It is funny how much I was praying for rain when it hadn’t rained for like 2 months and ounce it does, I start to pray for beautiful spring sunshine…I have gone back and forth from shorts and flip flops to fleece and waders way to much this last month. That said all the recent rain and snow has been great for the reservoirs and the outlook for the coming summer trout season. Reservoir levels are coming up, but the early reservoir release forecast show some scary low flows throughout the summer. From what I have seen the plan is to hold back as much snow melt as possible and store every drop they get.   Spring fishing is here though…trout are eating, Stripers are feeding and moving up river, a few shad have ben reported caught, bass are on beds, and the sun is out!

Lower Sacramento Trout Fishing – I had one of my best days this spring on the L. Sac this last weekend. We didn’t catch any huge fish but LOTS of good 16-18” Trout. We fished from Bonnie View Launch to Anderson City Park. I caught fish on Sucker Spawn, Jimmy Leggs, S&M PMD Nymphs, March Madness March Browns, and a few on flash back PT’s. Clarity was not an issue but there is a tint to the water from the storms that moved through this last week.   I imagine that below Cow Creek there is a bit more color but from what I have heard the river is fishable down to Red Bluff. I would imagine that as the weather warms and stabilizes the March Brown and PMD hatch along with a few caddis will keep the fish eating.

Lower Sac Striper fishing – I saw pictures of a 42lb fly rod caught fish this last week so there are fish around…I also have heard of a few fish being caught below Colusa but I fished down to about the Hwy 45 pumps and another friend fished down to Colusa and neither of us stuck a fish…The water temps are still pretty chilly and I imagine the resident fish are a bit lethargic still and from what it sounds like the migratory fish have not shown up yet in any numbers. The water clarity is about 1-2’ and while the flows are low I still fished a Sniper line in a type 7 and a bigger then normal clouser. Any one that is thinking of coming up be careful as the river is low and every snag, stump, and bump is exposed. Fishing should be getting really good with the warmer weather forecasted over the next week.

Lower Yuba River – I traditionally transition to the Lower Yuba for trout during the month of April but the low flows, an early striper season, and the L. Sac still fishing well have kept me off it. I have heard the March Browns and PMD’s are popping and dry fly fishing can be pretty darn good when the hatch comes off. I am sure I will get over there soon but I have no fresh personal reports from the Yuba.

Feather Rive Spring Steelhead – Fishing is still good to very good depending on the day and the crowds. The river is flowing at 800cfs through the whole system for the most part as the outlet is pretty much cut off. Swinging flies and nymphing is still catching fish and as the weather warms this week I bet the caddis are going to start getting going and there will be some options to skate dries as well. A little spun hair caddis is a great option. Fish it with a little twitch and then let skate/swing out. I have seen clients and heard of others hooking some BIG spring fish this year so far, the average fish though is a fat 16-18”.

The Migratory Herring Report – I have heard the first shad report…someone caught some shad outside of chico, CA. I won’t start trying to catch shad until mid to late May.

Appearances...

Come check out the Fishwest Sacramento (aka Kiene's) fair this coming weekend April 12th from 10am to 4pm. I will be there with the Cast Hope booth talking all things Cast Hope, fly fishing, fly tying, guiding,....really anything you want to talk about while I stand in a parking lot for 6 hours. There will be a free BBQ'd Lunch and I will be giving a presentation on fishing the Lower Lower Sac for stripers, shad, bass, carp, and all things of that nature. There will be presentations, manufacturers reps, casting demonstrations, sales, raffles, tying, free food and a lot dudes standing around BSen about fishing. 

Saturday, April 12, 2014 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Fermented Beverage News

I was fortunate enough to attend the Pale Bock release party at Sierra Nevada a few weeks ago. I remember when this beer first came out a few years ago and I was not a huge fan for some reason…I went to the release party anyway. I was presently supriesed with it the second time around…I can now say I really like it. It reminds me a bit of an Abby Ale with a bit more hoppy flavor and little less “sweet”. The food at the release party was pretty solid and the band was an amazing cover band called Decades

In other beer news I continue to drink the Harvest Single Hop IPA and am loving it…Summer fest will be coming out soon and then it will be Summer Fest and Old Chico Pale Boc for me for awhile. Mixed in will be some hydrating American lagers as well in the Coors vein.

Music News…

One of my favorite bands Manchester Orechestra came out with there new album “Cope” and I am pretty happy with it. I was not a huge fan of their last release “Simple Math”. Cope is a great album though, Rocking with good emotion, catchy hooks, and some creative yet approachable song structures.

I also discovered a new band combing through live recordings on www.audiotree.tv July Talk. An amazing rocking band from Canada. There debut album comes out this summer, but they have a bunch of good music videos on their website to get one through until then. They have two vocalist, one a guy with a whiskey growl and another,  a women with a voice like silk…such a good mix and such a good contrast.

New Products

I just got a bunch of the new Spring Line from Simms and while it all is great gear and lives up to the Simms a few of the new products are real stand outs. So far my favorite piece is the Cross Currents Hoody. It would fall into the “Sun Hoody” Category I would say. I have owned a few of these types of garments from various companies and they are either way to thick and fall into the “light sweatshirt” category or way to thin and fall into the just a “sun shirt” with a hood…The Simms Current Hoody has become my go to layer over   a fishing shirt or solar flex shirt this spring. Perfect for cool spring or summer mornings and nice to put the hook up over my hat to keep the chill of my neck while blasting around in the jet boat or rowing up river. It has Core 3 fabric with Anti Microbial, wicking, and UPF 30. My old sweatshirts I use to wear do not have any of that.

Baseball Report…

So far so good with the G-Man. A 5-2 road trip to open the season where the smack the crap out of the baseball is not a bad way to go. That said starting pitching outside of Bumgarner and Hudson is a little dicey…Cain has looked good but his change up and off speed stuff is not there. Sunday he left to many curves up and when he missed with the change it ended up in the bleachers. That said there ability to score runs is much better then last year and if the largest human being on a baseball field and possible descendent of giants Michael Morse hits the ball like he can we are going to be pretty good…oh and the implosion of the dodgers club house is going to help to.