December 31, 2006 12:33 am
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By Silas Gray
Globe columnist
Roaring River, one of Missouri’s state trout parks, is located seven miles south of Cassville and this is my favorite time of the year to fish there — winter catch and release. Winter catch and release begins on the second Friday of November and ends on the second Monday of February.
In the past, we were allowed to fish from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. This year the Missouri Department of Conservation and Missouri Department of Natural Resources expanded our season to include Mondays.
Waiting until 8 to start fishing does have one big advantage — plenty of time for breakfast.
For years I’d stopped at the Hilltop Family Restaurant, just north of the park, at the junction of highways 112 and 76. Their breakfast was good, but their homemade toast was excellent.
The trip just hasn’t quite been the same since the Hilltop was destroyed by fire this past year.
This time I decided to try the restaurant across the road, Fisherman’s Den. They don’t have homemade toast, yet, but I’m glad to report they serve a very good sausage and cheese omelet.
I arrived at the park shortly after the bell, and it was raining. I stopped in the first parking lot in the spaces between the bathroom and the fish cleaning station, and it began raining harder. I hustled all my tackle, rain jacket, waders and boots to the small front porch on the restroom hut. There almost was enough room to stay dry while I got dressed.
One drawback to the winter season is almost everything is closed — the restrooms, the lodge and resort. The hatchery is still operating and there are about three portable johns stationed throughout the park.
Roaring River is divided into three zones, and I wanted to spend the entire day in the wading area of Zone 2. Near the spot where I’d parked, there’s a deep pool with the remains of a concrete water wheel frame.
Wading is permitted from the end of that pool and ends near the handicapped fishing access between Campgrounds 2 and 3, past the Highway F Bridge.
I’d recently learned to tie a fly called the Chamois Worm, and was eager to try it. It’s extremely easy to tie — just thin strips of leather cut from a chamois towel tied to a Size 14 hook. The leather swells as it soaks up water and looks like a real worm. It remains extremely flexible and is durable.
The rain quit as I walked to the water, and the chamois quickly caught two fish from the fast water at the beginning of the wading area.
The rain started again, and the action stopped. I switched through several colors of salmon egg patterns, then an Adams dry fly, Elk Hair Caddis, small Woolly Bugger, different colors of the San Juan Worm and finally a black foam ant.
The trout went crazy and couldn’t get to that ant quickly enough. Foam ants are tough, but after so many fish, this one began to look rough, so I tied on a fresh one. A few fish looked, but they all kept their distance.
I tie these ants using black foam for the body, but it’s hard to see a little black ant on the water, so I add a strand of white waterproof yarn sticking straight up to act as a flag.
To keep it from falling over, I wrap a feather around the yarn to act as a base. Both ants were tied with exactly the same materials except the one the trout had eaten with abandon had a black feather and the shunned ant had a dark brown one.
They resumed biting when I changed back to an all black model.
There’s one deep, wide hole under the Highway F Bridge where large fish always seem to gather. I could see them working the surface of the water as I approached. I got in close before making my first cast.
The fly landed right on target, and after a terrific commotion, I knew I’d hooked a really nice fish. It moved close to the concrete bridge pilings several times, testing my nerves, but never close enough to cut my line.
I coaxed the rainbow over to shallow water and landed the 18-inch beauty. I released it and moved onto the shore and carefully moved nearer the falls below the bridge.
This time of year, the fish will lay waiting just before the falls, but they are easily spooked. Although I crouched down, stayed as far back as I could and cast carefully, I spooked the fish anyway.
I tied on a black San Juan Worm with a split shot to fish the turbulent water below falls. I spooked many of the fish but did manage to catch two of them.
I stayed on shore and moved further downstream across from a steep bank with overhanging trees where the water widened and slowed. The place was loaded with 12-inch fish and they were eager to bite.
When they quit hitting the San Juan Worm, I tied the bead head black Woolly Bugger back on, and they started hitting again. Even after the tail was torn off, they kept biting.
I’d like to have played with the little trout longer but, unfortunately, it was 3:30 and I wanted to hit a few choice spots on the way back before the horn sounded at four.
Trout parks are great for a winter fishing trip. Neither a boat nor a lot of equipment are required, and if you fall in or otherwise get into trouble, you’re never far from the car. One of the greatest advantages for me is that I can experiment.
I can try out new lures and new methods and see how the fish react with rarely anyone but me there to disturb them. I can go for smaller, eager fish or stalk the larger, wiser ones.
With the gift of Mondays we’ll have even more chances to make it to the park. Now, if only we could stretch those hours from 8-4 out to 7-5.
Address correspondence to Silas Gray at ifish@silasgray.com.
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