Trout Talk March 2015

TALKTTRROOUUTT

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Fishing buddiesFishing buddiespage 3

First-ever Trout FestFirst-ever Trout Festpage 4

Nixon drops in at Bennett Nixon drops in at Bennett page 7

3,000 anglers expected3,000 anglers expectedpage 9

MARCH MARCH 20152015

Put on Your Waders& Cast Your Line!

Trout Whistle will blow March 1st at 6:30am

For information or reservations: 417-532-4307 or 800-334-6946 / www.bennettspringstatepark.com • www.jimrogersflyschool.com • e-mail: [email protected]

Mark Your Calendar for Fly Fishing School! April 18th, May 16th, June 20th, July 18th and August 15th or Call to Schedule Your Private Lessons

We can help answer your fly-fishing questions. Whether you are Tarpon fishing in the Everglades, Bone fishing in Belize, Salmon fishing in Alaska or Trout fishing at Bennett Spring, we can help make your next fishing trip a fun and successful experience.

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APRIL 2014S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

MAY 2014S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

JUNE 2014S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

JULY 2014S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

AUGUST 2014S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MARCH 2015 PAGE 3

By Kelly MorganTrout Talk

Not much could prevent friends Chet Snyder and Tom Harber from performing their duties for the Opening Day of trout season at Bennett Spring State Park — but then nothing has been able to keep them away from Opening Day for nearly six de-cades.

Sny-der, a Grand-view resident who has been chosen as the 2015 whistle blower for Opening Day, was first introduced to Bennett Spring as a child, when he went camping there with his parents.

Then sometime in the mid-1950s, he and Harber got serious about Open-ing Day.

“It was just a tradition with the two of them that they had to be there,” Snyder ’s wife, JoAnn Sny-der, told Trout Talk. “It made no dif-ference whether you had a new job

or babies coming or what. Those two men have opened trout

season at Bennett Spring since the middle 50s.”

Over the years, the fishing party has

increased from just Snyder and Har-

ber to include the men’s brothers-in-law, Snyder ’s

sons, Harber ’s son-in-law, and

now both men’s grand-sons, not to mention

assorted friends. Harber ’s son, who was also a mem-

ber of the group, has since died, but he is still a part of the day because his name is on a monument

Grandview resident Chet Snyder, right, has been chosen as the whistle blower for Opening Day of trout season in 2015, and Tom Harber is expected to sound the whistle at the end of the day. Pictured at Bennett Spring State Park from left are friends John Hess, Tom Harber and Snyder.

Fishing buddies

Chet Snyder to open 2015 season, Tom Harber to close out the day

See ‘Whistle blower’/ page 8

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PAGE 4 THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MARCH 2015

rout Fest is a celebration of trout fi shing in Missouri. It is taking place June 6 and 7 at Bennett Spring State Park. This is also “Free Fishing

Weekend,” so all Trout Fest attendees are able to fi sh for free.

Trout Fest is a partnership between the Conservation Federation of Mis-souri (CFM), Missouri State Parks, Missouri Department of Natural Re-sources (DNR) and Missouri Depart-ment of Conservation (MDC).

Bennett Spring is one of the most popular state parks in Missouri, with visitors coming from across the Mid-west each year to fi sh, camp, picnic and more. The spring from which the park derives its name is the third larg-

est in the state, producing an average of 1,000,000 gallons of water a day that pour into the Niangua River. This makes for prime trout fi shing habitat and opportunity.

Trout Fest consists of two days of free fi shing, educational opportuni-ties, hands-on experiences, vendors, entertainment and more. There will be tagged trout released each day into the stream. If an angler catches a tagged trout, all they have to do is bring it to the CFM booth, where they will receive a prize. There are no fees to participate. Once Trout Fest attendees have fi nished fi shing, we hope they’ll take in some of the other opportuni-ties the festival and state park have to offer.

The four organizations partnering to present Trout Fest are united behind a message of conservation, but each brings a slightly different perspective to Trout Fest.

CFM is the largest citizens conser-vation organization in the state, rep-resenting thousands of members and over 80 affi liated organi-zations. With many dedicat-ed trout fi sher-men as members of CFM and a number of trout organi-zations and clubs as affi liates, CFM sees Trout Fest as a way to promote the rec-reational aspects of visit-ing state parks and trout fi shing, along with the impor-tance of sound conservation.

For State Parks, Trout Fest offers another reason for Missourians to visit one of our incredible parks, in this case Bennett Spring, and to explore the wonders of nature. Missouri State Parks are some of the fi nest in the country, and Trout Fest will help shed

light on one of our greatest. DNR has an opportunity through

Trout Fest to shed light on the im-portance of water, both from a health perspective and a recreational per-spective. With 2015 being the year of water in Missouri, Trout Fest is a per-fect tie-in. Bennett Spring is a perfect

example of our state’s incredible natural resources.

For MDC, Trout Fest is a chance to further highlight the amaz-ing cold water fi shing op-portunities we have here in Missouri. Many fi shermen may not be aware of the fact that Mis-souri offers exceptional trout fi sh-ing. Trout Fest will help raise awareness.

Trout Fest is bringing all of these important

groups and agencies together with a single event aimed at raising aware-ness and promoting outdoor recre-ation. All the attendees are in for an exciting festival environment focused on celebrating trout, fi shing and parks.

We hope to see you at Bennett Spring for Trout Fest this June.

Inaugural event set for June

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limped through an-other winter.

We didn’t get the snows that the up-

per East Coast and areas of north of the Missouri River received, but cold weather and old folks don’t go togeth-er very well.

We spend way too much time in front of the TV. I remember Penny on the Big Bang Theory once saying, “Late night TV and credit cards are a bad combination.”

She was probably right, but I found some items that may help me fi sh with less problems when the weather warms up.

First, I ordered an ankle brace to al-leviate the pain from tendon problems

in my heel.Then I

found the “Be Active” leg cuff to ease my back and leg pain.

Next I saw a pair of hearing aids for $29. These will help me hear on the stream when you talk to me without me always saying, “Huh?”

I even found a pair

of instant 20/20 glasses so I can see the tiny hook eyes that have eluded my line lately.

All of these things, along with a pair of Miracle Copper Socks to re-duce my leg swelling, should make a new man out of me this spring.

I can’t wait for that brown truck to pull up to my door so that I can try all of my new “miracle products.”

****We planned a few catch and release

trips, but the weather always turned bad and we had to reschedule. Finally, a nice weekend was predicted and we headed to Bennett.

Along with me were my son-in-law, Larry Steinkamp, and Greg “the Rain

Man” Shuster.On Saturday morning the guys

went down to the stream, and there were so many fi shermen that it looked like a summer day. They each caught one fi sh, one of which was a chub minnow.

That evening, Greg pulled out a deer tenderloin from the fridge, the largest I have ever seen. He cut off a chunk and diced it up.

He then coated it in his secret mix and deep fried it. What a meal that was. After the dishes were done, the guys taught me a new progressive game of cards.

After the game was over, we had our usual chocolate ice cream and watched some Andy Griffi th Show DVDs.

After a good night’s sleep, we all arose with new enthusiasm for a bet-ter day.

After gorging ourselves on biscuits and gravy, potatoes, eggs and sausage, Greg put the rest of the tenderloin in the slow cooker with some cut up onions and mushroom soup.

Then we headed to the stream. It was almost empty, and the fi sh still weren’t cooperating.

It didn’t take long to realize it was a lost cause, and we headed back to the trailer to watch some more Andy Gri-fi th while we waited for the tenderloin to fi nish cooking.

Despite the poor fi shing, it was a great weekend. Great company, excel-lent food and wonderful weather at our favorite place in the world: BEN-NETT SPRING STATE PARK.

••••Here is a fl y that my grandsons,

Ben and Nathan Steinkamp, had great success with last year. They fi shed ponds and streams with it and caught trout, bass, panfi sh and one catfi sh.

The Bitch Creek NymphThis is a variation of the Montana

Stone Fly NymphHook: No. 10 Mustad 2X longLegs: Crazy Legs pearlTread: 6/0 blockBody: Orange and black small che-

nille. Google Bitch Creek Nymph for instructions on using the tiger weave to form the body.

Thorax: Black chenilleHackle: Brown or blackThere is some question if this fl y is

legal at Bennett Spring because of its rubber legs. We will have all summer to debate that point.

••••Did you know that Life Savers only

work if you are diabetic?••••

Send your tips, questions or com-ments to:

Richard Rehm3267 Childress Ave.St. Louis, Mo. 63139Or email them to [email protected].

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By Jarad MilliganThe Missouri Department of Conservation

March 1 marks the opening of the catch-and-keep trout season at Bennett Spring State Park.

BSSP, one of the most visited state parks in Missouri, is located in both Laclede and Dallas Counties, giving local anglers unparalleled access to one of the most popular trout fi shing destinations in the state. However, BSSP’s popularity also draws in thousands of additional anglers, not just from Missouri, but from all over the United States, making it a powerful contributor to the economic well being of the area.

To help manage and protect this unique fi sheries resource, it is necessary to incorporate regulations. The regu-lations are intended to be as fair and simple to the angler as possible while ensuring that the resource is protected for future enjoyment. Here are a few regulations to keep in mind this March while fi shing at BSSP:

■ All anglers need a daily trout tag to fi sh at BSSP. Daily trout tags can be purchased at the BSSP park store. Each angler shall sign and display a daily trout tag. Missouri residents aged 16 through 64 and non-residents 16 years old and older also need to have a valid fi shing permit in their possession. Feb. 28 is the expiration date for Missouri’s annual fi shing permit. Be sure to pur-chase permits valid for 2015.

■ The daily limit is four trout. The possession limit is eight trout, regardless of the number of daily tags purchased or waters fi shed.

■ There is a 15-inch minimum length limit on brown trout. There is no length limit on rainbow trout.

■ Anglers cannot continue to fi sh for any species (including goggle-eye, bass, trout, etc.) at BSSP after having harvested a daily limit of 4 trout anywhere in Mis-souri.

■ Each angler needs to keep their trout separate at all times and identifi ed with the angler’s name and address or conservation identifi cation number.

■ Only a single pole or rod may be used. Gigging, snaring, and snagging are not permitted.

■ The use of game fi sh or parts

thereof for bait is not allowed, nor is chumming permitted.

■ There are three specifi c fi shing Zones (1, 2 and 3) that are implemented at BSSP. Each Zone has different regula-tions as to what methods may be used in that fi shing Zone. It is the angler’s responsibility to know where the Zones are located in the park and what may and may not be used in each particular fi shing Zone.

■ To prevent the spread of the inva-sive alga called didymo or “rock snot,” the use of shoes, boots or waders with porous soles of felt, matted or woven fi brous material is prohibited at BSSP.

Anyone who witnesses or suspects a violation during this upcoming trout sea-son at BSSP should report it to their local MDC Conservation Agent. In Laclede County you can contact either Walt Hutton at 718-1111 or Jarad Milligan at 288-8744. In Dallas County, contact Matt Hitchings at (417) 733-3876 or Jarrad Jewell at (417) 733-0286.

Violations can also be reported to the Operation Game Thief (OGT) hotline at 1-800-392-1111. The OGT hotline is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Callers may remain anonymous and may asked if they wish to be considered for a reward.

If a call provides information that re-sults in an arrest and the caller has asked to be considered for a reward, an agent will refer this request to a citizen board of the Conservation Federation of Missouri. That board assigns a reward based on the severity of the violation involved.

Rewards range from $50 to $1,000. When calling the Operation Game

Thief hotline, callers will be asked simple questions, the answers to which will be

vital to the investigation. Here are a few things to remember when witnessing a suspected violation:

■ Nature of suspected illegal activity■ Date, time and location of violation■ The suspect’s identity, if possible■ Description of the suspects/vehicle,

license plate information, if possible■ The key is to gather as much infor-

mation as possible!The term “poaching” covers all as-

pects of a wildlife violation. Remember, no violation is too small;

local agents want to know if someone is baiting, selling illegal meat or hunting or fi shing without the proper permits. The public is a conservation agent’s eyes and ears. Without information from Missouri’s conservation-minded citizens, it is hard for agents to catch the violators who are doing wrong and trying to cheat the system.

Agent reminds anglers of regulations as March 1 approaches

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Nixon drops in at Bennett SpringGovernor speaks of the importance of the state park system for tourism

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon an-nounces record at-tendance numbers at Missouri’s state parks in 2014 on Feb. 3 at Ben-nett Spring State Park. Nixon said visitors to Bennett also increased in 2014 by 15 percent.

Trout Talk photo

Julie Turner-Crawford

By Julie Turner-CrawfordTrout Talk

BENNETT SPRING — Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon Tuesday called Missouri's parks a vital part of the state's economy as he announced that 18.5 million people visited state parks in 2014.

The governor said he selected Ben-nett Spring for the announcement because the park was "special" in that it saw a 15 percent increase in visitors in 2014, and it was the park he remembers fondly from childhood trips with his family.

Nixon's trip to Bennett also included the announcement of two new outdoors initiatives he and fi rst lady Georganne Nixon intend to undertake in 2015.

"Bennett Spring is one of the state parks that is doing great work for our state each and every day," Nixon said. "Bennett Spring State Park, obviously, is a special place for me, as I am sure it is for many of the folks here with us today."

Nixon went on to say that state parks provide "priceless outdoor heritage" to people around the country.

"The good news is that more Mis-sourians are taking advantage of state parks like this one than ever before," he said. "I am pleased to announce that attendance at Missouri state parks was a record last year with more than 18.5 million visitors. ... That is a 25 percent increase from 2008 and a tremendous testament to (Missouri State Park) Director Bill Bryan and staff and the many dedicated volunteers who work to protect and enhance these treasured assets."

Nixon continued by saying that when he fi rst entered the governor's offi ce, he presented his 20-20 plan for state parks, which was getting 20 million people to visit the state parks and investing $20 million in state park facilities while keeping the natural and historical aspects in place.

"We need to make sure that we are leaving it better than we found it," he said. "That's exceptionally important."

Nixon told the group of Bennett Spring-area business owners, local gov-ernment offi cials and park enthusiasts that Bennett Spring saw 785,000 visitors in 2014, an increase of 15 percent. He at-tributed the growth at Bennett, as well

as the other parks, to the state's efforts to put tourism efforts on "the front burner," saying that visitor numbers also increased at Missouri's other trout parks, including Montauk and Roaring River.

"All of those are part of what we are doing, which is not only protect-ing what we currently have, but also looking for opportunities to expand that footprint. Today's good news is really no accident; it's something we've been working on for six years and we are going to continue to work on. When other states were closing their parks or charging entrance fees, we improved our parks and added to our system of state parks and historic sites.

"We have seen over the last few years that keeping that open-door policy while at the same time expand-ing our footprint was something that Missourians were interested in, and we want to thank them for their part in do-ing that," he said.

Looking to 2015, Nixon said he plans to continue the State Parks Youth Corps, which began in 2010 and pro-vides employment and work experi-ence opportunities to the state's young people between the ages of 17 and 23 from the months of May through December.

Nixon said 2,600 young people participated in the program last year, which was expanded to cities and other areas through partnerships with municipalities for job opportunities in municipal parks and private areas.

"We just think those kinds of job get kids outside, get them a pay check and get them working," Nixon said.

He also said he plans to work to continue to keep Missouri as a primary destination for those who are seeking a little outdoor adventure.

"Over the past few years, Missouri has been named the best camping state, the best trail state, and our state parks frequently rate among the most beauti-ful," Nixon said. "We made the fi nal four each of the last two times in the national Best Park System competition, which is better than the Missouri Tigers have yet to do in basketball. ... When you have a park system that is continu-ally at that level, it's impressive."

See ‘Nixon’/ page 14

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Whistle blower from page 3

at Bennett Spring. Overall, the size of the group ranges from 10 to 30 people depending on the year.

The first year after Snyder mar-ried, his wife came along for the Opening Day tradition, but she wasn’t interested in doing it again, and since then the troupe has been predominantly composed of the guys.

“They like the men getting to go, and they just have a good time and always eat the breakfast that’s there and just have a very good time,” JoAnn Snyder said.

The men have attended Opening Day in a wide variety of weather conditions that they originally expe-rienced from inside pup tents before

work-ing their way up through station wag-ons, camp-ers and park cabins.

To-day, they carry out their tradition from a pair of rented fourplexes.

In addi-tion to attend-ing Open-ing Day, both fami-lies try to visit Ben-nett Spring at least once

each summer, and sometimes they manage to go two or three times.

In light of the men’s long-running dedication to Opening Day, Chet Snyder ’s son, Chuck Snyder, nomi-nated his father to be the whistle blower in 2015. Not one to leave out a longtime fishing buddy, Chuck Snyder also asked that Tom Harber sound the siren that signifies the end of Opening Day. Both men will participate in Opening Day tradi-tions as requested.

“We were very surprised,” JoAnn Snyder said of her husband being chosen as the whistle blower. “It was a real surprise, and all of us were very pleased about it, my sons and Tom’s family and his wife.”

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Hatchery staff stocks 9,000 rainbow trout for Opening DayPark offi cials anticipating 3,000 anglersBy Julie Turner-CrawfordTrout Talk

Bennett Spring State Park offi cials are predicting that about 3,000 anglers will fl ock to the park Sunday for the start of the catch and keep season.

In an effort to make sure those anglers don’t go home empty-handed, hatchery staff at the park have stocked about 9,000 fi sh, as well as between 100 and 150 lunkers.

Hatchery Manager Mike Mitchell said the trout stocked in the stream should average about 12 1/2 inches in length.

Bennett Spring

State Park As-

sistant Hatchery Manager

Mike Per-ry stocks

trout near the Whistle

Bridge at Bennett

Spring on Feb. 24.

Trout Talk photo

Julie Turner-

Crawford

See ‘Trout’/ page 10

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“Maybe just a little bigger than that, and that is pretty close to three-quarters of a pound,” he said. “We try to strive for that (size) throughout the trout season, but you’ll have some that will range a little bigger than that at the get-go, but it should be pretty close to that 12 1/2 inch range.”

While the exact turnout for Open-ing Day is dependent on the day of the week and the weather, there isn’t much that will keep die-hard fishermen and women from hitting Bennett Spring each March 1.

“I think this year will be a good turnout,” Mitchell said. “Typically on weekend openings, those are our bigger turnout. The record for an Opening Day was actually on a Sun-day in 1992 for 4,092 (anglers). ... Opening Day is a good time here at Bennett Spring, all the time. People are getting tired of winter, and I think Sunday will be a good Open-ing Day. I think we will have lots of people turn out, and hopefully we have done a good job and everyone will have success come Opening Day.”

While the anglers are happy to see the dawn of Opening Day each year, Mitchell said hatchery staff are able to see the rewards of their work.

“We’ve been working on these fish for the last year and a half to

two years, and now is a good time to get them out and let people enjoy the work we have been hard at.”

This season, hatchery staff will be stocking more than 360,000 fish in the waters of Bennett Spring State Park, as well as into the Niangua River and other trout areas in the state.

“That is going to include our por-tion of the St. Louis urban winter area next November, and we also take care of the Kansas City urban area as well, and that’s about 15,000 or 16,000 trout,” he said. “There should be plenty of fishing oppor-tunities not only at Bennett Spring, but in the Niangua River and if you live in an urban area, it is very pos-sible that the fish you catch from there are from Bennett Spring State Park Hatchery.”

For Mitchell, Sunday will be his 12th Opening Day, and just like the fishermen, he is looking forward to another season at the park.

“It’s always good to see the trout season come and get opened up so that people can come out and have a good time,” he said. “It’s really an exciting time. A lot about Open-ing Day isn’t just about the fishing. People can meet friends again that the only time they come together is on Opening Day and catch up with one another. It’s just a large gathering of

Trout from page 9

Trout Talk photo/Julie Turner-Crawford

A Bennett Spring State Park Hatchery staff member helps to contain trout that are about to be stocked into the waters of the spring.

See ‘Stocking’/ page 11

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people who enjoy the start of spring and they start it off on March 1 at the trout parks. It doesn’t matter what the weather is, they seem to be able to make it out.”

When asked if he had any tips for trout fi shermen planning on casting a line on Sunday, Mitchell said to buy a fi shing li-cense early and to get tags the day before.

“If you are coming to the park for March 1, make sure you have your license before you get here,” he said. “That will expedite your trip to get your tag, and you won’t have to wait in long lines.”

The Bennett Spring State Park store will open at 9 a.m. on Saturday and will remain open around the clock until 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Anglers between the ages of 16 and 65 are required by state law to have a valid fi shing license, and anglers over the age of 65 must have an ID to prove they are exempt from the required license. All anglers, regardless of age, are required to have a trout tag to fi sh inside Bennett Spring State Park.

Fishing licenses can also be purchased online at www.mdc.mo.gov.

Mitchell also reminded anglers who may have fi shed in other areas over the winter to properly clean and disinfect all waders and equipment before heading to Bennett.

“We are trying to keep a hold on the didymo (rock snot) and keep it out of Ben-nett Spring,” he said. “Just be sure that your equipment has been disinfected and is ready to go. If you have been to Arkan-sas and fi shed, or something like that, be sure to do a salt bath on your wadders, or something like that will work as a disinfectant.”

He also reminded anglers that felt soled wadders are prohibited at the park.

Mitchell reminded anglers about the annual Kids Fishing Day, which will be the fi rst Saturday in May and is a free day of fi shing and other activities at the park for kids under the age of 16.

“We typically see about 800 kids for that event, so hopefully we will have a similar turnout as well.”

He added that the annual free fi sh-ing weekend will be the fi rst weekend in June.

Hatchery staff will also be conducting free tours of the hatchery facility on the fi rst and third Saturday of each month starting at 9 a.m. at the hatchery building.

Mitchell said large groups can be ac-

commodated for tours at any time with advanced notice.

Mitchell added that hatchery staff are also happy to answer questions.

“Anytime we have folks here in the park and they stop and ask us what we are doing or why we are doing it, we are always glad to answer questions.”

Stocking from page 10

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From MDCJEFFERSON CITY – March 1

marks the opening of catch-and-keep trout fi shing at the Show-Me State’s four trout parks: Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, Montauk State Park near Lick-ing, Roaring River State Park near Cassville and Maramec Spring Park near St. James. Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) permit records show that weekend trout park openers can draw crowds of more than 10,000 anglers.

MDC operates trout hatcheries at all four parks. To help predict angler turnout on opening day, hatchery staff rely on permit records going back more than 70 years. Montauk, Bennett Spring and Roaring River hatchery staff expect crowds of about 3,000 an-glers at each location, and Mara-mec Spring staff are planning for

a crowd of about 2,000. Based on these predictions, hatchery staff will stock three trout per expected angler on opening day for a total of more than 33,000 fi sh averag-ing around a foot in length. The hatcheries will also stock several hundred “lunkers” ranging from three to 10 pounds.

Three of the trout parks — Ben-nett Spring, Montauk and Roar-ing River — are owned by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Maramec Spring Park is owned by the James Founda-tion. Call the following numbers for more information about trout-park fi shing.

■ Bennett Spring - 417-532-4418

■ Maramec - 573-265-7801■ Montauk - 573-548-2585■ Roaring River - 417-847-2430Anglers need a daily trout tag

to fi sh in Missouri’s trout parks.

Daily trout tags can only be pur-chased at each of the four trout parks. Missouri residents aged 16 through 64 need a fi shing permit in addition to the daily tag. Non-residents 16 and older also need a fi shing permit.

Trout hatcheries are just one way that conservation pays in Missouri. MDC stocks more than 800,000 trout annually at the state’s four trout parks and ap-proximately 1.5 million annually statewide. Trout anglers spend more than $100 million each year in the Show-Me-State, which gen-erates more than $180 million in business activity, supports more than 2,300 jobs and creates more than $70 million dollars in wages. About 30 percent of Missouri trout anglers come from other states, so a substantial portion of trout fi shing expenditures is “new money” for the state’s economy.

MDC expects more than 10,000 anglers, will stock more than 33,000 trout on Opening Day

Trout Talk file photoJulie Turner-Crawford

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Nixon also issued a challenge to Mis-sourians to join him and the fi rst lady in the 100 Mile Challenge. Nixon began the challenge in 2013 and said Tuesday that more than 23,000 Missourians have hiked and verifi ed more than 3 million miles on Missouri's trails.

In 2015, there will be two additions to the 100-mile Challenge, which will include the Blue Mile Challenge.

"We're going to canoe 100 miles on riv-ers and streams in the state of Missouri," Nixon said of himself and the fi rst lady, who he later said was the real "kayaker" of the Nixon family.

He also announced that he and his wife would be challenging dog owners to take their four-legged companions along for the journey.

"We're going to let dogs get the 100-mile award," he said. "Now, you're going to have to walk it with them. There's no way to cross-examine dogs, so we are going to have to trust them, but we want people to get their pets outside and get going on that ... We've got lots to get done this year, and Huck (the governor's dog), Georganne and I are going to walk 100 miles this year, get in our 100 Blue Miles and at the same time get in our 100 Mile Challenge. We expect to be out in Missouri's parks also."

The challenges, Nixon continued, showed the state's dedication to its park system as well as the dedication of those who live in the Show Me State.

"As Missourians, we love the outdoors and appreciate its value to us," he said. "We are doing all of this outside because it's fun and it's good for our health and really good for the economy of our state."

In 2014, state park visitors spent $778 million in and around state parks, Nixon said.

"That supported 14,000 jobs in hotels, restaurants and small businesses state-

wide," he said, adding that state parks are closing in on being a $1 billion industry in the state.

Nixon said he came to Bennett Spring to make the attendance and challenge announcements because trout fi shing and Bennett Spring State Park go hand-in-hand.

"When you think about trout fi shing in this state, Montauk, here and Roaring River are the three that (present) natural excellence of parks and of fi shing for us," he said. "When I was a kid, we spent a lot of time at Montauk because it was close to home, but (Bennett Spring) was the special place we got to come to when the family voted. ... I always called this a special place in my heart."

He added that it also gave him an opportunity to take a look at some of the work going on at the park, including the two new cabins by the spring head, which are replacing a structure that was destroyed by fi re in 2013.

He said Bennett Spring is an example of a park that is making improvements and setting attendance records.

After fi elding questions from the me-dia and other guests, including questions regarding his favorite fi shing spot at Ben-nett, Nixon said the state parks are about passing on outdoor traditions to the next generation.

"I just ask everyone to bring their kids, their grandkids and just make sure to get these kids outdoors," Nixon said. "It's re-ally, really important to pass on to the next generation the outdoor heritage we have in the Show Me State, be that hunting or fi shing, hiking, kayaking or canoeing, bird watching or whatever. I just would ask people that when they have that extra time that they reach out and get kids in-volved because this is something that we have the responsibility to carry on down to the next generation. In this Twitter, Facebook, sit-on-the-couch world, it's up to us to make sure we pass it on."

Nixon, who is an avid fl y fi sherman and a frequent Opening Day visitor to the park, said he will not be at Bennett Spring State Park on Opening Day or at any other state park on March 1. The governor will be leading a trade mission to Cuba with about 40 Missouri agriculture orga-nizations in hopes to bring agriculture products grown and produced in Mis-souri to the country.

Nixon from page 7

Trout Talk photo/Julie Turner-Crawford

Missouri State Park Director Bill Bryan, left, introduces Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, right, at a meeting at Bennett Spring State Park last month.

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Trout Talk March 2015