American Halfpounders?

[Jeff C.]

Hi Everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone has been doing any good on the American for halfpounders. It must be pretty dismay because there have been no reports lately on this board. I've been hitting the lower reaches of the river hard (3-4 times a week) and have not had too much luck. I've only caught smolts and pike minnows so far. I think that the water is way too warm (70 plus degrees) in the lower reaches for them to come in. If they are they must be jamming straignt upriver to some cooler water. If any of you are getting them please post a report. You don't have to name the spot just general area (upper, middle or lower river). Thanks.

Jeff C.

[Bryan Morgan]

Hi Jeff, met Bruce up at Watt Ave. this morning, throwing the usual stuff, but nothing to report. One guy I talked to said he caught a d :) escent fish last week. There was one big ass striper that probably went a good 25 lbs. cruising in and around my feet in the clay banks. Let me know if you find them, Bryan.

[jlmelend]

My oppressed fly-angler brother...I do feel your pain. I floated Sunrise to Goethe in my kayak for non-fishing reasons and checked every riffle, drop off, and clay bank. I saw sucker fish and one large half pounder near some clay banks at Rossmoor all day. That was all.

If Jeff C. can't catch them swingin' the dirty bird, then the fish aren't there or they are too sluggish from the heat.

[mike N]

JC,

I haven't been fishing for them in a loooong time, so I won't be much help on the report.

I can say that my best evening of HP fishing was on a full moon in September though. They should be here soon if they will be here at all.

MN

[Jgoding]

Haven't been out lately but I'll report being skunked soon enough probably.

Jeff

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

It's finally cooling off..........that should help.

[Jeff C.]

I got reports from Bruce and Jeff F. who both fished up high. Both had nothing to report. Bruce said that it was the water was 67 degrees yesterday down low so the cool weather has helped the water temps. Jeff

[Garrett S]

I fished the mid section of the river on monday. I caught nothing, but I saw 7 rises and a couple of caddis :)

[Ty@Landpark]

Sounds unproductive. I've been out a few times at Watt Ave and nada(nothing). The silver lining was getting in some practice casts and breaking-in my new boots. Hopefully the weather continues to cool and more favorable water temps triggers some action. Good to see some msg board dialogue on half-pounders ...

[jlmelend]

So Guppy...I'm curious, why do you have a 2112 at the bottom of your message? Is 2112 a special year (like is that when you get you turn 16?), are you into palindromes or are you a big Rush fan like me?

[Jasonh]

RUSH rocks! Got to see them twice this year and they seem to get better with age!

[Jeff C.]

I used to have a guy that worked for me who loved Rush so much that he would see every one of thier concerts and had 2 complete sets of their albums (one to listen to and the other to keep in mint condition).

Anyway, I went to the shop yesterday and bought a new 3 wt. rod. (8.5 ft Redington CPS on close-out). I had to try it out so I hit the lower river. As usual, I only ended up catching a dink pike minnow. I ran into Bruce and that's all he caught also. I'm ready to take up golf! Jeff

[Garrett S]

RUSH rocks! Got to see them twice this year and they seem to get better with age!
I AGREE, My 2112 stands for Rush's 1976 album 2112.
:D :D

[jlmelend]

Hey Guppy, Jason and Jeff...
One word...YYZ!



Try renting the Rush in Rio DVD...It'll blow you away!

[youtube:2bc3fc9b16]http://www.youtube.com/v/q-BRee2bAho&feature=related[/youtube:2bc3fc9b16]

[Jasonh]

Joe,

That was a great recording and concert! If you want to see a really cool old rush clip, check out la villa strangiato 1979 at pinkpop on youtube. Alex Lifeson is amazing on this one!

Guppy,

Really cool a young guy like yourself is into RUSH and fly fishing. Two things that will spoil you for life!

Jason

[jlmelend]

Yeah Gup... are you sure you're not 44 or something? :D

[Garrett S]

I have the R30 dvd and the RUSH replay dvd. R30 was there world tour in 2004, and RUSH replay was Grace Under Pressure, Exit Stage Left, and A Show Of Hands tour. They are coming out with a Snakes and Arrows DVD this Christmas, and I'm pretty sure that I'm not 44 :D :D

[Garrett S]

I have the R30 dvd and the RUSH replay dvd. R30 was there world tour in 2004, and RUSH replay was Grace Under Pressure, Exit Stage Left, and A Show Of Hands tour. They are coming out with a Snakes and Arrows DVD this Christmas, and I'm pretty sure that I'm not 44 :D :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL7MaPpNrV0ovie"

[590Mike]

I've been out the last 2 weeks and done fair . The 1/2 pounders are in the deeper faster oxygenated water. 2 Sats ago we parked at Ancil Hoffman and walked upstream. I won't park at the end of El Manto due to break-ins.

Using short-line nymphing the way Bill Carnazzo does it and wading knee to waist deep. #12 olive birds nest and Bills 12 step stone fly in a size #10. We were dodging the rafters a lot of the time but picked up 5 halfpounders one right at 20" and about 5 really nice carp. ! That was mid-afternoon and about three hours time on the river.
The 2 other days were mostly smaller fish and later in the day. Fish the seams just off the heavily broken water and really watch the end of your line as the takes seem very light.

I have heard that carp are really good smoked,but I can never keep them lit !!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think the water has to be down near 60 degrees before the Steelhead will sit up in the shallow runs where they are easily taken swinging wets of a floating line.

[Jeff C.]

I went camping up in the mountains on Saturday to fish for brookies because I couldn't handle being skunked so much fishing the American for half-pounders. There was a full moon so the dry fly action was slow during the day. I fished during the day with a dry-dropper rig with 90% of the fish hitting the dropper. Surprisingly, a size 16 Bloody Maria (a shad fly!) was the hands down killer fly as a dropper. In the evening, EHC nailed 'em. Ended up catching 70-80. I was the only one camping in the area and it was nice and peaceful. There's nothing like getting lulled to sleep by the sound of a babbling brook. The moon was so bright that the brookies probably ate all night and had lock jaw in the morning, so I broke camp Sunday morning and drove back to Sac.

Went out on the lower portion of the American in the afternoon for the usual skunk. Golf anyone?

Jeff C.

[590Mike]

Bill is right the water temp needs to be about 60 degrees for the fish to move into runs and shallower riffles. They can be found in the in the deeper broken water where the is more oxygen and still find food.