It’s hard to believe that it is only January and we are going catch and release fishing for the second time this year. A big group was able to go last week but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend so I was gently nudged into posting a trip. The number of guys joining in started slow but as the weather showed signs of being another great winter day and more guys joined in making a total of 13 troupers. The weather has been amazing, let’s hope it holds out for the Miles Meyer Fly Fishing Tournament on January 26th. Everyone wants to get their name on that Plaque.
Jim Craig, Scott Payne and Bob Palisch beat everyone to the stream and were headed to the water when we pulled up to the naturalist cabin. Dan Stag, Don Varner Vernon and Steve Baker followed by Bob Born, Larry Mangles and Marvin Hayes. As we were all getting geared up Denny Garner, Al Harper and Ed Ouimette arrived. I don’t know what it is but some of us can get our stuff together pretty quick and then there’s me. I always seem to be the slow poke of the group. It was 9am by the time I got in the water and I think the fish saw me coming. It was a slow start for me and my soft hackle under a Klink hammer wasn’t drawing much attention, I only caught 3 fish by lunch time, one on a pheasant tail, one on a red midge and one on the Klink hammer.
At lunch, I found that I was not the only one having a slow day. Most of the guys did pretty well, with a few putting up some good numbers. It did not take long for everyone to eat and head back for more fishing since the horn would be going off at 4pm. The decision was made that we would have our fellowship dinner at the Sirloin Stockade in Rolla.
The afternoon went too fast as usual, but the fishing was much better for most. Midges continued to work, as did some small dry flies. I fished for a while with a couple of different patterns under an indicator and caught a couple of fish below the boulder. I decided to try fishing using my sinking fly line and stripping streamers, a whispy and cracklebacks. I have done very well with that set up lately but couldn’t get a hit today. Dan was also fish a sinking line and not having much luck either. He decided to switch to using an indicator and ended up catching a few more fish until quitting time. I decided to call it a day early and headed back to the car. Some days this old man lets me down. A few others had quit early and the rest of the crowd shuffled in, turns out the afternoons fishing was better for most.
We made our way to the Sirloin Stockade and everyone was happy to pig out on the all you can eat buffet. This is when I wish we had a magic wand and could just wish our way home. Till next time FATC brothers Tight Lines
