Lebanon Area
Trout Fishing Opportunities This page was updated 3/11/06
A good number of the people who travel to Lebanon, Missouri are actually
traveling to Bennett Spring State Park. And so,
this page is for you Bennett fishermen who arrive only to discover (1) the
place is too darned crowded for you, or (2) they're not biting! What to do?
Well, there are some options, but just a couple within an easy drive.
If you're already at Bennett, you must try the Niangua
River. Bennett Spring dumps into the Niangua River, changing a good-quality
smallmouth creek into a very nice trout stream. If you're good at fishing riffles,
you'll love the quarter-mile or so just downstream from the park. The fish there
hold in the faster water and feed fairly opportunistically, giving nymph fishermen
and drift-bait fishermen a real good chance at catching fish without the crowds.
Another obvious destination is the Roubidoux Creek,
which flows right through downtown Waynesville, just half an hour east of Lebanon on
I-44. Take the first Waynesville exit and turn left. You'll drive by a McDonald's and
a Smitty's Grocery Store. Incidentally, there is a fine Chinese Buffet Restaurant in
that little strip mall as well -- definitely worth the stop. When you get to the stoplight,
turn right. This road will take you across the creek and into downtown.
Roubidoux Spring is about a quarter mile upstream of the bridge, and that is where the
trout fishing begins. It then continues downstream for more than 3 miles all the way
to the Gasconade River. The fishing can range from fair to outstanding, but in the
warmer months, you won't find fish too terribly far downstream -- they tend to migrate
upstream toward colder water. Some locals suggest the downstream fish slip into semi-
hibernation during the summer, rarely eating, simply sitting at the bottom of a hole to
wait for the cooler waters of autumn.
Fort Leonard Wood is just another five minutes down the road. On post, you'll find
Stone Mill Spring Branch near the East entrance
to the fort. It only stretches about a quarter mile before dumping into the Big Piney
River. While the creek is not overly impressive, it is pretty, and the surrounding grounds
are manicured with areas for grilling and picnicking. The Department of Conservation stocks
the branch 8-10 times per year, and it is strictly put-and-take fishing. However, there is
now a winter catch & release season, as well. Just downstream from its confluence with Big Piney,
you can also catch trout, but this is usually limited to October through April. Visit the
Stone Mill Spring Branch page for details on how
to gain access -- 9/11 made this a bit more difficult.
If you're willing to travel this far, then perhaps you'll drive a bit farther? If so, check out
our Fort Leonard Wood area page.
All we need to make you a trout reproduction is a photo of your fish!
