make the connection as to who. Sounds like a good time was had by all and friday was the least crowded day of the entire season. 

Laker67 - where were you fishing? Did we bump into at all? How did you do?

[laker67]

I fished from the bridge to the outlet in the afternoon. Unlike you brave souls, I waited until noon to show up. I recall seeing Marty from the photo. He was just below the outlet later in the day. What kind of hat did you have on John? I was wearing the blue and white sun mask. 

[BilletHead]

4 minutes ago, laker67 said:

I fished from the bridge to the outlet in the afternoon. Unlike you brave souls, I waited until noon to show up. I recall seeing Marty from the photo. He was just below the outlet later in the day. What kind of hat did you have on John? I was wearing the blue and white sun mask. 

         Sorry we missed you Laker67,

  Would of been nice to meet you. We were definitely the most noisy ones on the creek. Laughing and carrying on. What few people we seen were pretty quiet. You all were probably saying to yourselves this is why we avoid the park during the summer. Crazy people ,

   BilletHead

[laker67]

26 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

         Sorry we missed you Laker67,

  Would of been nice to meet you. We were definitely the most noisy ones on the creek. Laughing and carrying on. What few people we seen were pretty quiet. You all were probably saying to yourselves this is why we avoid the park during the summer. Crazy people ,

   BilletHead

Catching fish and having a good time. I wish more had that attitude. It would have been a pleasure to shake hands with you all.