This was graduation day for the first fly fisher out of the box for the Fall class of 2019. Andy Fairlamb was chomping at the bit to get on the water and made it before the catch and release season started. Joining Andy was Steve Baker, Bob Beckett, Barry Dunnegan, Jim Craig and the Sensei Kenny. It was a chilly morning, but the sun heated up the day of fishing into the high 60s. being a Wednesday the guys anticipated an un-crowded park but that didn’t happen. Not sure where all these people come from (unemployed maybe – not really – just retired folk). But as usual the crowds dissipated in the afternoon which turned out to be the better fishing.
Andy and Kenny headed to the usual spot for the graduation class to practice all the techniques for Andy to see. Andy did pick up his first fish before lunch while midging near the “boulder”. Jim and Bob went to check out below the cable. They said it was pretty good for the first 200 yards. Bob did well with dry flies. Barry and Steve worked inside the park. Barry pulled in an 18-inch beauty of a rainbow – sorry, no pictures but we believe him. So, at lunch time, we had reports from the entire area.
The afternoon had Kenny taking Andy to the beginning of the park near the spring and working their way down stream. The rest of the guys did the same – stretching throughout the park to hunt for fish. The afternoon started out s-l-o-w. Even Kenny remarked that it was the slowest he’s seen this year. But in true Montauk fashion (and the ways of fly fishing) the hatches started to pick up around 3pm and the trout turned on. Caddis and midges were hatching and laying eggs, so the trout were keyed in on elk hair caddis flies and even small midge emerger flies. Fun top water action! Everybody caught a more fish on the afternoon.
Afterwards we hit Hick BBQ and Andy was initiated with the celebratory Ory’s Spud. Great group of guys and awesome fellowship. Join us – catch and release season starts November 8th (parks close from November 1st to 7th). Congrats to Andy Fairlamb on his graduation
