A Missouri ManCation

I finished up 2014 doing what I love to do…what I hope to be able to do for many years to come; fly fishing for trout and smallmouth … in Missouri.

The morning after Christmas found me, dad, Frank and Harrison (who had returned for a couple weeks from Arizona where he is now teaching special education) up early and on our way to Missouri, Bennett Spring, to fish the catch and release season. Catch and release at Missouri’s trout parks is open from Friday to Monday during the months of November to the end of February. The only exception is Meramec Spring in St. James as they are open for fishing all seven days.

We made it to Bennett by 11am CST and by 11:15am I was in my waders and walking the hundred yards to the spring. We would stay at one of the duplexes located just a pitching wedge away from the head of the spring (where it releases over 110 million gallons of cool clear, 56 degree water each day). The water flows about one mile northward towards the Niangua River which then continues to flow northward along its way.

I had my 6 weight Bankrobber fly rod with a Rio sink tip fly line and one of my own ‘trout-candy’ flies in crème color…a size 8, that proved to once again be the fly of choice on the trip. My first cast was quartering downstream; a few quick, erratic strips and I had hooked and landed my first rainbow of the trip.

As I have said before, catch and release is an awesome time because the crowds are greatly reduced and for the most part a person can go just about anywhere you would want to…casting, catching and walking from one great spot to another.

Saturday morning found me up early and on the go…it was a cool 20 degrees which left fog drifting upwards off the water. I hadn’t gone very far in zone one when I heard the ever familiar chirping of a Bald Eagle and looked up to see our nations symbol flying directly at me, just a few feet above the stream. Though I have seen this pair of beauties many times, it still doesn’t reduce the spiritual feeling you get seeing such a majestic bird so close!

Frank and Harrison weren’t too far behind and at one point we spent about an hour all within talking distance of each other; it was a special time to have a large section of water all to ourselves and to be doing so with a great friend and my son. I hadn’t seen Harrison since the first week in July as he stopped in and spent a day with me at Bennett…all while he was on his way, driving west to Phoenix to start his own teaching career. I know that days like this are numbered and with open water and receptive trout…it was an awesome day.

The highlight of our Sunday came at the end of the day when we all made it back to the duplex a few minutes ahead of closing hour (4pm), jumped into the Yukon and headed south to Springfield. Supper would be at the “Home of the throw-rolls” or Lamberts. If you haven’t ever eaten at a Lambert’s then you are missing out on both an awesome meal and a ‘cultural’ experience that is second to none. After a 50 minute wait we all made our way into the huge main dining area where we were treated with…you guessed it, a few throw-rolls. With a drizzle of honey over the top, well, let’s just say that it was as near perfection as I have had since way back when I used to come in cold and tired from hunting and grab a couple hot rolls that my mom had made and would be cooling on top of the oven.

We finished our night by stopping in at the Springfield Bass Pro Shop. While we have stopped there often, it is still quite a site to see the huge showroom with mounts of fish and various game animals. Dad and Harrison had quite a time checking out all the world record fish mounts that are located upstairs…they were especially impressed with the 11 pound smallmouth world record caught in Tennessee’s Dale Hollow Lake way back in 1955. Can you imagine a smallie in the double digit pound range?

Our final day, Monday, found us up early and on the road. We stopped in at Meramec Spring located in St. James, Missouri (exit 195 on I-44). Meramec is one of the four trout parks located within Missouri and while it isn’t the quality of Bennett, it was a nice change of pace. The morning temperature of 15 degrees had the stream steaming as well as the trees glistening with frozen fog. At times when the slightest wind would blow there would be a mist of ice particles that would fall and as it fell through the sun…it was an incredible sight. None of us knocked it out of the park while fishing but we did catch a few nice smallmouth and the scenery was exceptional. A high pressure area had moved in during the night and the trout were in quite a funk and wouldn’t chase or even look at any of our offerings.

After a couple hours fishing we once again loaded up the car and headed east, for home. We stopped in just west of St. Louis at a Culver’s for lunch…then a few more miles and we stopped in at Feather Craft, also in St. Louis. Feather Craft is where I get all my fly tying products and when I can, I stop in and shop for my future fly needs. To say that Frank and I were like kids in a candy shop…would be an understatement.

Our four days had gone by way too fast-seems like that is usually the case. What a way to re-charge and get ready for a new year. Friends, family and fish…oh, and all while Enjoying the Great Outdoors.