Fishing the park 1/6/2016

[bkbying89]

Fished Maramec today. The water was up on the walk-ways at spots and was kind of dingy and green. Started off with a 64th oz white jig, on the second cast hooked a nice trout then lost him after about a minute. Proceeded to hook and lose the next three fish on olive and white jigs. Then I switched to spinners. Same story I had a bent hook on one and broke off the next bait. By now I started thinking I would just put the poles away and take up knitting butSince I was already there I pulled out the TFO and put on a 4X leader and a clown egg fly and that turned my luck around. Caught five healthy trout and a kicker goggle eye before I headed home. Other anglers were using bead head olive woolly worms, jigs and even midge dry flys. After a bad start, it turned out all right. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

Nice!

Thanks for the report. 

[Haris122]

I was just about to make a report for today myself. What time were you there? And what areas did you fish?

I thought the water was just mildly dingier from what it usually is. Seemed to work in my favor though. I started a bit after 11 and went until closing time. Started out a bit upstream of the fish cleaning station, Pretty much all day I was fishing roostertails on my 2 light action rods, a moth looking fly under a bobber (not on fly rod, just ultra light spinning outfit), and a black marabou jig under slip float on another ultra light. Actually wound up with 5 Rainbows, 3 Rockbass/Goggleeye, and 1 apiece of  Brown Trout, Smallmouth, and Largemouth. Pretty fun day. The roostertails produced the best for me. Think I got 7 or 8 fish on them. Another 2 or 3 on the marabou jig, and just 1 on the "moth fly".

Got my first one just downstream of where the little island is and the two stream arms meet back up. Was a 12" or so Rainbow on my best roostertail, a grey-black 1/24th or 1/16th one with silver spoon. Fought pretty good. I'd say it was my 2nd best fight of the day. Unfortunately it squirmed and thrashed around as I was trying to unhook it, and unhooked itself before I could take a picture.

Don't want to bore people with too many details so I'll just say this, top 3 fighters were my biggest rainbow at 14" on a roostertail, along with the first fish of the day (the rainbow I already mentioned), and the smallmouth. The big rainbow fought like he was on steroids on the light action rod. Every time I'd think I got it tired out and close enough to net, it would take off on another run like crazy. It did that a good 6 or so times. I just kind of tried lowering the drag so it didn't unhook itself from the violent runs, and just kind of tried to ride it out. I'm really surprised it didn't get off, as much as it shook it's head, thrashed and ran and all. Turned out the hook was right in the top of the snout by the time I got it in. Being the genius I am, I only remembered that I had not took a picture of it, after it was already back in the water and out of my hands. But here's some pics of some of the others.

Hey bkb, hope you don't mind me tagging my report along with yours.

[bkbying89]

Haris122,

I arrived at around 10:30 and fished till around 2:00 I  spent all of my time from that big bend pool above the second dam. On both sides, no bites off the far side. I usually fish with my fly rod up and down the stream scaring as many trout as I can. It Sounds like you had a good day.

[Haris122]

I'm not sure what exactly the dam is but if I'm thinking of the same location you are then we might have fished kind of nearby most of the time. I spent most of the day at the upper portion of the park but just on the side by the parking lots. I just made it down to where the bathrooms are for the last 30 minutes of the day just to try a little further downstream as well. I didn't get further downstream than that but it seemed to me like the trout were definitely more concentrated at the upper portion of the park. Yesterday was weird, I usually don't have anywhere near that much luck. I usually struggle most of the day just to get more than 2 fish, and still don't but the last two times I've been pretty lucky. 

[mic]

8 minutes ago, Haris122 said:

I'm not sure what exactly the dam is but if I'm thinking of the same location you are then we might have fished kind of nearby most of the time. I spent most of the day at the upper portion of the park but just on the side by the parking lots. I just made it down to where the bathrooms are for the last 30 minutes of the day just to try a little further downstream as well. I didn't get further downstream than that but it seemed to me like the trout were definitely more concentrated at the upper portion of the park. Yesterday was weird, I usually don't have anywhere near that much luck. I usually struggle most of the day just to get more than 2 fish, and still don't but the last two times I've been pretty lucky. 

Sshhh, don't jinx it.

[Seth]

This weekend is looking bitter cold. Might be a good time to make a trip down there. The crowds should be pretty light. 

[bkbying89]

Haris122,

I was thinking the same thing. I usually wear a camo jacket and hat with magnifiers on the bill. I believe I figured out my problem wth breaking off my fish. I had some new jigs and did not clear off all the paint. I might have cut the line at the hook.anyway,  I am going to sit down and clean those eyes off of any paint.

Seth, I was thinking the same thing about fishing this week but frozen guides do not appeal to me. Got enough trouble with arthritis when it's in the 40's. Then again I have been trying to go at least once a week. 

[Haris122]

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Sshhh, don't jinx it.

I'll try to write it in smaller font next time to indicate me whispering it quietly.

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I usually wear a camo jacket and hat with magnifiers on the bill.

One weird thing with trout fishing, almost all of us wear some kind of camo clothing from my experience. I was the guy that had 4 of the regular lighter action rods with spinning and spincast reels on, and fished the spincasting ones holding them upside-down (as if they were spinning reels, just reeling it in towards me).

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This weekend is looking bitter cold. Might be a good time to make a trip down there. The crowds should be pretty light. 

I've been wanting to go fish there during or after some snow, but I work this weekend. Maybe the snow will stick around long enough for me to go Monday or Tuesday. If it only were a little shorter of a drive from St. Louis.