Feature Story
Angling for Fun at Bennett Spring T
rout fishing fans across the Midwest know that March 1 is the opening day for the catch-and-keep season in Missouri's four trout parks, including Bennett Spring State Park. Hordes of anglers descend upon the parks to participate in the opening day ritual. But you don't have to be an angler to join in the fun. The dogwoods and redbuds are blooming and spring is luring you outdoors. Heed the call and head to Bennett Spring State Park for a getaway that will revitalize your winter-weary spirits. Called the "eye of the sacred one" by Native Americans, Bennett Spring is the fourth largest spring in Missouri, with an output of more than 100 million gallons of water a day. The spring branch flows through the park and into the Niangua River.
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
Fishing is the park's main attraction, partly because more than 320,000 pounds of rainbow trout are released at the park annually by the Missouri Department of Conservation, which operates a hatchery there. The stream is stocked daily during the season. Another reason fishing is so popular is thanks to Jim Rogers, the park concessionaire and a fly fishing expert. Rogers has a Master Certification in fly fishing instruction from Fly Fishers International (formerly Federation of Fly Fishers). He is the director of the Jim Rogers Fly Fishing School, which attracts anglers worldwide. Since 1975, "I've taught more than 4,000 people," he says.
