Random fishing

One part of me wants to be going after Stripers and the other can't let the Carp go just yet. Every year about this time, the Carp on the moving such as my local creeks and rivers start acting wierd. I don't know if it's becouse Ive been chasing them all summer but I'm more inclined to think it's more of a natrual behavior. They become really spooky with short sporadic feeding windows. They become very tough to feed a fly too with any consistancy. I had some well thought out and placed flies on very repectable fish only to have them freak out and bolt. Just the sight of the bug! Not sure what that's all about. After 4 hours of frustration I went and checked some reservoir fish since I dedicated the day to Carp and they had done a 180 and were shallow and to be what I think are targeting there second spawn fry. Fish here always have a second spawn in mid August. Those fry are free swimmers now and the fish are on another post spawn chew and have come out of there dog days of summer funk.  I was able to pop three nice fish in three hours effort. Not a great day in some places but with the tough fishing we've had I considered it a rewarding day.

Low 90s with unusual high humidity on this day

I did spend the first day of "fall" chasing Stripers. It just seemed appropriate and the fishing was quit good actually. Not much size but bent rods all day despite the Africa hot temps on the water. Looking forward to getting after them through out the fall and Winter months as the my Carpin winds down. Next week i'm off for Smallies, Bows and Browns in the Sierra's for week. Should be a nice change of pace and cooler weather.

Mean mug!

Skinny water Stripers

Carp have been off the last week. Hit them on Thursday and blanked. They just seemed edgy and not in the mood to play. I gave them a little break and decided to look for new friends. Spent the day in the baking 100 degree heat chasing Stripers up on clear water flats and was able to coax a few into eating. They have an increadible sense of movement. Casting to open lanes and a fast strip with a slow sinking I line was all it took for them to come out of nowhere and crush it. Lots of fun in the clear water.  Also saw some Carp nudging damsels so it was a double productive day in that I will be back very soon with some trickery for those fish!

Welcom to the jungle

 

Fat Carp

The reservior Carpin sucks right now. Ridiculous amount of tailing and mudding fish but I just can't get them to go. They do this every late summer for about 6 weeks.  An all day effort will usually give up one or two fish but I'm not going to roast my ass off out there for so few grabs so I'm focusing on the moving water carp till things pick up. Clean water shots on quality fish that want to play. Right off the bat I had a good one eat and blister off about 50" feet upstream to a weed matt. Let up on the fish in hopes she would pull out of there and she went about another ten feet deeper and knitted a sweater out of my leader around a bunch of shit. OK..one nice fish lost and I got a bit rattled. Put a fly on a second fish and was on the board with healthy 6lber.. Third and last eat of the morning was a sick grab about 25 ft off the rod tip. Fish fought hard but wanted to go toe to toe in open water and I prevailed! I bailed after hitting a couple of more holes and went to look at lake fish. That was a mistake...read the first sentance.

River fish are chewing on this fly right now

 

Dan Blanton and I got out for a Striper fix yesterday. Got on the lake to the sounds of Bull Elk screaming and rounding up there fall harem. Weather was nice in the high 80s low 90s and the wind wasn't too bad at all for a change. We worked for all our fish and ended up with about 15 or so. Not much size on this day but I had a hell of a good time and enjoyed spending the day with him on his skiff. Looking forward to doing it again. Here are a couple of photos Dan took.

She's back

Sighted the long fin carp I caught a week ago..I didn't take a shot at it but she was in almost the same exact place she ate my fly.

Monterey Bay

Another beautiful day on the bay..

Bolinas

Black Rickfish

Sea Dogs taking over the dock!

 

River Smallmouth

Fished about 10-12 miles of river wih my brother yesterday. Really peacfull day on the water despite it being holiday weekend.  Plenty of guys out after Salmon, and we saw a few caught. I cast a fly for Salmon every chance I had for nada.  I'll be back after the Slamon on fly very soon.  We both caught Smallies, Largemouth, Spotted Bass and Striped Bass. A Salmon would have been nice to complete the slam. Weather was perfect!!!!

Some of the Side channels and connecting sloughs off the main river are lined with some beautiful riparian jungle. Loads of bird life, River otters and fish. Nice quiet place to fish and get out of the hot mid day summer sun.

Sun up to sun down!