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TALK T T R R O O U T Published by MAY MAY 2014 2014 Get the kids ready page 3 Spring has sprung page 5 Old trees get new life page 8 Lunker Gallery pages 13 & 14

Trout Talk May 2014

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Page 1: Trout Talk May 2014

TALKTTRROOUT

Published by

MAYMAY20142014

Get the kids readypage 3

Spring has sprung page 5

Old trees get new lifepage 8

Lunker Gallerypages 13 & 14

Page 2: Trout Talk May 2014

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Page 3: Trout Talk May 2014

THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MAY 2014 PAGE 3

Get the kids ready!

Annual Kids’ Fishing Day set for May 3From Trout Talk Staff

Every May, Bennett Spring State Park dedicates a day to inspiring a new generation of fi shermen and teaching children about the outdoors.

This year, the park will hold its annual Kids’ Fishing Day on May 3 during normal fi shing hours, which are 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. On that day, kids age 15 and younger will receive free fi shing tags and goodie bags, and the lower part of Zone 2 and the beginning of Zone 3, or from the hatchery out-let to the last set of concrete steps in Zone 3, will especially stocked in anticipation of the 1,000 to 1,200 minors who are expected to participate in the event.

According to Bennett Spring Hatchery Manager Mike Mitchell, that means that park staff will stock the area with 4,000 fi sh, plus about 25 or 30 lunkers. Although adults are allowed to fi sh in other areas of the park that day and can help kids fi sh, adults will not be allowed to do any fi shing of their own in the kids’ zone.

Besides fi shing, kids who show up at Bennett Spring on May 3 will be able to enjoy a variety of educational events and activities, most of which will be lo-cated around Shelter House B. Among these are fl y-tying, a touch tank, and a fi sh cleaning and cooking demon-stration. Additionally, the World Bird Sanctuary will again bring exotic and Missouri raptors for children to see. Mitchell said that these events gener-ally take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Kids younger than 15 will also be treated to a free lunch.

“This is really an outreach-type event to try to get kids interested in fi shing again,” Mitchell explained. “There’s lots of activities: soccer, basketball, band -- and this is just one

of the efforts that the Missouri De-partment of Conservation in conjunc-tion with the Department of Natural Resources, we make to introduce kids to fi shing or to instill in them a love for fi shing. So by holding the event like this where they get to come and fi sh, and there’s some other activities where they can learn about the outdoors, it’s just a good way to introduce the outdoors to them, and hopefully they’ll

enjoy fi shing as well.”While kids will be well provided

for, Mitchell reminds parents, guardians and other chaperones

that they will have to take care of their own needs while

accompanying minors at the park.

“For adults who do bring your kids

down, everything is free for kids who are 15 and

under, so that means anybody

who is older than that, includ-ing adults, will have to make sure that they bring

money for a lunch to buy at the concessionaire, or pack a lunch for themselves, because it’s hard for us to be able to generate an event that would be able to feed that many people. So just be aware of that,” Mitchell said.

In the end, Mitchell said, Kids’ Fish-ing Day is a good way to spend time with family and teach children about nature.

“It’s always a good time, especially for families and people who have young children, to spend time with them,” he said. “We’re providing you a good opportunity to spend time with your kids and also teach them about the natural world in general. I think it’s just a good opportunity in general for people to come down. We pro-vide a good fi shery here. It’s close to Lebanon, it’s close to Camdenton, lots of good places. It’s just a good oppor-tunity for people to come and see the park.”

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Page 4: Trout Talk May 2014

PAGE 4 THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MAY 2014

is a place I had to see to believe.

I am going to a trout hatchery? What even is that?

I thought to myself. I arrived to fi nd sparkling blue-

green waters, dozens of avid anglers and tens of thousands of fi sh.

I grew up around lakes, and I have been fi shing many times, but I had never been to a place like Bennett Spring State Park. If only it had not taken me 22 years to get there.

Plain and simple, the park is gor-geous. Whether it is the campsites tucked away in the trees or the stream bubbling across the rocks, the beauty of the place capti-vates you. The water is so clear you can see the bot-tom, and the banks are per-fect for walk-ing, sitting or fi shing.

Then to top it all off, there is an opportu-nity to learn. In less than an hour, hatch-ery assistant manager Mike Perry taught me more than I could ever imagine about raising trout. I learned about milk and eggs (not the grocery store kind) and the various tools used to hatch fi sh.

I saw tanks teeming with teeny, tiny baby fi sh. I saw large trout ready to be released into the stream that very night. I saw all the sizes in between. Each fi sh carefully cared for by the trout hatchery staff.

I watched as employees weighed and separated the trout in preparation for release that night. Each day, the hatchery staff calculates how many trout to release into waters of the stream that night so fi shermen have

plenty of fi sh to catch the next day. What a wonderful service the hatchery provides for the community. I was so impressed at the fact that these trout are carefully raised so there are always fi sh to catch.

Plus, if you just want to see some beautiful fi sh, these trout are it. Scales laced with colors that dance just below the water’s surface make it hard to look away. Suddenly, a splash. A fi sh jumps just feet away. Another fl icks its tail and water droplets spray across surface.

Then comes the feeding frenzy. A truck sprays food across the various

trout holding areas, and the fi sh go crazy. You cannot tell where one fi sh stops and another begins. There is plenty of food to go around, but still they are jumping and swimming on top of each other to get to it. The water looks white rather than blue from all the splashing. It is a sight to see, and you can even feed the fi sh yourself if you would like.

I was skepti-cal about visit-

ing, but oh, how wrong I was. Bennett Spring is gorgeous, and Missourians are lucky to have this place to learn, fi sh and explore in their own back-yards.

Emily Hauger is a senior at the Uni-versity of Missouri-Columbia and recently spent a week in the Lebanon, Mo. area as an intern with the Lebanon Daily Record. While spending time in the area, the Min-nesota native spent time with the staff at the Bennett Spring State Park Hatchery. Hauger is a double major at Mizzou, studying Broadcast Journalism and Tech-nical Theatre.

You have to see it to believe it

Emily Hauger stands by the sign to the Bennett Spring State Park Hatchery. Hauger is a senior at the University of Missouri-Columbia and recently spent a week in the Lebanon, Mo., area as an intern with the Lebanon Daily Record.

First-time visitor in awe of Bennett Spring State Park, gets lesson in rearing trout

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THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MAY 2014 PAGE 5

It’s spring again, and the birds are singing and building their nests. The hummingbirds are back and en-tertaining us on the front porch, and the turkeys are gobbling in the early morning.

The redbuds and Dogwood trees have turned the brown woods into a bouquet of color. This is a great time to be outdoors, but it can sometimes

come at a cost.A recent news

i t e m o n a S t . Louis TV station reminded view-ers of the pos-sibilities of bug-borne il lnesses during outdoor activities as the weather warms up. I t brought back memories of camping trips w i t h m y f a m -ily back in the 1940s. The main bug repellent we used was a big

shaker can filled with sulfur powder, and we applied it liberally to our clothes and body.

We didn’t really worry about con-tracting a serious illness from bug bites, it was that infernal itching that lasted for weeks after the initial contact that stuck in the back of our minds. Now, each summer we hear about new illnesses that crop up from these bug and insect bites.

First was Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, followed by Lyme Disease, Heartland Virus and now Alpha Gal.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, the most common tick virus in the U.S., is transmitted by dermacentor (common looking) ticks.

The symptoms include fever, head-ache and muscle pain. Later, a severe skin rash can develop, Lyme Disease has similar symptoms with a less prominent rash.

The latest discovered illnesses, Heartland Virus, named for the hos-pital near St. Joseph, Mo., where it was discovered, and Alpha Gal are transmitted by the Lone Star tick. The adult tick is easily identified by

a white spot on its back.

H e a r t l a n d symptoms in-clude fever and t i r e d n e s s . I t has a lso been discovered in Tennessee and while most tick-borne diseases c a n b e c u re d b y a n t i b i o t -ics, Heartland has no vaccine available.

A l p h a G a l comes on quick-ly in the form of a severe allergic reaction. The virus causes the reaction when red meat is consumed and usually happened four to five hours after the meal. Rick of Weaver ’s Tackle and Campground suffered the illness last year and is doing well after a night in ICU. A test for the disease is available.

Bacteria transmission from a tick can occur within a few hours to sev-eral days after the tick attaches to the skin. After possible exposure, the body should be thoroughly checked and any ticks removed. If a tick is attached to the body, remove it with tweezers by the head of the tick. Do not squeeze the body. Clean the area with antiseptic and continue checking for several days, because these little creatures are good at escaping initial detection.

The best protection against an unwanted encounter is to wear light clothing with long sleeves and pant legs with cuffs pushed down in your socks. Spray liberally with bug re-pellent, with extra DEET. It will also ward off mosquitoes that can carry the West Nile virus.

****When I started trout fishing years

ago, I was always looking for lures that would catch fish with my ultra light spinning gear. Knowing that fly fishermen catch trout on wooly worms, why now tie a wooly that could be used on spinning gear? Thus, the wooly worm jig was born. I tied them in various colors and gave them to co-workers who had good success

w i t h t h e m at Montauck and Maramec Springs.

■ Hook: 8 or 10 jig hook wi th heavy head

■ H e a d : Black (white or yellow eye optional)

■ B o d y : C h e n i l l e ( b l a c k o r b r o w n ) o r peacock herl

■ Hackle: Brown, black

and grizzly■ Tail: Red (optional)Cast out and retrieve with short

twitches.Extra long hackle creates more

movement in the water. ****

A very fanatical fisherman calls his doctor at home and says, “Doc, you gotta help me out. It’s an emergency. My baby swallowed a fish hook.”

The doctor replies, “Bring him to my office, I’ll meet you there.”

Before the doctor can even get to the door, the phone rings again and the fisherman says, “Never mind Doc. I found another fish hook.”

****Send your comments to questions

to:Richard Rehm3267 Childress Ave.St. Louis, Mo. 63139 or by e-mail to indktor@yahoo.

com

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Page 6: Trout Talk May 2014

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Page 7: Trout Talk May 2014

By Kelly MorganTrout Talk

Some of Laclede County’s wettest citizens might fi nd themselves famous, thanks to a Kansas City filmmaker- turned-Lebanon resident.

Filmmaker Bobby Thompson is cur-rently working on a short documentary about the life of a trout, which he plans to shoot at Bennett Spring State Park. Thompson, a Kansas City native, used to be a graphic designer and went free-lance in 2000 when Canon debuted the fi rst DSLR camera. Also in 2000, Apple released the video editing program Final Cut Pro, prompting Thompson to begin editing video. From there, he began getting involved in fi lm festivals,

working on fi lm crews and, finally, making his own films. Over the course of his career, he has shot still photos and video for NBC, LL Bean, National Geo-graphic Adventurer, the Harlem Globetrot-ters, ESPN and the Weather Channel, as well as producing the

independent fi lms “Red 54,” “Candy Apple Red” and “Triptych.”

In September 2013, Thompson moved to Lebanon. While he said that he had family who had grown up in the area, his real reason for moving here had to do the availability of recreation.

“There’s just a lot more recreational things that I can do when I’m not out working or shooting someplace,” he stated. “I’ve still got interstate access, so I can drive to wherever I need to shoot pretty easily. It actually makes it closer to some towns — I can get to Memphis, New Orleans — I work in New Orleans a little bit.”

When Thompson talks about Leba-non having more recreational opportu-nities than Kansas City, he is referring to the town’s proximity to several rivers. That’s because Thompson is an avid fl y fi sherman, an interest which played a signifi cant role in his decision to make a documentary about trout.

“I’m a fl y fi sherman. It just kind of hit me that might something (that would) be interesting. With that kind of fi lm, you defi nitely have to have a passion for the subject, and like I said, fl y fi sh-ing is defi nitely one of my passions,” Thompson said.

For now, Thompson’s documen-

tary is in what he calls the “very, very, very conceptual stage,” by which he means that he has the park’s permis-sion to shoot a documentary and that he has done some storyboarding, but he hasn’t shot much actual footage yet — although he did cover the Opening Day of trout season at Bennett Spring. Once it gets off the ground, Thompson intends his fi lm to follow the life cycle of a hatchery-bred trout from spawning to the angler’s hook, and possibly even to someone’s dinner plate. The project, which Thompson says he is doing in be-tween more lucrative fi lms, will only re-sult in a 5 to 10 minute documentary but will represent approximately 40 hours of work. During that process, he says that he will undoubtedly learn more about trout and how they are reared.

“You always learn from anything you fi lm,” he said. “You kind of learn about the subject as you go along, which can change the fi lm. You don’t always end up with exactly what you thought you would end up with, so you have to be kind of fl exible about how the projects go.”

In addition to learning about trout, Thompson also hopes to learn some-thing about cellphone video.

“I’m kind of also doing this as an ex-periment with small media,” he stated. “I’m going to fi lm the entire thing on small consumer cameras because that is what’s popular right now. And I just got back from lecturing at a college, and that’s what they wanted to hear about was how fi lmmakers can use these new media tools to tell their stories.”

To that end, Thompson plans to use no equipment other than an iPhone and

a small camera called a GoPro to fi lm the documentary. While shooting with a cell phone might prove to pose some technical challenges, Thompson said the artistic side of fi lmmaking is the same regardless of what equipment is being used.

“Framing is framing, composition is composition, color is color,” he stated. “All the principles of cinematography, you use those no matter what you’re shooting on. I’ve shot on cameras that cost more than my house, and I’ve shot things on an iPhone. You use what you have available and what’s best for that particular shot or project.”

Once the documentary is fi nished, Thompson hopes that it will be good enough to enter in fi lm festivals. He thinks it might be particularly suited for a few he knows of that specialize in outdoor-related fi lms. Following that, he said he will probably post it on the Internet.

THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MAY 2014 PAGE 7

The life of a trout at BennettLocal fi lmmaker, fl y fi sherman chronicles the life cycle of hatchery-raised fi sh

Thompson

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Page 8: Trout Talk May 2014

By Kelly MorganTrout Talk

Where one person sees scrap wood, another person might see the makings of a work of art.

At least, that’s what Wild Oaks Campground owner Mel Bidwell was counting on when he hired Wil-lard-based artist Keith Gregory to transform some of the trees at his campground into statues last summer. Bidwell explained that the statues were carved from trees that the camp-ground would have had to cut down anyway in order to replace its septic system.

“We just wanted to do something with them,” he said. “I mean, it was just a waste of cutting down all those trees, and we have plenty left for fi re-

wood out here still, so we used what we could for carvings. It’ll probably be a good thing to bring people in.”

The statues are actually carved from the tall stumps of the trees, which were left in the ground.

Gregory began his career as an artist using a knife to create much smaller wood carvings. However, it was only a matter of time before he thought of combining his artistic tal-ent with experience gained through more mundane chores.

“I started out knife carving -- you know, hand carving,” Gregory ex-plained. “Of course, being a knife carver and being good with a chain-saw -- you know, cutting fi rewood and stuff -- I naturally started thinking,

‘Well, I wonder if I could do some carving with the chainsaw.’ So that’s what I did.”

Apparently, there is plenty of learning transfer between hand carving and chainsaw carving once you realize how similar the two can be.

“(It was) kind of an ‘Aha!’ moment when I realized that the saw blade is a lot like the knife blade, and if you treat the saw blade like the knife blade, you’re in business,” Gregory said.

Gregory has now been a profession-al chainsaw carver for eight years.

With all of his, the project at Wild Oaks Camp-ground is far from the strang-est thing that Gregory has worked on. No, that prize goes to the world’s largest freestand-ing statue of a rooster, which he shaped for the Great Ameri-can Steak and Chicken House in Branson, a 45-foot-tall fowl that edged a 35-foot-tall chicken from France out of the Guiness Book of World Records. The Branson rooster consists of a steel frame with wooden ribs covered in foam. Gregory said he was hired to carve the foam with his saw, although he didn’t build the frame, paint the rooster or do any other work unrelated to chainsaw carving.

For the Wild Oaks project, Gregory collaborated with Bidwell about the subject matter for the statues at Wild

Oaks. In the end, the campground be-came the proud new owner of a sitting bear, a standing bear, two owls and an eagle.

One of the challenges of the project was the type of wood he had to work

with -- not that he isn’t used to it.

“A couple of them were white oak, and white oak is a lot harder and denser than red oak, so they took a little longer,” he stated.

Gregory ex-plained that softer woods tend to be easier to work with than hard woods. In fact, his pre-ferred material is catalpa, but that isn’t common in Missouri. Instead, he tends to use red cedar or red oak.

“In Missouri, you better get ready to carve some red oak,” he said. “I’m used to carving oak

now. The other carvers in the other states, when I go to competitions, they laugh at me because I’m carving oak.”

Another unique aspect of the Wild Oaks project was its timing. Gregory worked on the statues during Inde-pendence Day weekend, which meant

PAGE 8 THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MAY 2014

Old trees have new life at Wild OaksSculptor uses chainsaw, fi re to create works of art at the campground

In this photo from his website, Keith Gregory poses with a frog statue that he has made.

See ‘Wild Oaks’/ page 12

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Page 12: Trout Talk May 2014

PAGE 12 THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MAY 2014

that the campground was packed, and Gregory had an audience. He said he is used to doing carving demonstra-tions, though, and actually likes to be watched.

“They provide the energy, and you just keep going, and it works pretty good,” Gregory said.

Of course, working in July also meant that it was hot -- very hot.

“It was hot,” Gregory remembered. “I was bushed. The thing about those carv-ings was there wasn’t enough room to set up a tent to get myself out of the sun, so I just had to spray on the sunscreen and go after it. So it was really hot. And I’m 47 years old, so it was kind of rough.”

Gregory estimates that the carvings at Wild Oaks Campground took a total of four days to complete, with the biggest bear statue taking a day and a half all by itself. In the end, Gregory said he wasn’t satisfied with the results of his efforts, but that’s normal.

“I’m never satisfied,” he admitted. “I’m never satisfied with how it turns out. I’m a perfectionist, and that’s what drives me to be a better carver: try-ing to make the next carving better. So I’m never satisfied -- but they look

okay.”Gregory might not be satisfied

with his work, but Bidwell said that campers at Wild Oaks like the statues just fine -- especially those who watched them come to life.

“They love them,” Bidwell said. “When he was up here doing them, the people who were camp-ing here were all sitting out there in their lawn chairs watching him do it. They were eating food or (drinking) pops and lemonade or something, and he had a crowd of people watching him doing it. You know, it’s pretty amaz-ing sitting there watching a great big, old round -- just a tall stump -- turn into something. They were all pretty amazed at how fast he could do it.”

Bidwell must be satisfied, too, because he’s trying to get back on Gregory’s docket to have some more statues carved.

“We’re trying to get him back. We’ve got some (stumps) that are like two, 3 foot up off the ground is all that’s left of them. We’re trying to get him to come back and do turtles, raccoons or some-thing,” Bidwell stated.

Wild Oaks from page 8

Wild Oaks Campground owners Mel and Cyn-thia Bidwell pose with the “happy bear” statue at the campground.

An owl statue displays the words “Wild Oaks” across its base, complete with a drawing of an owl inside the letter “o,” just like in the Wild Oaks logo.

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•MacCreed’s Art Gallery & Gifts•Readings Fly Shop•Vogel’s Resort•Circle J Café & Campground•Riverwood Resort•Hidden Valley Outfi tters•One Eyed Willy’s Campground•Wild Oak’s Campground & Café•Fort Niangua River Resort

•Sand Springs Resort•Weaver’s Tackle Shop•Glynn’s RV Repair•Fort Bennett Trading Post•Ollie’s BBQ & Steakhouse•Valley View Store & RV Parks•Oak Hill Campground•Lil’ Country Store•Riverfront Campground•NRO Zipline, Canoe & Campground•The Gravel Bar & Grill

Pick up the monthly

publication

at your favorite Bennett Spring businesses at the following locations!

Also online @ www.lebanondailyrecord.com, Home Page & Sports Page

Inside the State Park at: Larry’s Resort, Bennett Springs Nature Center &

near Bennett Spring Hatchery.

TALKTROUT

Page 13: Trout Talk May 2014

THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MAY 2014 PAGE 13

[email protected]

Hillbilly Days

Father’s Day WeekendJune 13,14 & 15 2014

This ain’t your Grandad’s Hillbilly DaysBut he’s gonna love it!

Homestead Lodging RV Park and Boat Rentals Swimming Pool • Free Wi-Fi

Call 417-532-409728 Units • 18 RV Sites • 4.6 Acres Property

For Sale thru Century 21 Maddux Realty - Call Tim 417-588-5187

Bennett Spring Lunker Gallery

Nikki Madole, Clinton, Mo.

Chris Waterman, Lebanon, Mo., 4 1/4 pounds.

David Jones II, Wentzville, Mo.

Brad Crain, Pleasant Hope, Mo.

Jeff Meyers, St. Louis, 3 pounds

See more lunker

photos on page 14 of

this edition of Trout Talk

Page 14: Trout Talk May 2014

PAGE 14 THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MAY 2014

11446 Hwy 64, Bennett Spring, MO 65536

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Kendall Cook, Marshfi eld, Mo. Clifton Hill, Jefferson City, Mo.

Lance Myers, Lebanon, 4 1/8 pounds

Brian Massey, Lebanon, Mo., 3 /12 pounds.

Lunker Gallery

Editor’s Note: Lunker photos are published on a space and information available basis. Photos may be submitted to

Trout Talk by e-mailing them to [email protected]

Page 15: Trout Talk May 2014

From MDCJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — James

Civiello’s and Craig Fuller ’s long-time dedication to improving the state’s fishing opportunities and aquatic resources and Dwayne Bowden’s work with hunter educa-tion have earned the three southwest Missouri individuals recognition from the Conservation Federation of Missouri.

The trio was honored at the Conservation Federation’s awards banquet on March 21 at the Capital Plaza Hotel.

Each year, the Federation rec-ognizes conservation volunteers and professionals for their efforts to improve and protect our natu-ral resources. Civiello received the Federation’s Professional Conserva-tionist of the Year award, Fuller was named the Water Conservationist of the Year and Bowden received the Hunter Education Instructor of the Year award.

Currently, Civiello is the Missouri Department of Conservation’s hatch-ery systems manager and his office is at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery near Branson, Mo.

He oversees operation of the state’s five cold-water and four warm-water hatcheries. Dur-ing his 28 years with the Department, Civiello has been heavily involved in the advancement of Missouri’s trout management. He helped develop a seasonal trout pro-duction schedule at Shepherd of the Hills and has provided oversight for hatch-ery renovation projects statewide. He also devel-oped a computer program to track trout production and feed use at cold-water hatcheries, coordi-nated with department research staff to improve the nutritional content of trout feed. In addition to his work with trout and other sportfish, Civiello also pioneered culturing techniques for Ozark and eastern hellbender; techniques that have

helped in the recovery effort of these state-endangered amphibians at the St. Louis Zoo.

Working with endangered species has also been

a key emphasis for Fuller, a Department of Conservation

fisheries manage-ment biologist at the Department’s Lebanon, Mo., office.

Fuller is cur-rently the Fed-

eral Recovery Team Leader for the Nian-gua darter, a feder-

ally threatened and state endangered fish. (The only place

in the world this small fish is found is in a few tributaries of the Osage River in south-central Missouri.)

Since 2004, Fuller has worked with county governments to coordi-nate the replacement of 16 low-wa-ter crossings in the Niangua darter ’s range that were identified aquatic

organism passage barriers. The design of these new bridge

crossings allows greater movement for Niangua darters and other aquat-ic organisms in the stream channel.

Fuller was instrumental in secur-ing funding from state and federal sources for the construction of these crossings. He also coordinated in-

kind contributions from county com-missions and road districts. Fuller has provided consultation on several other low-water crossings; work has been viewed as the “gold standard” example for these type of projects in Missouri and elsewhere in the U.S.

In addition to his work with the Niangua darter, Fuller also works with private landowners on stream and riparian issues, oversees man-agement of sportfish species in the streams in the three-county area Fuller oversees. Fuller also manages Pomme de Terre reservoir and has focused on improving that lake’s muskellunge habitat.

Springfield, Mo., resident Bowden was deeply involved in the transi-tion to the new hunter education format in the southwest part of Missouri. His skills with computer technology and audiovisual equip-ment are a valuable asset to hunter education teams in Greene and Web-ster counties in Missouri. His efforts were integral in Seymour, where he set up the skills session portion of the hunter education curriculum and a lecture area with AV equipment and learning stations so individuals in that area could be certified.

In 2013, Bowden assisted with 17 hunter education programs; an effort that reached 626 Missourians. In doing so, he volunteered 103 hours and logged 561 miles on his personal vehicle.

THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MAY 2014 PAGE 15

MDC photo

Craig Fuller, center, was named the Water Conservationist of the Year by the Conservation Federation of Missouri, Fuller, who works in the MDC Lebanon, Mo., offi ce, has worked with county governments to coordinate the replacement of 16 low-water crossings in the Niangua darter’s range that were identifi ed aquatic organism passage barriers, as well as other projects. Also pictured is Brandon Butler, left, the executive director of the Conservation Federation of Missouri, and David Smith of Bass Pro.

Fuller named Water Conservationist of the Year by Conservation Federation

Local MDC expert among 3 honored at annual awards banquet

Fishing right in front of your cabin. There’s a lunker

with your name on it!

R • E • S • O • R • T417.532.287827823 Marigold DriveLebanon, MO 65536WWW.RIVERWOODRESORTMO.COM

Only 1 mile from Bennett Spring State Park

on the Bank of the Beautiful Niangua River

Luxury Accomodations1/2 Mile of River Frontage

Page 16: Trout Talk May 2014

Your guarantee of the most advanced technique of fly casting, from the beginning to advanced, from fresh water to salt water, with 33 years of extensive research into the art and science of fly casting. Your personal instructor and teacher: Charlie Reading. Call for appointments.

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GIVEAWAYS ALL DAY LONG!

Representatives Attending: SAGE

Redington Rio Representative

Darin Jacober and Authors Terry & Roxanne Wilson.

11937 Highway 64, Lebanon, MO • 417-588-4334 • www.readingsflyshop.com coming soon!

Wading Boots

Page 17: Trout Talk May 2014

Circuses have many acts from lion tamers to acrobats. Here are some questions about circuses and circus acts. How many can you answer correctly?

1) Some circuses take place in a tent known as the small top. Fact or Fiction?

2) Most of the action in a circus takes place in a ring. Fact or Fic-tion?

3) Only one act can perform at a time in a circus. Fact or Fiction?4) The ringmaster oversees all of

the action in a circus. Fact or Fic-tion?

5) The ringmaster wears baggy jeans and a bright-colored T-shirt.

Fact or Fiction?6) Trapeze artists perform some

of the most high-fl ying acts in a circus. Fact or Fiction?

7) Tightrope walkers use big cats in their acts. Fact or Fiction?8) Most circuses have clowns. Fact or Fiction?

9) A circus clown might ride a one-wheeled bike called a tricycle. Fact or Fiction?

10) Some circuses also have dancers and fire breathers.

Fact or Fiction?Answers: 1) Fiction, a circus

tent is called the big top, 2) Fact, 3) Fiction, more than one act often performs at a time, 4) Fact, 5) Fic-tion, the ringmaster wears a top hat with a brightly colored topcoat and tails, 6) Fact, 7) Fiction, tightrope walkers usually do not perform with animals, especially big cats like lions and tigers, 8) Fact, 9) Fiction, a one-wheeled bike is called a unicycle, 10) Fact

THE LEBANON DAILY RECORD TROUT TALK MAY 2014 PAGE 17

COLORING PICTURE

Have you ever heard of the Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus? It is a combination of circuses started long ago, including one run by P.T. Barnum. Barnum was known for fi nding great circus acts, including Jumbo the elephant.

Barnum found Jumbo at the London Zoo where the elephant was famous for giving kids rides. In fact, when P.T. Barnum off ered to buy Jumbo from the zoo, thousands of children wrote to Queen Victoria begging her not to let the sale take place.

Barnum bought Jumbo for $10,000 and showed the elephant in his circus until it died in 1885. Jumbo’s story did not end there, however. Barnum made several donations to Tufts University, and in his honor, the university named Jumbo its mascot.

One of Barnum’s Best

Fact or Fiction?

Circus Challenge

Page 18: Trout Talk May 2014

MIS

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ALE

HW

Y A

A

HWY WW

1*

2*

3*

*4

*5

BENNETT SPRINGSTATE PARK

AND SURROUNDING AREA©2004 ROBERT S. SHOTTS INC. & LEBANON PUBLISHING CO

*6

1 Barclay Public Access

2 Bennett Spring Public Access

3 Ft. Niangua River Resort84 Cat Hollow Trail•417-532-4377www.fortniangua.com

4 Moon Valley Public Access

5 Family Crossing Mobile Home VillageThe Bennett Room17698 Hwy. 64, Lebanon•417-532-4550

6 Adventures Float Trips & Campground LLC1667 State Highway 643 1/2 miles West of Bennett Spring15 miles East of Highway 65417-588-RAFT (7238)www.mo-adventures.org

7 Weavers Tackle Store11388 Hwy 64417-532-4618

8 One-Eyed Willy’s & Pete’s Place372 Corkery Rd.417-993-BOAT (2628)www.oneeyedwillys.com

9 MacCreed’s Art GalleryFine Arts & GiftsHwy 64 East of Bennett417-588-7993Thurs.-Sat. • Sun. by Appt.www.maccreedsgallery.com

10 Wild Oaks Campground1818 Hwy 64417-588-1631wildoakscampground.com

7*

*8*8

*9

10*

Page 19: Trout Talk May 2014

26248 HWY 64A • LEBANON, MO 65536

FOR INFORMATION OR RESERVATIONS: 417-532-4307 or 800-334-6946www.bennettspringstatepark.com • www.jimrogersfl yschool.com

Bennett Spring State Park

J. Rogers Outfi tters are proud to offer our signature line of trout fl ies using the fi nest materials and craftsmanship. This collection contains more types, patterns and sizes than anywhere in the Midwest.

A similar fl y might be found for $2.49, but we are pleased to offer these at $1.69 each or 10 for $13.95

Gear Up at Bennett Spring State Park Store

Page 20: Trout Talk May 2014

Located 500 yards east of Bennett Spring State Park at Fishing Tales Campground11388 Highway 64, Lebanon, MO 65536

(417) 532-4618 • www.weaverstackle.comJoin us on Facebook at Weavers Tackle Store

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Bring the family in and enjoy these

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MAY2014It’s Kid Fishing Month

at Weaver’s