It’s another overnight trip in the making. I sent out a text to see who could join me in fishing at Montauk and mainly to see how the fishing at Baptist Camp was doing with the warmer weather. The response was good and we ended up with 4 guys staying at the FATC cabin Wednesday and Thursday. Glenn Haake, Ken Welter, Matt McClure and me {Steve Baker}. Matt and I were also staying Thursday night. Bob Hassett joined us for Wednesday and Bill Grelle and Bob Palisch were able to join us on Thursday. We were also joined by the part time Montauk resident Dan Staggenborg who is always an entertaining addition.
The weather was calling for a chance of rain both days but not so as to chase us off. I had a couple of doctor appointments Wednesday morning and Matt was willing to wait for me and we drove down at 1 pm. The rest of the group got there early and Glenn, Ken and Dan headed to Baptist Camp. Dan decided he was going to drag Glenn through the woods and fish upstream from the BC access. Glenn pointed out that a machete would’ve been nice to have along. The fishing upstream didn’t pan out as they had expected with only a couple of fish to the net as they worked their way back to the access. Ken had fished just below the parking lot but with limited success. Matt and I didn’t get to the park till almost 4 PM and decided we would just get our tags and fish in the park till the horn. We decided to check out the boulder area. Matt wanted to toss some streamers and I had a nymph fly I had tied called a Depth Charge, complements of Gundog & Fly on you tube and a tip from Dan. As we approached the boulder we could see a huge tree had fallen across the stream and partially cover the boulder. We were able to cross under the tree trunk and have access to the lower half of the boulder. As we crossed we could see a hover of trout which gave me the perfect opportunity to try this nymph fly. Matt even tossed his streamer in the area and immediately got a hit but the fish spit it out. He then moved down to the deep water above the spillway giving me free run of the boulder hole. I had the Depth Charge tied on as the bottom fly with a dark red Perdigon as the top fly. I was using a New Zealand type indicator and since the hole there was fairly deep, I had it set for about 5-6’. It didn’t take but a minute and I had a fish on, and for the next hour I was able to net 9 more fish without even moving from that spot, all but one on the Depth Charge. I then figured I had worn out my welcome and decided to fish below the spillway. On the way I came across Matt, he indicated he wasn’t having much luck with streamers. As I moved down to the spillway I noticed how surprisingly clear the water was with the rain they had earlier in the day. I fished the area for a short while and Matt joined me below and then moved just above the spillway. We gave up on that area and I decided to move up to just below and above the power lines. The water there was only about 18” deep and fast but I was able to pull 4 more fish out of there before calling it a day. Turned out to be a great afternoon for me, 14 fish in 3 hours. I met Matt back at his car and we headed to the cabin but not before a short visit at Dan’s RV. He was even nice enough to have a fire going in the pit, (in August no less) what a guy. We wanted to get to the cabin so we didn’t stay long. Goodnight Dan.
Matt and I arrived at the cabin to find Glenn and Ken relaxing and watching mindless TV. We got our stuff unloaded and realized it was after 8:30 PM so we ate a quick sandwich for dinner, showered. After that, we sat around catching up on the day and then decided it was time for bed.
We had plans to meet Bob Palisch and Bill Grelle at the lodge and start the day at Baptist Camp. As Bob and Bill went straight to BC, I rode with Glenn and Ken to Tan Vat where Glenn and Dan were taking their kayaks to float and fish down to BC. Once the rest of us were at BC, Bob and Bill started fishing downstream. Ken and I decided to walk up the road to the trail that is a short cut downstream to Brown Town. Bob and Bill, I wasn’t trying to keep it from you but you were all set to go and took off while I had to wait for Ken to get ready. The walk from the parking lot is nothing like Cardiac Hill, but you know your getting old when you have to take a breather half way up. It’s a good thing the rest of the way is all down hill. We made it to the stream with our faces full of spider webs and ready to fish. I started upstream to the tree that all the fish hang out at and Ken worked his way up past me. I caught nothing at the Honey hole so I moved up a ways and Ken went down, but neither of us caught fish. Matt showed up and started working his way downstream, with Ken also heading in that direction. I fished down to the next big root wad and didn’t have any luck so I returned to the Honey hole and I was finally able to catch a nice rainbow and two browns. That was it for that hole and it was 12:00 and time for lunch. Matt and Ken showed up about that time and we started the long trek back up the trail to the road. I’m not sure which way is worse but I had to take two breathers going back. Once we got to the road and started down Bob and Bill were leaving BC and going to have lunch at the Stagg Tables. We told them we would meet them there. When we got back to the car we noticed that Glenn and Dan were still on their float. They both had their cars there so we went back to the park for lunch and a little fellowship. The guys reported that the fishing at BC was not very good for any of us and we all wanted to search out those honey holes. I left the boulder hole for someone else to fish and started at the power lines and worked upstream. The fish were all over the place but I couldn’t seem to find anything they wanted. I all but gave up and headed back toward the boulder hole. I ran into Ken and his luck was only slightly better than mine. He was going to meet Glenn at the naturalist cabin since they were planning to leave by 5 PM. Bob and Bill must have left early and I never saw them after lunch. I thank Matt was the only one who did well on Thursday. I found him down at the boulder horning in on a spin fisherman and showing him up. Matt caught 8 fish there and then went up to the swift water below the power lines and picked up a half dozen more. Dan was down below the boulder and had a couple to the net; and then also went up towards the power lines. I was left to fish the boulder area and wouldn’t you know it, I was still skunked. Since it was getting to be about 7 PM, I cried uncle and went back to the car to get out of my wet wading clothes. Matt showed up about 7:30 PM and said Dan was going to fish till the horn. Matt changed out of his waders and we headed to the cabin to eat dinner and decide on Friday’s plans. We finished eating kind of late and being worn out from a long day. I crashed and ended up sleeping until 9:30 Friday morning.
Since it had rained early Friday morning we decided we would pack it in and head home early. The drive home was eventless but a warning to anyone driving back on 44 from Rolla, the construction on the east bound lanes on the far right has the lane all torn up from truck traffic. That’s a ten mile stretch from Rolla to St. James and it moves very slowly. Your best bet is to get into the inside far left lane that has been newly paved. You must make this choice when you get on highway 44 at 72 and before 63. Our fellowship meal was a stop at Quick Trip in Rolla for a sandwich. Not a bad deal for a quick pit stop. We made it back to Matt’s by 2:30 and I was home a little after 3PM.
It was another great FATC trip with the best part being the fellowship. Keep your eyes on the Calendar or post a trip yourself. If you’re not sure of how to do it let me know, I will be glad to help you. I’m sure you will get other members to join you.
