The Casting Lesson.....

So, a fishing trip is planned. Not just any fishing trip, but a fly fishing trip. Special! Gonna see some trout in the net, wade in the river, smell the sweet mountain air, wear a fishing vest and behave like Ernest Hemingway for a day or more. Gonna get away and fish! Do some live'n! Life is all about fishing, fly fishing to be exact. Hotel is booked, time off from work is arranged. Maybe plane tickets are purchased, bags are packed, fly rods, reels, flies and fishing license are ready to go. Bought a special hat just for the trip. Even booked a guide for a day, just to tighten up the chances of having a positively memorable fishing trip. It will be.

The drive wasn't too bad. Hardly slept last night due to the excitement of being in a different place, a real chance at landing the fish of many, many dreams. The guide seems like a good guy. A real trout bum! Cool! He's gonna find fish. Fly rods rigged and ready to go, fishing license displayed, looking dapper. Feeling dapper. Guide says "okay, cast to those rising fish over there...about 30 feet". So, the first cast slaps and falls on the water in a pile of fly line, leader and a fly somewhere in the spaghetti-like mix. Oh, and the cast is 20 feet short, off target. No big deal, just feeling a little stage fright. Ernest Hemingway wrote "Somebody just back of you while you are fishing is as bad as someone looking over your shoulder while you write a letter to your girl." For others, casting in front of a guide, one that is respected I assume, is a little like dropping your pants to have your equipment examined by a doctor. What you have is what you got. Right?(maybe not, but it's a funny metaphor. Next cast is no better. Next cast tangles...badly. What the...? Never had this trouble before. Okay, try again. Gotta cast a tight loop. How's that? No reply from the guide. Whoa! didn't mean to hook you Mr. Guide. Sorry!! Ouch!! that fly tears some flesh off the ear as it's removed. Blood runs down the neck. First aid kit provides band aids. The guide says "stop the rod on the forward and back cast...hold the rod this way...don't drop the wrist...no drifting...or creeping...lower the elbow, here watch me" and on and on. He won't shut up. Son of a bitch, he's got an answer for everything! Jeezzz why is this so hard? What happened to just going fishing and catching a few fish. 30 foot tight loop? How about a 5 foot plop and fizzle cast!

Sound familiar? Scenarios like this play out on fishing trips all the time. Guide or no guide, casting is absolutely required to present a fly. A good fly is useless if it can't be fished correctly. Rarely does anyone ask what kind of a cast is required to catch fish on a given river, lake etc.. Focus is on the flies, rod, fly line and all things that can be purchased. Money can be thrown at casting, but a good cast can only be earned.

Most trout fishing is done on small creeks and streams, so a cast or lob of 10 feet is often adequate. But when fishing bigger streams like Fall River, a longer cast is required and that puts some anglers to the test. Many of my guests catch fish on all kinds of casts. I find fish and they are fished over. Some have incredible days of fishing by feeding line to an indicator, no casting required. It's really fun! Isn't that what a guide is for? Sure! A guide can drastically improve an anglers chances. But, to that I say this: a broken clock is right two times a day. Now, no one is being called a broken clock. I'm one of the best broken clocks there is! The point is: Fly fishing is worth while folks! Why not invest a little time practicing for a few hours or more before the trip so a workable cast can be played on game day? People like Lefty Kreh and the late Mel Krieger didn't become great casters by going fishing and sitting around afterwords drinking beer (although I won't completely rule this out). They did focuse on technique, style and substance on the lawn, casting in the park, at the pond or casting club and teaching what they learned and discovered. The anglers that spend time practicing the cast seem to easily enjoy the fishing process much more than the casual once-a- year-the-fly-rod-comes-out angler. An angler who can cast a tight loop just 20 feet excels in the catching department beyond one that is struggling to get a cast that presents at the same distance. Good fishing reports are almost always determined by the experiences of intermediate to expert anglers. Now, don't feel that a strict regiment of casting on a lawn is required to be a proficient caster. I don't believe that casting a tight loop is required to utterly enjoy a day of fly fishing. I'm writing here to the angler who is going to be disappointed in their casting ability, especially when they have just spent well over $360.00 to have a guide put him or her on fish. To that angler I ask them to check their casting. Check it before the day of reckoning.

For the record; I am much more than happy to help an angler with casting technique during a day of fishing. Many of my guests just want to learn, become better anglers and catch a few fish along the way. Most fishing guides are very accommodating. Almost everyone has a very realistic approach to their day of fishing. However, some come prepared mentally to catch fish all day only to discover the cast is not good enough. At times, I can sense tremendous disappointment. I never have to say anything. The situation is self evident. I have tricks up my sleeve in some situations that can save the day. But sometimes, the day of fishing turns into an unforeseen and prolonged casting lesson.

Here is some advice:
Hire an FFF certified casting instructor for an hour or more. Do this weeks before your trip. Guide or no guide, just do it. There are better casters out in the world who want to share their hard earned knowledge in a friendly, informative manner. Contact your local fly shop for contact info. Practice for a few minutes every day. Just a few minutes. Do this and I promise your cast will drastically improve and so will your fishing!

This not about making my job easier! This is not about me! I look forward to teaching and working with anglers from beginner on up. It's just that I see a way for some anglers to get a head start and possibly head off a very steep learning curve. This is about taking what will be a good time on the river and making it into a great time!

I work on my cast all the time. I know a lot of good casters and I watch them. I pay attention. I'm always finding ways to improve.

Last but far from least...casting a fly rod is fun even when not on the water..Standing in your back yard casting will take you back...It's a nice feeling. Relaxing.

-CP

Good Fishing vs. Fishing that is Good

It's been a little stressful lately. Yeah, there is actually stress involved in the fishing trade. Truthfully, nothing is wrong. The month of May can be a slow month for the guide business. It's been slow in the past. So, in light of the current economic climate, I worry more. I think "Maybe this is the beginning of the end"? Or "No one wants to go fishing anymore". To put the economic crisis in perspective, it could be worse! Our rivers could be blown out, polluted and devoid of fish. They aren't. We have great water. Good fishing is going on right now and anglers are coming from far and near to fish the waters of Northern California all through June. Just June. Why June? One reason is there is water in the form of snow run off. The other reason is the weather is comfortable. The rivers and lakes are lined with blooming flowers, green grass, shady trees and insect hatches are thick. So, that makes for good fishing. Right? It depends. June offers blue skies and comfortable weather, that’s for sure. Visually, the late spring/early summer fishing experience is great! Relaxing. So, the fishing is good! Yes it is! The whole idea of standing in a river, casting a fly, birds singing, puffy clouds overhead is the perfect example of a fishing experience that I would call great. But then there’s good fishing. Even great fishing! Good fishing is good numbers of hook ups, big fish, and beautiful fish. Yes, of course there is in May, June and July great fishing, but, I say this with some reservation.

So much is in transition right now on our waters. Rivers and lakes have just come out of winter slumber. Aquatic plants are starting to develop and grow. Rainbow trout are either off spawning or just returning from spawning. Some trout are skinny and week. Insect hatches provide replenishment for these fish. From June through July, they grow and regain their strength and optimum size. Water conditions are fluctuating on Nor Cal trout streams from May through July. Were the water is high and swift due to run-off, the fishing conditions are less than stellar. Were fishing and water levels are good, they usually won't be for long as snow run-off subsides and summer temperatures warm the water to unfavorable levels for the trout. So, the trout leave and find cooler, oxygenated water as summer closes in. In June/July every week there is a new insect hatch that the trout key on. One day the fish are on caddis, the next salmon flies, then golden stones. If they are eating midges, well, that can make for some tougher catching than we wish for. I can’t leave out fishing pressure. If there are trout in run X of the Pit River, there won’t be as many next week because the fish will move after they have been fished over for a day or more. This process plays out on all trout streams. Some runs will fish great for weeks while others will fall to pressure after a day. Trout adapt to conditions and if they can’t, they move. Spring and early summer produce concentrated fishing pressure on many trout streams. Let’s face it, it’s a great time to get outside and go fishing…for everyone! Power House #2 on Hat Creek is a classic example, fishing it’s best just after the opener and tapering through spring. PH #2 offers excellent access and is a perfect piece of water for trout. The trout that reside in this riffle get pickier and pickier as the fishing season progresses due in part to the large numbers of anglers that wade in and fish. About good fishing in spring and early summer; it happens on Hat Creek when the Salmon Flies are dropping off the willows, into the river where large brown trout and rainbows wait under over hanging branches. Fall River has the Hexagenia hatch lasting June through mid July when many quality rainbow trout eat giant mayfly dun imitations right off the surface. Davis Lake has the damsel fly bite that offers up trophy rainbows. Calibaetis hatches on Lewiston Lake offer more big rainbows. The upper Sacramento will be at its best in late June when golden stones, caddis, mayflies and salmon flies provide food for some of the hardest fighting rainbows anywhere. The McCloud gets going in June, sometimes earlier, with stonefly, brown & grey drakes, caddis, yellow sallies and aggressive rainbows and brown trout. I can keep going and going! There is a lot going on and it’s all changing by the day and week. What an angler hears or reads about spring fishing today has certainly changed by tomorrow. So how can an angler narrow down a fishing trip planned for when there is more than just good fishing, but when the likely hood of really great fishing is happening? I’m talking about days when the hook-ups are insane! When the catching is just plain silly! When we can go home after an epic fishing trip!

When I look back over a year of fishing, I can remember the standout days. Those epic days that I wish I could be fishing instead of replacing mangled flies that the fish just love. Ahhh, those days when we are running low on flies because the trout/steelhead have torn up all our hot flies! They happen and not just one or two…but many days a year are spent this way. When you ask? How about August? Yep. September is another one. March is in there. For Steelhead, February. I’ll explain; In August/September for example, there are no changes going on. No drastic changes to be exact. The trout are found in cold water (55-65 degrees) and cold water is limited in August through September. The trout are healthiest in August/September in some rivers because they have just spent the spring and summer eating! Angling pressure has subsided due to hotter daytime temps and limited opportunities to catch trout on dry flies. The spring spawn is over and those big beautiful trout are back in the river, in their classic holding water. Insect hatches are sparse so matching the hatch is much easier. I think that’s the key. Fly selection is always important, but in late Summer, fish can be found that will eat a good presentation of anything in a size 16 or 18. Even the sight of a big fly like a #6 will get positive feed back. It’s amazing! Moving on, a river like Fall River has finished evolving. The whole river is full of aquatic plants that hold insects and trout. The trout are not as picky because they can’t afford to be. If the fly wiggles or swims, they eat it! The lower Sacramento trout population moves into Redding due to warmer temps downstream. The bigger post spawn rainbows are done and moving downstream. Some truly amazing fishing happens on the Lower Sac in August through September. The McCloud has cold water in August/September and some really epic days on that river have all occurred in August for me. In September, there’s some fish that move up from Lake Shasta into the upper Sacramento that are steelhead like. There’s a stretch of the Pit that can be so good it’s bewildering in late August through September. But, the heat can be just as intense. It will be hot and that’s the trade off. It will be hot everyday and the fish will stay were the water is cold every day and try to eat what they can everyday until the weather starts to cool off and then they start to spread out and things start changing again.

March on the lower Sac offers semi stable conditions. Water flows and conditions dictate how good the fishing will be. All said, the lower Sac trout are upon spawning season and they are driven to eat. It’s been more than two months since they were eating salmon eggs. Hatches of caddis, pink Albert’s, Salmon flies trigger these fish to eat aggressively. This is a time of year when every fishing guide is a hero. The fishing can be amazing! And the weather can be just as amazing. Come dressed for rain or 90 degree temperatures.

February on the Trinity is uncrowded for one. So, the fish that are there can be caught by us. Water conditions are perfectly colored green. River levels are usually high enough to discourage wade fishing, so, for those of us fishing out of boats, we get to fish runs that can’t be fished in the autumn due to numbers of happy wading anglers.

When I plan my fishing trips, and they are few, I look for stability or the end of a transition and just before the beginning of another. This can be a small window of time on some rivers or a two month period like on the Lower Sac or Fall River. Because of this timing I may miss the greener days of spring and the insect hatches that go with it. I might miss the fall colors and possibly, thankfully, the crowds. I might have to endure a long hike in 95 degree temps or sitting in a hot boat. It might be really windy or rainy. The trade off is a chance at some of the best fishing action of the year. Fishing so good that it blows the best days in the spring and fall away. Sometimes I don’t get that great fishing I hoped for. That’s the chance I take. Remember, we are dealing with nature and wild fish. Nothing goes as planned.

Like the old saying goes “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink” holds ever so true for me at this time of year. In the coming month I will be asked time and again “So, when’s the best time to fish this river? What’s the best week?” I’ll say August and September. I’ll mention February and March explaining the trade offs. Most of the time I get a blank response because my favorite months don’t offer everything my guest wants in a day of fishing. My standard answer is more and more becoming “when you can get here”. But in the back of my mind, I’m answering that question for myself; my preferences say August, September, February, and March. Not every angler is alike. Some folks want nice comfortable weather with their fishing. I do too! Some want fall colors or good friends with their fishing. Some want a chance at catching fish on dry flies and some want to swing a soft hackle. And then there’s those who just want a very good chance at plain old great fishing that’s to the point. They don’t care about the heat or the cold or the wind. They are willing to chance it all for that epic day. I’ll go fishing then. Shoot for the end of a transition, when there is a window of stability for the trout or steelhead and expect grand results. Now the hard part can be defining those stable periods from one river or lake to the next. A coastal stream is very different from an inland river. Some windows are weeks long as I have said and others can be as short as a few hours when dealing with coastal rivers. Contact your favorite guide for those answers and hire him or her for the day.

-Chris

I made it

There's a patch of ice on Trinity Dam Blvd that remains from the first wet freezing night of Fall all the way through winter. I drive over this patch of ice weekly. That is weekly for the past 5 years. I always slow down for it. Even at slow speed, my truck will slide a little as I coast over the patch. On the night of January 12th, 2009 the ice patch got me and won. I went into a slide that got worse and worse. My truck was beyond control. I corrected every way I could. I even stepped on the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor as I approached the cliff, turning hard away from the eminent black void. As I turned the wheel hard to the right, I felt the left side of my truck dip as it slid off the cliff sideways. I starred out the windshield for a flash of a second at the street light illumination, the edge of the cliff and the headlights illuminating the brush on the cliff face. Round and round I went like a rag doll. I thought of my son, Conrad. I kept my eyes open watching for the roof as it caved in. Brush and branches poked and jabbed through the broken driver’s side door window, brushing, slashing at my face. I worked to keep my head inside the cab as it was jerked out of the door window a time or two. My truck, boat and trailer rolled more than 3 times off a cliff estimated by police and paramedics on the scene to be 150' to 200' or more. Finally stopped, I was upside down, in my drivers seat, with the seat belt on. The engine was still rattling away, the radio still on. The headlights illuminating the brush at the bottom of a dark draw. I could hear fuel leaking, draining. The humming sound of the trucks fuel lift pump in the background and silence. I had to really reach to turn the keys in the ignition off. I thought of burning to death. At first I could not reach my seat belt buckle and thought I would have to wait here until someone found me. I screamed for help more than once, my voice echoing in the complete cold, dank darkness. I refused to panic, but felt raw fear. I wiggled to reach the seat belt buckle, pressed the button and was released dropping just slightly, but firmly on my head and shoulders. Some how I slid out the driver’s side window-opening and stood up in a cluster of brush and branches. Immediately I started climbing up the cliff like spider man thinking how the f%&*k did I just survive that. Once on the road, I looked for blood, bones and hanging flesh. I cut my finger pretty bad while climbing the cliff on a thorn or something. My head was bleeding, but not bad. My neck hurt, but not real bad. I made it. I could not believe I just got up, climbed up a cliff and walked away. I was freaking out, telling myself to relax, slow the breathing down and walk slowly. Slowly down Trinity Dam Blvd. I looked over the cliff briefly and all I saw, way down at the bottom was the head lights of my truck shinning into the brush. I couldn't take the sight. I loved that truck. I still had my cell phone in my pocket, but no cell service. After walking 5-10 minutes Rick and Patty drove up and I stepped into their truck. They heard the crash and my yells, screams for help. Dazed, I just sat there in their truck emotionless. I was taken to Mercy Medical Center in an ambulance. After X-rays, cat scan, passing out a couple times, needles and catheter being inserted and removed, they rolled me out at 6:30 AM on Jan. 13th with a prescription for pain killers. I made it.

In no particular order except for my wife who is always first:

Thanks to my wife Patty, I love you very, very much.
Thanks to Patty and Rick of Lewiston for being first on the scene. I felt better at that point. I new it was over when you showed.
Thanks Lonnie for getting all my stuff out of the bottom of that pit and loading it into my wife's car. You rule!
Big Thanks to Duane for loaning me a vehicle.
Big Thanks to Mike Parker for loaning me a boat.
Brian Balog..thanks for delivering a boat for me to use...I think it was your Dad's boat, so thanks Mr. B all the same!
Big Thanks to The Fly Shop for being there.
Big Thanks to Michael Caranci for checking in with my wife and being there.
Thanks to all the guides who checked in with me. And I thought I had no real friends.

I'll be back on the water Saturday!

2-2-09: I have driven this road a few times in the dark since the accident and there is no street light at the accident scene. There is no street light anywhere near the scene. It's a dark black road at night. I remember seeing an orange/yellowish light illuminating the scene immediately before and after the accident as I wrote above. Once I climbed back to the road, I thought I was standing under a light. I could see my clothes, shoes, the cut on my hand. In truth, there is no light on that road. None. It's just plain dark.

Uncle Hank

In the past 13 years I have lost some family members. My Dad died back in 1994, A nephew named Dave died recently. He once drove me and a buddy to a trail head where we set out on one incredible backpacking trip across the Sierras. Dave picked us up on the other side of the Sierras after nearly two weeks and drove us home. He was a good man.

Ted was a brother in law on my Dad's side of the family. He had a classic way of making Christmas feel like it should feel. He was a classic kind of man who lived for his family and always showed genuine interest in anything anyone was interested in. Last week, my Uncle Hank from my Mom's side of the family died. My younger brothers wife, Jen just lost her Dad. And so it begins. We all go through a time when we go to weddings, house warming parties, graduations etc... and then the funerals begin. Certainly I plan to go to many more weddings and all, but I know the funerals will continue to grow in numbers. What troubles me more than death is not going to the funerals. When my Dad died, I felt a sense of ease once he was buried. The process, all 72 years of it was done. I feel really sorry that I have not been to any of the other funerals herein. I worry too much about paying bills, and my calendar was full of fishing trips when Dave and Ted passed away. It was beyond my means to be at these funerals with the exception of my fathers more than 10 years ago. I easily made that one because it was practically down the street. Now my Uncle Hank passed away at a time were I thought I could be at the funeral, but once I learned he was being buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. I new I would not be able to afford the air fair, hotel, car rental not to mention food all totaling over $1,200.00. So I'm not going. Hank needs to be buried at Arlington. I am proud to have someone I am related too resting at Arlington. To me, it is a rightful resting place. If I felt I had the funds or could replace the expense at a later time, I would go in a heart beat. So in lieu of attending the funeral I will instead post his obituary, photo and a copy of an email I recently sent to my cousin Maggie. Uncle Hank was a part of my life even though we rarely if never crossed paths. I know that may be impossible for some to understand, but when you think of someone on a regular interval all your life and yet never really get to know them, and they are a memeber of your family, and they pass on.......I have discovered to my dismay, there is an incredible sense of loss.

Obituary:

Henry (Hank) Curtis Ivy of Green Valley Arizona passed away peacefully at home on July 2, 2008, from complications related to a recent battle with cancer. Son of DeRugely and Henry Ivy Sr., Henry was born on August 25^th 1933 in West Point, Mississippi.

Henry grew up on the family farm, “Ivahills”, with his two sisters, Mary Curtis and Joan DeRugely. He spent his youth running barefoot, playing and fishing and hunting with his beloved hound dogs (whom he also loved to recall sneaking into his bed at night!). His world expanded as an adult, as Hank’s career and travels took him throughout the United States and many parts of the World.

A graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in June, 1955. An exceptional and avid pilot, he flew the supersonic fighter jet, the F-4 Phantom over 4000 flight hours. Between the years of 1966 and 1973 he completed three tours of duty in Vietnam, flying more than 450 combat missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit and the Navy Commendation Medal, but it was love for his squadron, not medals that drove him to volunteer for return tours. Also while in the Marine Corps Hank earned his Masters Degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California and served as Plans Officer and Assistant Secretary of the General Staff at the Headquarters of the Marine Corps at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. He retired from Pt. Mugu Naval Air Base in 1979. For the Colonel, this time spent “flying a desk” paled in comparison to flying jets. He just loved being a Marine aviator.

Hank had a “need for speed” born out of an aviator’s affinity for the sound of that supersonic F-4 Phantom fighter jet. There were various sports cars over the years and a Harley Davidson. Most recently he was intent on advancing the odometer to 200,000 miles on his newly purchased, and immaculately restored, 1997 XK8 Jag. Hank loved to play golf, go “all in” when playing Texas Hold ‘em and could beat anyone at gin rummy. No one could tell a joke like Hank, and his hearty, infectious laugh would fill your heart.

Hank loved his family dearly. He also loved his many dogs; from his favorite childhood pup Mac the bulldog, to Sancho Panza his loyal Westy Terrier.

Hank was a philosophical soul, always examining the world through his own lens. Although a true Patriot, he was also one to question and challenge the injustices he perceived of our government and society. A voracious reader and seeker of knowledge, he had a special interest in politics and enjoyed a lively discussion or debate.

Family and friends will honor Colonel Henry C. Ivy, his life and service to his country, at a military ceremony with full honors to be held on July 30^th at 3pm at the Arlington NationalCemetery in Washington D.C. Memorials in honor of Henry C. Ivy may be made to support the Volunteer Office at the Tucson Veterans Hospital 3601 S. 6^th Avenue, Tucson 85723. Semper Fi Daddy.

My email:

Hi Maggie-

I remember as a little kid when you, your Mom Marcia, Dad “Uncle Hank” , Mollie, Matt & Mark would visit on occasion. I think it was usually during summer time. All I knew at the time was that “Uncle Hank” was here. To me, he flew jets. That was so cool to me. He was a hero to me that I wanted to talk to, but, he was always talking with the “grown ups” and I was just a little kid. For some reason, growing up, Uncle Hank was just out of reach for me. I would stand there and look at him in awe. The day he retired from the Marine Corps was a sad day for me as a kid. The hero uncle was no longer a Marine fighter pilot, but a normal citizen. But still, a real life hero none the less. That’s all I knew of him. And that was life then. I remember bragging to my friends about my uncle who crash landed on the carrier Midway. “Yeah, well I got an Uncle that flies F-4 Phantoms” I remember telling anyone who would listen. I remember steeling the picture my Mom kept of Hank's aircraft crashed on the deck of the Midway and taking it to school for show and tell or to just brag to my friends. I always returned it to the special drawer where it was kept. The picture was a newspaper clipping. I remember Miss Duty (my grandmother) had some really cool pictures of him in his flight suit. I would just sit in her apartment in Washington D.C. and stare at them. I was just a little kid, but I already new the “real deal” when I saw it. To me, he was the real deal if that makes any sense.

Last year, I distinctly remember taking two guys fishing. A father in law and a son in law. The father in law was a retired Marine Corps pilot who flew F-4s. The son in law is a Navy pilot. It was a cold day and the father in law was less than comfortable with the conditions and had me drop him off at a lodge along the river where he would stay warm and enjoy some hospitality while I continued to float down stream with his son-in-law. I didn’t talk too much with the son in law about aviation, but I thought about my Uncle that day on a number of occasions. I wondered what he was like now. Was he old? Would I recognize him? Was he still the hero I remembered? The son-in-law enjoyed the fishing and I noticed that he had some damn good eyesight. He caught a lot of fish staring at tiny dry flies. You got to have good eye sight to catch fish on tiny dry flies. Hank must have had good eye sight in his prime. My memories are mostly of the young Uncle Hank, the pilot, the guy who flew off of aircraft carriers. I asked the son-in-law if he flew off of carriers. He did. What do you fly? He said he used to fly F-14s and now flies F-18s. I said “Hey, I got an Uncle who flew Phantoms and crash landed on the carrier Midway. He flew in Korea and Vietnam and commanded a Marine detachment at Pt. Mugu and …and…. He must have been a great pilot, uh?” The son in law said he wasn’t a great pilot, but a bad ass (which means he’s better than a great pilot). He turned and looked at me as he said it too. Like it meant something to him. At the end of the day, the father-in-law met us at the boat ramp and I shared what I knew of my Uncle Hank with him since he was a Marine Corps pilot too. Hank rang a bell with him but he couldn’t place Hank anywhere in his memories. The father-in-law said to me “Well? Did he tell you?” Referring to his son-in-law. I said “tell me what?” as the son-in-law rolled his eyes. “This fishing trip is a gift because he just graduated top gun school”. I said “He graduates top gun school and all you give him is this crappy fishing trip?” They all laughed.

I may have taken a Top-gun dude fishing, but I got another opportunity to brag about the Uncle I never knew, the hero uncle who flew jets and was a Marine, is a Marine. The only hero I ever new, but didn’t now. Time flies. God speed Uncle Hank.

Sincerely,

Chris Parsons

That was crazy! The end of another season on the Trinity.

I'm just about finished on the Trinity and looking forward to the great fishing the Lower Sacramento River offers in March and April. I really had a great time on the Trinity this season and what a season it was! November kicked off the festivities with a bang! I really had to just accept that as long as the Trinity receives 41, 000 steelhead by the end of December, it will continue to be a destination spot for every angler and fishing guide in the USA for many years to come. If you can come in December, January or February and can handle some cold weather, do it. November is really very crowded on the Trinity, but the fishing can be super excellent! The Lower Sac may be a better option for November if getting away from the crowds is your idea of a good experience. Did you know that the Lower Sac has offered some pretty good steelhead fishing in recent years? Nothing wrong with fishing for trout with a few steelhead mixed in. Hard to beat the Trinity though. Just ask me. I really had second thoughts about the Trinity this past November. Fishing the Trinity in November can make an angler desperate. For example more and more anglers are resorting to pre-dawn starts, Navy Seal style, just to insure they get in place to catch fish! A whole stretch of river can be populated before sunrise! If you ever see me doing this, shoot me because I have gone insane and I'm miserable. Put me out of my misery! On a side note, don't be cranky on the water! I have had anglers yell at me because I was fishing downstream of them on a day when there's hardly any water to fish! One guy shared his insight with me by explaining to me that since I was in a boat, I had the river to myself, and should not fish within site of him. Okay. This is river rage folks. On crowded days, the rules are fuzzy. The key is be reasonable. Let a guy catch a fish and don't be evil & greedy. Give an angler plenty of space, but don't be surprised if someone starts fishing downstream of you. It happens to me everyday on crowded days and I expect it to happen. There's plenty of other rivers to go steelhead fishing on. I'll share when the crowds have got you down. In hind sight, in spite of all the jockeying that went on last fall, I can't remember any day where we walked away empty handed. December was a happier month for me though. More fish started to spread out up through Douglas City and Lewiston and so, all of us anglers spread out as well. Finding some peace and solitude was possible at last. January brought a ton of snow and sent most anglers home. Worked for me. I canceled only one day this season due to rain. It snowed more than most can remember. I nearly spent the night at Browns Mtn. access because I got stuck in the snow. If it wasn't for a good Samaritan with a tow chain, I would have waited until the next day to get out. I'm thinking about installing a wench on the front of my truck. The fishing all through January was very good. Even when it snowed, the fishing was great! Exceptional numbers of fish continued to find there way to the net of every guide I know. I lost count every single day while reminding guests that this day may be the best steelhead day of their lives. One of my guests told me that I explained this to him last year. Fishing has been good on the Trinity. Next year may be a more traditional story of the one or two we had on. I remember when 8 fish was a big number day on the Trinity. I would loose no sleep if the fishing slowed down, but in reality I think the Trinity is fishing more like it might have if we could go back in time 200+ years. All coastal rivers flooded with steelhead not to mention salmon and I suppose an angler would catch tremendous numbers of fish on the best days. These fish have to show up for us to catch them. If we should thank anyone, thank Cal Trout and all those who fought to keep water in the Trinity. February is my favorite month on the Trinity. In February, the fish are more spread out, there are fewer of them, but they are usually wild, big and fight the hardest. The water color is misty green and river levels are up. The hook ups are earned in February where in November they, the steelhead (and anglers), tend to hold in pods. In February, the crowds are gone and I can have a whole stretch of river to myself. The days are getting longer and rarely do we have to race the fading light of day to get to the last run. On some days, the sun shines warm and there's plenty of bug activity. When I return next November, I will be thinking about February 2009, but enjoying the fishing that surley will be great all through December and January. Just gotta make it to February, then I can have the Trinity back.

Lower Sac, October 2007

Since my last post, I have been busy as usual. Sorry to those of you that email me asking when I will write another newsletter or update my report on the website. I used to just sit down at the end of a day and type up those things, but my little boy Conrad gets all the attention these days. I will send out a newsletter soon. Before steelhead season gets in full swing.

I'm really enjoying my October this year. Not that I didn't enjoy previous years, it's just that this year there's a predictability that I am comfortable with. I definitely feel more at ease on the river these days. The fish seem to come more easily now, but there are still those tough days. Thankfully, I still sit in wonder when I'm on the water behind the oars. I still observe. I still guess. I still discover. I still enjoy it.

October is a month of transition. The spring and summer season on Fall River has passed and the memories cause me to look eagerly forward to next year on a river that really saved my angling spirit in so may ways. Trout fishing on the Lower Sac is in all it's glory. The fall run of King Salmon populate the Sac digging redds and laying eggs. The rainbow trout this river is so famous for take up positions in and around the salmon redds. The chance of hooking one, two or more can be had with almost pinpoint accuracy. A good presentation and sheer fish fighting ability will take any angler into rainbow bliss. More often than not, many anglers loose count of "the one that got away".

Fly anglers cast an assortment of fly patterns from yarn eggs (not really a "fly", but a disguised hook) and nymph imitations like #18 black micro mayflies, #12-14 stone fly imitations, big & small bird's nests, tan poopahs, various prince nymphs, assorted copper johns and all kinds of pheasant tail nymphs. Some anglers choose to fish lures instead of a fly or yarn egg. Plastic egg imitations called "beads" work well, but don't fall under the rules of fly fishing which is basically by definition presenting materials that are tied to the hook in an effort to disguise it. A bead can be melted to the hook, so in fact that's a disguised hook. But it's not a hook with material tied to it. I only fish with yarn eggs these days. I certainly find fewer mangled fish in my net using yarn, but not fewer fish. Yarn works great! But, I can't blame anyone for fishing beads. There is some controversy surrounding fishing beads, but I'm not going to debate the rights and wrongs of angling here. I'm just sharing my belief and philosophy. I don't think it's evil or done in bad character as some feel. There are far worse things in angling than fishing a bead. Like it or not, beads have become an accepted deviation just like indicators, sinking lines and graphite rods. You don't have to agree with it, but it's a fair way to fish. A true purist fishes using a tree branch, cat gut and a soft hackle. Fly fishing continues to evolve. As for beads, it's really a mental thing that rests on confidence. Confidence in the fly or lure on the end of the fly rod. I have proven to myself that yarn eggs are better for catch/release fishing. That's where I stand. I'm not going to try and prove it to the world, but I will and have set an example. If I believed beads worked better, I would fish them. There are exceptions, but again fishing yarn is more in the spirit of fly fishing. Yarn is tied to the hook just like feathers. Beads are lures and when melted to the hook, the hook often penetrates the fish deeply and unfairly. But yarn isn't perfect. I have found my yarn egg buried deeply in the fishes gullet on occasion. Things go wrong. You decide. I'm an example that there is life beyond beads. I know. I fished beads for three Fall/Winter seasons. I recently heard a guide say that only in Redding are there people who feel beads are unethical, or problematic. I dare not go down the proverbial path of what's ethically acceptable in angling. There are a ton of gray areas and double standards in the angling world. But for the record, Redding has produced some of the most innovative and forward thinking anglers in the world. Anglers that are extremely passionate about fishing, fish, rivers and the flies we tie and cast. I like knowing that there are guides and anglers in Redding that are not afraid to speak their minds and analyse the angling process. Before I move on I will say this....I'm a fly fisherman at heart. I enjoy the craft of presenting something tied to a hook that imitates a source of food a fish might eat. If all I cared about was catching fish, then anything from bait to soaked eggs would be acceptable. I simply do not fish beads anymore. I like to fly fish.

There, I have planted the seed. Water it if you wish. BTW- The Fly Shop sells only flies and yarn eggs.

So, that's fishing on the Sac from October through December. It's all about salmon redds, egg patterns and rainbow trout. All in all it's fun. October fishing on the Sac has been popular for a long time. Some have been lead to believe it is the best time to fish the Sac. No doubt the weather is good and the fishing is good, but the Sac is like ice cream. There are many flavors and October is just one of twelve to choose from. The fishing is always good on the Sac.

Fall River, Lower Sac and Conrad's B-Day

How's has your summer been so far? I can't complain. As a matter of fact it has been a great summer! Fall River has kept me busy. Thanks to all of you who came the extra mile to fish with me on a river that I love. I can remember some tough days on the Fall, but I can't count how many great days we had where we lost count of the numbers of hook-ups on beautiful 16"-18" rainbows. Saw one rainbow in the net that went over 23". The Hex hatch is still going, but it's going, going.....almost gone.

At the end of this month I will be done guiding up on Fall River. I would stay if it made sense but I enjoy the fishing on the Lower Sac in August too much to skip it. August is hot and it can be really hot on the Sac, but most of the time the temperatures are comfortable, getting warmest around 3:00-4:00 PM. I will still do a few dates on Fall River, but they are requested dates, so if you're reading this blog and you want to fish Fall River in September or even early November....let's do it.

I really want to go fishing myself, but work has kept me on the river and not fishing the river. I am happy to work because I know what it's like to not work. Anyway, lot's of stuff going on around the house too. We are going to paint the outside in early September and do the inside through the month of October. The back yard is going get a new look for our son Conrad. He will get a sand box and a lawn to play on. We will put in a special dog run for the labs. The run will include an air conditioned barn for all the dogs (3 in all). The labs run the backyard for now....boy do they take a toll on the yard! Then we will add a new paver patio, BBQ area, outdoor speakers for stereo.....and guess who will do most of the work. It won't happen over a weekend.

Speaking of Conrad, he's is growing up! Still a baby though. He will be two on August 11th. I think the theme is going to be John Deere. Conrad has a bunch of John Deere DVDs and books that he loves. He loves tractors, bulldozers and trucks. He gets real excited when he sees one while we are driving around town. He's starting to talk more and more. He's a great little boy. Hard to believe that someday he will be a teenager, then an adult. Time flies.

Hope to see you fishing either on the Lower Sac or Fall River! Don't forget to book your trips for the Trinity this Fall/Winter. The calendar will fill fast!