Storm, Rock and Roll, and Haymakers Punch.

Here comes the storm…

So the storm is coming today and in some areas it may already be here. We need the rain bad and it seems funny how this year we may get our water and snow pack in big storms not steady medium to small storms…what ever I’ll take what we can get. Here some reports and what is coming up…

 Lower Yuba River – I have been on the Lower Yuba River a lot lately. Flows have been as low as I have ever seen for a while now, 550cfs. Fishing has been tough but rewarding. Low and clear flows create  challenging fishing, but I will say the fish we are catching are good quality fish. Most days we are nymphing, fishing dry flies, and swinging flies with some success. With the low flows I have been getting out of the boat a lot wade fishing runs before I put the boat down them then fishing the deeper water out of the boat. Fish have been in most of the runs, but I would say they are in water that provides cover and food. Deep runs, which there at not a ton of at 550cfs, and up in the fast water in the buckets is where I have been seeing most of the fish caught. 

Great swing water at 550cfs on the Lower Yuba

Hatches have been decent but inconsistent. On warmer days there are a few skwalas out and about and most days I see a few fish eating them with big splashy rises. Most days if an angler wants to commit to fishing skwala dries they will rise a few fish. The most consistent dry fly fishing has been the Baeits and Brown Drake hatches in the slicks. In various areas fish will consistently come up and feed on duns, cripples, and emergers but they are about as picky and spooky as it comes. 6-7x is mandatory on a long 12’ plus leader on an down stream presentation. I put a pod of fish down the other day by slowly hand lining my anchor down about 60-80’ away from them …tough fish. 

Best nymphs have been small, size #16 and smaller mayfly nymphs have been best. That said I have caught a few fish on bigger attractor nymphs and rubber legs but not many. The best skwala dries have been one with a nice low profile and I think finding a willing fish is more important then the pattern. I have had some decent luck with fish eating mayflies by dropping a no bead no flash #16-18 PT off the back of a hackle stacker. 

The coming storm should add some flows as Deer Creek will most likely blow out and this will add some color to the river. I imagine the river will fish really good with some color and additional flows but I imagine the river will drop and clear pretty quick without consistent rain. 

Lower Sacramento River Trout – A buddy of mine guided the Lower Sac for 3 days last weekend from Posse Grounds down to Balls Ferry fishing was poor to fair. Clarity got better the farther down river as the Lake is still blown out. That said he did get around 10-15 fish one day which isn’t bad but it is not great for this time of year on the Lower Sac. I imagine this big storm coming in is going to put the river back to square one though as it will blow out the lake more, all the tribs, and muddy everything up again for a while…not looking good for trout fishing in March which is one of the best months of the year on the Lower Sac. 

Lower Sacramento River Striper – For winter striper fishing it has been fair. The fish are around and we have been averaging a few opportunities a day with a few largemouth and smallmouth mixed in. Most fish are good fish but it is obvious that the 55degree water still has the fish a bit lethargic as grabs are not very aggressive and many fish come unbuttoned pretty easy. The hatchery released the yearly salmon smolt Tuesday so with any high water over the next few days should push those fish down river and get the resident stripers keyed up over the next few weeks. Clarity has not been much of an issue down out of chico as by the time the river gets down here it clears enough to feel confident the fish are seeing your flies. Striper and bass fishing is going to be one of the more consistent fishing I think over the next few months. 

Chuck searching for stripers

Rock and Roll Report – One of the best bands I have found in the last year is American Aquirium…The CD Burn, Flicker, Die has been in steady rotation for awhile now. This CD is great…they went into record it with Jason Isbell as their swan song. Record the songs and be DONE! And the Cd has that finality and intensity. They kept going though and their new CD Wolves that just came out this week is an amazing “at piece” type of album, at piece with their lifestyle choice, carreer, and their place in music. Both albums are ones that I put on and listen to from start to finish, no bad songs. 

I also started both my boys in music lessons…building the family band. Beckett has been pounding it out on the drums and Ollie has been learning “Smoke on the Water” and the “Spy Hunter” theme…good stuff. Been watching some sweet Deep Purple and Jimi Hendrix videos on You Tube which is pretty fun. 

Just a few gigs away from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Fitness report replacing the booze news – Still working on eating healthy and running, I have made a deal with myself that if I get to my goal weight I get some new ink…that said I refuse to start looking at, or thinking about drawing up what I want until I am consistently at my goal weight…that said I did have to buy  5 new pairs of pants as many of my old ones don’t fit so that was rewarding. 

Home Brew Switchel

I also am completely into brewing and drinking Switchel or “Haymakers Punch”…my buddy Chuck shared his home brew with me on a fishing trip and I am completely addicted to this stuff. Part of it is the historical significane of it being the original gatorade but I won't lie it is really refreshing and tastes good. Also I won't like it is kinda cool brewing something and putting it in mason jars.

Sports Report - Sucks to be Pete Carol or a sea hawks fan...that said who cares pitchers and catchers report in roughly two weeks and national signing day was yesterday so baseball and college football talk is all I care about. Notre Dames class did not get the normal top 10 ranking, but 13 is nothing to bat an eye at. I think a lot of it is they went Offensive and Defensive line heavy. They did land a few nice WR and a TE that I think might make somes contributions in the next year or two. Big question with ND is who is going to play QB. 

Giants...lets just get the gloves, spikes, and bats and start playing. Need to see who shows up and what they got to really have any opinion at this point. Cain, Lincecum, Mad Bum, Pagan, Belt, what are we gonna get out of these guys. I did get a nice all weather wifi speaker so all game time guide trips will come with a free radio broadcast of the days game via the MLB package on my cell phone...Free with Purchase of guide trip, no extra fee! if you are a fan of another team you still will listen to my team, sorry.