So, I haven't been
fishing or guiding much lately...I usually take the end of September and first
part of October off to travel a bit and do some fun stuff with my family. I got
out yesterday for a few hours and will be back on the water guiding this
weekend…
Fishing Reports –
I
will be guiding stripers through October and maybe even in November depending
on how the river holds. Water temps are down to 57-60 degrees depending on where
and when one is on the river. Flows are stable and clarity is normal/good.
Fishing yesterday was good hooked plenty of stripers in the 3-5lb class had a
bigger 10+lber follow a fish to the boat and hooked 10-15lbs fish and lost it
at the boat. Also landed a nice King Salmon that slammed a fly and a smallmouth
so pretty darn good fishing for a few hours on the water. Fall is traditionally
pretty damn good on the river but pressure fronts and big changes in weather
can mess with the fishing a bit.
Nice King that crushed a clouser on the Sac while striper fishing |
I have a few open
dates left this fall/winter and will be focusing on Striper fishing on the Sac as
long as flows hold and then trout/steelhead on the Feather River, Lower Yuba
River, and the Lower Sacramento River.
Open Dates:
Nov 22
Dec 2, 21, 22, 23,
27, 28,
Jan 2-5, 13, 15,
20, 27
Feb 3, 10, 12, 17, 19
Other Reports…
My band Royals Oaks
did a string of shows through Northern California with a great band called Sex
Hogs II. Played some really cool venues and played with some great bands as
well. If you are in the Reno area and ever stop by the Reno Fly Shop check out
Pignic right behind it...a great old Victorian house converted to a bar with a
great patio, fire pit, and a variety of BBQ for "Bring your own BBQing".
Great live music venue and a just cool hang out spot. Also, Coopers Ale House
in Down town Nevada City is a great place for a pint and a cocktail and if you
are hungry the Crazy Horse Salon across the street has great food or at the
bottom of the hill there is awesome Mexican place...like "California valley"
good Mexican. Plus, it has a serve yourself chips and salsa bar which is
awesome. In terms of bands we played with a few really good ones...check out
the Western Spectres from Reno a great traditional country 3 piece and if you
have not check out our good buddy Chuck Ragan check him out as well as we
played a few with him.
da boys... |
Rocking Coopers in NC |
I also took my boys back for their first trip to Notre Dame...been a season ticket holder for a while and multi-generational fan so it was time for the youngest brown boys to visit South bend. My dad and I went and it couldn't have been a more perfect trip...ND is an incredibly special place for my father and I and to share it with my boys was a truly special if not bucket list experience. Plus, they won...which hasn't happened the last few trips I have made. Probably get out for the Navy and maybe the USC game this year and then will catch them in Palo Alto for the Stanford game.
The Golden Dome |
Watching Pre Game |
On the field after the game...pretty cool!!!! |
Music News…
Just got the new
Raquet Club album on pretty much every version possible – digital, CD, Vinyl.
Raquet Club is Blair Shehans new band from Knapsack and Jealous Sound fame…I
have never thought that any of Blair’s bands sound to different from each other
it is almost like each one is an evolved form of his own sound and song
writing. There is no better song writer in the muted chords with sparse jangles
over them with loud blasting choruses genre then Blair.
Raquet Club |
Also was lucky enough to go see Jason Isbell and Frank Turner at the Fox Theater a few weeks ago as I mentioned in my last post…It was amazing Frank Turner is a good buddy of a friend of mine so my wife and I got spend meet him before the show and he is about as cool and down to earth a guy as I have ever met. Also one hell of a performer man. He is prolific when it comes to albums and his set was very well represented of his catalog…A good intro to Frank would be his newest album “positive songs for negative people” and “England Keep my Bones”…Then came Jason Isbell who lets be honest is one of my favorite song writters and musicians period. His performance could best be described as “Polished Nashville” … One thing that most people don’t realize is that he is not only an amazing song writer but an amazing guitar player. All the slide work and solos are him, he tears it up on the guitar. Pretty damn special show and performance.
Fox Theater Oakland |
Frank Turner, Me, and Steph |
Podcast…
I am turning into a pod cast junkie. Obviously
check out the Barbless Podcast if you are Northern California or other areas
around that neighborhood. It is produced here in Chico, CA by long time friend
and chico river bum Nick Hanah and his partner Chad Alderson. I am on an
episode as well as many local Nor Cal guides, shop owners, reps, tiers, DFG
wardens…all sorts of cool people.
I have also been
listening to Fly Fishing After Dark which is out of south florida but the
episodes are like 2-3 hours in length so I can only chop through one every so
often as it takes for ever…lots of just random BS in them to which is always
funny but can get old after the first hour. When I just want to laugh at some
dudes drinking beer and talking shit with fly fishing interspersed it is the
call.
Also the Drake
Podcast is good nice quick episodes…clocking in at about 30mins so great for
short drives, runs, workouts, or anything that is quick. Cool part is they
always have good interviews and stories and pretty well rounded content.
Music wise my
favorite has been Chris Shiflett’s Walking the Floor. Chris plays guitar in Foo
Fighters and has his own Americana/Country solo career. He interviews ALL sorts
of great musicians from AFI to Sturgill Simpson and a lot of people in-between.
Pod cast are about an hour and pretty easy to digest.
Upcoming…Mark
your calendar I will tying on “Loon Live” November 15 with the LEGEND Matt
Callies https://loonoutdoors.com/loon-live/