Return of the Bass

I have started Bass fishing again and haven't had much luck. Of course I start my bass fishing off in the middle of Winter. Not too smart. Lots of trips to DVL and Skinner all result in a skunk.

Shoot even a few trips to local park lakes for trout have been goose-eggs. But...

I did take 40 minutes to fish a local lake during lunch and came up with a decent bass! Who would have thought that would happen!? Certainly not me. It was pretty much by luck. Even a blind squirrel gets a nut once in a while.

So here he is. It looks as though he has had a tough life. Looks to have scars from a bird of prey on each side of him. But he was a sight for sore eyes. Caught on my new Sage Bass fly rod and a "near-nuff" crayfish pattern.

Mega Blog Post

So I have been neglecting my blog a bit. Lots of stuff to cover but I don't have the time to do it justice. So the highlights it is.

• Babies are invading my dreams, its about that time.
• Lots of local, cheap, fishing
• Went to Guasti with the wife to throw her new switch rod. Place was a dump and ghetto. Lots of dead fish along the shore and even a dead rat.
• Prado was peaceful but hard on the fishing inclined.
• Glen Helen was a strike out though some of the spin fisherman caught on power worms, no love for the baiters. The wind was so strong there were white-caps.
• Pond by my friend's house has been a ton of fun. At least 6-10 fat little bluegil everytime. Shoot even two fish on one line. And one gil with had both flies in his mouth! Makes a fly fisherman feel like a champ.
• Deep Creek: Water was low and clear. Had to work super hard to get any fish to take. Wandered into areas I have never been.
• Santa Ana River: Good old reliable has not failed. Water is very clear and slower but still a good flow. The browns have taken over their rightful place, but are weary and super spooky. I crouched by a bank mere feet away for 10 minutes before even thinking of making a cast. The lower area is holding small wild rainbows that are so fun to admire, glad the water is finally open cause of the cold. Have to look hard to find them though. Not too many fish around really.
• Diamond Valley: Went with my friend Gene and his son Jacob. They caught a nice fish or two, but it was a strike-out for my wife and I. Went back with Gene and we rented a "premium" boat. We got a little preoccupied with the electronics.
• Fly Tying and Bob Marriott's Fly Fishing store: Well I think I have a replacement for bass pro. Bob Marriott's is awesome. Just got into fly typing and these guys are super helpful. I fish my own stuff now (mostly) and have been pleased with the results. Absolutely love that place. Even have a new pair of SIMMs waders.
•  Amy went to Oregon/Washington for work and caught an 8lb Wild Female Steel-head! What a story, but that one I'll save for her to tell.
•  Sponsored a Brownie troop to go to the Mt. Baldy Trout Pools for their first fishing experience.What a absolute blast. Highly recommend it for kids.

Ok here are some notable photos:

And lastly a little video of Diamond Valley Lake w/ Gene and son.


More soon, I promise!

Jenks and Mammoth

Went up to Big Bear for the weekend and stayed in town. Amy and I wanted to get away.

First day was great, Gene joined us and we fooled around at the Jenks lake and the stream. Amy even caught a nice rainbow on a dry fly!

I managed a handsome warmouth.

 And Gene pulled in the big bass of the day.

At the stream it was a riot of personalities, from drive by fisherman to panners. Though Amy, Gene and I were able to get into some decent bows.

We bid Gene farewell and headed back to Big Bear. And the view on the way back was stunning.

The next day we set off for the Animal Park and sponsored another resident. A three legged black bear named Huckleberry.

Afterwards we fished the stream for a few frustrating hours and headed back down the mountain. All in all a great trip.

Don't take my word for it, Gene has his own version of the days events.

Yellowstone

Well the family went to Yellowstone. We did things together as well as went our separate ways. I loved the trip, but it was too short.

Some of the things not caught in the photos or video that I want to remember. And maybe expound upon later...

• Lost luggage for a day
• Wagon for a night
• Birthday at "The Chuck House"
• Bob, our awesome fly guide and he great steaks in the cold!
• Wolves on the hillside and the howls
• The buffalo encroachment
• Amy spotting a big black bear
• Our super-sweet wilderness guide and her last group tour was us!
• 20 degree weather from Livingston to Yellowstone.
• The fire at tower junction
• The double Tetons
• The double Brookies
• Malard's rest and my first Cut-throat
• The secret brookie spot
• Cabins with a wonderful back-eddy
• Amy's pig whitefish
• Lamar Valley
• Mammoth Hot Springs and the elk
• Amy's Stetson

Well you get the idea. Here is a like to the photos and videos....
Yellostone Photos
Yellowstone Video part 1
Yellowstone Video part 2
Yellowstone Video part 3

More info to come later.

Mammoth - 2010

So a few weeks ago my wife's boss came back from a vacation in Mammoth. The pictures she showed Amy got her all fired up to get lost in the wilderness. Within 24 hours, wanderlust for Mammoth had set in so bad for my wife, that the next thing you know, we were planning a spontaneous trip for the weekend.

I was certainly in no mood to disagree. The weeks at work had been rougher than ussual with Dennis leaving and our website melting faster than the polar ice caps. I was ready for a break.

All in all Mammoth was a fishing/scouting trip. We tried to hit up a bunch of different places in a couple days so we would know where to come back to.

Hot Creek started our trip and boy did it test our mettle. These fish have seen it all. These are wild trout with very large eyes and full fins that are superbly conditioned. Getting one of the larger units on the end of a line is pure fun.

We caught a couple at hot creek in about 4 hours. Lots of fish looking at our flies. But holy cow they are picky!

After that we packed up and headed to the mosquito flats area. We didn't actually get onto the flats as it was packed and we didn't want to hike. So we fished the streams leading up to the flats with some success similar to fishing the Santa Ana River. Though one noticeable exception. MY FIRST BROOK!

Ok, so maybe he wasn't the biggest fish around. But wow! He had little tiger patterns on his top and pink dots on his sides. With little red fins with white tips.

We headed back down a bit from the flats and found a campground still nestled in the ravine leading up to the flats. There we found prime fly fishing water with tons of trout jumping clear out of the water chasing bugs. We spend a few hours trying to catch them with dry flies, only managing one fish! We walked away scratching our heads.

On our way back to the cabin for the evening, we saw a fly fishing outfitter still had his doors open as the sun set. We walked in and explained all the crazy activity with the jumping trout and asked what we did wrong. He let us in on the secret. These fish weren't feeding on the surface. They were chasing emergers wiggling up from the bottom trying to reach the surface. Had the trout been feeding on the surface, they would be more delicate and slurp the flies, not breach full-body into the air doing cartwheels.

Here is a shot of the trusty VUE getting us to that campground with the emergers hatching. I have video of the fish that is linked below.

The next day we decided to check out the Mammoth Lakes region (Twin Lakes, Lake Mary etc.) And there I was able to catch another wonderful brookie at a dam. No real good pic of him because I wanted to make sure I released him without stressing him too much.

Amy also drew a crowd around her as she fly fished a tiny run of water before it went over the falls. Amy caught a couple there. And the crowd would audibly ooh and ahh as strikes on her fly were either missed or landed.

In the afternoon we checked out a couple more creeks and decided not to fish them. They were too overgrown of fast moving.

With all the streams checked, we decided to go back from more punishment at hot creek. Even though Amy scarred a poor racer snake bonkers, she was a trooper and ready to go back.

And Amy's ingenuity never ceases to amaze me. At the very end of the day she tried on a special secret artificial and managed 4 beauties in just an hour and a half versus 2 in four hours the previous day!

And these were not small fish! Another fly fisherman even walked over to congratulate her. She and I were the only people for two days at Hot Creek to catch anything (at least in the public zone).

So with our final day we started to head back. We visited a DFG hatchery and fed the fish several times. Even saw a massive 10 pound trout that has eluded the truck pickups for quite some time.

Feel free to take a look at the video of our trip.

Float tubbin - FAIL

Ok: I am shame (as the Japanese girls say). I have always despised float tubbers. They get too close to your fishing spot and foul your lines and catch right right on top of you. Among other various things I find them difficult fishermen to enjoy being around. Did I mention that I think they are terrible people and morally bereft? Well maybe they aren't that bad.

Yet I have decided to try and join their ranks. As the fishing gets more crowded at the streams and I feel like a change might be in order. I decided to purchase my first float tube. Hopefully, I will remember all the things I hate about tubbers and keep my dignity when I see boats catching left and right.

To get used to the idea of floating around and the process of setting everything up by myself; I took my new tube, fins, and waders over to my parent's house to try it in their pool.

Of course, my Dad snapped a picture of me as I floundered around trying to get the hang of it.

Anyway, the next day I went up to Jenks Lake. At Jenks I got all suited, fly rod assembled, float tube pumped and I forgot the retaining bar!!! I had never been so deflated. Hah.

Back to the stream with me. But I think an Angel was watching out for me. It seems that everywhere I turned, with all those crazy people running around the banks of the stream, I found pool after pool stocked with bows. :)

BUGG!!!! KILLER BUGGS!!!

Ok so maybe they aren't "killer" but man there are MILLIONS and they get all over you!!

For the past several weeks Amy and I have been fishing down off of Glass rd. Things have been hit and miss with all the crowds and noise. Also, the stocks have been getting steadily better pushing the browns out of their habitat.

Even so, Amy and I have had success catching both species. Rah... behold... Excalibur!

This dark brown had been hiding out under a log. He bolted out quick to down a little dry fly. I shall name him, Tall dark and handsome!

Ok now on to the bugs. The recent warm weather seems to have unleashed a storm of insects! What these little guys are, I have no clue. But they have absolutely taken over. It has also affected the fishing as I am guessing that the wild fish are completely stuffed with these little bugs.

They crawl up your boots and pants. Drop on your head, brushed off your shoulders. Even crawl on your face and in your mouth. Plewy, Amy and I had enough. Luckily the further upstream the less they get!

And it is back to some classic creek fishing! I nabbed 3 browns out of this solid pool. This guy was the biggest.

All in all, I sure hope to do some alternative fishing. Going up to the stream is starting to feel like a rut! Time to mix it up a bit.