Trout Talk April 2015

TALKTTRROOUUTT

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Opening Day 2015 page 3

Wildfl ower programpage 6

Midway Speedway page 7

APRIL APRIL 20152015

D I S C O V E R W H A T O V E R 1 M I L L I O N

P E O P L E H A V E A L R E A D Y F O U N D .

Bennett Spring State Park • 26248 Hwy 64A • For information or reservations: 417-532-4307 or 800-334-6946www.bennettspringstatepark.com • www.jimrogersflyschool.com

Bennett Spring State Park & Fly Fishing School

April 18th, May 16th, June 20th, July 18th, August 15th

“The Basics” Fly-Fishing Class

nglers from across the state and Midwest braved snow and ice-covered roads, 4 inches of snow and tempera-

tures below freezing for the annual pilgrimage to Bennett Spring State Park on March 1, but the turnout was much lower than expected.

About 9,000 rainbow trout were stocked in the waters of the park in anticipation of 3,000 anglers, but by 6:30 a.m., less than 800 had pur-chased trout tags.

Honorary Whistle blower Chet Snyder, along with a group of about seven fi sh-ing buddies, including his son Chuck, drove to Bennett from Grandview, Mo., just ahead of the winter weather that blanketed the area. Unfortunately, his longtime friend, Tom Harber, was un-

able to make trip. Harber was slated to close out Opening Day by fi ring off the closing siren.

Chuck Snyder, who spoke for his father due to a recent stroke, said noth-ing would have stopped the crew from coming to Bennett Spring on Opening Day.

“He had a grand mal seizure Tues-day, so we didn’t know if we were go-ing to make it, but we did,” the younger Snyder said. “Tried and true, he’s here.”

Chet Snyder has been coming to Opening Day for more than 60 years, and said he has seen worse weather than this year.

“It must have been back in the 1980s when everyone had 2 inches of snow on their hats,” Chuck Snyder said.

The group gets the same cabin at Bennett Spring State Park every year, and this Opening Day was no excep-tion.

“We’ve stayed in cabin 27 since it

was built,” Chuck Snyder said.When asked if he was nervous about

being the one to offi cially start the catch and keep season, Chet Snyder thought his appointed task would be pretty simple.

“I want it to be on time this year,” he

said. “I don’t want it to be late.” His fi shing companions, who were

on hand for the Opening Day fes-tivities, joked that when there were multiple dignitaries present for the opening siren, things always seemed to

THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK APRIL 2015 PAGE 3

Blast of winter weather keeps fi rst day numbers low

Opening Day

AStory, photos

by Julie Turner

Crawford◆

TROUT TALK

See ‘Opening Day’/ page 4

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PAGE 4 THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK APRIL 2015

run a little late. For the Snyder family, being at Ben-

nett Spring is a tradition, and having the family patriarch beckon in the season was a big honor, Chuck Snyder said. But for Chet, it was much more.

“It’s the tradition,” he said. Chuck Snyder actually nominated his

father for the honorary whistle blower honor and explained that his father’s past has many chapters that include Bennett Spring State Park, as well as a few scars.

“In 1938 or so, that cut was sewed up by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps),” Chuck said as he pointed to a scar on his father’s forehead. “He fell out of his chair, and if you think about it, back in the 1930s, tires (on cars) weren’t very wide, and Lebanon was like going to Nebraska, so they sewed him up.”

For the Snyder family, there is no place they would rather be on March 1 than Bennett Spring State Park. Three generations of the family were on hand for Opening Day.

“As a matter of fact, when I hire on to

a job, I just tell them not to ever expect me on March 1,” Chuck said.

He added that his father and their friends will travel to Bennett Spring during the spring and summer months to take in a little fi shing, but March 1 is

special.“It’s like the Super Bowl for us when

it comes to fi shing,” Chuck Snyder said. As the clock ticked down to 6:30 a.m.,

Chet and his crew checked their watch-es. They didn’t want him to be late.

Chet and Chuck Snyder were also carefully watching the time with an-ticipation, but it was perhaps trying to time when they would get to the stream themselves for some fi shing.

When asked if he planned to brave the snow, cold temperatures and wade into the waters of the spring, Chet Sny-der simply said, “Oh, yeah.”

His favorite spot? Zone 2 .“Straight down from cabin 27,”

Chuck Snyder said. As 6:30 a.m. approached, Bennett

Spring Hatchery Manager Mike Mitch-ell presented Chet Snyder with the traditional No. 00001 tag.

As the “offi cial clock” approached the start time, the countdown to another

season began.“Ten, nine, eight,...” began the count-

down. When the chant reached “one” an even bigger smile came across the face of Chet Snyder as he pushed the siren to start the 2015 season to a round of applause.

After a few handshakes and pats on the back, Chet Snyder and his delega-tion headed out for their favorite spot, hoping — like other anglers — to land their dream lunker.

As the lines and fi shing stories continued to be tossed outside, Mitchell said the weather kept many anglers at home, but the start of the season was again a success for everyone at the park, including those who were out at 3 a.m. or earlier clearing snow from roads and parking areas.

“The weather was calling for frozen precipitation and hazardous conditions, so that played a part in the number that was here,” he said. “I know the (Bennett Spring State Park) store had several can-cellations earlier this week. That’s part of it. It is March and you never know what kind of weather you are going to have.”

He added that fi shing should be “fun” all season at Bennett.

“We should have nice fi sh again this year and everything should go well,” Mitchell said.

Hatchery staff will stock the stream nightly until Oct. 30.

“People will have lots of good oppor-tunities to fi sh here at Bennett Spring,” he said.

Along the banks of Bennett Spring State Park, anglers were pulling in their catches. The sounds of laughter and splashing fi sh echoed around the park, as well as a few “I lost him” phrases.

Opening Day from page 3

Chet Snyder smiles as he sounds the Open-ing Day siren at Bennett Spring State Park on March 1.

See ‘New season’/ page 8

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When looking for a special place to visit during your trip to Bennett Spring, don’t overlook the Community of Leadmine! Just a short drive West from Bennett Spring on Highway 64 and a quick right on Highway T will lead you to a very warm, welcoming Mennonite Community that will make you feel as though you’ve stepped back in time. The area boasts a large number of merchants including a Dutch Market, country store, bakery and quilt shop among others. You won’t want to miss a homecooked meal from the restaurant during your visit for sure! Leadmine businesses are closed on Sundays, but open and ready for visitors all other days. This special community is bound to become a favorite stop during your trip to the area!

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From Trout Talk StaffFor those looking for a way to

catch a little spring fever, the Bennett Spring Nature Center will be holding a wild-fl ower walk on April 11.

The workshop will be conducted by park natural-ist Diane Tucker, and will feature “hands-on” ac-tivities, including searching for wildfl owers and learn-ing to identity different species.

The workshop will begin at 9:30 a.m. inside the park, at the Nature Center, located at 26250 Highway

64A, and is expected to end around 11:30 a.m.

For more information, contact the Nature Center at (417) 532-4338.

In other Nature Center activities:

■ The discov-ery room will be open from 1 to 3 p.m. on April 12.

■ Other regular programs are scheduled to begin April 9 and

will be posted on bulletin boards inside the park.

■ The nature center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Nature Center to offer wildfl ower program April 11

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Midway Speedway offers racing action every FridayFrom Trout Talk staff

A relaxing weekend at Bennett Spring doesn’t necessarily have to start out that way.

Located six miles east of Lebanon on Route B, Midway Speedway features a 3/8th-mile semi-banked oval that brings fans close to the racing action every Friday night.

The track has hosted many differ-ent touring groups, including Regional Late Model specials, Sprint Car events and other types of motorsports, as well as its regular schedule since opening full time in 2005.

The weekly racing events include Factory Stocks, two different types of Modifi ed classes, Pure Stocks and Wingless Sprints.

The Speedway has a seating capacity of 3,000 fans and features a VIP seating

tower section which can be rented on a race-by-race basis or for the season.

Midway opened under new manage-ment this year, and if all goes well, new ownership in the future.

Dan and Bonnie Osborn have signed an agreement with current owners Jack and Dana Jones to lease the facility this year and possibly next, but the Osborns intend to purchase Midway as soon as possible, they said.

“We have gone to the track a lot, and we have a grandson that races, so we’re there every weekend,” said Dan Os-born. “(The Joneses) mentioned to me one time they were burned out and just didn’t have time, so I said, ‘Well, let’s see if we can make a deal.’ So we have this year and next year, trying to get it going good again,” he said.

File photo

Competitors race around the oval dirt track at Midway Speedway.See ‘Midway’/ page 9

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While Bennett Spring State Park is a mecca of sorts for anglers looking to beat a little cabin fever, just as many spectators could be seen walking the banks, many of whom were snapping a few pictures to remember their trip.

One such person was David Merrell of Freeburg, Ill. While he enjoys fi shing at Bennett Spring, he was only a spec-tator on Opening Day.

“We just wanted to come see it,” he said. “We’ve got a place down here and we’ve been coming since 1989, some-thing like that. I like to fl y fi sh, and Opening Day isn’t the best time to do that.”

Merrell said Bennett Spring appeals to him because it is a quiet place to get away to. Getting away is exactly what brought him to the park on March 1.

“We were going to get snow at home, so we thought we’d come down here and sit by the fi replace and watch it snow,” he said, adding that he might fi sh a little later this week.

He added that he likes to fi sh during the winter catch and release and has done so in 15 degree below zero tem-peratures, so Opening Day’s weather was no big deal.

“If you’re going to do it, it doesn’t matter how cold it is,” he said.

For Kansas City, Mo. resident Marty Finley, Opening Day at Bennett Spring State Park is a bit of a homecoming.

His grandfather was among the CCC workers who helped build the facilities at the park, including the his-toric bridge that sits below the dam.

“My family lived here from 1932 to 1941 in the CCC camp,” he said. “In 1941, my dad’s 8th birthday, the whole Finley clan left, so I don’t have any family ties here, but I try to come down for Opening Day when I can.”

Finley wasn’t armed with a fi shing rod, but his enjoyment was simply standing on the bridge and watching the action. It also, he said, makes him feel a little closer to his family history.

“I like to stand on the bridge that my grandfather built,” he said. “I go to the old school and to the old home-stead. Nothing is left anymore, but I know where they are at and I just mill around… I never met my grandfather. He died in 1960 and I was born in 1961, so I never got to meet him, but there is a picture of my father when he was re-ally little. When he was like 70, he took another photo in the same area.”

Opening Day is actually the one day

a year he plans to come to the park. “Sometimes I can get away and ride

my motorcycle down, but most of the time it is just for Opening Day,” he said.

While Finley doesn’t have any fam-ily remaining in the Bennett area, he said he’s not surprised when he sees

people he knows on Opening Day.“I was in the dining lodge last night

and I saw my old school teacher, Mr. Bradley,” he said. “If you like to fi sh, this is the place to be. This is the Stur-gis of trout fi shing right here.”

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The Osborns are cleaning up and painting the facility, but the cold weather in the latter part of the winter hampered those efforts. “It’s going to be a continuing job to get everything the way we want it, to get everything painted and fixed up nice,” Dan Osborn said.

The Osborns’ goal is to make the track as family-friendly as possible. No alcohol is permitted, and those who engage in vulgar behavior or language will be asked to leave.

“We just want to make a good, nice facility where people can come and bring their families and not have to worry about anything,” Dan Osborn said. “We want a family at-mosphere, and we’re just doing the best we can to try to make a good facility.”

Besides sprucing up Midway, the Osborns are talking to potential sponsors and drivers to get the word out about the changes they hope to make. They’ve already significantly invested in the racetrack facility, and

they’re just beginning, they said.“We’re getting the word out that

the track’s being redone. We’re go-ing to have a lot of things for kids. I

think that’s really important to get the kids involved in things,” said Dan Osborn. Go-kart races and other events for younger racers are in the planning stages.

The Osborns also hope to open the facility for other attractions like truck and tractor pulls. Another idea is to stage music concerts there.

Another priority for the Osborns is having Midway Speedway con-tinue to be an active member of the community. They’re involved in con-tributing to various charities in the Lebanon area and plan to do more.

“One thing that really tugs on my heart is the wounded warriors and the soldiers that are coming back with PTSD. That’s really a big thing to me. We’re going to help those people out,” Dan Osborn said.

For information about ticket prices, discount passes and fam-ily passes, visit the track’s website at www.lebanonmidwayspeedway.com.

Midway from page 7

Trout Talk photo/Ken York

Dan and Bonnie Osborn pose for a photo at the Lebanon Daily Record offi ce. The Osborns have entered into a lease-purchase agreement for Midway Speedway east of Lebanon.

Art Gallery and Gifts

www.maccreedsgallery.comHwy. 64 near Bennett

Spring State Park417-588-7993

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1 Barclay Public Access

2 Bennett Spring Public Access

3 Ft. Niangua River Resort84 Cat Hollow Trail • 417-532-4377www.fortniangua.com

4 Moon Valley Public Access

5 Family Crossing Mobile Home VillageThe Bennett Room - A Place to Gather17698 Hwy. 64, Lebanon • 417-532-4550

6 Adventures Float Trips & Campground LLC1667 State Highway 643 1/2 miles West of Bennett Spring15 miles East of Highway 65417-588-RAFT (7238)www.mo-adventures.org

7 Weavers Tackle Store11388 Hwy 64417-532-4618

8 One-Eyed Willy’s & Pete’s Place372 Corkery Rd.417-993-BOAT (2628)www.oneeyedwillys.com

9 MacCreed’s Art GalleryFine Arts & GiftsHwy 64 East of Bennett417-588-7993Thurs.-Sat. • Sun. by Appt.www.maccreedsgallery.com

10 Wild Oaks Campground1818 Hwy 64417-588-1631wildoakscampground.com

11 Hillbilly Burgers-Bennett Spring Taxidermy25970 Hwy 64A • 417-588-9001

12 Bennett Spring Inn417-588-9110 800-is-troutwww.BennettSpringInn.com

13 Castaway Campground11525 MO-64417-766-3497

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Located 500 yards east of Bennett Spring State Park at Fishing Tales Campground11388 Highway 64, Lebanon, MO 65536

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Trout Talk April 2015