Craig and I took a trip down to Maramec Springs this morning, for a quick trip to try out my 3wt rod and reel. It was going to be a very short trip — as both of us had things we had to get done back in the “big city.” We got down to the park about 6am. With all the recent rains, I was completely surprised how low the water was at “the spring.” The water was also VERY clear. There will still fish present everywhere (no matter what you may have read on conservationcafe.com in a thread LOL); however neither Craig nor I had the right fly or tried the right fly. It wasn’t nearly as crowded as “catch to keep” trips I remember in the past — we were never crowded out of 3 of our favorite holes (sure we had to share the holes with bait fisherman, but we had PLENTY of casting room). We fished from the whistle till about 9:45am, and all we had to show for it was one little 10″ rainbow I caught about 8am — I caught it on a sulphur crackleback (on top). It was a small fish, but it really bent my 3wt. I am now devoting my 3wt as my official “dry fly rod” (e.g. my crackleback and EHC rod). That was the only fish of the trip — but I did break the “skunk” out of my new rod. It was an absolutely beautiful morning to fish though — chilly in the morning, but warming up pretty good by the time we were packing up to leave. About 8:30am, there was the biggest hatch of insects coming off in Missouri that I have ever seen. I am not sure if they were tricos or if they were the famed white fly — kind of looked like a larger trico spinner. Not sure what insect it was — but they were all over up near the cable and the fast water running down the left side of the island. Tis the season to start the fishing. — Matt Tucker