Heat wave 2017 or the coming of the apocalypse....

Well 3 weeks into June we have seen rain, snow, scorching hot, and freezing cold...Presently we are in the middle of one of the longest heat spells I can remember. Personally I toughed it out a few days then pulled up the Brown family compound and headed to the cool confines of Santa Cruz, CA for a good 8 days where the high barely hits 75 while the rest of Chico, CA melts under 110-112...my sympathy for my fellow city of trees comrades.

I have had a few cancelations this last week and have had a few dates open up July that are during PRIME Striper time. Anyone interested in getting out shoot me a text, phone call, or email.

July 2, 3, 22, 24, 25, 26
August 26
Sept 2, 23

Lower Sac Striper Fishing ....Fishing though has been good. I have put in a few 6 day weeks on the Lower Sac Striper fishing and fishing has been good. Some days are better then others but good numbers and good size of schoolie fish in the 4-8lb range and a few fish over 10lbs...the last part of the week we had our first trophy fish chase flies and follow hooked fish in which means the bigger boys and girls are running out of Shad to eat and moving into their traditional summer feeding haunts. With this heat the weed growth should get going in a major way and the food chain should respond in force, pulling fish along new weed beds and growth to feed on the bait that is attracted to the insects in weeds. So far weed growth has been pretty sparse but there are some starting to pop up so knowing where the early submerged weeds are will be key.

Clarity has been an issues as banks have caved in along various bends adding color to the river a few miles down river and knowing where these banks are and where the color is has been critical. Though the clarity is not something that can't be overcome by switching flies and going with more "off color" water patterns.

Obligatory Blog Post fish pictures....

The Lower Yuba River has been coming in and out of shape based on the heat and snow melt. I have talked to a few friends who have wade fished the river and caught some smaller fish on dry dropper rigs and swinging flies. I think I am going to try to float the river in the next few weeks. Usually around 3500cfs is a good flow to float the river after a high spell and pound the banks with dry dropper rigs. Some of the best dry fly fishing I have ever had on the Yuba have been on years where the waters are high into late June and finally get fishable late June/early July.

Sports Report...Giants are horrible...like worst team in baseball horrible. Which I am fine with to be honest. I am blown away that the same line up that was decent last year making a strong play off run is this bad though. What the hell happened?...All that said I am a realist, prior to the first World Series win all I asked for was one World Series win in my life time and then they rattled off 3...In reality I just ask for .500% baseball and maybe some meaningful games in September. I am a devoted and continue to watch most games to some degree though many times they are hard to watch and really just not entertaining. Watching shitty baseball and utter failure over and over and over is not that fun or entertaining to watch. One postive about this season though is as turn off the giants game, some times in the first or second inning, I turn on other games...so I have been watching a lot of other baseball which is fun. Watching young players from other teams and divisions and watching some pretty damn good baseball from teams that traditionally don't play well...If you love the game it is fun to watch it played well, even if it isnt your team.

Music News...the new Jason Isbell album is really good...still digesting it but so far it is a classic Isbell album about life, lose, good, bad, up, down, and all that stuff in between. I also have been listening to Arliss Nancy A TON...their latest two albums are amazing. They are one of those bands I listen to and hear the music I want to make. In other news Royal Oaks, my own band, is nearly finished with their first album. I have one more verse to record vocals for but the other 9 songs are in the midst of being mixed so SOON it will be available and we will also get out on the road and play some shows.