Well, it wasn’t exactly an “attack” but when 13 FATC travel to fish together for the day you could call it that! Jim Craig set up a trip that was joined by the likes of Steve Baker, Kenny Klimes, Mike Oldani, Al Blair, Bill Byington, Sterling Short, Mike Bisaga, Dave Komor, Don Varner, Sid Aslin, Bob Beckett, and Glenn Haake. Four carloads descended on Maramec park Thursday, December 12th to find a fairly empty park and fish rising everywhere. This was an indication that it was going to be a good day.
Jim, Kenny, Sterling, Glenn, Mike and Bob headed outside the park first thing in the morning to check out how the Meramec river was fishing, while the rest stayed in the park to work that area. For the guys outside the park the fishing was good for “outside the park”. Between the six guys around 15 fish were in the net with more missed. Most were browns with a few rainbows and small mouth bass thrown in. They fished outside until about 11am and headed by to the park for lunch. The guys inside the park said they did very well before the noon lunch hour.
The afternoon was filled with more fish. In the area in the beginning of the park the guys fished from the bridge down to the first waterfall. Some found some suspended trout and were swinging small soft hackles and Barr’s Emergers in sizes 16-22. The trout would hit lightly, and a lift of the rod would mean fights on.
I can give you a list of the best flies, but I’d be writing a book. All flies worked at different times. Just remember that the wintertime calls for smaller flies so don’t be afraid to try them. Don’t miss the wintertime fly fishing – it is the best time of year.
