Three Rivers One Day

 December 5, 2023

Three tributaries in one day. First one I fished for little more than an hour before I gave up on it because it was so canopied movement was simply too troublesome. I knew there's fish in there as my buddy had fished it in the summer with great success. I fished it until the growth was so bad I simply couldn't go any further without so serious bushwhacking. The second I was curious to see how it was doing after the fires and then the winter flooding. The last time I was here it wasn't promising. All holes were covered in silt and it didn't look like a freestone. Today it looked a thousand percent better. It was low but the river is healthy. Silt for the most part is gone. There is holding water for fish. Bug life abound. Unfortunately no fish. I've been told by a friend when I was driving home that I needed to go further. I only made it half way before quitting and heading back. I wasn't going to get skunked today so I had committed to going over to the next tributary where I knew I get a fish or two. While hiking down a county employee in his truck stopped and we chatted he asked if I would a ride back down the trail. I accepted because with short days now I wanted as much time on the other water as possible. He dropped me off and I headed toward my car. While unpacking I realized I left my gopro in his truck. I race down the road to see if I could catch him. I knew I had some time as he still needed to unlock and lock the gate. I caught up with him at the gate and got my camera back. I was told about a section downstream that was fishing well. I tried to get into the area but found no easy way in so I gave up after looking at a few options. By this time it was nearing 3pm. I'd have about two hours of light or so. If I wanted to prevent the skunk I needed to get on the water soon, so I abandoned this area for another I knew held fish. I normally do not fish the next area as it easy access and trash, both in liter and human form, is excessive. But with no time to hike in I would have to fish here to save me from the skunk. I was fishing fast and probing all day. Much quicker that I normally do. I didn't want to waste time on dead water. I eventually came up to a big pool. I stood perched on the man-made boulder dam and threw a cast in. Because the boulders were unstable I looked down to see my footing when I looked back up my fly was gone. So I lifted the rod and I was on. Bent my 2wt and ran me ragged. Gave me multiple jumps and would not come to the net. Ended up at least 12 maybe 13inches. Surprisingly big for this part of the river. Managed a few more before giving up for the day. Got out of there before the sundown.

 

Not Ideal

November 25, 2023 

Tried a couple new routes in but they ended up being a bust which cost us about 2 hours. Diverted to another area and was on the trail by around 10:30am. Hiked in a few miles. Water is stained, fast, and completely silted over. Place looks like a war zone. Timber, trash, and eroded banks everywhere. I was still hopeful as the last time I came here with Steve it wasn't much different. It was slightly more volume though. Fished for hours and no fish were found. Couldn't even spook one. Fish must have been pushed further downriver. After hours of boulder hopping buddy was having back issues so he started to head back so he could lie down and rest in the truck. I was only 30 yards behind him when on the way out perched on a huge boulder while trying to gingerly lower myself down I got a cramp in my left inner thigh. Couldn't move or readjust my body as I was in a precarious position. With my rod placed in my mouth, I managed to wedge myself in between the boulders to lower myself enough to jump down safely. Afterwards I basically crawled to the nearest island so I could try and recover. Pain was excruciating after what seemed like an eternity it subsided enough for me to try to rub and stretch it out. Once I felt it was adequate enough to walk on on I still had another 7-8 foot boulder I needed to get over so I could cross the river. Managed to get out and while I reached a the tributary, where we parked, I ran into a father and son who were spin fishing and said the tributary was fishing great. So I headed into it and checked it out. Looked in great shape. Some silt but it at least looked like a freestone river. Spooked a fish at least 14 inches but it was too canopied to cast with a fly rod.. I managed to reach the truck, opened the back window where my buddy was resting the bed and told him the creek is looking awesome. He told me once he got back to the truck there were fish rising right there in the small opening where we parked. He managed one and went to sleep. With him avoiding the skunk I was determined to do the same. Getting the skunk on a local is pretty insulting. With only an hour or so of light I hiked up the creek. I've always bypassed this section and fished further upstream so I had no clue where all the openings and holes were. The pressure was on now to avoid the skunk. First two I either was too late or when I set the hook my rod was interfered with by an overhanging branch. Fishing this creek is hard because it's very canopied and everything thing that will interfere with your cast will. Anxiety grew as daylight faded, castable fishing spots were becoming harder to come by. Eventually I managed to get one to stick and come to hand. Pressure now off, I could actually enjoy the last remaining minutes of light. Managed to hook, loose or miss another 8 or so before heading back to the truck just before the sun went down.

PreTurkey

November 22, 2023

PreTurkey Day fishing. Got a late start and wasn't on the trail until 10am. Hiked in just under 2 miles before I started fishing. I haven't been here since July. At that time the water was high, fast and looking glacial. Now the water is low and filled with silt. River has completely changed all my favorite holes are no more. Fish are larger on average and no local "trophies" were caught. Although I did have 12 incher chase the 7 incher I had hooked. Fish are more spread out but once you find them you'll easily pick out a dozen or so in the nicer runs. Wanted to make it to the end but with about 1/4-1/3 mile left in the slowest portion (the area with no trail and a ton of boulder hopping) I decided to head back by 3pm. After all I had a two hour hike back to the car and multiple stream crossing I needed to make and I did not want to do that in the dark.

Before November Rain

November 14, 2023

Before the rains I took to the mountains in search of trout.  Like the last time I started at the beginning of the trailhead.  It proved once again a waste of time in terms of fishing as I've yet to catch a fish there in years.  Once I made so distance however I began getting stikes from micro dinks.  These fish were too small to take my size 10 dry.  So though managed to get their tiny mouths around the hook.  Eventually I was starting to see some fish in the more respectable range.  For then on out many fish were in the 9-11 range. Fishing was good.  Found a titty mannequin along the way.  Have no clue way it was there and I'm not asking any questions.  Don't know what these mountain people do in the woods and I don't care to know...

What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Murphy's Law.

 November 10, 2023

Murphy's Law, What can go wrong will go wrong. Executive Summary: Smoking motor. Broken flyline. Missing every fish on the wall. Broken rod. Dry heaving. Puking. Trailer issues.

 

On the drive down it took me three seasickness patches before I could get one to stick on my neck. That one ended up falling off on the boat later in the day and I had to reapply another. When we arrived at the launch ramp, I was backing the boat into the water, Roy fires up the engine and smoke starts coming out of the motor. After taking the covers off and inspecting it he could not find the source. Fire it up again without the cover and it appeared fine. 

 

Launch the boat and we are off. Hit the wall first. Roy is on first, second and third...I on the other hand can not get one to stick. Every hit I missed. I was testing some new fly patterns all got a reaction but I simply missed everyone. Roy snags and as he pulls his flyline breaks. I get skunked on the wall which is the first time ever. Move on to PV kelp forest.

Since we are now in unprotected water I ask Roy if my patch is still on. He tells me no. I reapply another. By this time no tidal movement and we putz around from one area to the next with little to no reaction. I start to feel slightly queasy. Roy tells me to drive the boat I feel a bit better. Continue fishing. After a couple hours we start to head back. I tell Roy take the wheel and start puking off the side. 

 

On the way back the tide starts to pick up and Roy is catching fish. While after puking three times I feel somewhat better, I'm still in the back seat trying to get me head together. After watching Roy smacking a few fish I decide fuck feeling bad I'm not coming home skunked and start fishing. After all I have a new rod that still hasn't broken it's cherry. First fish a jack smelt. At least I'm not skunked. Continue on get a calico. Small. After a while I finally on a decent bass. Bent my 8wt down to the cork. He bulldogs me into the kelp I finally drag him out. The I turn my head after I hear something from Roy. He just broke his rod. My fish as i turn my attention back at him now pops off once out of the kelp forest. I see it all happen before my eyes. 

 

Now Roy is now without a flyrod. I ask him if he wants to use my spare. He doesn't and asks me if I want to keep fishing. At this point I've had enough of the ocean. Let's head back. Once in protected water I'm starting feel better. We trailer the boat and start washing it. Roy notices the boat is off center. Put it back in the water. Boat simply wouldn't center. After nearly two hours of repositioning and rewashing the boat we were finally heading back home. Got home sleep for the rest of the day. Woke up at 10pm and in the middle of making dinner, neighborhood experiences a blackout the rest of the night.

Nothing to Write Home About Canyon

November 2, 2023

Cold morning but warmed at sunrise.  We started with poppers and manage a few topwater bites.  I missed all of mine. This is likely the last topwater session for the season.  Luc connected on a couple but could not land any.  Went to sinking lines.  I was using a new H2 rod that Orvis replaced for my broken Zero Gravity.  I got a couple bumps but no fish. Luc a had a few and landed a couple of dinks. 

Kern Schmern

 October 29, 2023

Reports coming from the Kern were promising particularly with the dry fly action.  So I called up my buddy KB to see if he wanted to day trip it up there.  We fished from 10am to 5pm.  Everything that was reported, well let's just say it wasn't what we experienced.  One, reports claimed air temps were in the 80°s.  It was 65°.  In fact I checked all the week it was in that range the whole week.  Two, water temps reported in the 60°s.  I was reading around 44° measured at three locations and three different times of the day.  Three, hatch going off around 10-1pm.  I didn't see that.  There was a minor hatch around 4pm.  Even without a hatch, reports were they were looking up all day.  Not really what we experience.  We would have been better off nymphing most of the day.  KB got two for the day and I manage a small one all on dries.  Most interesting part of the trip was the low flying Navy F16 that buzzed the canyon while we were having lunch.

Hit the Wall

October 11, 2023

Roy needed to do a trial run on his boat before he heads out next week so he calls me up to see if I wanted do a quick run to The Wall. But before we go out though we needed to wire his new fish finder. What he schedule for 30 minutes ended up taking couple hours. Got on the water late and we fished only about an hour before we headed back so Roy could make his Doctor's appointment. Caught a few Calicos nothing spectacular, the last one being the best of the bunch. Caught first fish on a squid pattern that I tied ages ago but never fished. I don't think there are squid at the wall but I knew Calicos wouldn't care. Next fish were on tan and white clousers. Started with Steve's 12 wt then fished roy's xi2 8wt after he told me to fish it.

Fall Color Trip. Bit Disappointing

 October 6-8, 2023

October 7, 2023

October 8, 2023 

In Search of Fall colors and Fish. Streamer fishing Friday and Saturday on the Nevada side proved tougher than expected. Flows just a tad too high to comfortably wade especially when the banks are lined so thick that entering and exiting the water is near impossible. Headed south on Sunday to check out the fall colors. We expected it to be at near 100% but it wasn't the case. More like 60/40 with some trees already gone through defoliation, most likely from the storm that came in last week. Fished the upper valley and it is loaded with some of the best resident fish I've ever seen ever. Sight casted to a pod of that seemed to refuse everything. Did something I rarely do and parked myself on a hole until I could figure out what they were eating. Took about an hour to finally land my first fish, a rather uneventful stocker. Barely fought. There were better fish in there and I continued to until I finally got it to bite. This one a was fully charged and actually pulled a little drag. Ever attempt to net him resulted in another charge. The fish was so fat I could barely hold him firmly for a pic. Got some more dinks on dries when we called it and it was time to head home. But before leaving it was time to hit the Indian Casino for some penny slots. My buddy plays what cash he has on hand, $2 into the machine and he was on the verge of losing it all. I pull out a $5 from the money clip and when I about to hand it to him he starts winning. Since this was supposed to be simply a piss break he quit and cashed out at $22. Every trip my buddy always wins. Never fails. On the way home dinner was on him and the winnings didn't even cover the fast food. Lets go Brandon!

Thicc

 September 22, 2023

Spoke with Justin about a section of a local I never fished.  I always bypass it.  He told me it fishes well so I decided to take a look.  I've never fished this low.  It's hard to move overhanging branches and blackberry line the banks.  Once in the water it is difficult to get off water.  Fish are definitely but it took about a half a mile hike to see them.  In one pool two fish charged my dry fly in different directions and ended up headbutting themselves.  Missed them both.  Fished to 11am before deciding to move out oft his area.  Movement is simply too slow and laborious.  So we hiked out of there and moved up river but at the new location the parking lot was at capacity.  So we moved down to amother section and hiked down the steep canyon.  A truck was already parked down there somehow.  Still hard to maneuver there.  Chul fished it earlier this year and said it wasn't this bad.  Caught fish but nothing special.  Ended the day around noon.

Collapsed

 September 16, 2023

Mist filled the air on drive to the mountain.  We were hoping it would be that way when we reached the trailhead.  Weren't so lucky though as once we reached elevation it cleared and it was sunny at the parking lot.  For me the hike was a struggle.  Last year it would have not been a problem but this year I'm not in great shape due to family issues.  It was hot and I was over heating during hike.  Once we crested the mountain I needed to get near the water and start fishing.  At minimum dunk myself to cool off.    Over a month ago Chul fished the creek and it was coming back looking like it's former glory.  It was definitely on the up.  Now having returned the creek is unrecognizable from that day.  Changed completely.  The large fish that he was catching in what seemed like every hole are now gone.  Our only conclusion is the summer monsoon swept the fish downstream.  We'd fish upstream looking for any signs of those fish a month ago until I was walking along the banks the ground beneath me collapsed.  I fell about feet into a knee height pool with a bowling ball sized boulder coming along with me.  The boulder hit my shin.  Unluckily much of the impact was dispersed when it hit the water.  Nonetheless it hurt like hell.  I was still in somewhat of shock and couldn't compute the damage it may have caused.  After rolling the boulder off me I got up and stood in the cold water trying to process what just happened.  Did I just break my leg?  At this point I had no clue.  I just held my shin under the mini waterfall from the plunge pool.  After the initial shock wore off I hobbled off the creek and onto the bank.  I called and gestured to my buddy who was 100 or so yards away.  I limped over to a fallen log to assess the damage.   Swelling had already occurred and I probed the area to see if it might be broken.  When my buddy came over he asked if I broke my shin.  I didn't think so.  I sat there just trying to gather myself.  Got out my first aid kit from my backpack.  After testing the leg it seemed ok.  I bandage it up with a wrap took some 5 year old expired ibuprofen in the kit and continue hike and fish.  I wasn't about to be skunked for the day and got  up to hike the way up where we knew would hold fish.  While boulder hopping I fell again ripping my pants in the process.  When we reached our destination we were finally able to get onto some fish.  Afterwards seeing how dismal the place had become in such a short period we hiked out of there.  I didn't have any issues with the shin other than bruising and swelling.