!!! JACKPOT !!!

[David Lee]

Hi guys (girls , also ...) .

Ask anyone who knows me - I'm the worst Steelhead fisherman on the planet . Really . I catch a few , but most of the time I get them as a 'bonus' fish .... while chasing something else . The worm turned today , however !!

Hit the A at 11:30 , landed a 14-inch Chrome Smolt on a #4 Battle Creek Special at a little after 12:00 .... switched to leadcore and a #4 Black leech for the bottom of the run (4-8 feet deep) . Started to get into slower water than I would have thought Steelie would be in .....

End of swing ....... THUMP !! I set , and feel what I believe to be a Sucker . I lean on it , it gets HEAVY ....

Hmmmmmm .... must be a pretty nice Sucker :idea: Stupid thing must be fouled ...... I get the 'bright' idea to really give 'em the wood .

Roughly THREE FEET of Steelhead comes up for a vertical cartwheel :shock: !!!!

The fish never made any screaming runs - just fought very 'loggy' . After 7-8 minutes , I land a 9-12 lb. hatcherey hen . I got her on film (forgot the wife's digi ...) , and released her . My biggest ever .

On the way back ... I checked-out MSP's Shad spot , Beer Can Reef . It isn't there anymore :( . Didn't see any fish in the shallows , very few jumping . 3 DFG dudes floated by , no other fishermen .

That's it !! WEEEEEEE , HAAAAAAWWWWWW !!

David :D :D :D

[MSP]

Great job David. It's amazing sometimes what happens when you get out on the water. Well at least for you and Ron. I haven't seen a fish, hooked a fish, or seen a fish landed since since I got that fish back around the 9th. Been getting pretty discouraged lately, been fishing the "A" at least 3 times a week and even made a trip up to the Yuba last week and have come to the conclusion that I SUCK! Decided to start playing a little more golf lately and have actually found it to be a little less frustrating. Unless things start changing I can only hope for a good run of 1/2 pounders in the coming months. Yea David the Dump is gone as well as my other honey holes I used to fish. But all is not lost, I can always go after the Squawfish behind the house. :shock:

Glad to hear somebody is getting some fish on the fly!

[David Lee]

MSP -

Go down below Beer Can Reef ........ past the top of the riffle . There's a few nice fish in that run down there , and nobodys fishing it .

Call me if you wanna go :!: :!:

David :D

[MSP]

David I've been fishing that riffle on the Effie Yaw side for the last month. I was seeing fish in it a few weeks ago, but haven't seen anything lately. Been fishing it pretty hard.

[sculpin]

Hey David I'm glad you got into a nice fish you weren't expecting today .
Mike I'm sorry to hear your still in the wood shed.

Mark

[SteelieD]

Nice! Good job David!

[David Lee]

Mark , SteelieD -

Thanks !! I expect everything BUT Steelhead , so it was kind of a nice treat . That was actually one of the few winter Steelies that I've taken . I do OK in the fall , and pretty well on the spring run , I just rarely catch winter fish .....




David one of the DFG guys who floated by was me. Good to hear you got into fish! Not many landed from what we saw.

Trying to remember, were you out across from the Nature Center?? (We only saw a few fly fishers today)

Tristan -

Yeah , that was me . Funny .... I knew you were working w/ the DFG and had a feeling that we would run into each other out there sometime .....

Next time , pull over and BS for a while :idea:

David :D

[flygolf]

Hey Tristan, I was fishing lower with spey rod (log hole) I think you asked for my zip code. When you doing the float are checking barbs or anything like that or just taking info.?

[flygolf]

Yes, a boss. I switched over to a leach with the same amount of luck. Nice to meet you as well. Do you go all the way down to discovery?

[David Lee]

Damn, you walked a long way from Rossmore down then didn't you? You deserved that fish!


Naaaaah ..... It's only 20 minutes down . I think that keeps people away , to be honest . I've learned that most fear a hike of any kind , though I've no idea why .

The run below where you saw me is just about perfect at these levels - Not past belly-button deep wading , cobble bottom , plenty of backcast room ..... and empty of fishermen . Empty until now , that is !! I'm sure somebody will put it all together here :oops:

I bet those fish'll get grabby if the temps rise a bit :idea:

David

[Hairstacker]

David, great job!!! Next time we get together, I want to hear every single gory detail! :D

[mike N]

Nice report David.

I didn't know one of my secret spots was so popular. I've been hitting that area sice I was a kid.

Figures I didn't get much there last week, MSP had already fished it!

MN

MN

[David Lee]

Thanks Mike N. !!

I doubt that many will actively fish that water - the "Redd-Rapists" can't see anything spawning !

I know how you feel about the 'secret' spots - Everytime I'm at mine (on the lower river) and see anyone there ..... it makes me a bit ill .

Then I have to remind myself that MY water was being fished for years before I got to Sacramento . I have a difficult time NOT having an attachment to some places on the American , and I envy folks such as yourself that grew-up on this wonderful river .

We sure as hell are lucky to have a river like this one !!

David :)

[Hairstacker]

Mike P., I have seen too many pictures of you or just your hand in contact with too many great fish to believe you're going through anything other than just a temporary slump. I'm sure you know it happens to all of us, so hang in there, it's just a matter of time. . . .

[Ed Wahl]

Nice going David. :D :D I've been useing the "hiking filter" for years up in the canyons. The filter doesn't even have to be very big, 100 yards takes out 90% of the fishers. 300yds and you rarely see anyone. After half a mile in either direction of the parking lot your in the wilderness. Ed

[MSP]

I keep telling myself the same thing Mike. Just a slump. keep after em you'll find one sooner or later. OK damnit, I''ll give it another try today. The weather has been perfect and the new pup loves to take me fishing. I wish he was better at locating fish, maybe he will find himself a cougar today:shock:

Mike N. don't be using me as an excuse. :lol: I saw a report from you lately, sounds like we're even! :)

[SullyTM]

:fish: :thumbsup:

Patience is a virtue!

[Jgoding]

Good job David!! I guess I need to stop working so much and find some fish..... Would love to see the action too

[dtp916]

Right on David! =D>

Gives you a lot more confidence now that you nailed a biggun, huh! (At least for me it does) 8) 8) 8)

[WinterrunRon]

David,

Glad you found one. And a nice one at that! I don't know of the area you talk about and fished, but it re-enforces my belief that all the steelhead can be found... in the river. One just needs to cast to them.

In other words, if you cast, they will come... eventually.

I'm happy for you, pal!

Ron

P.S. Having found that you landed a steelhead using legal means and persuasion, and, with the power invested with me, I hereby declare you NOT to be the worst steelhead fisherman. Go forth, young man, and seek the river's edge more often.

[mike-n]

DL,

The water at the bottom of that run used to be a great shad spot. I haven't fished it in years, but maybe this year the flows will be cooperative. The spot is just where the river makes the slight turn to the right facing down stream at the bottom of that riffle/run. Fishing from the rancho side is a no brainer, just throw a head from the end of the sand point as far as you can and let it swing. Fishing from the carmicheal side use to require a deep wade and a long cast to get it in the bucket. A few years ago when I fished it the wade was deeper and I was no taller. I almost fished that spot the other day from the carmicheal side, but it was getting late and I didn't feel like wading, so i hit the riffle and got skunked.

MSP,

It's all your fault! Or maybe the cougar wanted fish for dinner. :-)

MN

[David Lee]

The water at the bottom of that run used to be a great shad spot. I haven't fished it in years, but maybe this year the flows will be cooperative. The spot is just where the river makes the slight turn to the right facing down stream at the bottom of that riffle/run. Fishing from the rancho side is a no brainer, just throw a head from the end of the sand point as far as you can and let it swing. Fishing from the carmicheal side use to require a deep wade and a long cast to get it in the bucket.

MN -

You're right - it looks like the mother of all Shad spots . I've taken Stripes in there , but the flows have to be below 2000 CFS to really cover the run from the south side . I think if it drops to 1200 ..... it could be the best spot in the upper river for what I do . I've tried to wade that section at 4000 ..... pretty much a death wish .

I hope we run into each other soon . Good hunting out there !!

David :)

[mike-n]

I might be fishing Saturday afternoon, wanna hook up if I go?

MN

[David Lee]

I'd love to Mike ..... but I'll be freezin' my nads off in Rancho Seco w/ a few of the boys .

Perhaps next week ???

David :D

[mike-n]

Maybe the weekend after or an evening some time. We can take MSP and not do what he is doing. :-) Next weekend I'm doing the camp Okizu work weekend with the guys at NCFFB, so fishing will have to wait.

If anyone is interested there is a work party scheduled for february 10 and 11 at Camp Okizu east of Oroville. This is a summer camp for kids with or recovering from cancer and their families. Contact UC at the NCFFB if you are interested. uc@ncffb.org

I did this last year and they worked us hard. We thinned out an old x-mas tree lot on the site then took the 3x6 thick decking off a 200' long dock at their swimming pond. we must have cut over 200 trees from 2" to 6" diameter then dragged them out to the road. Man do I not miss manual labor, but every aching muscle in my body was thankful I attended.

MN

[David Lee]

Sounds good , MN -

MSP (along w/ Sturmer White and Chuck Won) is one of the best Nymphers around . Disturbing , really ..... I've seen those guys just raise the dead out of runs I've fished through first . Bastards ...... :twisted:

If we take him along .... it pretty much assures that he'll get 'em , and I won't !

I can't wait !!!!

David :D

[MSP]

Yea Mr. N, not doing what I have been doing would be a great idea :idea:

](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,)

[mike-n]

I've fished with Chuck and MSP, but not Strumer. Might have to turn this into a mini bash.

MN

[David Lee]

The worst part is ......

All three of 'em totally down-play their skills . IMO , nothing worse than having a humble spanking :mad: - at least give me some pointers while you out-fish me .

Come to think of it ...... each one did the same thing on the same river !! I'll never take them dudes back to the Bear again ..... :!:

David :evil:

[mike-n]

MSP,

What? :lol:

MN

[mike-n]

Come to think of it, I think I'll just throw top water for stripers :idea: becuase I won't catch any steelies anyway!

JayM has inspired me.

MN

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p77/mikenovotny/DSCN5308.jpg

[MSP]

Maybe the weekend after or an evening some time. We can take MSP and not do what he is doing.

Mike N, I was just agreeing with what you said earlier. I've been ](*,) trying to get a fish latey and it seems my technique isn't exactly working out as I had planned. But don't ask what techniques I've been using cause I'm not about to let anyone on this board know my secrets on how not to catch a fish. :shock:

You been getting out at lunch lately? If so let me know, I'll show you how NOT to get it done. I hear you're going to start commuting towards the West soon, when does that happen?

[mike N]

I haven't been out at lunch since the last time we went out, but that can change at the drop of a hat. :-)

The commute doesn't offically start in earnest until mid March and it should only be a few days a week. Right now I am down there once a week or so. Things are just starting to ramp up for the big push.

Send me an e-mail at work and we can line something up. Probalby just an untouched fly, but misery loves company, right?

MN