Bennett's 7/19/19

[Johnsfolly]

Been a long week of work on my last trip to Missouri. I made my flight arrangements on Friday to allow for a short side trip to Bennett's before heading back to Maryland. I made arrangements to meet a friend there at 8 am. Both he and I had about a 2 hour trip to get to the park. I drive a lot faster and got in early and picked up my daily permit and then went to Weaver's to pick up some replacement microjigs to use on this trip as well as elsewhere. Got back to the park and met up with my friend Marty and we got to fishing. It did not start off on fire. The creek was clear and a few fish were within our reach or our gear, my spinning rod and Marty's flyrod. After a few interested fish but no takers on microjigs, I got a small rainbow to bite on a 1/16 oz white/pink marabou jig. Good to get a fish on the board!

I didn't pack a net on this trip and that meant I did not want to handle these fish excessively and thus have few fish photos. We caught a few more fish, especially fishing the white/pink jig and Marty's megaworm. Looked like the fish wanted the scraps in the water and our baits got the fish excited. We both headed down towards the whistle bridge. Above the bridge we found another group of fish excited about the "gut" colored baits. We legally caught a couple, but we both foul hooked a few more. Marty began referring to any fish hooked in the anus was Folly hooked ! I could not help that the fish wanted to poop on my bait as I was setting the hook . Marty stuck to the upcreek side of the bridge and I fished the bridge. I had switched baits, back to the microjigs and no real interest. Wanting to catch fish I put on the trout candy, a yellow, pink and white globall. Each time that I would catch a fish the kids near me would cast into the spot that my fish vacated as I was reeling them in. I didn't get mad. This is a trout park and there were lots of fish in the creek. Eventually Marty met back up with me and we had a casual morning of trout park fishing.

We only fished for about 4 hours. The hot baits for me were the white/pink and white/salmon marabous jigs (7 trout) and the yellow. pink, and white globalls (11 trout). I caught a couple of other fish and even one on my silver microsnap bean crankbait . Marty took off heading west and I cleaned up and headed to the airport. It was a great time fishing and spending time with a friend, though a bit hot.

 

[JestersHK]

Glad you two got to sync up!  Haven't fished Bennett in a while and I hope to get back down there soon!

[Johnsfolly]

Definitely a good time... Once we started catching some fish. Only wish to have more time fishing with OAF friends and others. That includes you @JestersHK whenever you don't have a family event or a planned trip to Taney. 

[fishinwrench]

Disappointed that we didn't bump into you fellas 😕

Some old friends came down from my home town and we spent Friday on the river and Saturday in the park.  I stayed up til 2:am tying enough black foam beetles for all of us because I figured that would be the most fun in the park, but none of us could get a single fish to rise on a beetle.  Spent most of the day at the highbank hole away from the crowd and caught a piddly amount of dinks on nymphs, leeches, and scuds.  Didn't seem to be very many fish in that area on Saturday, but there wasn't any room for us to fish together anywhere else.

Didn't do very well at the river either, 3 ugly little beat up rainbows was all I could get stuck, and my buddies blanked.  

We didn't take any food Saturday and I was bummed that the Hillbilly burger and the restaurant in the park was both Closed for business, so all we could find to eat was Vienna sausages and chips from Fort Bennett. 😫  Also was pissed that a rather mildly jacked up 4x4 can't even get under the stupid "gate" at the wooden bridge.  I mean WTF?   

Did notice that the swimming pool was up and running though. 🙄

It all just makes me miss the BSSP of years ago. The "improvements" have not improved ANYTHING in my opinion.  Sad.

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Glad to see you guys met up.  Thanks for the report.   Miss ya Marty. 

[Johnsfolly]

18 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Disappointed that we didn't bump into you fellas 😕

Some old friends came down from my home town and we spent Friday on the river and Saturday in the park.  I stayed up til 2:am tying enough black foam beetles for all of us because I figured that would be the most fun in the park, but none of us could get a single fish to rise on a beetle. 

 

I don't think that Marty got any love on dry flies either. They didn't even seem to look up at all. Some of our caught fish wanted to chase. Others even dug into the bottom for those meat jigs and eggs. So some definitely wanted to eat.