Early to Mid Week randomness...and a fishing report or two.
Lets get early to mid week on this…
I spent my Saturday hanging with my boys (not “my Boys” but
my children) and watching the Notre Dame vs. USC game and then guided the L.
Sac on Sunday. I have not had a day off in about 2 weeks so hanging with my
boys, sleeping in, and watching some live college football not DVR’d college
football was a nice break. I will say though when ever I take days off I feel
like I am missing something by not being on the river. That said many days
while on the river I feel like I am missing something by not being with my
boys…solution: go fishing with my boys…but I would have a hard time charging
them, their piggy banks are pretty empty and lets be honest most of the money
that is in them, was at one time technically mine so there is really no money
in this plan and my bank doesn’t except “quality time on the river with my boys”
as payment for my debts.
rolling strong on a saturday with this dude |
The Lower Sac
fished pretty decent on Sunday, but I had some pretty green anglers so it is
tough to tell…we had plenty of grabs, but the hooking and landing part seemed
to elude us. The fish on the float I did were not as grabby as the week before
but they were still pretty accommodating in most runs. The egg bite is still
going strong, but we did get some fish in bug water on stonefly nymphs and
caddis pupa.
Barge Hole Egg Eater |
This guy was sitting behind a snag and ate a big stone fly nymph |
Almost forgot…I did
get out to fish myself this Friday as well. I went with my brother in law
and his buddy over to the feather. We fished the Hwy 162 bridge area and each
of us hooked a nice adult steelhead. I was fishing my Scott 11”6wt L2h switch
rod that I have been waiting to get out and properly fish sense I got it this
last winter. I have had the rod for nearly a year and not properly gotten it
out and fished it myself. That tells you how much time I have to fish on my own
in the fall and winter. I matched it up with an Air Flo speydicator line and it
fishes great. It is a great big water indicator rod. Light enough to high stick
close or double up on and bomb out some spey casts to water I could hardly
reach with a single handed rod. I am looking forward to using it this spring to
swing some flies on the feather for the spring run steelhead as well.
Best part of the whole trip was watching my brother in laws
friend Joe hook up on a nice big (24”)wild buck and land it…he has hooked a few
steelhead on the feather but never landed one. He is a pretty good angler after
cutting his teeth on the small trout water around chico. This fall he got a big
river rod and is getting into steelhead fishing so it was awesome to see him
land such a special fish. Funny how I was way more excited to see him land his
fish then I was to hook mine…I actually lost mine right at the bank as I was
trying to hurry and get mine in as I saw he was hooked up. Funny how prerogatives
change the more I do this fly fishing thing.
New Ink…
I further cemented my passion and commitment to the things I
love …. My wife, kids, and rivers. I have had this idea drawn up by a few
artists around town…I want the two Loves wrapped around my heart: Rivers and my
wife in a tattoo on the inside of my arm. Ben Lucas at Eye of Jade in Chico
finally nailed it.
Music…
I have not been buying much new music just listening to a
pretty consistent stable of bands…The Wonder Years, The Gaslight Anthem, and
the Dangerous Summer. All 3 are in the punk, emo/punk vain. I see it as just
good rock music about topics that normal people can relate to. If you can not
relate to it the chances are I am not normal not you…
Clothing…
I got some new Simms Gear from the Fall 2013 Line up a few
weeks ago and the weather has gotten cool enough to put it through the paces.
There is some great new gear this fall. My favorite so far is the Axis Hoody. I
Love my Windstopper Hoody, but at times it is a bit to warm… which is not a bad
thing just need something a bit thinner as well. The Axis Hoody can be worn as
a layering piece or a stand alone light jacket for cool mornings or evenings.
It is made out of Polartec®
ThermalPro®. It is quick drying and features no-sweat breathing capabilities.
The Hoody takes care of cool mornings during the spring, summer, and fall where
I would usually where just a sweatshirt over a fishing shirt with shorts. The
best thing about this hoody is that I have also been wearing it in non-fishing
situations. It sucks to have to have an around town wardrobe and a fishing
wardrobe…and lets be honest wearing your wading jacket without waders and a fly
rod in your hand just doesn’t look right. Kinda like a guy wearing a football
jersey with out pads under them and a helmet on or an NBA jersey without the
upper body of an NBA player. Much of the newer Simms gear is functional on the
river and looks great off the river letting ones fishing gear serve multiple
purposes. The Axis Hoody is a great example of this. Kudos to Simms to making
gear that makes me look cool on the river and off….not an easy thing to do.
Sports Report…
The Irish are 5-2 after a defeat of the USC Trojans on
Saturday night. Usually I would be pumped any time we defeat the Trojans but
this time just seems a little cheap. USC basically gave the game away via
penalties and just plane bad play. With Tommy getting knocked out early in the
second half and Hendrix coming in our offense was terrible. I personally will
never bitch about Tommy Rees ever again as I am pretty sure Hendrix forgot how
to throw a football and USC stacked 9 in the box and shut us down. Well a win
is a win and we got Airforce this week so we should be OK.
World Series Starts tomorrow and while I don’t have a dog in
the race I do enjoy watching both the Cardinals and the Red Sox play ball. They
both have some fun players to watch and great pitchers. Should be a good
series. I am calling Cards in 6.
Fly Guide Fantasy Football League
So, we are under way and I am sitting mid pack at 3-3 while the Deeler and Ryan J are knoted up at 5-1 though the Deeler aka La Flama Blanca is a top the power rankings. I had a pretty good shot to knock Ryan J off this week but Arian Foster going down with a Hami killed me! In other Fantasy news Gabe Duran's Gravy Train has officially come off the rails sitting at 2-4 and he has resumed his fantasy wrestling career with the Deeler in his back yard. WWE watch out!
I love this guy |