Welcome to the Ozark Fly Fishers

Founded 1971
A Missouri 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation

Bennet still a mystery . . .

As we published earlier, the Bennet Springs Construction is suspended. Here is the web address.

Https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/bennett-spring-fish-hatchery/bennett-spring-construction-updates

When asked for the status and time frame, one MDC official stated "I cannot comment because of potential litigation." The lack of transparency is frustrating.

OZARK FLYFISHERS TANEYCOMO OUTING 2025

Jeff Cohen, David Crawford, Paul Jackson, Dan Rasch and I attended an outing to Lake Taneycomo on October 9-12. We booked the lodging a year in advance before we knew we would be competing with the White River Fly Fishers Expo in Branson the same weekend. We stayed at Lilley’s Landing in a spectacular 4-bedroom cabin with a deck overlooking the trout dock on the lake. We all had a great time and managed to catch some fish.

Table Rock Dam, which releases the water that becomes Lake Taneycomo, had been running too much water for safe wading for many weeks, but the day we arrived and for the rest of the weekend we had wadable water for most of the trip. By the time I arrived on Thursday, Paul had already netted a beefy rainbow in the 20” range. I had good day on Friday, landing 14 rainbows, mostly on a red and black midge, before the siren on the dam sounded at 2:00 and they started running water. We all packed up and headed to the Expo where we met with several OFF members who were tying at the event.

We all tried our hands at night fishing, which was particularly good on Friday night. Jeff, Paul and I waded in the mist below a gibbous moon and landed 8 nice rainbows between us. We watched as another angler landed 8 by himself in the same amount of time. I started with a heavy sculpin fly, hoping to catch a big brown, but when Jeff started catching them on an un-weighted CQ streamer I switched to that and had more success. The angler who caught 8 by himself was using an articulated leech.

Saturday Jeff and Dan had a half-day guided trip with the legendary Carolyn Parker of River Run Outfitters. The flow was very low and there was not much current, so they spent much of the day wade-fishing from the far shore. Jeff and Dan landed 26 trout between them, mostly on Ruby 2 midges. I got out my fishing kayak and caught a few on streamers and then used the kayak to shuttle myself to where Dan and Jeff had been fishing after their guided trip was over. Just as the siren on the dam blew at 3:00 signaling a rise in water, I hooked and landed a 19” rainbow, my biggest of the trip.

Taneycomo has problems with low oxygen levels and a fungal outbreak affecting brown trout, yet the potential remains to catch good numbers of fish and some very big fish. None of us caught a brown trout the entire trip, and while I saw several live brown trout and a few dead ones, the live ones were lethargic, and all were covered with patches of white fluffy fungus. Coupled with the recent water quality problems at Norfork Fish Hatchery and the post-flood decline of rainbow trout on the North Fork of the White drives home the lesson

that our Ozark trout fisheries are fragile and we all need to be advocates for water quality sound management or these fisheries will be gone.

Fishing was slow on Sunday, but we managed to catch a few before packing up and heading for home. It was nice to hang out with the guys and catch some fish. All in all, it was a great trip that everyone seemed to enjoy.

Our members at the Expo:

BANQUET REMINDER

Dear Members

The time has come to mark your calendars for our annual fundraising banquet.

As you know, our annual fundraising banquet is our clubs largest fundraising eventof the year, providing us the opportunity to sponsor our many events throughout the entire year.

Next year’s banquet and silent auction is on Saturday, January 17th, 2026.

The banquet will be held at the same location as years past. Andre’s at Sunset Hills 13366 West Watson Road Sunset Hill, Missouri 63127

This year’s cost will remain the same as last year, $40.00 per person which includes a nice meal, desert, and open bar. The event will include raffles, silent auction as well as a live auction.

We encourage all of you to bring your spouse, guest and even friends, who might not be club members, to join us for a great night out.

Please mark your calendars, make plans to attend and support your club. Reservation form follows.

Thank you and hope to see you there.

MEMBER APPLICATION

Time to renew your membership:

HOLIDAY PARTY AND FLY EXCHANGE

Our Christmas Fly Exchange, fly tying and food social is at 6pm on December 11 at Greensfelder Recreation Complex. Bring a wrapped box of a dozen or so of your favorite flies and you will get a numbered ticket. After everyone who wants to participate is in the pool, we will draw numbers. When your number is called, you have the choice of one of the wrapped boxes left on the table. If you bring more than one box, you get one ticket per box. Bring three boxes, go home with three different boxes. If you put your name on the inside of the box, whoever gets your box of flies can ask you how you fish them. It can be a learning experience for everyone. Please bring an hors d’oeuvre , soft drinks and coffee will be furnished.

FREE KIDS FISHING DAY AT WESTOVER

On Sunday, November 9, there was a free fishing kids day at Westover Farms. The boy I helped out was Cameron and his father Justin. Cameron picked up Casting rather well and caught two fish using an egg sucking leech. I also caught one and let him reel it in. His father and him would be a good addition to our fly club but they live in Jefferson City. This is an excellent opportunity to interest young kids in flyfishing and Cameron was happy to tell me he is 11 but will be 12 in nine days. Two other members from Ozark were at the event, which was sponsored by Trout Unlimited and Craig Stephens coordinated it. Dan Rasch

Some additional events added to the calendar:

3/07/2026 Chili Tie

3/26/2026 Sow Bug Roundup

9/11/2026 Tri-Lakes Fly Fishing Expo

LOCAL LAKES STOCKED FOR THE WINTER

Winter trout season is now underway at MDC-stocked lakes in the St. Louis area

Great trout fishing opportunities are just minutes away for many St. Louis area residents this winter, including a shot at 10lb lunkers.

St. LOUIS--Many people look to springtime to start their fishing adventures. However, great angling opportunities for rainbow trout are just beginning right now in the St. Louis region. The month of November marks the annual start of the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) winter trout season.

Winter trout fishing, part of MDC’s St. Louis Urban Fishing Program, is good news for trout chasers. They need only drive minutes to pursue their passions, rather than hours to a Missouri trout park or distant Ozark stream.

During cold-weather months, MDC will stock nearly 40,000 rainbow trout from November until February in 11 St. Louis City and County lakes, Union City Lake in Franklin County, as well as in five lakes in the August A. Busch Conservation Area on Route D in St. Charles.

Anglers should note that Wild Acres Park Lake in Overland will not be stocked with trout during the 2025-2026 Winter Trout Season. It is undergoing a renovation project making it inaccessible to fishing.

MDC will continue to add several brood stock lunker trout—some as large as 10 lbs.—into the mix at its urban winter trout lakes, including the ones in August A. Busch Conservation Area.

New Meeting Location for 2026

Looks like we have a new home for 2026 at our previous location, Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Our meetings go from 7 to 9 pm. The dates are as follows:

March 26

April 23

May 28

July 23

August 27

September 24

October 22

December 10

Thanks,

Paul Jackson

636-236-1977 cell

The list of upcoming events:

November 14-16 - Bennett Springs Catch & Release Outing

December 11 - Christmas Party

January 17 - Banquet

February 21 - All Day meeting with Son Tau