Been a while sense my last blog post…been very busy with all sorts of things in my life, so been a bit lax on updating. Spring is here one week and winter is here the next right now. Last week was gorgeous even when the wind was ripping and this weekend in the cold weather and today a nice storm moved in though it will be back in the low 70s by the end of the week. I have spent a lot of time on the water recently so I will start with some reports…

Lower Sacramento Trout – March is by far one of the best months on the Lower Sac. I have been fishing between Anderson and Jelly’s ferry mainly but did spend one day floating from Posse Grounds to Bonnie View. Fishing has been good to very good with LOTS of opportunities each day to hook fish. On some days the grabs have been very quick so hooking up can be a challenge others they seem to jump on the fly and the molasses I am dazing off watching birds hook set can get it done. Best bugs have been rubber legs, Hogan’s Amigo in Brown, Hogan’s March Madness Nymph, RK Flutulator in March Brown, #18 Amber Wing Prince, #18 Dark Lord, and a few other small mayfly type patterns. Clarity could be an issue with the recent rain as it rained pretty hard in a short amount of time but I am sure it will clear shortly if it is colored up.

Lower Sac Trout

Lower Sac Trout

Lower Sac Trout

Lower Sacramento River Bass – I spent one day out exploring some spots for Largemouth and Smallmouth bass and it still seems a bit early. Water temps in the river are 57-59 and back in the sloughs the water temps barely get over 60 so with a window of 55-65 degrees to kick spawning in it should be any time. I fish sub surface pretty hard and found a few willing fish but no one on beds or looking like they were looking to spawn. Who knows though as the river is a tough one to figure out.

Lower Yuba River – I continue to hear that fishing has been really good with great dry fly fishing but I continue to stay away with flows around 550cfs. The word on the street is that flows will come up to 1500cfs in May some time so as the Lower Sac is traditionally tough in May I will spend most of my trout days on the Lower Yuba.

Lower Feather – Spring Steelhead -  Fishing remains consistent for adult and half pound spring run steelhead. The recent rains should help move any fish that have been waiting up river. Swinging flies and drifting nymphs have been catching fish about as equally well. The giant spring caddis have started to hatch and swing flies on floating lines and intermediate tips along with fishing dry flies should get going through April.

Not bad for the first fish of the morning.

Nice Spring Steelhead from the Feather

Trout Season – Opens here soon…a few weeks away. Fishing should be good early this year on most trout water. I will most likely get up to the NF Feather with in the first few weeks to get my licks in up there as with the drought fishing is going to be tough ounce the water warms up. I would say the best advice is go early this year. Don’t wait to long to get your trout days in as this summer is going to be a tough one for trout fishing in the mountains.

…That said spring and summer striper fishing is going to be GOOD with limited interruptions from run off the stripers will be active and fishing should be good May-September. Low water means good weeds and great bait for our resident and migratory fish. Book early this year as dates are already getting taken up.

Music Report – I have been all over the place lately…kinda on one of my Pandora kicks, listening to all my random stations on Pandora…my favorites are my Lucero Channel, Chuck Ragan Channel, and Ryan Adams Channel…… Gas Light Anthem Channel is good one to. I haven’t really bought any new Albums in awhile either even though I have listened to a ton of stuff on I Tunes looking for something to buy just haven’t pulled the trigger….

NEWS FLASH – I am really excited to announce that I have signed on with Spy Optics as an Ambassador/Pro. Spy has a long history in the surf, motor-cross, snowboard, skate, rally car, etc…with goggles and eye wear and they are getting into and developing lenses and glasses for fishing. They have signed myself and my good friend Conway Bowman from Bowman Bluewater in San Diego to help develop a fishing line of glasses. I have been working with a bunch of proto types of lens tints and have a bunch of new pairs of glasses for clients to wear in the boat. The thing I am most impressed with so far is no matter how dark the tint of the lense Spy has developed the ability to maintain true color penetration – meaning that everything stays true to its color, so changes in water color that indicate depth or the color of a bug all remain true no matter how dark the tint of the lenses…pretty cool. It is really fun to work with a company on the ground level to develop a specific fishing line of glasses. Check out spy at http://www.spyoptic.com and make sure to watch their video below on “Happy Lenses”

Appearances – IT IS FLY SHOP FAIR/EXPO SEASON!!! FREE BBQ, RAFFLES, PRESENTATIONS, AND NEW PRODUCT!!!!

I will be at the Fisherman Spot in Van Nuys, CA this weekend, April 11 and 12^th, in Southern California presenting both Saturday on “Northern California Stripers, Bass, and Shad on the Lower Sacramento River outside of Chico” and on Sunday I will be working the Simms Fishing Products booth and then presenting on “Northern California Tailwater Trout and Steelhead”  - Check out www.flyfishingexpo.net for more information and full slate of presentations and events…

come one come all

I will have the Cast Hope booth at the Kiene’s Expo on April 18^th promoting what Cast Hope is doing in the Sacramento Area. The booth will be set up next to the Simms Fishing Products booth. Come one come all Nor Cal for free BBQ, new products, and raffles. Plus great conversation with me and anyone else hanging around the Cast Hope/Simms Booth.

Sports Report…I am so excited for the start of baseball season. The giants looks good last night in the opener but starting pitching is going to be a questions going forward. With Cain and Peavy skipping starts with health issues I get concerned. That said the top of the order looked great last night and Brandon Crawford came through in the bottom of the line up…Casey McGehee looked decent in his debut though he missed a ball to his back hand down the line that I have seen Pablo snag MANY times. That said he followed that up with a 6-4-3 double play so what ever and Pablo when 0-5 with 3K’s and Casey went 2-3…so far so good. Only 161 games left…