4/22/2022
The trip that was postponed last Friday due to stream conditions turned out to be a do over for this Friday. Three FATC members, Bob Hassett, Vernon Preston and Steve Baker wanted to give it another shot. We met at the commuter lot at 6am Friday and car pooled to Montauk, arriving at the lodge at 8:15. Got our tags and headed upstream on the spring road to gear up. The water was still running faster than normal and a little high and the clarity was fairly poor. We realized right away that the stream was going to be busier than what we like. I think Fridays are going to be eliminated from my fishing days as long as vacations are in full swing. We started just below the Blue Hole and Bob worked upstream, Vernon and I headed down. Fishing was tough, but we each managed to get 3 or 4 fish each in the morning before breaking for lunch.
We went back around to the Stag tables for lunch and to talk about what worked in the Morning. Vernon had used a midge and a mop fly, Bob said he had the best luck on midges and I caught one on a bead egg and 2 on a purple zebra midge. That purple midge really does work.
We didn’t spend a lot of time eating; we all had ambitions of the afternoon producing more fish. We agreed on meeting back at the car at 5pm. Bob wanted to give the top area another try and Vernon and I went to the power lines. I worked downstream through the shut and was able to pick up another 4 fish by the time I reached the boulder. The House of Payne was good for 2, and an egg fly and a mop fly worked as a combo for 1 each. I met back up with Bob and Vernon at the car and they reported only catching 1 each in the afternoon. The fishing was really tough all day with the wind really playing a part in the fishing in the afternoon.
We got changed out of our gear, left the park and decided to go to American Taco in Rolla for dinner before the ride home. As always it doesn’t seem to mater how good or bad the fishing or conditions are, it always turns out to be a great time. The fellowship is as good as the TUG.
