Bloodydecks.com - Freshwater Fly Fishing http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/ rivers, stillwater en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:00:05 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg Bloodydecks.com - Freshwater Fly Fishing http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/ SDCC gold http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/168889-sdcc-gold.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:12:31 GMT I hike around with my flyrod stalking fish and trying to sight fish all the time. Sometimes freshwater and sometimes salt. 95% of the time I get skunked, that’s OK. For me, sight fishing with a flyrod is like Murphy’s law times 1000, but for some reason I enjoy the agony. Then there’s days like today....

This morning started out like every other morning when I try to stalk fish. The universe conspires to make sure I don’t catch anything. The most incredible coincidences you can possibly imagine materialize just enough to keep the fish off the hook. God hates me, he must, that’s the only feasible explanation.

So I’m sneaking down the bank looking for fish 20’ ahead or so, and I look down and there’s a nice carp right out in front of me. Somehow he hasn’t seen me yet. So I very carefully slide into a shadow, set my stuff down, and ready my rod. I make a long underhand pitch into his realm. He sees the fly, but doesn’t react to it. The fish is just about to turn to the point where my fly will be out of his cone of vision, so out of desperation I give the fly two big hops. The carp turned around and now he’s heading toward my fly. As he nears it, I give it two tiny hops and he cruises right over and inhales it. WHAM!! Fish on! It was just that easy.
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True blue! What made this catch even sweeter was the fact that I got him on my own homemade carp fly. My first time trying to tie this style of fly.
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Better shot of one of my carp flies. Looks like a little California spiny.
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After the pics and the release. I retied, cleaned my line and added a couple drops of Bang to my bug. I didn’t want to risk having it smell like scared carp mouth.

Hours later I’m walking around and the water I’m now searching in has about 3 inches of visibility it’s literally like chocolate milk. I can barely see a big black image slowly cruising through the sticks. I know it’s a long shot but, what the hell.... After sneaking up very slowly and quietly, I cast past him and slide the fly right into his face. He stopped briefly. I don’t know if he saw it, or smelled it. I couldn’t see a thing, but I do know that when he started swimming again. My line was swimming with him. WHAM!! Fish on again!! Unbelievable! This sucker is big! I got him out of the sticks and into the net. This is easily my biggest carp on the flyrod. It’s also my biggest anything, on a flyrod(unless you count that taxi in St. Lucia, which I don’t). Behold my new PB flyrod carp!
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Nudder shot of the same fish...
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Duuude, How great is it when it works.

Well, I had two hours left to kill before picking the kids up from school. My thoughts turned to a couple carp that I was working on and presumably about to catch this morning, if not for the kindly old bass angler that came stomping up behind me banging two trashcan lids together, tripped over a rock, fell, dropped his 40 ouncer, cussed, stood high on top of a boulder casting a man shaped shadow all over my fish, and then yelled through a megaphone at me, CATCH ANYTHING?!!!!!!! as he goose-stepped down the bank, scaring off any chances I may have had at catching a shallow feeding carp.

Those fish were very far away, but I had time and I had a notion, and I had a half loaf of bread stashed in my back pack for just such an emergency. I got to the spot were I had fished earlier. I chunked up some bread and threw it in the water, tied on a puffy white fly, snuggled up into a shadowy rock recess and commenced to eating my lunch. One apple. One orange. One Pear. Oh look, one carp! It took some time and a little effort, but eventually the biggest carp who showed up to the feast mistook my puffy white fly for a piece of the free bread and got his picture taken.
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When it rains, it pours. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I very rarely post internet reports of these types of adventures. I’m not in the business of promoting carp fishing, quite the contrary. However if you enjoy these types of activities, please hit me up. I would enjoy the company, and we can benefit from group experiences. Two heads are better than one.
]]> Freshwater Fly Fishing Fishtricks http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/168889-sdcc-gold.html <![CDATA[More Carp'n Fun]]> http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/168670-more-carpn-fun.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:27:00 GMT We have had wind the past week so when I looked outside this morning and saw calm, I went carp'n. There are still some groups of threes and fours running around not looking to eat but luckily there's plenty of takers. I landed 8, 6 on a olive clouser swimming nymph and 2 on a dark rust colored clouser swimming nymph all were 5 to 6 lbs. Also the water's still pretty clear in the shallower parts making sight fishing a breeze.

A little foot note, everyone remember to make sure your camera battery is charged each time you go out. I went to take my first picture of the day and heard that distinctive "battery is deleted" chirp. Oh well. ]]> Freshwater Fly Fishing flyfishthesurf http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/168670-more-carpn-fun.html Charity Fly Rod/Reel Auction http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/168654-charity-fly-rod-reel-auction.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:50:05 GMT Hello all,

I wanted to call your attention to a rod/reel/line & flies package that just went up on eBay as a "charity auction".

A couple of weeks ago I found out that a friend's Son in Law had a non-operable brain tumor. Byran Bishop had been undergoing chemo which had shrunk the tumor and Bryan was optimistically pushing forward. Bryan was the sound man for the Adam Carolla radio show. Adam and a number of Bryan's other friends put together a benefit comedy show called "Laughs for Bald Bryan" ( http://www.laughsforbaldbryan.com/ ) to generate money to help Bryan with a mound of medical bills. The event is this Friday night in Hollywood with a large list of comedians (including Jimmy Kimmel) and last I heard, all but twenty of the 1200 seats had been sold.

Along with the comedy show, Bryan's friends also set up a benefit auction which is when the lightbulb came on in my head. Friends had been donating everything from "walk-on" spots on TV shows, to new power tools to video games for the auction. I asked Don (an avid fly fisherman) if a rod for the auction would help and he said "YOU BET", so I got after it... I delivered the rod to Don (practically still "wet") the other day and he went out and bought everything else needed (reel, line, flies & tube) to complete the package.

They just put it up on eBay last night. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150389971289 Not sure what the "reserve" is, but I'm sure it's still going to be a steal...

Pardon the "fuzzy" pics, but I literally took this rod out of the dryer box Saturday, snapped two pics on the dead run, and ran the rod over to Don. The wraps are madeira to match the Amboyna Burl Seat/grip & Agate stripper. Can't see it from the crappy pics, but those are "fade" trim bands on all the guide wraps.
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Don took some more photos which are on the auction page...
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Everything's there. Rod, reel, line, sock, tube and flies... Now go throw a bid on it. You might get it cheap!

Thanks!!
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]]> Freshwater Fly Fishing Fuji_Pedler http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/168654-charity-fly-rod-reel-auction.html Deep Creek Report http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/168212-deep-creek-report.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:31:28 GMT I didn't feel like doing my chores, so I shot down to Deep Creek for the morning. It's only 10 minutes away, but I still forget it's there. Fished for about 3 hours, though at least 1/3 of that time was crashing through brush to find the 'golden pool.'

When I did find it, I was rewarded with 5 beautiful wild rainbow. Found three others in very small pools with good current on wet flies. They seemed to enjoy black or olive matukas. All were catch and release at the water, though I did lift one up for a photo. Largest was about 10".

I was pretty excited because it's my first experience fly-fishing other than trolling a streamer in a float tube. Hope Santa delivers a trout set up for xmas as I was using my father-in-laws gear.
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]]> Freshwater Fly Fishing Wandering Blues http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/168212-deep-creek-report.html Starting over again http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/168033-starting-over-again.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:37:10 GMT Getting back in to flyfishing, have not flyfished in 28 years. As a teenager fished the San Juan, Rio Grand in Chama and the head of Pecos river grew up in New Mexico. Would like to know what you... Getting back in to flyfishing, have not flyfished in 28 years. As a teenager fished the San Juan, Rio Grand in Chama and the head of Pecos river grew up in New Mexico. Would like to know what you guys think of starting off with the Okuma Infusion in 5wt. Will be fishing mostly upper Santa Ana river, June Lake loop and around Bishop. Don't want to spend to much to get started will up grade later and give to grandson so he can start fishing with me. ]]> Freshwater Fly Fishing Bill Mobbley http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/168033-starting-over-again.html <![CDATA[Large surf, time for some carp'n]]> http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/167814-large-surf-time-some-carpn.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:58:31 GMT The surf has been too big for any good fly fishing from the beach so it has been up to the carp to keep me busy. Anyone else been hitting the carp water with their fly rods? The surf has been too big for any good fly fishing from the beach so it has been up to the carp to keep me busy. Anyone else been hitting the carp water with their fly rods? ]]> Freshwater Fly Fishing flyfishthesurf http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/167814-large-surf-time-some-carpn.html <![CDATA[Anyone up for some "enforcement" on the San Gabriel River(s)?]]> http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/167157-anyone-up-some-enforcement-san-gabriel-river-s.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:53:05 GMT Let me start by telling you that I'm not some raging conservationist, or some guy that's always wanted to wear a badge. I'm just a local fisherman that's sick of what's happening to my "home waters". Any of you that have been up to the C&R stretch of the West Fork know exactly what I'm talking about. This is a beautiful stretch of water, close to home for millions, that's turned into a lawless land.

I grew up and still live right over the hill from Camp Williams on the East Fork. I learned to fish up there. I can get off work on a week day during the Summer and be up there for the evening hatch, then home by dark. Problem is, going up there alone has become flat out dangerous. The eight mile catch & release, barbless artificial area is loaded with poachers, "Gangsters" are spray painting anything that doesn't move, and by the time you get back down the River to the parking lot, you hope your car hasn't been broken into. All the while you're looking at diapers floating in the stream, Doritos bags under every bush, etc... It's a friggen mess...

it's become worse over the last decade because of........ You guessed it, BUDGET CUTS! Not only is there not enough "paid" enforcement, but now it's come to the point that you won't find a Ranger or DFG officer up there working alone. Too dangerous.

A lot of the members of my Fly Club (Sourthern Sierra Fly Fishing Club) out of Kernville live down this way. The raping of the West Fork is a pretty common conversation when we get together. I also have a Rod Shop near by in San Dimas that's frequented by quite a few local fly fishermen and they're all aware of what goes on up there and most of those conversations end in "well, what can you do?". We talk about doing clean-ups, having regulation signs printed in other languages, etc... but it's always just talk and nothing ever gets any traction.

A couple of us decided to TRY and do something going into 2010. A couple of brief conversations with the Forrest Service and they're all ears. In fact, they'd LOVE the help and went as far as offering training, resources, TICKET BOOKS, etc... I'm told that a local DFG "Lieutenant" was of the same mind set. They can't do it alone, but will take all the help they can get. Turns out the Federation of Flyfishers also has a volunteer program in place that works with both the NFS and the DFG.

Here's the plan going forward. We're going to look into organizing and training a group that would work in pairs on both the East and West Forks. 3-4 pairs at a time on weekends. Checking licenses, creels, lures, etc... Also looking for other "problems" in the area. These teams work in conjunction with Law Enforcement via Forrest Service Radios with Officers on stand-by in the area. That's just the general idea. We're very open to suggestion.

SO... Where we're at is trying to get a headcount or mailing list on this. We're going to try to get together in the next few weeks (or months) to have an informal meeting with representatives from the DFG, NFS and FFF and see if we can't come up with a plan. That meeting will be open to anyone interested. At this point, that meeting could be at my shop, but I hope it has to be at a local community center or something to hold all the people!

From the number of guys that I hear bitch about what's happened to that fishery, if 1% of them got off their ass a couple of Saturdays a year and got involved, that placed could be covered year round and actually RECOVER rather than continue down the shitter.

Wouldn't you like a safe, clean stretch of Wild Trout water that you hit and be home before the wife (or husband) even misses you? Ever wonder what it takes to get a key for one of those many pad locks on the WF gates? lol

If everybody waits for someone else to do this, it'll never get done. This isn't a huge time commitment, especially if enough people get involved. You're talking about a couple of days a year in trade for killer local wild trout water. Or, do nothing and have a graffiti covered diaper dump. Your call...

If you've got any interest at all, PM or email me with your email address. I promise I won't share it, or bombard you with crap. I'll just keep it to copy you on dates of meetings, or other communication on this subject.


Thanks! ]]> Freshwater Fly Fishing Fuji_Pedler http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/freshwater-fly-fishing/167157-anyone-up-some-enforcement-san-gabriel-river-s.html