Bill Kiene semi-retired
05-08-2007, 08:38 AM
Terry Thomas and I fished with top Sacramento River fly fishing guide Shane Harden yesterday. Shane's email address:
lisaaslan@comcast.net
In his 18' Alumaweld jet boat we covered most of the water from Colusa to Grimes to locate fish. We found schools of fish spawning on top in the main current but naturally they won’t bite anything. We tried all the edges out of the current where Shane usually finds them. The water is low and fairly clear for the Sac.
We located lots of schools of fish but many would not bite probably because they are in the spawning mode. We finally found some schools of what I presumed where fresh fish and they were on the bit, big time. Shane ran us down a bank about 8 times in a row where Terry and I had doubles on them every time. For two hours we caught Stripers from 3 to 12 pounds no stop which was pretty hard on old Bill’s arms/wrists. Terry caught a boga-ed 10, 11 and 12 pounder. They were fresh, fat and hot especially in the current.
Then mid-day it slowed for us so we did a lot of running around. Mid- afternoon Shane ran us down a bank that he knows well and I stuck my biggest Striper ever. It took off upstream against the current and was soon into the banking. It was as powerful as anything I had ever hooked in fresh water on a fly rod. I was yelling out that I thought it was a spring run salmon because I did not really think a Striper could go that fast. We got it out into the middle of the river and it rolled once on the surface so I could see it and it looked well over 20 pounds. It took off for another run and came off. My hook had straightened out which is not common with a Mustad 413 # 3/0 jig hook.
Shane was not happy but I told him I was really excited to have finally had on a really big hot Striper. I think this was my best day of Striper fishing so far.
We were using 9 weight outfits with those T14 integrated 'cut to fit' sinktips (sink-heads), 4'-6' of 20# level leader and a #3/0 chartreuse and white Clouser with flash.
We also used those 'casting buckets' ($30 trash cans from Home Depot) with water in them which I now believe is a must. It keeps you running line wet and at a constant temperature so it shoots good all day.
PS: Shane said it should go to the end of May.
http://www.kiene.com/gallery/albums/Stripers/genimage.sized.jpg
lisaaslan@comcast.net
In his 18' Alumaweld jet boat we covered most of the water from Colusa to Grimes to locate fish. We found schools of fish spawning on top in the main current but naturally they won’t bite anything. We tried all the edges out of the current where Shane usually finds them. The water is low and fairly clear for the Sac.
We located lots of schools of fish but many would not bite probably because they are in the spawning mode. We finally found some schools of what I presumed where fresh fish and they were on the bit, big time. Shane ran us down a bank about 8 times in a row where Terry and I had doubles on them every time. For two hours we caught Stripers from 3 to 12 pounds no stop which was pretty hard on old Bill’s arms/wrists. Terry caught a boga-ed 10, 11 and 12 pounder. They were fresh, fat and hot especially in the current.
Then mid-day it slowed for us so we did a lot of running around. Mid- afternoon Shane ran us down a bank that he knows well and I stuck my biggest Striper ever. It took off upstream against the current and was soon into the banking. It was as powerful as anything I had ever hooked in fresh water on a fly rod. I was yelling out that I thought it was a spring run salmon because I did not really think a Striper could go that fast. We got it out into the middle of the river and it rolled once on the surface so I could see it and it looked well over 20 pounds. It took off for another run and came off. My hook had straightened out which is not common with a Mustad 413 # 3/0 jig hook.
Shane was not happy but I told him I was really excited to have finally had on a really big hot Striper. I think this was my best day of Striper fishing so far.
We were using 9 weight outfits with those T14 integrated 'cut to fit' sinktips (sink-heads), 4'-6' of 20# level leader and a #3/0 chartreuse and white Clouser with flash.
We also used those 'casting buckets' ($30 trash cans from Home Depot) with water in them which I now believe is a must. It keeps you running line wet and at a constant temperature so it shoots good all day.
PS: Shane said it should go to the end of May.
http://www.kiene.com/gallery/albums/Stripers/genimage.sized.jpg