It is that time of summer where people take breaks for vacations, family trips, and such, maybe putting the fly rods away in exchange for family size tents, ski boats, and amusement parks. Many are wrapping up their celebration of the independence of our nation from the crooks the British by drinking, eating meat, and blowing up fireworks, but the fishing goes on…

Lower Sacramento River Trout – I have not been on the Lower Sac sense my last stint during the cold rainy to apocalyptic heat of a few weeks ago. Flows remain around 15000cfs out of Keswick and high down through the river. Talking to a few of my buddies that have been out there fishing remains good in the lower stretches and July is one of my favorite months to fish down from Balls Ferry to Red Bluff.

Lower Sacramento Stripers – IT is striper time in our neck of the woods. The heat wave seemed to put the bite off a bit and focus the fish on eating during the morning and evening but with more normal summer weather forecasted for the next week fishing should stabilize a bit. We have had a few good fish and a few good numbers days. Nothing earth shattering in size has been caught yet but I’ll take good numbers and schoolies any day.

 

Nice Striper

Lower Yuba River – I have not been out here in a week or so either. Flows have come up to around 1600cfs, which is a great flow! Hoppers should be moving around if they didn’t get cooked during the last heat wave, and with more normal summer temps forecasted over the next week the hoppers and caddis should get a bit more active. Not a bad place to go spend an evening this time of year.

Clearwater Lodge – I have spent most of my time up at the lodge lately and Michelle Titus the new owner has the place humming. It is great to see such a loving, hospitable, and dedicated person purchase and take over the lodge. Good to see Clearwater back to what it can be.

           

Fall River – The hex hatch has been great one night poor the next. Mainly depending on the wind. If the wind comes up in the evening the hatch is no good. I had clients out fishing it a few nights and each night we hooked good sized fish, one taking us into the backing a few times. We were averaging about 3 fish to the boat each night and many more blow ups and misses. The PMD hatch has been good during the day with windows to throw dries to rising fish and on most days good nymph bites.

Baum Lake – This is a great place to take beginner or advanced anglers as you can target the schools of truck trout or hunt out the bigger native fish. I had some experienced clients this last week hook into some of the bigger native fish and get schooled on 6x and midges and then I took my two boys out and they beat up on the truck trout…a bit of everything for all ages and skill levels.

Booze News – I have been sticking with pretty standard stuff for the last week the highlight of the last few weeks was when I came home and my sister in law who works at Sierra Nevada had left me a bottle of the ne Ovila Belgian Style Golden Beer from Sierra Nevada. I have yet to try it but I have heard from various beer sources aka my brother in law that it is amazing…I am saving it for the first 20lb striper of the year.

Garden News – I am totally addicted to growing my own vegitables. My tomatoes, potatos, cucumbers, lemon cucumbers are tearing it up this year. A little bummed on my bell pepers and jalapenos as they are not getting it done like they usually do. My boys have been eating cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and home made salsa for pretty much every meal.

 

The Brown family will survive the apocalypse on fish and salsa and a side of cucumbers and lemon pepper

Sports News other wise known as the reason I drink – The giants are killing me. I haven’t made it passed the 5 ^th inning for a few weeks as I can’t stand to watch such atrocious situational hitting and no good news on the horizon. Angel on the 60 day disabled list is not good news. I don’t think I realized how much of  a leader and emotional force  Angle was on the team. The pitching staff is excruitiating to watch as well.  Kickham has been toughest to watch…our big young lefty hanging sliders and off speed pitches that literally get destroyed. Kid needs to learn to barry those balls in the dirt. Watching Cain get crushed and knocked out after 2.1 innings last night agains the dodgers was rough…Gonna be a long July I think.  

Cast Hope - Pledge Drive is wrapping up but we still have a few of these really cool custom Galvan Reels...

New Tunes - We were Promised Jet Packs...just bought a few of these guys CD's...Love them so far. Great Swedish Indie Rock...little moody, little rock, little math rock, just enough catchy.