On the first day of catch and release season it only means one thing, more graduates from our fly-fishing class.  This was Peter Harre’s graduation trip and he did an awesome job. The weather started out cold but turned into a fantastic day and the fish cooperated with all of those attending during the entire day.

Kenny Klimes set out to graduate Peter on this day from the Fall FATC fly fishing class. They were joined by Sid Aslin, Glenn Haake and Al Blair.  All fly fishers reported the fishing as basically – awesome.  Peter caught fish as he learned several techniques on the water. Swinging wet flies, stripping streamers, dead drifting nymphs and midges and dry fly fishing all brought trout to the net this day.  Probably the most exciting catch (at least for Kenny) was when Peter flipped a dry Griffith’s Gnat to a rising fish who made the mistake and landed in Peter’s net.

The predicted cold weather scared a few fishermen from participating on the first day of catch and release and we were fine with that.  Most of us fished the fly fishing only area during the day and the hatchery stocked some pretty nice trout.  Several 15 – 16-inch rainbows were caught this day.  The best flies reached over the spectrum – dry flies, woolybuggers (black), nymphs and midges (the P&P with an orange hot spot collar did well) and soft hackles were the top flies. Seems like the trout didn‘t care what you offered them.

Peter graduated early in the day – before lunch. And at lunch everyone was very satisfied with the catching, the afternoon proved just as good. Hey, we met up with Rick Doerr (FATC Member) who was fishing Montauk the entire weekend. We headed to Hicks BBQ in Cuba for our celebratory initiation meal of the Ory’s Spud. Peter had his and we found out Glenn Haake never had one – initiation time!

Don’t miss Catch and Release season (state parks open from Friday – Monday while Meramac Spring park is open seven days per week).  They also stock browns this time of year in the Meramec river. Let’s go fishing.