Hex on Lower Sac

School’s back in session, but summer sure isn’t over. Temperatures in NorCal today are well over 100*F, which we had a break from last weekend.  Highs in the 60’s and rain all day last Saturday put a hurt on a few of the hatches, so fishing suffered on some area streams. Freak storm aside, things are now looking good if you know where to go… and what time to go. On certain rivers, afternoons can be magical.

Fall River – isn’t known for great fishing this time of year, as the insect activity is pretty slow. However, the fish are still there and they gotta eat.  A friend was up there last weekend, during the storm, and hammered them, with a couple of fish over 20” – while stripping black leeches. One pig measured just over 23”. Adjust techniques to find ‘em.

Lower Sac Bow

Upper Sac – still fishing well. I know I sound like a broken record, but reality is we haven’t had this long of a good season on the Upper Sac in years. Water temps are still cool and afternoons have plenty of dry opportunities.  A few days ago on a quick 3 hr. trip up there I saw plenty of action, with two fish over 17” – one munched a brown Jimmy Legs and the other ate a #14 Stimi in some little pocket water at dusk.  Wet wading this stream is a great way to beat the heat.
Lower Sac – now that we’re back to warm and sunny, trout fishing is back on. Expect caddis from noon until dusk, and some BWO action around 4-5 pm. (S&M nymphs!!)  Even saw a few Hex during mid-day. The fish have been big. Daily averages have been 18-19”. And we hit some on dries last week, which is very rare for the Lower Sac.
Just back from a ‘mourning’ dove hunt along the river and heading out for the evening caddis grab in an hour. Cast-n-blast anyone? Yeah, this place doesn’t suck.

Late August Striper

Lower Lower Sac – drove downstream this week for stripers and it was great. Easy limits for two of us. Nothing’s awesomer than watching a 35-40 pound striper following and swiping at my 4 pound striper. (well, maybe actually landing that 35lb’er!)
McCloud – Fishing is good on the Mac.  Reports from the Conservancy this week are saying some big browns are moving in already.  If you can handle the physical demands, go soon for a chance at browns over 10 pounds.
Trinity – Some people starting to head over the hill. Reports of half-pounders above Willow Creek, but not much in the way of adults yet for us fly guys.  Some bait clunkers and plug pullers have lucked into a few, but we’re far from the good stuff. Give it another month, and then it’s worth the drive.

-Shane

I think I hit a rock!

A flat tire is never fun to deal with.  However, when you are nearing Mack’s Canyon on the Lower Access Road along the Deschutes River it is even more the case.  Especially when the run you want is open, and the fish are “barking.”

Unloading the rig to access the wussy stock jack, and kneeling in waders on jagged rocks add to the joy.

However, weighing the risks to the rewards.  I’ll do it again, and again, and again…  PK

Amazing landscape

Can't you hear that Hardy sing?

Pretty crazy last week or so with the fires on the river.  Closures have been lifted and the bulk of the fires are out or contained.  Really sad to think that I unknowingly had my last look at Dr. Dixx’s cabin ( Johnson Homestead) on the 21st.  I guess it burned that night or early the next day.  Really sad to lose a piece of history.

Steelheading down low:    Sherars down,typical working for your chances at steelhead.  Which is not all bad, but not just wide open red hot.  Step into the right run and find a few, but a lot of casts, and covering water to hit those runs.  Water temps are pretty good.  I had 60 above Maupin and 62-64 around Macks.  Numbers on the Columbia have taken a big dip and we are right at to a little below the ten year average.  From here on out are when the bulk of the fish are supposed to show up to the party.   Everybody is ready to get the party started and turned up a notch, keep an eye on those numbers and hope they start going skyward.

Get Bent

Trout fishing seems to have picked up a little this last week.  Still dog days of summer and working for them, but a little more forgiving and willing to co-operate.  Caddis numbers are a far cry from July.  Dry fly fishing and finding fish up has been a little tougher.  All you have to do is look at the lanterns in the morning. Now there are mostly fried midges with a side of caddis topped with aquatic moths.  July the lanterns and EVERYTHING near by are FULL of Blackened Cajun Caddis a la’ Coleman.

Most consistent nymphing rig has been a bigger stone type pattern  ( Jimmy Legs ) with a little midge or small (18-20#) mayfly pattern.  Trout fisherman have plenty of empty river and room to roam and enjoy.

Plenty of trout water available

good fishing continues

The weather forecast would be a more accurate fishing report most days.  Last week we endured 3 days of screaming winds and hot weather.  Sunday, I was on the Stillwater River and it was 95 and blowing up to 45mph.  There was a forest fire that burned 10,000 acres that day.  That night, it snowed in the mountains and we wore fleece, waders and gore-tex jackets all day Monday while we fought a 30mph cold wind on the Yellowstone.  Yesterday, it was 101 and stifling hot.  The hopper fishing has been good on the hot windy days.  Nymphs and Streamers are good on the cold days and mornings. Here are the details:

Yellowstone- Hoppers.  I’ve been fishing a size 6 Morrish and trailing another size 12 hopper behind it.  On the cold mornings, a jimmy leg trailed with a lightning bug works.

Madison- Hoppers with small tungsten bead droppers.  I like Silvey’s Caddis Pupa in black, you can’t forget about ants this time of year too.  Same as last week.

Gallatin- Spruce moths continue.  Stimulators, Wulffs and Trudes are great mid day.

Missouri- Weeds are becoming a real issue. The Dam is the main game in town with tailwater tinys in size 20 as well as black zebra midges.

Spring Creeks (Armstrong’s, Depuy’s Nelson’s and Milesnick’s)-.   A few PMDs are left on the Paradise Valley Creeks with midges and Sulphurs in the PM.  Milesnick’s has been great with Tricos in the morning followed by Pseudos in the afternoon.  I like the Quigley hackle stacker trico and renegades for the tricos.  Size is the key for Pseudos, you’ve got to use a 22.  I use CDC duns mostly

the snow is up high

She was a little colored up

When my brother-in-law Tim asked me to join him on a trip along the Smith River, my first thoughts were of a river running up in northern California. I quickly learned Tim was actually inviting me on a 5-day, 60-mile long journey along the Smith River in central Montana. The Smith is a highly regulated river, controlled by a permit application process that only allows a few private parties and a handful of outfitters to launch each day. Designated camp sites are chosen on the day you begin your float.

Tim and I rented a raft in Missoula from Trail Head outfitters and drove towards White Sulphur Springs.  Along the way we drove through a massive hail storm and the sound of the hail pelting the cab of my pick-up left my ears ringing for days. We arrived at Camp Baker and joined up with the rest of our float trip party and heard their tales of dealing with the storm while camped outside.

We began our float the next morning and spent the next 5 days floating through some of the most spectacular canyons, forests and grasslands I have ever seen. The boat camps all had great access, views, camp water, steel fire pits and latrines. The storm we drove through to get to the river was just one of several that had hit Montana in the past three months so it wasn’t surprising that the Smith was running high and was a bit off color.

Beautiful place no matter the color of the water

We managed to catch a few fish between the 8 of us beginning on the 2^nd day of the trip and with each passing day the conditions and the fishing improved.  Browns proved to be the primary fish for us with a few rainbows and whitefish thrown in.

About halfway through the float we came across a working cattle ranch. Heaven on Earth Ranch operates a lodge and a 9 hole golf course—a golf course that includes a complimentary round of drinks at each hole. That’s a whole other story!

While the fishing conditions were not what we had hoped for, the beautiful scenery and time spent with friends certainly made up for it.  The Smith River canyon is an incredible place and one that I hope to return to.

We found a few

~  Eric Gunter

Comes loaded with cheerleader

Now that I am getting back to normal, I thought I would shake off the wettest Alaskan summer in recent memory, by hitting one of my local bass spots for some sun, and top-water fun. Like I said, “I NEED BASS”, they haunt my dreams.

With the way my summer has gone so far, and the fact that it was Friday, I should have known better than to go to this spot.  I choose to ignore my gut, and drove there anyways. Sure as shit, the locals were out in full force to ruin my glory day in the hot sun. Not only were they there in numbers, but they also brought Ski Doo’s, beer, mullets, pit bulls, cartons of cigs and a radio equipped with just enough volume to air Whitesnake across the lake.

In a moment of clarity at the boat ramp, I paused, shook my head and said F&** this! I then pulled my boat back out of the water, dropped my tailgate, and just sat there with my dog and watched in awe.

I am pretty sure that what I witnessed could have been a private taping of East bound and Down.  Instead of Kenny Powers, the stars were a number of locals that easily could stand in as his stunt double. Actually for just a minute I thought maybe Brian Silvey had come to town and brought the Jet ski’s for a spin, turns out it wasn’t him. After a call to Zach, I learned that Silvey’s Ski Doo is a 650 with a pink seat, so it couldn’t have been him.

Could be Silvey, he is known to be a motorhead.

Now I like to fish, but watching a guy loaded on Budweiser, sporting Oakley blades and using all 800cc’s of Ski Doo power with reckless abandon is a close second. Might want to mention he had a cheerleader as well. She came fully loaded as well, with blades, ciggy in lip, Budweiser, one-piece swimsuit, you get the picture- SOLID! I especially enjoyed when she came over to me looked at my boat and asked, “Where’s the motor on this thing?” She then took a big pull of her cig and blew it in my face. I just smiled and told my dog to quit barking at her.

So what was supposed to be a day of fishing and recuperation, ended up being just a simple day of people watching, with no lack of entertainment. Thank you Oroville! You never disappoint me.

~  KP