stripers and fall river...now off to South Carolina

Guided stripers on the Sac thursday. Fishing has been tough. There are good numbers of small fish around and a few big ones but the big ones have been tough to get to eat. We hooked up almost every spot we fished and saw some big boils but couldn't get the bigger fish to eat. This is really frustrating as you began to wonder is it flies...location...time of day.... or did the fish just go the opposite direction from your cast. Either way it was a frustrating day on the water. So striper fishing goes some times.

next morning at o'dark thirty I left chico to get up to the clearwater lodge by 8am. Fished the morning on the Fall with marginal success. We rose a bunch of fish but on really small flies and LONG LONG drifts so setting the hook was next to impossible. BUT we did fool them. Pulled off about noon and went over to Burney creek and beat up on some creek trout with stimis and droppers then headed back to the lodge for a nap and dinner before fishing the evening hatch on fall. The evening hatch was a mix bag...kinda the end of the hex hatch and the start of a really thick dark brown sedge hatch. The fish were much more receptive the sedges than the hex's believe it or not. We hooked and landed a few fish and then headed home.

Next day we fished the Pit in the morning and did good until it got hot and then we headed over to Burney creek again. Pit was standard issue pit if you could get the tight line deep drift down you caught fish if not you struggled.

Now I am home packing up my stuff and heading out tomorrow to South Carolina for some red fish, tarpon, golf, and family time. Over and Out.

Last few days...

So the last few days I have been all over the place. I guided the Lower Sac from Barge Hole to Bend bridge on Friday and had a good day. Fishing has improved slightly on that float from a week or so ago. We seemed to hook bigger and more fish which is always nice.

Saturday I was on the L. Sac outside of chico for stripers. We had been doing well on stripers during the early part of the week, but a low pressure system moved in on Saturday morning, temps droped and there was a few rain drops present. We managed a few small fish during the evening but it was pretty tough fishing. I will be back out there tomorrow and thursday so hopefully fishing will improve.

Other than that back up to Fall River on Friday and Saturday then off to South Carolina on Monday for some red fish, tarpon, and anything else that swims.

Get out and fish. Over and Out.

Striper Time

Weather has cooled down a bit (not that makes a differance) and I have been on the Sac the last few days for stripers. Good numbers of fish in the keeper siz (18") slot which usually go about 3-5lbs and a few big fish in 10-20lb range. Caught one yesterday at about 3:00pm that had two tails plus my fly hanging out of its mouth - pig. Tails were pike minnows sot that is good news that that shad buffet has thined out and the bite will continue to pick up. There was a 39lber caught a and released as few days ago by a friend of mine so there are some big fish around. Top water is a still a few weeks away but you can get fish in the evening throwing bit poppers if you want to search it out. Other than that have a few trout and striper trips in the next few days and then back up to Fall River before I head out to South Carolina for 2 weeks. Tough Life. Over and Out.

3 days on the fall

Every summer I am lucky enough to spend a few days guiding on the Fall River. This year I have been able to guide out of the Clear Water house. Before I talk about my 3 days of guiding and Spring Creek time let me say this about the Clear Water House... It is freaken top notch. I have guided for a ton of outfitters and a few lodges and never as a guide have I been that well taken care of. If I was planning on going to stay up in the shasta area and fish the fall, hat, or pit I would stay there, from a clients perspective it is a deal. $150 a night with all your meals and then sum included. All the meals are amazing!!! Definately five star. Billy and Vanessa Downs run an amazing lodge and guide service.

Now the fishing....Let me preface this by saying I fully consider myself a skilled trout guide but fall river ALWAYS requires me to adjust my tactics. Spring creeks are great trout fishing and a great place to test your metal as an angler and guide. Clear slow moving water, a smorgesboard of hatches, and educated fish do not put the odds in your favor.

During the moring until about noon there were multiple options for catching fish. We drifted weed flats with indicators smaller than flies I usually fish and shot smaller than some of the beadheads on my flies and tied on leaders longer than some of my longest rods and cast PMD emergers, cripples, and spinners to rising fish as well. Both produced fish but I will say hooking fish on #18-20's is not a sure thing. Most of the time takes on the nymphs were very subtle and diffcultt to detect, but we did manage fish. The dry fly fishing was equally challenging and as I explained to my clients just rising a fish to your fly should feel like success as you achieved a good drift and fooled the fish. This only made them feel moderately better as they were rising fish almost every cast to PMD crips and spinners at various times.

One night we stayed out for the Hex hatch and while we didn't see many bugs we did hook fish on nymphs and dries along with getting bit my mosquitos. Overall it was a great 3 days spent on an amazing river in truelly one of the last isolated and wild places in CA. Now for a few days off and then back out on the sac for some stripers...
Over and Out.

2 days on the Sac and off I go to Fall River...

Spent the last 2 days with clients on the L. Sac drifting from Barge Hole down to Bend bridge for Trout. The flows are high and stable with fishing being fair...not great but fair. Fish ate a ton of different bugs and I couldn't pattern anyone as the hot bug. It was nice to be on the water considering how hot it was outside as it was a bit cooler on the river. This morning I am on my way up to the Fall River and Clearwater house to guide on the Fall for a few days. Should be a nice change of pace and fishing should be could with the hex hatch in full swing.

Back home on Monday and will be back out on the L. Sac chasing stripers for 2 weeks before I head out to South Carolina for Red Fish and Tarpon. Tough life...I know.
Over and Out.