Catch and release program gaining popularity

Submitted photo Raelynn Kershner, Adrain, Mo., releasing a rainbow trout she hooked during the winter fishing at Bennett Springs.

Bennett Spring State Park's winter catch and release program is growing in popularity and with the spring-like weather over the last weekend, hundreds of anxious trout anglers were on hand to improve or maintain their fishing skills while waiting for the traditional March 1 start of the regular season in Missouri's trout parks.

At Bennett Spring-anglers may purchase trout permits at the park store. A campground is open with a shower house and several housing units are available. Roaring River park anglers may purchase trout permits at the hatchery office, a campground remains open, but the park store and restaurant remains closed during the catch and release season. At Montauk Park the motel and some cabins are open. The park store, restaurant and lodge remain open on Fridays through Sundays..

Robert Sikes, an employee at the Bennett Spring store, said, "The weekend is a little unusual for the winter season. We have a combination of lots of people and good weather. You don't see too many January days with 60 degree weather. In the winter we don't sell daily trout tags, so its hard to tell just how many anglers are in the park. The hours during the winter are from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Friday-Monday.

Submitted photo Dillion Oder, Clinton, brings in a rainbow trout during the catch and release winter fishing at Missouri trout parks. Oder said, " I have hooked a lot of fish today when the weather is better than many opening days at the aprk on March !."

The catch and release program ends on Feb. 8. The park store will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but closed on Mondays. There are a lot of trout being caught along with some smallmouth bass and goggle- eye (rock bass). People are catching fish and its nice to see so many kids out this weekend."

During the winter catch and release season, the only type of lures allowed are files. Anglers I visited, said they were having the best luck using black and yellow color combinations. With the crowds not around, unlike opening day at the park, regular park visitor Jim Newcomer, Springfield, said he has been fishing at Bennett Spring for more than 40 years. He likes the catch and release winter season, especially on warm days like last weekend. He said, " It's great to be catching trout in January with temperature near 60 degrees."

Jack and Kathy Williams from nearby Lebanon, drove over to Bennett Spring last Saturday and were surprised to see so many anglers. Williams said, " We thought because of the nice weather there might be more activity, but never expected to see fishermen lined up near the dam and while we watched, there were many trout hooked and the fishermen were happy. Fishing in the winter is just like any other time of the year. Some of the time you catch fish and other times you catch nothing."

Jim and Raelynn Kershner, Adrain, Mo, like to trout fish in western states where they might not see another angler on the stream. Jim said, " We have heard about the big crowds on opening day at Bennett so this March we plan on dropping down to see the activity. We are used to trout fishing with not another angler in sight." When asked how many fish he had hooked Saturday, he replied, " I never measure them, I never count them, I just catch and release. If you know how many you caught, you probably haven't caught very many." The Kershners were having a great day by enjoying the warm winter day and catching fish along with the many other anglers at the trout park.

Besides the winter trout fishing at Bennett, there are other things to enjoy during winter at the park. There are a lot of hiking trails around, ranging from one- fourth of a mile to seven and a half miles long. Also located around the park are playgrounds and picnic sites for rare winter days like last weekend.

Winter visitors to the park should bring their camera along. There are several bald eagles that may be seen near the hatchery where you might get some good shots of these big birds. With leaves off the trees, the landscape offers some good shots of other wildlife including deer and turkey. Jack Williams, Lebanon, said he likes to visit the park after a snowfall because the area looks like a postcard. He said, " I enjoy the park as much in the winter as I do any other season of the year." More and more trout anglers would agree.

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