Prepared by Jim Craig
Where there is a will, there is a way. Kenny Klimes and I needed to practice some of the newest Euro nymphing techniques before heading out to help teach at the Comprehensive Euronymphing school coming up September 23, 2026. Time was running out for us to nail these down. So, no matter the forecast, we knew we needed to get in some hours on the water.
Despite the extreme heat warning for the day, my guys didn’t leave me out to dry. (See what I did there?) Seven other guys answered the call to fish Bennett Spring August 13, 2026. Kenny Klimes and Ted Madden drove in from Springfield, MO; Sid Aslin and Tim McCoy met us there just before lunch; and Bill Byington, Larry Mangle, Don Varner and I carpooled from Eureka, MO that morning.
By 9:15 AM, we were geared up and everyone headed out to their favorite spots with extra drinking water to help beat the heat. The forecast for a 100°F day kept the number of fishers a little lower than you would expect a week before most kids have to go back to school.
We rendezvoused at 11:30 AM for lunch to share our usual stories of successes and failures of the morning. All-in-all, it was a good lunch with lots of smiles and mostly stories of success. Everything was working from dry flies to nymphs.
Wet wading and fishing in the shade was the key to keeping comfortable in the heat all day. Everyone wet waded, except for one Chairman Emeritus who will go unnamed. Personally, I was quite surprised how easy it was to beat the extreme heat with this strategy. However, it was a very different experience at the end of the day when we had to walk in the sun from the river to our cars. That was toasty. Once we found a place in the shade to quickly shed our gear, all was well.
The afternoon fished well, maybe even better than the morning. Most guys were well into double digits in the afternoon. Guys found success with the cranefly larvae, Griffith’s Gnat, Perdigon, small Walt’s Worm, Hair of the Dawg, Blow Torch, and Antonio’s Adult BWO.
As is our tradition, we stopped for a fellowship dinner on the way out of town. We needed to refuel before the long drive. This was at least the second time we ate at El Sombrero in Lebanon, MO. We enjoyed great service and food at very reasonable prices. We’ll certainly see them again on future trips.
Keep alert for upcoming trip announcements. The weather is only going to get better as summer slowly releases her grip on us. Schedule your own trip or jump aboard when you see a trip get announced. It is ALWAYS a good time.
