On Tuesday, January 28, 2025, with a great weather forecast and reports of very good fishing, six FATC
members (Bill Byington, Bob Hassett, Denny Garner, Tim Klotz, Sid Aslin,, and me, Don Varner) met up at
Meramec Spring Park for what proved to be a very good day of catching. Most fished primarily in the
park, though some fished part of the day outside. The weather was great and the fish were
cooperating.
Everybody caught in double figures, with many catching 30 or more. The stream was loaded with trout,
and a wide variety of flies were working. Included were cream delight San Juan worm, Blowtorch,
Morning Umpqua Squirrel Leach (both black and dark brown fished as steamer stripping the fly), Wooley
booger (back and green, lime green, flashy white), Perdigon flies in the fast water area near picnic
shelter, salmon San Juan worm,, Big Hurt, brown zebra midge, crackle back style patterns, Bennett
Spring killer, yellow soft hackle. Most of the catches were in the park, and the trout tended to be a bit
small, in the 9 to 10 inch range though some were larger. At least one smallmouth bass was also caught.
Denny reported good results with his first time Euro nymphing and had the pleasure of catching two
trout on one cast which made for challenge getting both in the net.
We fished from the opening to the closing (8 to 4) after which we enjoyed a fellowship dinner at Rich’s
Famous Burgers in St. James.
[None of us took pictures for this report].