The Busch Went Down To Bennett (Part 1 of 2)

So the OFG (Original Fly Guy) sent me an email that he and his KC cohorts were heading down to Bennett Springs on the weekend of October 7th-9th. Bennett’s another place that is very special to me- the first time i fished there was back when I was a wee lad of three. I also learned that wet rocks are slippery and opened a 3 inch gash on my foot as I walking along the shore on the upstream side of the bridge. Scars, yea I got scars. The most ridiculous thing about Bennett Springs is that you can gander at any stretch of water and see possibly hundreds of fish just hanging out in the water. When you try to hook them with tiny jigs on pole and line, it’s not as easy as it would appear to be. My three year old mind could not wrap itself around the idea that just netting the fish wasn’t much more effective. Let’s be honest here, my 37 year old mind cannot wrap itself around this concept either. (Editor’s Note: Do not net game fish, it's illegal and you can get in trouble. I can also assure you that saying Busch kinda said it was ok to a MoCon agent will probably only get you in more trouble).

As the OFG pointed out in part 1 of his post (check it out here), Bennett is more of a trout farm and provides the Trout Fishing Experience. Kind of like the Westworld of the Trout Fishing World. Also, I am all in on TroutWorld.

We aren’t talking wild trout in a glorious mountain stream.

However, this doesn’t mean that fishing can’t be tough there. In fact, many times it’s very frustrating. Typical trout behavior compels them to swim many feet toward your lure, look at it longingly even lovingly, then swim away as if your lure carries the Bubonic Plague. You get to see the entire process play out as trout waters are always exceptionally clear. I’m not sure there’s anything more frustrating in life than this exact scenario. It’s happened to me  hundreds, if not thousands, of times. There’s days it’ll make you want to tear your hair out. I can assure you I have the hairline to prove this theory.

Trouts are kind of jerks is what I’m saying.

So I got the OFG’s email that not only were we going to fish, but  would also meet with the Redington street team. Or even better, the Redington Stream Team. Redington - you can use that, but I am going to need at least a shiny new rod and reel as fair compensation. Well, a used one will do. Ok, I’ll take some stickers. I’m terrible at negotiating (by the way, Redington makes some quality products and have some great people working for them. Recommend.)

I was initially excited and hoped I could  juggle my schedule enough to make it down that weekend. My hopes of a full weekend were dashed like my 3 year old foot on the rocks of Bennett Springs. That Sunday was my wife’s birthday. So, I emailed my wife and said that I would like to go, no big deal if it was a “no”, but I could head down early Saturday morning and be back home on Saturday night. Played it super cool, by the way. At first, she agreed, but with the caveat that she was now expecting a reallllllllly nice birthday present. Well, as a personal policy, I do not negotiate with terrorists, so I explained that I would be back before Sunday. And, by god, we follow the lunar calendar, so if you are going to pull this “birthday week” stuff, said birthday week starts on the Sunday of your actual birth date, not the Sunday prior or on some kind of rolling schedule of 7 days. Maybe I’m getting better at negotiation.

Needless to say, I’ll pay for this in the long run. But as an American, I believe getting what I want in the short term far outweighs any long term, negative consequences. I am pretty sure that’s in the Gettysburg Address or something. So I had the green light and it meant that I was waking up at 4 am, hitting the road by 5 am, fishing for ten hours, and driving back in the dark. Not to mention my truck has nearly 210,000 miles and she hasn’t been out on a long trip in some time. Just add army of undead to the list of challenges and we got ourselves summer blockbuster on our hands.

This trip was literally supposed to start at QuikTrip. I had the title before the story because I liked the device of this being an actual quick trip that started at QuikTrip. So I was going to wax poetic about QuikTrip, the greatest of all convenience stores (This is a hill I will die on, by the way). The morning did not quite go the way I wanted, so QuikTrip was skipped and replaced with a Mobil on the Run, which is fine, but I’m still going to talk about QuikTrip.

I’ve always thought QuikTrip is a lot like Missouri; it's got everything I need and nothing I don’t. One time, I ate all three meals at QuikTrip when my wife and daughter were out of town and briefly lamented why I chose the family life over being a bachelor. QuikTrip provides what i need is what I’m saying. In fact, I recommend getting yourself a 64 oz fountain drink (minimum 12 of those ounces being cherry mixer), a take and bake pizza, some sunflower seeds and sour patch kids and just go where the road takes you. (Obviously a take and bake pizza is less than ideal for a road trip - I know this and you know this. I stand by this comment as I am committed to my other personal policy of bad decision making. So, if you’re scoring at home, the personal policy count is 1. Do not negotiate with Terrorists, 2. Bad decision making. Also, insert your own political party, election debate, etc. joke here).

Ok, so do you think I set an alarm on Friday night for 4 am? Of course not. I have this weird habit (?) of being wide awake right up until the point I am fast asleep. It’s literally like someone flips a switch. This has happened for awhile, so I should be able to plan around it, but I don’t. Might not be a bad idea to check into narcolepsy either. Anyway, by some miracle, I woke up at 3:15 am, which was actually earlier than planned. Of course, that miracle is my dog, who is a magnificent and effective alarm clock. When I sleep on the couch, she wakes me up by choking me with her head on my neck until I wake up. It was kind of scary at first, but now that I’m  somewhat used to it, waking up while gasping for breath is a heck of a wake up call - better than percolated RedBull. So I was pretty much ready to go. Except I had already planned on leaving at 4:30 and when plans are made I stick to them. So I had time to load up, drink coffee and  watch some TV without any distractions. With a child, TV without distractions is kind of a holy grail, so I took advantage. Too much advantage as it were and I didn’t get driving until about 4:45. So up earlier and out the door later sounds about right. Got a few miles on the truck and stopped for gas and fluid check. The old girl leaks a little (Drips Oil on Driveways, Garages, Everywhere- Can you guess the make?).

Now for the tough part, i have no idea if the old girl has a two hour trip in her, so I found myself patting her on the steering wheel every so often saying things like “you’re doing great, girl”, “that’s it, keep it going just like this”, and “stay strong through here”, et cetera.I’m not sure what this says about my psyche, but I talk to my dog like this too.

As I was headed down highway 44, I passed through Cuba, MO. The thought occurred to me that it would be hilarious to buy some Swisher Sweets in Cuba and give them  to somebody as a gift. (Especially one of those somebodies who always has the next best thing, which is always so much better than the thing you have. You know the type). Telling that recipient these are real Cuban cigars. This would not be a lie and I would find it hilarious. To be fair I would probably die laughing if somebody pulled this on me. Of coure, thsat led to a great road trip idea - going to all the towns in Missouri named for other cities and buying the signature item - Cigars in Cuba, Tequilla and Enchiladas from Mexico, all the latest fashions from Paris, MO:

This could be done across the entire US - start here: http://mentalfloss.com/article/50967/20-towns-named-other-towns-pronounced-differently

So I arrived at Bennett Springs State Park, bought my tag and started to rig up my flyrod. As I have mentioned, I make non-optimal decisions almost constantly-pretty much like its my job. Not only had it been 3 years and change since I last fly fished, but I also decided today was the day to try out a new fly rod and an old reel. Sadly, I have no idea when or why I even made this decision and there were several opportunities to change plans. But this was the plan and I was sticking to it. So of course I rigged up the new rod. Why wouldn’t I? Threw on my vest and started to put on my waders. I could tell I was out of practice, because the waders go on first. Started over as I dug into the depths of my memory on how to tie a nail knot. Tied something that resembled a nail knot which seemed to hold and rigged the rest up with an official OFG white floss jig. A note on waders: if you are tall, buy waders that are made for a tall person. Rubber pants that don’t fit are really uncomfortable in all the wrong places.

Alright, ready to go find the OFG and his backup singers, Pat and the fly fishing phenom, Austin. I found them alright and let’s just say there are at least two sides to every story along with many tales on the naked stream, this is just one of them.

Ol' Buschy Tales

So there's a new page here on The Fly Guy and it is completely dedicated to our guest contributor, Busch.  It is titled "Ol' Buschy Tales" because amBUSCHed was just too easy...and a little confusing.  I mean you weren't going to literally get ambushed and we didn't want to scare away our all-important viewers.  Anyway, last we heard from good old Busch, he was writing about his complex relationship with Lake Taneycomo and how he helped his daughter pave her way to novice trout fishing status.  Well, the wild man from the east side of the state is getting his old posts archived and his posts get a place to call home.  I will still post his new tales on the main page of the blog, but will included them on this page as well.  There was a pretty good response to his writing and I wanted people to be able to access his posts easily without having to dig through old posts.  Enjoy and as always, comments are greatly appreciated.  This site is nothing without its viewers and if there is something that we can do more or less of to make this a fun and at times informational experience, then just let us know.  Feel free to email me at showmeflyguy@gmail.com.

Busch our hero...or antihero...whatever, that's him.  An Adonis is his own right. and a model of manliness.  Just look how he adorns those fingerless gloves with no regard for how it might impact his macho persona.

I'm Not Trendy, But This Is Cool

I love my fishing hats in a very existential kind of way.  They are almost like fishing buddies in and of themselves.  The ones that make it to retirement now decorate parts of my basement and I am always on the lookout for the next hat that might connect me somehow to making lucky choices while on the water.  The next applicant for this coveted position might come from this site.

Homepage: https://www.fishonenergy.com/

Pick Your Patch Hat:
https://www.fishonenergy.com/collections/hats-pyp-pick-your-patch

I'm always a sucker for a deal and I am eyeing that cool Brown Trout screenprinted shirt.
Clearance:
https://www.fishonenergy.com/collections/sale-items

Thank You Gracious Benefactor

Last week I published a post requesting some donations for a middle school fly fishing club that I sponsor.  Specifically, I requested some 5 or 6 weight reels and some 8 weight fly line.  To my shock and amazement, I received two reels last weekend that will help replace the Martin reels that are getting medically discharged from service.  I'm not sure if the donor wants his name published or not, but I do know that he is a frequent reader and I just wanted to communicate my sincere thanks and appreciation.  Thanks buddy, and you're a heck of a good guy.  If there is anyone else that might be willing to part ways with some of the aforementioned equipment, I promise I will get it into the hands of some good kids that are just starting to love our fine sport.  Feel free to email me or contact me via Facebook.

Streamer Tying Contest

While I am about as average in my fly tying abilities as I am in my casting form, I'm still thinking about submitting an entry in this fly tying contest just to say I did it.  And for that matter, why wouldn't you throw your hat in the ring?  Somebody has to win!  In all seriousness though, this looks like a cool site with some other interesting things as well.  If you decide to submit an entry, PLEASE let me know either in the comments section below or on Facebook.  Good luck to all who enter and maybe there will be a future post about an entry I am mulling over.

Link: http://sheridanflyfishing.com/category/fsobh-degree/

Farming Fish

Austin (aka "The Phenom" according to Busch's video in a previous post) and I got to hit some farm ponds on Sunday afternoon.  We hooked a few, missed a few, and had a great time on a beautiful day.  Some of the ponds were more active than others but we still caught fish at all of them.  I caught all of my bass on Braves while Austin caught them on a variety of flies including a Double Deceiver or articulated, overgrown deceiver.  I don't think I have ever seen Austin get so excited about a fish before and he was almost giddy when he landed a bass on his first cast with the jointed fly.  We also caught some nice bluegill with a few going 9 inches.  It was a great day on the water and I am always grateful for time I get to spend with friends while doing what I love.

A More Humorous Video

Busch made a video with some of our pictures that we took down at Bennett a couple of weeks ago.  Good job buddy!  I think it is hilarious.  While fishing is serious business, we don't take ourselves very seriously.  If you want serious, watch the video from the previous post.

A Deep Video

If this doesn't give you chills or strike a nerve, maybe you have been away from fishing for too long.  If you get goosebumps or feel your eyes start to leak a little while watching this though, welcome to the club and know that there are others that feel just like you!

A Light in the Dark. from wesley johnson on Vimeo.

Fly Fishing Club Donations

For those of you that don't know, I sponsor a fly fishing club for middle school students.  I started the club about 4 years ago and have had the wonderful opportunity to share some amazing memories with some very special young people.  I do it because I love to see kids get excited about fishing and especially about fly fishing.  We learn to cast, how to tie flies, and go on about 6 small fishing trips per year.  The club started out as a group of 3 kids and has become a group of 15 anglers.  I have received some incredible donations from some extremely thoughtful people and this club wouldn't exist without those donations.  The club has lots of fly tying materials and fly tying work stations, as well as fly rods and reels.  I consider myself to be extremely fortunate and VERY blessed to share something that I love with young people that have a wealth of enthusiasm and excitement that restores my love for our fine sport.

However, I have a couple of problems.  Now I HATE to ask for handouts or donations, but if it means that I can keep kids fishing, then I will swallow my pride and make a request to keep kids fishing.

Problem #1- 5/6 Reels Needed
I had 18 Martin combos donated to me about 3 years ago by a generous benefactor.  You have probably seen the rods before as they are started rods and reels that are good for beginners.  Unfortunately, after 3 years of use and abuse by a bunch of newbie fishermen, they are starting to break down.  The buttons that engage the drag systems are starting to break.  The company does not send out replacement parts and the reels are past their warranty.  I am in desperate need of some 5/6 reels to replace reels that have broken down and to replace other reels that I have identified as being on their last legs.  Now I'm not asking for a set of new Redington Behemoths by any means, but if you have a reel that you don't use and is still serviceable, I would gladly take it off your hands and put it to work.  Please email me at showmeflyguy@gmail.com and we can work out a way for me to pick it up or to have you mail it to me.  I promise that all donations will be used by the members of the club and I swear that this is not a scam or hoax.  I'm not looking to amass some fly reel collection or looking to benefit by deceiving you!  Also, if you are wanting to donate, and need proof of the club's existence, I  can do that but would rather not post that on my blog since kids are involved.

Problem #2- 8 Weight Fly Lines Needed
I have had the fortune to be the benefactor of 6 Eagle Claw fiberglass rods that are 8 weights and have corresponding reels.  These are great rods for throwing big streamers at big fish and I plan to take some students out this spring to fish for wipers that move into the shallows to feed on shad.  Two of these rods have backing and line on them while the other four are missing both. Now I think I can get my hands on some backing, but the cost of the fly line for all the reels is pretty big.  Again, I don't need some high end Rio line or anything like that, just some serviceable line that I can put on a rod that doesn't bind up or get kinks in the water.  Used line is a heck of a lot better than no line at all!

In terms of priorities, we need the reels more than the line.  I am planning a trip this winter to fish for trout that are stocked in area lakes around Kansas City, Missouri, and I know some reels will need to be replaced before then.  The line really only has one application this spring so it would rank lower in terms of priority.

Regardless of whether you donate or not, thank you for taking the time to visit this site.  Seeing all the views and hearing positive feedback means a lot to me and makes me happier than I can put into words.  So from the bottom of my heart, thanks for visiting and I hope to hear from you or even better, see you on the water!

So Four Guys Are Sitting In A Boat

Sounds like the start of a joke doesn't it?  I'm sure it could be but a friend of mine (Busch) got me thinking.  After the "Fishing With Jesus" post, he commented about who else might be in the boat with Jesus and I.  Like most people, my first thoughts go to grandparents that have passed away, or my dad that got me started fishing, or good friends that I get to fish with now.  I am sure we all have sweet stories about loved ones and how spending time on the water with friends and family members has created memories that will stay with us throughout our lifetimes.  That's all well and good, but let's look at this from another angle shall we?  Let's have some fun with this!  Life (at least my life) has become WAY too serious for my taste lately so let's shake things up a bit and let's hear from you on Facebook or in the comments below.  If you were fishing with three other guys, who would they be and why?  Famous folks, celebrities, characters from movies, historical figures...whatever!  Let's pick them and justify our picks.  Here's my picks.  Consider it a Fishing Trip Draft!

#1 Overall Selection
With the number one overall selection in the 2016 Fantasy Fly Fishing Trip Draft, I select, Ricky Bobby from Talladega Nights.
Analysis:
Every trip needs "That Guy".  You know, the guy that makes fun of everything, doesn't catch much, and always keeps the mood light and breezy.  Nobody wants to fish with other guys that are always "dialed in" and "razor focused" all the time.  Fishing is supposed to be fun, and I'm not going to lie, Ricky Bobby has a direct line to my funny bone.




#2 Overall Selection
Captain Quint from Jaws
Analysis: 
By now, most frequent readers are familiar with my Jaws obsession/affinity.  A trip needs the guy that is seasoned, salty, and maybe a little crazy.  If the Ricky Bobby selection is like a yin, then this is the necessary yang.  I bet he could handle the boat just fine on a fast moving Taneycomo and has shown his ability to find the big fish but the pick would be a waste if he got eaten at the end of the trip by a crazy brown trout or something.

Mr. Irrelevant: 

And with the final pick in the 2016 Make-Believe Fantasy Fishing Trip Draft, I select Everett McGill from O Brother Where Art Thou?
Analysis: 
#3 in the draft, but #1 in my heart.  Alright, not really.  #1 is #1 in my heart, but this guy still plays a major role...just a #3 kind of role, that's all.  Anyway, with Ricky Bobby, Captain Quint, and myself in the boat, we are going to get into some sort of trouble along the way.  For that reason, we are going to need a talker and a fixer.  He could get Ricky out of a speeding ticket, talk Captain Quint down from harpooning stocker rainbows, and help me to figure out women.  Just see the clip below.

Alternates in case someone gets sick or someone's wife won't let him go.
Darth Vader- it would be funny to see him get mad when he misses a fish, but he might sink the boat by using The Force in the process.
Samuel L. Jackson- dude makes me laugh, that's all.
Hulk Hogan (the persona, not the guy that protrays the Hulkster)- I would have to count how many times he said "Brother" over the course of the day.  I'm not kidding.  I would count.  I bet the number would surprise us all.
Michael Jordan- I bet he has never fly fished before (doesn't seem the outdoors type) and I could say that I beat one of the greatest athletes of all time at something.

You Can Now Follow The Incoherent Ramblings of This Site on Social Media

That's right, you can find all of the nonsense that this site has to offer along with the occasional important information on Twitter and Instagram.  Busch (social media director and website contributor) finally got me talked into getting on social media and I have to admit, it has been a lot of fun so far.  We are still learning how to use these programs that middle schoolers have mastered long ago, so bear with us but we are trying to post often.  Watch your spelling on the accounts though.  Busch felt he had done enough to change the "Fly Guy" brand to the "Fly Guys" moniker, but whatever.  The more the merrier!

Follow us on Instagram: @showmeflyguys

 Follow us on Twitter: @showmeflyguys

The BEST Bennett Trip Ever (Part 4). The Final Chapter!

Saturday night, after dinner with the guys, I slept.  I slept deep, I barely moved during the night, and slept as if I had been in the outdoors all day doing something that I loved.  Now in my usual day to day grind that is family, work, and responsibilities, the sound of an alarm clock brings on emotions of anger, sadness, and something that is a combination of the two.  However, on this particular day, it was remarkably easy to get out of bed with enthusiasm and vigor.  While Busch had to go home Saturday night, Austin, Pat, and I started preparing to head to the stream like it was something that we had done for five consecutive days.  We rocked out to some Def Leppard "Rock of Ages" on the way and were reminded that Austin is REALLY young.  Here are the boys for your listening pleasure including a one armed drummer.  That never ceases to amaze me!  A ONE ARMED DRUMMER!

I agree with Joe Elliot that it is indeed better to burn out than fade away, but there would be no burning out today my friends.  We approached day 2 with the same tenacity of day 1.  We were in the water about ten minutes before the horn sounded and were ready to fish.  At one point we started to think that the horn-blowing-fish-starter guy had slept in, but when the horn DID go off, Austin had a fish on before the sound dispersed...again.  Pat quickly hooked up as well and we were awfully close to having a triple but Austin lands his fish too fast.  Darn him and his trout stream ethics.  A little joint stiffness and muscle fatigue would do that kid some good.

At some point in the morning, Pat landed a REALLY nice 15-16 inch rainbow that he was pretty proud of and should have been.  I say he was proud of it but it wasn't in a "Hey guys, look at me" kind of way.  It was the smile on his face and the way he said, "Yeah, that was a pretty good one."  That's about all of the bragging that you will ever get out of Pat.

Anywho, fishing was good and our spirits were soaring.  Austin caught a nice 15-16 inch rainbow and I caught a few pretty fish as well.  I was particularly impressed by this pretty male that had the cool kype and spts on almost every inch of him.  Austin snapped a good picture that resembled a picture of that I took of one of his fish yesterday.  We called his picture Troutasaurus so I guess mine was Troutasaurs II.  What a cool looking fish!  The genetic variations on trout always amaze me and I never get tired of seeing all of the colors, spots, and combinations of the two along with differences in body types between males and females.

With all of that being said about Rainbows (and I mean every word), I still prefer catching browns to rainbows.  I always have, and always will.  There are so many reasons why browns are, in my opinion, the prettiest freshwater fish on the planet.  The dark backs, the butterscotch bellies, and dark spots that only make the red spots pop even more, and don't get me started on the white halos around the spots.  Browns got it all in terms of outer beauty, but there is an inner mystique about them as well.  While brook trout can rival their color, the attitude, aloofness, and aggression of browns put them on a whole different level.  I think a lot of my respect for this species is that they are much rarer on the streams and parks that I fish and I have yet to catch a brown that is 20 inches or better.  Also, in my first 12 or so years of fishing at Bennett, I think I caught one brown.  In the last 12 months however, I bet I am nearing 20 browns in the park and just outside the park on the Niangua.  Almost all of these have been hooked below the spillway, but on this second magical morning, I was able to land a rare (for me) brown above the spillway.  Again, it wasn't a monster but sure didn't care.  It was my favorite fish, it put up a great fight, and it only added to the variety of the weekend.

Now you might be thinking, "Tyler, you can't have any more luck light that.  That's crazy!"  I would respond, "You can now."  Alright, I'm sorry.  That sounded boastful.  The truth is, I just wanted to work that phrase in so I could include this hilarious commercial.  My wife is about to pull her hair out because I keep quoting it so I had to find a new outlet for my obsession.  I'm sorry if you don't find it funny but I couldn't keep it inside any longer.

All joking aside, Lady Luck had a little something left for me and it came in a small piece of metal with an arbitrary number stamped on it.  That's right, I caught another tagged fish in pretty much the same place as I caught the first one.  And since karma was smiling on me, I decided to smile back and promised Austin that I would let him claim any prize that came along with it...but I wanted the tag back!  He got some sweet Rio 5 weight fly line and I DID get my tag back.  Oh yeah, oops.  Spoiler alert or something.  Did I do that right.  Oh well, to heck with it.  I never was any good at being trendy.

As I mentioned in a previous post, Pat, Austin, and I kept a few fish to give to some of my coworkers that like fish.  I think they're gross, but to each his own.  Anyway, sine the stormtrooper and bluegill pictures went so well with my son recently, I decided to bring along an evil, sadistic bounty hunter that has a cult following.  That's right, my son loaned me his Boba Fett action figure and these pictures turned out just as well as the last ones.  Boba Fett, you are a sick and twisted soul.  Also, if you choose to try this with you kids or just for fun, be prepared to get some weird looks from bystanders.

So we (Pat, Austin, Boba, and I) were cleaning some fish when I noticed a guy out of the corner of my eye that was just slaying the fish.  When what to my wandering eyes should appear, but a guy with a fly rod that looked a whole lot like Santa Claus.  He cast with precision and his hook sets were quick.  I knew in a moment that it must have been Saint Nick.  This guy not only looked the part, but acted the part too.  He posed for pictures, talked to anyone that walked by and even gave me a token to give to my son that said "naughty" on one side and "nice" on the other.  He said that the could could be left with the milk and cookies, and if the "nice" side was facing up, then presents would be left.  I shutter to think what happens with the naughty side.  I never did catch his real name, but he was a very sweet man and if I could thank him again, I gladly would.

We stopped fishing at about 10:30 so we could clean the fish, check out of the room at Sand Spring, and get to the raffle by noon.  Things went according to plan and we were headed back to the park when we saw some flashing lights near the park entrance.  We pulled up behind a park ranger that had his rear hatch opened.  We could see that he was returning from the car that was pulled over in front of him and he was carrying something.  As he loaded the olived colored Yeti cooler into his vehicle, we realized that someone must have been over their limit of fish and to add insult to injury, lost a $300 cooler in the process.  Ouch!

Finally, we arrived at the dining hall for the raffle and it was packed.  There was a table that was full of things from the park store like puzzles, shirts, blankets, and such but there were also ultra light spinning combos, fly line, vests, and even fly rods.  It became apparent that numbers were being pulled from a container and being read out loud along with the person's name that turned in the tag.  As I mentioned earlier, Austin won some fly line and my name didn't get called for a while.  I was starting to get concerned that I was going to end up with a Thomas Kinkead puzzle, but then my nerves were eased when my name was called and a few fly rods and fly lines were left on the table.  After a little debate, I decided on a 9 foot, 5 weight fly rod that said "J. Rogers Outfitters" on the side.  I almost went for some line but my oldest son does not have his first fly rod yet, and referencing the commercial from earlier "He does now!"  I am going to have Pat write on the side of the rod in a paint pen "Lucky" before I hand it over to him.  I figure it is only fitting with all of the events of the weekend and what had to transpire to get that rod.  I even got my tags back and didn't have to do something illegal to acquire them.  Even luckier.

As I said at the start of this incredibly long post, this was one of the most memorable trips to Bennett that I have ever had.  However, when you strip everything down to its core, it was fun because I was with friends, catching fish, and reconnecting with nature as well as my faith.  But that's what fishing is all about anyway isn't it?  It just so happened that I came home with some good pictures, a couple of small pieces of stamped metal, and a couple new fly rods to pass on to the next generation of fly fishermen.  I guess I kind of felt like this:

The BEST Bennett Trip Ever (Part 3 of 4)

Over?  Did you think this was over?  Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?  Heck no, and it's not over now.  That's an Animal House reference and yes, I know the Japanese bombed Peral Harbor...and now you do too!

The park was pretty crowded on this particular weekend and good fishing spots were at a premium.  You had to fish the spots that were open and in some cases, fish stretches of water that no one else was fishing with the hope that the spot might actually hold fish.  Sometimes it did and sometimes it didn't but you had to play the cards you were dealt.  By about noon, we were starting to get hungry and wanted to head over to the Redington event on the Niangua.

I had emailed the company to let them know that we would be attending the event and that I would be blogging about the experience.  I also informed them that I sponsor a fly fishing club that is made up of middle schoolers and that I would greatly appreciate ANYTHING that they could donate to the club and that I could pass along to the kids.  About 90 percent of my club members hadn't touched a fly rod until about 2 weeks ago and I was sure that they would be excited about something as simple as catalogs or stickers.  To my surprise, I got a response from a guy named Jay and he promised to bring some "swag" as he put it.  I told him how grateful I was for his efforts and was looking forward to seeing what "swag" looked like.

Link to Redington: http://www.redington.com/

We headed towards the Hidden Valley Outfitters Campground and quickly saw the canopy and signs for the event.  While the event was small and laid back, we quickly found Jay as well as some guys from Dally's Ozark Fly Fisher, some folks from Reading's Fly Shop, and Jeff Trigg from Ozark Sweetwater.  They were all great guys and I am seriously thinking about hooking up with Jeff or a guide from Dally's to go after some big browns on the White River in Arkansas.

Link to Reading's Fly Shop: http://readingsflyshop.com/
Link to Ozark Sweetwater: http://ozarksweetwater.com/
Link to Dally's Ozark Fly Fisher: https://theozarkflyfisher.com/

After some hot dogs, shooting the breeze, and checking out some cool gear, Austin and I started talking to Jay about some of the two-handed rods he had brought along.  He kindly offered to give us some lessons on spey casting and we were on the water in no time.  I got to try the new three weight trout rod and Austin got behind the bigger steelhead rod.  Jay was a great instructor and it was a lot of fun!  I can testify that it is a lot harder than it looks, but fun all the same.  I have always thought spey casting looked fun and easy and it turns out I was half right.  Austin on the other hand picked it up pretty quick because, well, that's what Austin does.  He even caught the attention of Charlie Reading (yes, THAT Charlie Reading) and Jeff Trigg.  I'm pretty sure I am going to read a book by Austin some day or hire him as a guide at some point in my life!

We were all getting a little itchy to get back to the park since there didn't seem to be a lot of fishy activity on the Niangua.  There was however the unfinished business of obtaining the donation that Jay had agreed to.  Now while I HATE to ask for handouts or free stuff, I am equally dedicated to getting cool stuff for my club members and fostering their love of the sport.  So ultimately I swallowed my pride and proposition Jay for some "swag".  He remembered and quickly gathered some materials for me.  While it could be in poor taste to list out what was donated, I will however note that Redington now has a customer for life with me.  The fact that they even replied to my request was kind enough, but the fact that they followed through on that donation in a very generous way has created a deep appreciation for the company and their products.  I am planning on having the club members express their thanks as well in a fitting way and I will freely sing Jay's and Redington's praises in an unabashed way.  While I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money, I AM going to tell you that I will be sending some of my own money their direction.  We also sent a "ShowMeFlyGuy" shirt Jay's way as a small token of our appreciation.  Since all four of us were wearing the same shirt on Saturday, I have no doubt that he understands what an up and coming fashion trend was bestowed upon him.  Anyway, back to the fishing.

Like three oversized dwarfs, we piled into the truck and headed back to the painstaking task of going back to the chore that was pulling trout out of the stream and then letting them go.  Fishing was a little slow but picked up as the sun sank lower in the sky.  Busch and I fished below the spillway, under the bridge, and into zone 2 between the arched bridge and whistle bridge.  Just as Pat and Austin were about ready to call it a day, Busch hooked into a really nice fish.  It made some nice runs and while Busch didn't whoop and holler, you could tell from his quiet intensity that he was pumped.  This was the biggest fish of the trip and probably went 16 inches.  It was a real beauty and I was happy for my friend.

As the evening wound down, a number of fish started to rise just below the spillway.  Busch and I caught a few fish on mini jigs under indicators and then picked up a few on dry flies.  While I broke off on my last fish, I was able to land a pretty little brown to cap off a perfect day.  Friends, fish, new friends, and a beautiful day!  What more could we ask for?