spectr17
03-05-2003, 12:04 AM
Mar. 02, 2003
Missouri trout opener draws happy fishermen at Bennett Spring
By BRENT FRAZEE, The Kansas City Star
BENNETT SPRING, Mo. - While other fishermen were still sleeping, Keith Nickell already was staking his claim to a front-row view of the Missouri trout opener.
By 4 a.m. -- 21/2 hours before the start of fishing hours -- Nickell and his 13-year-old stepson, Blake Felix, were sitting in the dark in front of the place at Bennett Spring State Park where they would be casting.
Yes, it was cold. And damp. And foggy.
But Nickell and Felix weren't about to budge. Soon, thousands of fishermen would be descending on the famous trout stream for the traditional season opener. And they would find one of the choice spots already taken.
"I've been opening the season at this spot for 20 years now," Nickell said as he sat along a stretch of bank below the waterfall. "This used to be grandpa's favorite place.
"He's been gone for 15 or 16 years now, but I can still see him out there fishing. For me, there's a lot of memories right here."
But none stand out more than one of the last openers Nickell enjoyed with his grandfather.
"Gramps was getting up in his years and he couldn't hear too well," said Nickell, 45, who lives in Raymore. "Well, we were standing in the water, waiting for the start of fishing hours. Someone up on the bridge honked the horn on his truck, and Gramps thought it was the siren.
"He made a cast and caught a trout right away. Everyone else started complaining that he had started a couple minutes early, but I tried to smooth things over.
"The old guy was so hard of hearing that he couldn't hear thunder. But he loved to come out here and fish on opening day."
For 20 years, Nickell has been doing the same thing. And on Saturday, he started another family tradition. His stepson participated in his first opener.
"We came down here for the opener last year, but I got sick," Felix said. "So I ended up spending the day in the motel room.
"But I'm going to be out there today. I want to catch my first trout."
Nickell and his stepson were among the first to show up along their section of the Bennett Spring stream Saturday. But as it got closer to the 6:30 a.m. starting time, they had plenty of company.
About a half-hour before the siren, the fishermen waded into the cold water and guarded their spots. It wasn't long before there was a human chain around the pools, the links joined by fishermen standing elbow to elbow.
A couple minutes before the start of the season, Nickell and Felix cocked their arms and got ready. When the siren carried across the water, their spinners were among the flurry of lures launched.
Seconds later they were celebrating the start of a new season. Both fishermen caught trout on their first cast.
"You can't ask for much better than that," Nickell said.
But it did get better. An hour later, both father and stepson were wading out of the water, each carrying a stringer filled with a limit of five trout.
"What a day," Nickell said.
Many others were saying the same thing. For many, the 2003 opener at the Ozarks trout park was a day to remember.
Dave Bowman of Columbia certainly won't forget it. Just a few casts into the season, his line grew heavy.
A few minutes later, he was guiding a 6-pound, 4-ounce rainbow into a waiting landing net as other fishermen cheered.
"I've been coming to the opener here since 1959," Bowman said. "But I've never caught a fish like this. I guess this was just my lucky day."
David Adamczyk knows the feeling. Shortly after the start of the season, he too landed the fish of his dreams.
"When this fish jumped, I got excited. I knew right away that it was big," Adamczyk said as he unhooked the 6-pound rainbow. "This is the biggest one I've ever caught. I think this one will have to go on the wall."
But the day wasn't only about fishing. It also was about tradition.
For years, March 1 has marked the day when thousands of fishermen flock to Missouri's four trout parks and say goodbye to winter. And Saturday was no different.
By the start of the season, some 2,500 fishermen had purchased tags at Bennett Spring. Among them were Gov. Bob Holden and his two sons -- Robert, 12, and John D., 8.
"My kids have trout fever," Holden said with a laugh. "They love to come out here on opening day and compete to see who catches the biggest fish."
The Holdens didn't have any luck in their short fishing trip Saturday. They left with nothing but fish stories about the big ones that got away.
"The boys had a few fish on, but they got away," Holden said. "But we still had a great time.
"We'll be back."
Missouri trout opener draws happy fishermen at Bennett Spring
By BRENT FRAZEE, The Kansas City Star
BENNETT SPRING, Mo. - While other fishermen were still sleeping, Keith Nickell already was staking his claim to a front-row view of the Missouri trout opener.
By 4 a.m. -- 21/2 hours before the start of fishing hours -- Nickell and his 13-year-old stepson, Blake Felix, were sitting in the dark in front of the place at Bennett Spring State Park where they would be casting.
Yes, it was cold. And damp. And foggy.
But Nickell and Felix weren't about to budge. Soon, thousands of fishermen would be descending on the famous trout stream for the traditional season opener. And they would find one of the choice spots already taken.
"I've been opening the season at this spot for 20 years now," Nickell said as he sat along a stretch of bank below the waterfall. "This used to be grandpa's favorite place.
"He's been gone for 15 or 16 years now, but I can still see him out there fishing. For me, there's a lot of memories right here."
But none stand out more than one of the last openers Nickell enjoyed with his grandfather.
"Gramps was getting up in his years and he couldn't hear too well," said Nickell, 45, who lives in Raymore. "Well, we were standing in the water, waiting for the start of fishing hours. Someone up on the bridge honked the horn on his truck, and Gramps thought it was the siren.
"He made a cast and caught a trout right away. Everyone else started complaining that he had started a couple minutes early, but I tried to smooth things over.
"The old guy was so hard of hearing that he couldn't hear thunder. But he loved to come out here and fish on opening day."
For 20 years, Nickell has been doing the same thing. And on Saturday, he started another family tradition. His stepson participated in his first opener.
"We came down here for the opener last year, but I got sick," Felix said. "So I ended up spending the day in the motel room.
"But I'm going to be out there today. I want to catch my first trout."
Nickell and his stepson were among the first to show up along their section of the Bennett Spring stream Saturday. But as it got closer to the 6:30 a.m. starting time, they had plenty of company.
About a half-hour before the siren, the fishermen waded into the cold water and guarded their spots. It wasn't long before there was a human chain around the pools, the links joined by fishermen standing elbow to elbow.
A couple minutes before the start of the season, Nickell and Felix cocked their arms and got ready. When the siren carried across the water, their spinners were among the flurry of lures launched.
Seconds later they were celebrating the start of a new season. Both fishermen caught trout on their first cast.
"You can't ask for much better than that," Nickell said.
But it did get better. An hour later, both father and stepson were wading out of the water, each carrying a stringer filled with a limit of five trout.
"What a day," Nickell said.
Many others were saying the same thing. For many, the 2003 opener at the Ozarks trout park was a day to remember.
Dave Bowman of Columbia certainly won't forget it. Just a few casts into the season, his line grew heavy.
A few minutes later, he was guiding a 6-pound, 4-ounce rainbow into a waiting landing net as other fishermen cheered.
"I've been coming to the opener here since 1959," Bowman said. "But I've never caught a fish like this. I guess this was just my lucky day."
David Adamczyk knows the feeling. Shortly after the start of the season, he too landed the fish of his dreams.
"When this fish jumped, I got excited. I knew right away that it was big," Adamczyk said as he unhooked the 6-pound rainbow. "This is the biggest one I've ever caught. I think this one will have to go on the wall."
But the day wasn't only about fishing. It also was about tradition.
For years, March 1 has marked the day when thousands of fishermen flock to Missouri's four trout parks and say goodbye to winter. And Saturday was no different.
By the start of the season, some 2,500 fishermen had purchased tags at Bennett Spring. Among them were Gov. Bob Holden and his two sons -- Robert, 12, and John D., 8.
"My kids have trout fever," Holden said with a laugh. "They love to come out here on opening day and compete to see who catches the biggest fish."
The Holdens didn't have any luck in their short fishing trip Saturday. They left with nothing but fish stories about the big ones that got away.
"The boys had a few fish on, but they got away," Holden said. "But we still had a great time.
"We'll be back."