Bennett Springs by John Berry:
Our next outing will be at Bennett Springs State Park near Lebanon, Missouri. Bennett Springs is a legendary trout park in central Missouri just east of Springfield. We are scheduled for December 14, 2024. Bennett Springs is located at 26250 MO-64A in Lebanon. Missouri 65536. I did a MapQuest, and it is 136 miles from Cotter, a trip of two hours and thirty-nine minutes. At this time of year Bennett Springs is Catch and Release.
There are some nice facilities at the state park. It is located around a large natural spring. Significant improvements were made by the Civil Conservation Corps in the twenties to add a dam, several cabins, and other buildings. Since then, fourplexes and motel rooms have been added to offer visitors several different options for staying at the park. Some offer cooking facilities and allow dogs (for a small additional fee). You can also camp. There are restaurants nearby and there is also a nice fly shop a short drive away. You can reserve a room at (417) 532-4307. To fish you will be required to have a Missouri fishing license and a trout stamp. You can get a day license. These are available at the park store.
This is a great place to fish, particularly in the winter when it is not nearly as crowded. This is a beautiful place to fish. A natural spring fed creek enhanced by spectacular architecture that is almost a hundred years old. There is a nice stream with rainbows and browns. This place is a fly-fishing Mecca and deserves a place of honor on every fly fisher’s bucket list.
Remember that the wading boots with felt soles that many anglers (like me) wear here in Arkansas are illegal in Missouri due to didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and wear rubber soles. Studs are permitted. I keep a pair of rubber soled wading boots for use in Missouri, Montana and other states that have banned felt soles.
This outing is being led by Mike Enger (engermike@gmail.com), (910) 452-2162), co-chair of the outing committee. Mike is a fishing buddy and a near fanatical fly fisher and fly tyer. He is quite familiar with Bennett Springs and is the perfect guide for this outing.
John Berry is a retired fly-fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over forty years. John can be reached at berrybrothers@infodash.com.