The first 2019 FATC fishing class student graduated on the 17th.  Kevin Himstedt joined our fellowship after seeing us at the Rockwoods Reservation event this winter.  Kevin talked to some of the guys tying flys at the event and got interested.  He checked out our website, and there he saw a few pictures of Mike Bisaga, who he had coached soccer with for years.  A few phone conversations later, he was in Kenny’s class and now the first student in the 2019 class to get out on the water. Kevin has fishing experience, but is fairly new to fly fishing.

The trip was to Montauk, and several other FATC members joined the graduation trip.  Driving down were Mike Bisaga, Kevin Himstedt, Dave Beerbower, Genn Haake, Don Varner and the FATC Fishing Ninja.  The group met up with
Sid “Professor Montauk” Aslin who of course, was already there.  The park was not too crowded as the group hit the water.

Kevin and Mike ran through some of the class review stuff and worked the different techniques in the morning. All except, Glenn, found the morning tough fishing, with only a few in the net for the group.  Glenn however, had his secret fly and managed to pull in a handful.  The group met for lunch, and then back at it.  Mike and Kevin headed to the top by the spring with one of Glenn’s secret flys.  In short order, Kevin had his first “official” FATC fish in the net. Fishing remained tough throughout the day for the entire group, although fish were caught. We had a brief run in with a guy who believed that the Squirmy Wormy was a legal fly in the fly only area.  We called him on it, he had some sort of story, and was convinced that it was legal.  Realizing this was a losing battle, we quickly let it go.  He continued down the river catching fish.  Fish were Legally caught on soft hackles, white and black Woolly Buggers and black and green midges. Of course Glenn’s secret fly, the Big Hurt, proved to be the most successful.