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| Montauk State Park - Current River |
Jan. 11, 2013 Friday: I had the opportunity to
fish a four-day weekend. I made plans with my daughter and son in St. Louis to
meet Ann and I for a few days at a cabin in Montauk State Park. The weather for
Friday was very pleasant with temperatures in the 60’s with a mostly sunny
sky. Jenn and Desmond met Ann and I Friday afternoon in Rolla. We had
lunch at Panera Bread. After lunch, we finished our drive to Montauk,
which is near Salem (still 24 mile away) and checked in at the lodge. We stayed
in cabin #11, which was not as nice as #9. Ann took Desmond to the playground;
Jenn and I suited up, grab the fly rods and took to the water. It was late in
the afternoon, with a few hours left to fish for the day. There were a number
of people out this balmy day and it was difficult to find water left
undisturbed. There was a midge hatch with little to no response from the trout.
We managed one trout in the area above the dam and only were able to fish
upstream 75 yards due to congestion from other fishermen.
After the siren blew to sound the end of a
fishing day, Jenn and I went back to the cabin and took Desmond out for a walk.
We checked out the raceways were the trout are fed and reared. We watched the
MDC feed the trout with pellets delivered from their truck. We trout boiled the
waters as they fed.
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| Desmond throwing rocks into the water |
We collected some rocks and went down to the
stream. Desmond caught on quickly and threw a hand full of rocks into the water
in a short time. We then walked over to the playground and did the slide a
number of times. We returned to the cabin were Ann had dinner ready for us. We
spent the evening playing with Desmond, reading a few books and enjoying each
other’s company.
Sean drove in from St. Louis after 9 PM. Desmond
was down for the night, we talked about fishing, tying a few knots and catching
up on the latest news.
Jan. 12, 2013 Saturday: The cold front was to
move in with rain by noon with a dip in the temperature. The number of people
fishing was less this day and had the opportunity to fish around the down tree.
We started half way to the down tree from the dam, due to fishermen already
fishing and we were trying to find some space. Sean fished up around the tree
and Jenn and I started fifty yards below. The trout were swirling about
probably taking midges in the film. The rain started at noon. Jenn and I walked
back to the cabin for lunch. Jenn and Desmond packed after lunch to head back
to St. Louis. Ann left about the same time to check out Rolla and do some
shopping.
Sean and I returned to the water and started in
the lower zone near the hatchery outlet and worked our way upstream. Four
fishermen were in this area and we went upstream fifty yards searching the
water for trout. The stream was very low and little cover for the trout. I did
manage a wild trout in one of the pools.
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| Wild trout from the Current River |
An hour before the end of the day,
Sean and I fished below the dam. There was a mayfly hatch with the trout
aggressively going after the duns. I had a near enough dry to take a half dozen
trout before 4 PM. Sean and I returned to the cabin, prepared supper (hot
beef sandwiches with mash potatoes). We finished off the evening going over a
few knots and retying his leader. We finished with a dozen trout released from
hand.
Jan. 13, 2013 Sunday: It rained hard off and on
throughout the night, with ice and snow north of the I-44 corridor. The next
morning the temperature did drop with a little ice on the windshields and there
was a light snow in the AM.
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| Montauk SP - freezing rain coats the foliage |
We started at the dam and worked our way up stream.
There was one other person fishing and he was below the dam near the bridge. We
saw no one else fishing in front of us this day. The water was undisturbed and
I was able to take a few trout in spots from past trips. There was a PMD (pale
morning dun – cream) hatch in progress with the trout taking these from the
top. I was able to use my BWO pattern to take a few and would switch to a
caddis pattern. We fished for four hours and we managed to take eighteen
rainbows, most were 11-13 inch fish. We left the park at 2 PM, and we drove
back to Rolla. We did make a stop at the little Piney River to check it out.
The water felt cold, Lane Spring access was closed and the waters near Hwy 63
Bridge did not look fishy. We stopped in Rolla and had dinner at Bandanna’s
BBQ. After dinner, Sean drove back to St. Louis and I drove back to
Springfield.
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| The shimmer of ice on trees - Bennett Spring SP |
Jan. 14, 2013 Monday: My last day to fish this
four day weekend and I decided to fish Bennett Spring State Park. The
temperature was 18°F with a north wind and high clouds. I was in the water
before 11 AM. There was a pair of newbie fishermen, heavy dresses and looked
cold. They moved out in short time and I had the area to myself for four hours.
The mayflies were hatching blowing upstream. The trout were cautious being very
selective. I did manage eighteen for the day with a few measuring 16 inches.
The ice did stay in the guides for the day of fishing; a quick dip into the
spring creek took care of the problem. I did see a deer on my drive to the park
with a few eagles flying high over the park.
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| The view of Zone 1 at Bennett Spring SP |
JAN
21, 2013 Monday: I had the opportunity to fish Bennett Spring SP on a cold day.
The sky was clear when I left Springfield but a high cloud cover moved in from
the northwest that dimmed the sun for the afternoon. The air temperature was in
the high twenties and with the north wind blowing up to 15 mpr, made it feel
much colder at times. There were three other fishermen walking the banks but I
was the only fisherman in the water this day. The other fellows left after an
hour. The mayflies once again made an appearance and blew out into open water.
The trout were set up mid-stream and seem to be eager to take these mayflies.
My tie has been made smaller with a # 20 daiichi hook with light blue dun
hackle and chartreuse thread … a very simple tie and will work to fool a few
trout on any given day. I took to the water at the dam and made it to the
handicap ramps by 4 PM.
The
activity below the dam continues with the MDC using a shovel to take out some
bank and adding large rock. There’s a sign indicating the construction of a
walkway for the handicap. I hope to make a few more trips to Bennett Spring SP
before mid-February.
