Color

 We dont have the really dramatic fall colors a lot you do as were in a more dry mediterranean climate. It raines Nov-Feb and there is almost no measurable percipitation the rest of the year.  Are winters are mild and the leaves turn much later. But, the Ginko and a lone Maple tree near my house are in full color right now and a nice change.

                                                     

                                                                        

Coastal try

With a little break in the overnight weather I thought I might try some local Steelhead. We've had some good rain and breaks inbetween so I felt pretty confident. I had a place in mind and made may my way to it. It was a really warm and hunid morning in the forest. It had really over grown since I was there last. I found the trail head ok but it ended after about a qtr mile. I pressed on keeping an eye out for any sign of pot growers and after a couple of twists and turns and alot longer hike than I remember, I found the river bed. I was a little dissapointed to find a low and VERY clear stream. I was also over dressed and had to shed some layers ASAP.  I hit a couple of small holes and continued working toward a deeper run I fished a few years ago.

I found it and worked my way to high ground so I could see whats going on. From above it looked to be about 5-6' deep below the fast water with a nice eddie and seam that ran about 60ft before it narrowed up under a jam of willows. I sat and watched for about 10 minutes and didn't see any movement at all. My only way to fish this was from down stream so I cast a clear slow sink I-line and small streamer. Not ideal. After about 5 casts I got bumped, and then a grab on the same cast. A nice little 14in fish came rocketing up. I was actually pretty satisfied with that little rat. Rain came hard and I really didnt feel like there were numbers of fish so I hiked out trying to finding high ground above small pools. I saw nothing at all on some decent holding water so I bailed and  looked at 2 other places that consumed the rest of the day. Pretty slow over all, but a beautiful day on the coast.

Winter Bass

I would say Fall/Winter is my favorite time to be on the water. Finding them can be a little tricky, but once located it can be really good fishing. Most of the fish today were deep. 25-35', and all of them ate the same jig. Temps have really fallen the last two weeks and the fish have finally settled under bait fish in pretty good size schools. Today was in the low 60's, with light wind and a little rain it was confortable winter fishing.I was suprised there were only 3 boats on the lake today.

Adriano Manocchia

The detail in his paintings are just stunning. A visit to his web site and you'll see what I mean. Amazing.

New Specie

Ive seen some photos of local Giant Kelpfish but have never actually caught one myself until today. I got out and fished the rocks at the coast for a couple of hours. Beautiful day on Monterey Bay. Lots of little fish in the pockets and pools drop shotting tiny plastic grubs.

A small, Giant Kelpfish

                                                    

                                          baby Olive or Yellowtail Rockfish         

Winter Crappie

Trophy Crappie on Fly and ultra light tackle is right around the corner..Here is one from January 2010, I caught on a small Clouser..

Forebay

 The wind lady said there was zero wind early so I hooked up and got over there for a change of scenery. Maybe a half dozen boats on the water and few kick boaters. Fishing was pretty good despite the cold front and surface temp was 57-58. Excellent conditions if you dont mind a little wind. The fish were spread out and I caught them on the flats and breaks down to 15'.. Nothin fancy, they were at all the usual places. Good strong healthy fish

Delta Stripers

Back out there again for a couple more rounds this past week. Fishing is good on flies. Lots of grabs from smaller fish and few solid hard pulling fish here and there. Conditions are great! Stripers are a blast on the fly and any of Truckee River guys that want to trade a day on the water give me a shout. I really want to get up there and I know you'll have fun on the Delta.

 We were starting enter a more fall like weather pattern when all of the sudden. Back in the 80s with warm nights. Where the hell is fall? The bait fish are spread out and comfortable at this point. Once things get normal and temps decline a tad, it should really take off. I have to admit though, fishing for winter run Stripers with this warm weather in mid November is really nice. It wont last though!

Delta

Nice crib

Gas station. Thing was sick

Fishing ..

It's been tough the last three days. Two of those days were on the Delta. Highs and lows, wind and sun with lots of small Stripers. I was also caught in a wierd wind gust that kicked up a horrible dust storm right in my path.

Great time both days but today I threw in the towl and headed to the coast. A friend, who lives on a small sort of private lake invited me and said he and his friends have brought the carp in and I should come on over and give it a go on the fly rod. I never turn down this invite and I always catch excellent quality fish here.

He is quite the the rough fisher and has an excellent set up for bait fishing but to fly fish you have to trek around tight shore line and roll cast to targets. My plan was to fish Corn Flies and look for fish in the shallows that are tailing, looking for straggler pieces of ground bait that has been thrown out. Not exactly fly fishing, but not exactly not fly fishing I guess. Either way you look at it, its lots of fun with very strong fish that pull like trucks.

Long story short, I fished the parimater of what they call there "swim". I tried not to blow out there area and spook fish. I saw several and I was able to get 4 or 5 to pounce on the fly and connect with only two. Its difficult to see them make the final move on the fly with the wind and rain we had today.

They kind of laughed that I even to photos of these youngsters but I was happy. They ended the day with several fish in the high teens-low 20s from what he told me. The wind and rain got a little overwhelming and I called it about 3pm. Ended up taking a walk on the beach on the way home since I was already drenched. A nice rainy day diversion.


Delta dust storm






Not a soul at the beach today

The Delta

The California Delta is more than a good place to fish. There is so much going on every minute of the day, 12 hours goes by so fast you can't believe it. Fishing wasn't great but it had moments of fast fishing and I tangled with an absolute monster Striper in the early am on a Topwater Plug. It was an amazing eat and I was sad I coudn't close the deal. I've thought about this and how I would do it different but I really dont think I did anything wrong, it just wasn't meant to be.

It was another beautiful day in the mid 70s and only a breath of wind all day. The fly fishing was steady for small school fish from start to finish and the average was decent and they were strong fish. I imagin I have spent close to 1000 days fishing the Delta in the past 25 years and I can not wait to get back out there for a couple more days this week.


Perfect Halloween plug!

Small waters

I really dig fishing small creeks and ponds with ultra light fly rods. I was on my way to for a carp session around noonish and decided to go another direction since the weather wasn't going to be conducive to sight fishing.

We are blessed with temperate Redwood forests close to home. Here, being the southern edge of the Redwood tree's range but still abundant with a few old growth still left. Redwoods and the places they are found are stunning and to catch wild native trout underneeth the canopy is something I love to do.

In about an hours time I had caught atleast one rainbow in every pool in the small section I fished. Also looked around an old homestead stairway to nowhere and outhouse. Rain started and went full on so I left them till next time.

Once out of the canyon the rain let up so I hit the trail for some gills with the 2#. The blast of warm weather we had last week was all we needed to extend the farm pond fishing. They were eating the dries well and I spent about an hour messing with them before I headed for the house. Fall is finally here and it feels good. All in all a pretty nice 3 hour hike with a dozen or so fish. I like it!