Now that Missouri is “opening up” during this COVID19 pandemic the FATC has “opened up” fishing trips again. Unfortunately, this pandemic caused us to cancel five graduation trips in April, but we are now getting back on track. Since baseball still is not happening, we decided to do our own “doubleheader” by graduating four, yes four, new guys on back to back days. I am tired just thinking about it again!!
I asked Jim Craig, one of our FATC instructors, if he could help me graduate four guys on back to back days. He agreed – and I am thankful he did. Plus, Glenn Haake invited me to stay with him and Jim overnight in a cabin near Montauk so I would not have to drive home and back again the next day. Good move on my part – allowed me to be fresh for the next day.
Our first day the weather was supposed to be rainy, but it was a great day – just cloudy most of the day. John Best and Jim Petersen were scheduled to graduate as they were joined by me (Kenny), Jim Craig, Glenn Haake, Bill Lowry, Martin Jones, Sid Aslin, Lance Sharkey, and Alex Zambrano. Lance and Alex surprised us on the water with scruffy beards (these guys are airline pilots and probably never had a beard in their lives). No flying for them so no shaving either. The park wasn’t too crowded for a summer trip and the guys pretty much had the fly fishing only area to themselves. John Best and Jim Petersen worked hard with learning their techniques as Kenny and Jim Craig switched instructing each. Kind of like good cop and bad cop routine. When John or Jim was feeling confident then Kenny would get ahold of them and bring them back to reality – “mend, mend – are you crying? There’s no crying in fly fishing!” John and Jim graduated early and caught fish the rest of the day. The others on the trip did well too. As I believe the average number of fish caught was around six per man. Most headed home after the day and unfortunately had to reschedule another time to have a fellowship dinner.
After a night in the cabin, a little bourbon to settle our nerves, we planned for the next day as Steve Darr and Dan Staggenborg were headed to Montauk to graduate. On this trip Steve and Dan, along with Bob Beckett and Sid Aslin, joined Kenny, Jim, and Glenn for another round of fishing. This day called for less chance of rain and of course, it rained all morning. Go figure! Dan and Steve did great and went through all the techniques by lunch time. After lunch we traveled to the top of the river (near the spring) and fished our way down. Both Dan and Steve caught their “graduation fish” and more. Again, the average number of fish caught this day was around six. Of course, Kenny’s “count” was much different than the rest – as usual?? – with ONE FISH in the net!! Say What? Off his normal game, Kenny hung his head in shame as both Steve and Dan out fished the Sensei. But that’s ok because all enjoyed the beauty of the day.
Several of you have told me that Montauk has fewer fish in it after people fished it and took fish out during the pandemic. At first, I did not believe it but now being there for two days straight and going to locations that I know always hold fish – it’s true. Montauk is back to stocking fish, but it will take awhile before the fish per mile gets back up to normal. Plus, all the fish we caught you could tell were freshly stocked. Catch and release season cannot come soon enough. BUT there are fish and we need to get out, enjoy nature, be with our brothers and rejuvenate ourselves. So please do not stay at home in isolation. Get on a trip and fish.
